What’s happening at SBARC? Here you will find the latest club news, events, projects, net activities, and news from our special interest groups (SIGS).
Be sure to check in frequently so you don’t miss out on any of the interesting things going on with the club and its members!
We have moved content for the Technical Mentoring and Elmering Net here, and content for the Digital Modes Net here.
Arduino and Raspberry Pi
If you are a regular participant or lurker to the Digital Communications Net on Tuesday evenings, you have probably heard us talk regularly about using micro-computers and micro-controllers like the Raspberry Pi and Arduino and other similar development boards. These capable little devices can do all kinds of interesting things that you can use in amateur radio, home automation, environmental monitoring, or just for general learning. An official Raspberry Pi or Arduino typically sells for about $35, but other options are available for as little as $5!
This month we’re going to try to take some of the mystery out of using these devices and Brian K6BPM is going to explain how these devices work, what you can do with them, and how easy it is to get started. We’ll show you many of the boards currently available and even some that are not yet available to the general public. We’ll also show you how we use these with our mesh network and infrastructure. You’ll find out how to take your home brew projects to an entirely new level. We hope you can make it!
We hold SBARC Club Meetings at the Goleta Union School District, 401 N. Fairview Ave. in Goleta, right across the street from the Goleta Library. Doors open at 7:00 PM and the meeting starts at 7:30 PM. Bring a guest and put the date on your calendar.
Post expires at 1:00am on Saturday April 22nd, 2017 but will still be available in the archives.
We’re going to try a little something different this meeting. Rather than have a speaker, we are going to to have a Town Hall style meeting. Members of the Board of Directors will be there and we’ll answer your questions about what goes on under the hood.
The club is doing a lot of interesting things, especially in the telecommunications area. We’ll do a couple of real-time demos and show you what we’re up to and how this work benefits the club.
So bring your questions, ideas and concerns, and we’ll have an old fashioned meeting.
We hold SBARC Club Meetings at the Goleta Union School District, 401 N. Fairview Ave. in Goleta, right across the street from the Goleta Library. Doors open at 7:00 PM and the meeting starts at 7:30 PM. Bring a guest and put the date on your calendar.
Post expires at 11:59pm on Friday March 17th, 2017 but will still be available in the archives.
Not only will this be the first club meeting for 2017, this will also be Inauguration Day! Whether you are celebrating or lamenting the day, you have something decidedly non-partisan and non-political to look forward to in the evening, the SBARC Monthly General Meeting.
Our guest speaker, Cecilia “Cici” Johnson of Sun Pacific Solar Electric here in Santa Barbara, is going to explain just how easy it is go get yourself that brand new, state-of-the-art solar system of your very own. No more brown-outs or black-outs. In past presentations we have been honored to have others from her company tell us about how solar has been evolving over the years — and what is available now is so much superior than it was even a few years ago. Don’t miss this exciting and worthwhile presentation. Don’t miss out on the hand-out flyers and other information. You will be glad you were there!
We hold SBARC Club Meetings at the Goleta Union School District, 401 N. Fairview Ave. in Goleta, right across the street from the Goleta Library. Doors open at 7:00 PM and the meeting starts at 7:30 PM. Bring a guest and put the date on your calendar.
Post expires at 11:00pm on Friday January 20th, 2017 but will still be available in the archives.
Presentation of the SBARC Lifetime Achievement Award to Jug WA6MBZ (right) by Brian K6BPM (left) at the October 2015 General Club Meeting.
Our old friend Jug – WA6MBZ passed away on Friday January 7, 2017 after a long illness. Jug was a long time member of SBARC and had his hands in project after project over the years. Jug also served on the SBARC Board of Directors and on various committees. He was instrumental in getting the club station activated several years ago, and was frequently the first in line to try new modes and radio technologies.
For many years Jug was known as the “Trivia Master” on the morning Cuckoo Net. He dutifully read a trivia question every morning. He had a special computer where he stored trivia questions – prepared years in advance – on every topic from radios to thimbles and drink coasters. Jug was also an officer in the 220 MHz Spectrum Management Association (220SMA), the 220 MHz frequency coordination group for Southern California.
Anyone that ever visited his house knew of Jug’s commitment to amateur radio. Radios and computers were packed into every available square inch of space he could find. His roof bristled with every form of antenna. He also had a few vehicles completely outfitted with everything from HF radios to GHz equipment along with solar panels to keep the batteries charged. He was the consummate “ham” and could build anything – and did! Amateur radio has lost one of the last of the “real hams”. You can read this post here if you need solar panel installation services.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for Jug on Thursday, January 12 at 10:00 am at Our Lady of Sorrows Church.
Please leave your stories and remembrances in the comments.
Post expires at 7:15am on Thursday February 9th, 2017 but will still be available in the archives.
The SBARC Telecommunications Services Committee continues testing the link between the K6TZ 146.790 and W6YJO 145.180 repeaters. The 146.790 machine is located on the Mesa in Santa Barbara and serves the Santa Barbara South Coast and portions of Ventura County. From atop Santa Ynez Peak, 145.180 has wide-area coverage including Santa Barbara North County. Signal reports and link quality reports between the two repeaters are appreciated.
Additionally, the following VoIP nodes are now online for incoming connections to the system only: AllStar Node: 43763; EchoLink Node: 4376. Amateurs wishing to connect via smart phone are encouraged to download and install the EchoLink app for iOS or Android.
The meeting was called to order at 1937 hours by President Brian Milburn, K6BPM
Attendance: A quorum of 38 was present.
1. Pledge of Allegiance led by President Brian Milburn.
2. All those present introduced themselves and their call signs.
3. President Brian Milburn asked those who brought a home brew item to talk a few minutes about it. Five presenters came forward to describe their items.
4. President Brian Milburn, K6BPM, introduced the slate of candidates to serve as officers and directors for 2017 and called for nominations from the floor. There being none, Jay Hennigan, WB6RDV, moved nominations be closed, Dennis Schwentner, WB6OBB, 2nd. Motion passed.
5. Members picked up ballots for the election.
Break for distributing ballots, counting ballots, reviewing and voting for home brew.
Program presented by Michael Ditmore and Jim Knight of Novim.
President Brian Milburn announced the winners of the election of 2017 Board of Directors:
President: Brian Milburn, K6BPM
Secretary: Dorothy Oksner, K6DSO
Treasurer: Tom Saunders, N6YX
Directors: Theo Howe, KK6YYZ; Levi Maaia, K6LCM; Bob Muller K6CTX; and Michael Taylor, K6RQV.
Home Brew Winner was Hayden Brooke, KK6OYV, with the Loop Antenna he made.
There being no further business to conduct, the meeting was adjourned at 2145 hours.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dorothy Oksner, K6DSO, Secretary
Post expires at 6:35pm on Monday December 12th, 2016 but will still be available in the archives.
The Amateur Radio Parity Act H.R. 1301 is in jeopardy of not passing into law unless the U.S. Senate acts to pass it before the holiday recess. This may or may not directly affect you now but ensuring access to reasonable antennas for amateurs across the nation supports the health of our hobby and ensures that all amateurs will have on-air capabilities, especially in an emergency.
CLICK HERE to send emails to Sen. Boxer and Sen. Feinstein. Let them know that you want them to pass the Act NOW:
H.R. 1301 has already passed the U.S. House of Representatives and has the endorsement of the ARRL and the American Red Cross. It is now up to the U.S. Senate to send the Act to the White House.
Here’s what ARRL has to say about the matter:
ARRL once again is calling on its members to urge their US Senators to support the Amateur Radio Parity Act (H.R. 1301) when it comes up in the Senate during the “lame duck” session of Congress that adjourns in mid-December. The House of Representatives approved the bill in September, but if the Senate does not follow suit, the bill will die, and the entire process will have to be repeated. ARRL Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, who chairs the ARRL Board’s Legislative Advocacy Committee and has been heavily involved in efforts to move H.R. 1301 forward, said today, “The clock is ticking!”
