SOARA Elmer Saturdays

SOARA Elmer Saturday

email Ed wa6ed@soara.org for comments or suggestions

SOARA Saturday was started to give newer members and guests a less formal meeting upon which they can meet up with experienced club members to learn new skills or be introduced to new things in Amateur Radio.

In April 2018 we changed the SOARA Saturday name to SOARA Elmer Saturday. This was a natural evolution since Elmering is a natural part of SOARA Saturday. Look for green Elmer badges. They may or may not have your specific answer but they are willing to help.

Sometimes SOARA Saturdays will have a topic of discussion, although if you have a specific topic or question you would like to ask, feel free to attend and ask!

SOARA Saturday is open to the public and there is no fee to attend. Donuts and coffee are typically provided by SOARA.

Lori, NI6X building a 50 ohm / 100 watt dummy load kit for high frequency (HF) radio

SOARA Saturday Technet Log <click here>

2024: Events

These are ideas for what we may do at a SOARA Saturday. Depending on volunteer demos may change. We try to have 2-3 different demos except when we have a major topic like DSTAR or APRS

  • 1/20/24 Murray Center
    • HT programming chirp
    • SDRs
    • Soldering kits / battery boxes / connector boxes
    • CW trainers
  • 3/2/24 Gilleran Park
    • HF / VHF / UHF operation / portable operation / DX
    • Antennas, throwing wire up in the air
    • Satellite tracking / coms
    • SSTV?
  • 3/23/24 Gilleran Park
    • HF / VHF / UHF operation / DX
    • Antenna testing, VNA, Analyzers
  • 4/20/24 Murray Center
    • APRS (Major topic) This will be one presentation.
  • 5/25/24 Murray Center
    • HT programming chirp
    • portable magnetic loop antennas
    • Raspberry Pi / Arduino Uno R4 applications to ham radio
  • 6/22/24 Gilleran Park
    • Antennas in the park
    • Emergency communications / power
  • 7/20/24 Gilleran Park
    • Radio demos
    • Instrumentation / measurements
  • 8/24/24 Gilleran Park
    • Antenna analyzer demos
  • 9/21/24 Gilleran Park
  • 10/12/24 Murray Center
    • DSTAR (Major topic) one presentation
  • 11/16/24 Murray Center
    • Filters, EMI
    • tinySA
    • 3d printing radio parts
  • 12/14/24 Murray Center
    • Kit building
    • Chirp HT programming
    • Radio demos, SSTV? NOAA
    • SDR applications

2023 Events:

(Updated 2023/01/02 WA6ED)

Volunteers always welcome to demo skills and knowledge. Meetings 9am to noon. Coffee and donuts provided. Topics and dates subject to change.

2022 Events:

This schedule will evolve based on feedback. Suggestion’s welcome.

  • Dec 18 2021, Gilleran Park
    • Tape Measure Yagi antenna build
      We will have some 3D printed 2 meter magnetic loop parts available to
      members, reference Rich’s W6BOT article. LMK if you want one 3D printed
      frame reserved for you.
      A few live T’s will be running for testing and experimenting with your build
      or bring your already built antennas and hunt!
  • Jan 29, 2022, Gilleran Park

    • HF prep for winter field day
  • Mar 5, 2022, Murray Center

    • Coax, connectors, crimp tools. Bring your tools and demo cable building
      Save money making and repairing your own cables
      HF demo operation if possible
  • Mar 26, 2022, Murray Center

    • ESP32, displays, GPS, RTC, rotary encoder demo
      Raspberry Pi projects, ham clock, raspad, and custom projects. Bring your
      raspberry pi project or demo your favorite application.
  • Apr 23, 2022, Murray Center

    • Hotspots, Zum Spots, Jumbo Spots. Run various digital modes over the
      internet. OLED or Nextion display setup. DMR, DSTAR, FUSION
  • May 28, 2022, Gilleran Park
    • HF operation in the park, various antennas
  • Jun 25, 2022, Gilleran Park
    • Field day, battery boxes, connector boxes
      Walking thunt
  • Jul 23, 2022, Gilleran Park
    • SDR, software defined radio, RTLSDR, QFH antennas
  • Aug 27, 2022, Gilleran Park
    • Satellites, yagi antennas, communicating, need elmers!
  • Sep 24, 2022 Murray Center

    • Antenna analyzer, spectrum analyzer, test antennas, attenuators and other
      cool stuff.
  • Oct 22, 2022, Murray Center

    • QRP, tuna can kits?
  • Nov 26, 2022, Murray Center

    • ESP32 & Arduino projects, bring your project and share!
  • Dec 17, 2022, Murray Center

    • Kit building, soldering, buy a kit and get some help
      Maybe some pixie kits again? CW

 

 

 

October 30, 2019 HamNation 426 SOARA Saturday!

2020 Events:

(updated 12/7/19, suggestions still welcome, events moved based on location)

  • Jan 11, 9am-noon
  • Feb 8, 9am-noon
  • Mar 14, 9am-noon
    • Gilleran Park
    • SDR, Software Defined Radio
    • RTLSDR, SDRPlay, and others
    • demo SDRPlay with Raspberry Pi4, remote 12v operation
    • Bring your gear and demo
  • Apr 11, 9am-noon, canceled due to covid-19 shelter in place

    • Every Saturday tech net starting 9am, until we can meet again, 147.645 and 447.180 repeaters
    • on 3/28 we had 35 checkins!
  • May 9, 9am-noon, canceled due to covid-19 shelter in place
    • Every Saturday tech net starting 9am, until we can meet again, 147.645 and 447.180 repeaters
  • Jun 13, 9am-noon
  • Jul 11, 9am-noon
    • Murray Center
    • Noise hunting, RFI, ferrites, noise suppression, grounding
    • Field Strength meters, SDRs, what else?
  • Aug 8, 9am-noon
    • Gilleran Park
    • HF Digital FT8 operation, JTAlert, psk reporter
  • Sep 12, 9am-noon
    • Murray Center
    • UHF / VHF Digital modes DSTAR, Fusion, & DMR
    • Zum Spot, Jumbo Spot
  • Oct 10, 9am-noon
    • Gilleran Park
    • Demo Antennas in the park
      • Dipole, vertical, magnetic loop
      • Maybe VLF?
  • Nov 14, 9am-noon
  • Dec 12, 9am-noon
    • Gilleran Park
    • Demo HF Operation in the park

2019 Events:

  • Jul 20, Gillrean Park, HF Operation & Grounding, Static & Lightning Protection
    • Ground-Lightning-Statiic-Safety PDF
    • ground rod, how many?
    • lightning arrestors, good for static too!
    • Why use braided copper or copper strip over wire?
    • Maybe FT8 & WSJTX & JTAlertX demo
  • Aug 24, Murray Center, Tube Radios
    • bring a tube radio, kit, or a restored radio to demo
    • High voltage safety discussion.
  • Sept 21, Murray Center, Antenna Analyzers, Smith Charts, Etc.
    • Why you need an analyzer?
    • What is it good for?
  • Oct 26, Gilleran Park, Emergency Power and Operation
    • Solar panels
    • Generators
    • Battery Boxes
    • HF, VHF, UHF operation on remote power
  • Nov 23, Gilleran Park, Megger / Insulation testing, Coax
    • high voltage insulation testing
    • Is your insulation good?
    • Demos needed! Test samples too!
  • Dec, 14 Gilleran Park, HF Operation (NEW NEW NEW)
    • We will setup a HF transceiver, antenna, and operate voice
    • Have fun on the radio
    • Learn how to connect everything together and setup your own rig.
    • Discuss finalizing the 2020 Calendar

Past SOARA Saturdays

4/2017 Paint can HF dummy load kit build

The SWR was typically 1.22 : 1 or better up to 30 MHz!

3/2017 DMR Workshop, Presented by Mikkel NR6E

3/2017 Field Strength Meter kit build inside multimeter

10/22/2016 Tape measure T-hunt antenna build with attenuator

Page Last Updated: Dec 17, 2023 @ 9:47 am PT