A Ham Radio operator that has received his or her first license in 2015, 2016 or 2017
A Ham Radio operator that has never operated before in the mode of the current ARRL Rookie Roundup.
Are you a rookie? Join us for the ARRL Rookie Roundup SSB on Sunday, April 16 from 18:00z to 23:59z (that is 2 pm – 8 pm local time). The Rookie Roundup is a contest sponsored by the ARRL specifically for new hams.
N1FD Certificate from the 2016 ARRL Rookie Roundup SSB
We will be hosting a multi-op entry using the club callsign, N1FD from the AB1OC/AB1QB QTH. Help us defend our title from last year as #1 Multi-Op Area 1. This is an opportunity to get on the HF bands if you just got your license and don’t have a station setup yet, or a chance to get some practice if you want to try running some pile-ups before Field Day.
If you have never operated from our station before, we will hold an elmering session on Saturday, April 15 from 2 pm – 4 pm, also at our QTH.
The highly publicized event — the event of the month — went off with a bang! On Jan. 28th, the Nashua Area Radio Club paid a visit to MakeIt Labs to promote Amateur Radio with maker folks. It’s a natural union if you think about. Technologists/scientists/engineers/self-taught DIY’sters and amateur radio folk are essentially one in the same beast. So why shouldn’t they be interested?
Brian (AB1ZO) and Mike (AB1YK) discussing details of Mike’s home-brewed transceiver
We had a super great turn out from many in the club and those external to the club or from MakeIt Labs itself. Representing the Nashua Area Radio Club, we had Fred (AB1OC), Anita (AB1QB), Jamey (KC1ENX), Abby (KC1FFX), Connor (KC1GGX), Brian (AB1ZO), Mike Struzik (AB1YK), Bill (W1TWO), Mike Ryan (K1WVO), Mike Rush (KU1V), and Tom (AB1NS) (Forgive me if I forgot you).
Fred (AB1OC) explaining the nuances of digital operation to a young, budding HAM.
The idea was to set up the every-popular GOTA station, but also demonstrations of other amateur radio technology to hook the masses with. As a result, we had Fred’s digital amateur TV station, a tabletop satellite station, and Mike Struzik brought along his home-brewed BitX20 transceiver complete with plans, schematics, and a demo keyer. (Talk to Mike for further details/websites. He’s awesome about answering questions and exposing people to what they need to do to get started.)
A view of the satellite station
We spent a solid 6-7 hours at the facility, even roping in some new interest from folks who happened to see our advertisements for the event both online and in stores/businesses around Nashua. It’s clear that word is spreading about the work that the Nashua Area Radio Club is trying to do; we are engendering interest slowly, but steadily. Essentially, the trend is upwards.
Close-up of Mike’s (AB1YK) home-brewed BitX20 transceiver
We hope that down the road, we can enjoy a lasting partnership with MakeIt Labs and encourage more members of our club to drop in, see the facility, hang-out for a bit, and explain to new folks about how this hobby is damn close to one of the best hobbies out there!
Fred’s (AB1OC) DATV station
So, until next time, and until my next posting (and hopefully that one will be a bit witty’er — didn’t have enough coffee today), make sure you eat, sleep, “repeat”! (That’s what my t-shirt says that my wife bought me)
Our latest Tech Night became a Tech Day this past weekend. We got together on Saturday afternoon to build another kit – the DSO138 Oscilloscope. We had a great turnout with over 15 kit builders and helpers present.
Finished DSO138 Scope Kit in case
Brian, AB1ZO choose this really cool kit for us to build. Here are some specifications for the finished DSO138 Oscilloscope kit:
Analog bandwidth: 0 – 200KHz
Sampling rate: 1Msps max
Sensitivity: 10mV/Div – 5V/Div
Sensitivity error: < 5%
Vertical resolution: 12-bit
Timebase: 10us/Div – 50s/Div
Record length: 1024 points
Built-in 1KHz/3.3V test signal
Waveform frozen (HOLD) function available
The kit came with all Surface Mount parts pre-installed.
The kit included a very nice case to finish off the project. This was a pretty big project to complete in a single afternoon but quite a few of our builders completed their kits and got them working!
The gallery below contains more pictures from our kit build. Everyone was very focused on the building process as we all wanted to get our kits to work in the time we had together.
Kit Builders 1
Kit Builders 1
Kit Builders 2
Kit Builders 2
Kit Builders 3
Kit Builders 3
Kit Builders 4
Kit Builders 4
Kit Builders 5
Kit Builders 5
Oscilloscope Kit Builders
Oscilloscope Kit Builders
Kit Builders 7
Kit Builders 7
Kit Builders Builders 8
Kit Builders Builders 8
Kit Builders Builders 9
Kit Builders Builders 9
Kit Builders Builders 10
Kit Builders Builders 10
Kit Builders Builders 11
Kit Builders Builders 11
Kit Builders Builders 12
Kit Builders Builders 12
Kit Builders Builders 14
Kit Builders Builders 14
Kit Builders Builders 15
Kit Builders Builders 15
Kit Builders Builders 16
Kit Builders Builders 16
Kit Builders Builders 17
Kit Builders Builders 17
Kit Builders Builders 18
Kit Builders Builders 18
Kit Builders Builders 19
Kit Builders Builders 19
Kit Builders Builders 20
Kit Builders Builders 20
How Does That Case Go Together?
How Does That Case Go Together?
Finished Scope Kit 1
Finished Scope Kit 1
Finished Scope Kit 2
Finished Scope Kit 2
Finished Scope Kit 3
Finished Scope Kit 3
Scope Kit Parts 1
Scope Kit Parts 1
Scope Kit Parts 2
Scope Kit Parts 2
Some folks did not quite get their kits completed and are planning to finish them at home. The following are some links and videos to help.
Here are some videos which show the assembly of the kit and its enclosure and the operation of the completed scope. The first video shows the kit in operation.
I know that Brian is planning to do more kit builds throughout the year so be sure to keep an eye on our Tech Night page to see what is coming!
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