SBARC to Demo Emergency Communications

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Youth-Focused Activities, Earthquake Commemoration, Historic Reenactment, and Public Demonstrations Highlight 2025 Field Day

The Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club invites people of all ages to participate in the nationwide 2025 Amateur Radio Field Day at Chase Palm Park June 28-29. (photo: Jim Smart)

June 23, 2025 – SANTA BARBARA, Calif.

When cell towers fail and internet connections go silent, one form of communication continues to deliver: amateur radio. Each year, the Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club (SBARC) joins thousands of operators across North America to demonstrate this essential technology during the nationwide:

Amateur Radio Field Day
June 28–29 at Chase Palm Park.

Field Day is the most anticipated event on the amateur radio calendar—a 24-hour emergency communication exercise that mixes public service, technical skills, and community outreach. Now in its 92nd year, Field Day reminds us that when all else fails, amateur radio still works.

New for 2025, SBARC will also be activating a special radio station on State Street as part of the City of Santa Barbara’s centennial reenactment of the 1925 earthquake. The station will showcase how amateur radio can provide critical communication in disaster scenarios when modern infrastructure is compromised. We will be located on State Street between Amapamu Street and Figueroa Street. A map showing our location (and others) is shown below. (Click to enlarge)

At the Chase Palm Park Field Day site, SBARC will operate three High Frequency (HF) stations, powered entirely by emergency generators. The public is encouraged to drop by, ask questions, and learn how these stations connect with others across the globe—entirely off-grid. Licensed amateur radio operators are invited to operate under the club’s call sign, within the privileges of their license.

This year, young people are especially encouraged to attend. In 2024, more than 20 local children and teens participated in Field Day, sparking curiosity and even helping scouts fulfill requirements for their Radio Merit Badge. With hands-on demonstrations and real-world communication scenarios, Field Day is a perfect introduction to the world of radio for all ages.

SBARC has served Santa Barbara since 1920, fostering public service, technical experimentation, and emergency preparedness. The club maintains a robust network of repeaters, remote stations, and trained operators dedicated to community resilience.

📍 Join us at Chase Palm Park from Saturday, June 28 at 11:00 AM through Sunday, June 29 at 11:00 AM. Activities will be ongoing throughout the day and night.

📡 Learn more: www.sbarc.org

📘 About ARRL Field Day: www.arrl.org/field-day

Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club (SBARC) is a part of the Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation (SBWF), a non-profit public benefit corporation organized and operated to promote education for persons interested in telecommunications, to disseminate information about scientific discoveries and progress in the field, and to train communicators for public service and emergency communications. SBWF advises and assists other non-profit groups with communications related challenges by leveraging our wide area of expertise. SBWF serves organizations engaged in services that benefit the public such as first responders, animal rescue, event communications, scientific research, aviation safety, and emergency preparedness.



Technical Mentoring and Elmering Net – 6/19/2025

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The audio archive of this and other SBARC nets have been indefinitely discontinued. Hopefully the audio recordings will be resumed before too long by another local ham enthusiast with the technical ability and resources necessary to do so.

We had another interesting net tonight with 7 check-ins plus net control Warren, KN6ZZI. Tonight’s topics included:

  • Optimal antenna positioning for stations in close proximity participating in Field Day to avoid interference issues.
  • Local repeater conditions.
  • 6 Meter operations.

Tune in to the SBARC TM&E Net every Thursday at 8:00 PM local and see what interesting ham radio questions might arise or ask some of your own! All club members and visitors are encouraged to check in to the net each week.

SBARC General Club Meeting, June 20, 2025

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This month we will have a presentation from Warren, KN6ZZI. He recently traveled to an African country to activate this remote location. He is going to share his experiences with us.

Many of us have hunted DX. Whether drawn by the promise of Logbook of The World awards, the challenge of working rare and distant stations, or just talking with people from all over the world, DXing is fun! Most of us have wondered what is it like to “Be the DX”. Curious about these questions, Warren – KN6ZZI, activated a VHF/HF radio station in Cape Verde, an African country comprised of an island archipelago 400 miles west of Senegal. Warren obtained a Cape Verde radio license (D44ZZI), arranged transportation for himself and his radio equipment, prepared medically and mentally, and set off on a great adventure! There were many challenges including water, food, shelter, insect infestations and electrical supply, to name a few. In spite of the challenges, operating as D44ZZI for over two weeks Warren logged 3074 QSOs, 2360 of them with unique callsigns from over 100 countries. Come hear Warren tell of his exciting and challenging experiences that lead him to conclude that “To be DX is better than to work DX.This is an in person meeting and will also be available on Zoom.

SBARC General Club Meeting
Friday, June 20, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Goleta Union School District Board Room
401 North Fairview Avenue in Goleta

Doors Open at 7:00pm and the meeting will start at 7:30pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2240814679?pwd=YlpjOTVFWUFMc0xOWHZXNXpRd3Bidz09&omn=83734556683

 

Post expires at 7:38am on Saturday June 21st, 2025 but will still be available in the archives.

Technical Mentoring and Elmering Net – 6/12/2025

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The audio archive of this and other SBARC nets have been indefinitely discontinued. Hopefully the audio recordings will be resumed before too long by another local ham enthusiast with the technical ability and resources necessary to do so.

We had another interesting net tonight with 6 check-ins plus net control Dave, AI6VX. Tonight’s topics including:

  • General discussion (cabinet door adjusting, rock climbing, vehicle clutch replacement, etc.)
  • DMR
  • Is it possible to rig some sort of wireless antenna to receiver coupling? This is for someone with an antenna on a sailboat mast that cannot run coax from the antenna to an AIS receiver.

Tune in to the SBARC TM&E Net every Thursday at 8:00 PM local and see what interesting ham radio questions might arise or ask some of your own! All club members and visitors are encouraged to check in to the net each week.

Technical Mentoring and Elmering Net – 6/5/2025

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he audio archive of this and other SBARC nets have been indefinitely discontinued. Hopefully the audio recordings will be resumed before too long by another local ham enthusiast with the technical ability and resources necessary to do so.

We had another interesting net tonight with 3 check-ins plus net control Brian, K6BPM. Tonight’s topics including:

  • Meshtastic
  • Car dashboard removal/re-install after radio installation.
  • Miscellaneous discussion.

Tune in to the SBARC TM&E Net every Thursday at 8:00 PM local and see what interesting ham radio questions might arise or ask some of your own! All club members and visitors are encouraged to check in to the net each week.

Technical Mentoring and Elmering Net – 5/29/2025

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he audio archive of this and other SBARC nets have been indefinitely discontinued. Hopefully the audio recordings will be resumed before too long by another local ham enthusiast with the technical ability and resources necessary to do so.

We had another interesting net tonight with 7 check-ins plus net control Dave, AI6VX. Tonight’s topics including:

  • Warren’s (KN6ZZI) DXpedition to Cape Verde Island, Africa.
  • Pakratt PK-232-MVX Multimode Data Controller.
  • Field Day operations and plans for this year.
  • FT8 Fox/Hound mode.
  • WSJTX current version.

Tune in to the SBARC TM&E Net every Thursday at 8:00 PM local and see what interesting ham radio questions might arise or ask some of your own! All club members and visitors are encouraged to check in to the net each week.

SBARC Members Activate Santa Barbara Island

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On May 19, 2025, Ken, KA6KEN and I joined The Explorers Club expedition to Santa Barbara Island. It’s the smallest and most remote in Channel Islands National Park.

There’s no dock, no cell service, and landings are only possible by skiff when weather and sea conditions cooperate. We brought along a VHF handheld and a directional antenna and made simplex contact with KK6SXA and KN6ZZI from the island’s summit, Signal Peak. It was a quick turnaround. We had less than 90 minutes on shore. But we made it work.

I documented the trip and put together a short film that tells the story, with some help from fellow explorers we met along the way.

📺 Watch the video below:

—Levi, K6LCM