The Palo Alto Amateur Radio Association

General Meeting January 8th 2010

kd6w — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 20:21:32 +0000

Vacuum Tube Technology

From history to state of the art - Leroy Higgins KI6MES

Leroy will present at the next PAARA general meeting in Menlo Park on January 8th. His presentation will be an overview of tube technology and tube testing from his perspective as Supervisor at CPI, formerly known as Eimac in San Carlos. Now based in Palo Alto, CPI supplies a wide range of vacuum tubes to the broadcast, military and ham radio industries for all kinds of RF applications. From milliwatts to kilowatts, Leroy is responsible for maintaining the test labs responsible for validating the tube quality during the manufacturing and repair processes.

Red Cross Donation Information

kd6w — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:39:33 +0000

Please make you checks out to:
“American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter”
The donations should be directed to (either in a letter or the check’s memo line): “For Response Communications”

Checks should be mailed to:
American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter
c/o Aaron Litwin
85 2nd Street, 8th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105

November 6th General Meeting

kd6w — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:29:56 +0000

Digital HF Modes

N6CCH Larry Rebarchick

Larry will cover the topic from the what it parts are required to what it means to operrate digital and how to get started all the way up to get ready to run digital in a contest. Larry brings with him his experience with running in several RTTY contests and will show how easy it is to get started in digital modes with common parts and a computer with a sound card.

General Meeting Friday October 2nd

kd6w — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:58:36 +0000

PAARAchute Mobile - AF6IM Style

Mark has been going to great lengths to get really high! This is NOT to say he has been engaging in some unlawful activity but rather sky diving from 17k feet or more. While aloft he has the time while hanging from his canopy to look around and get a birds eye view of the world. At the same time, he has been able to operate amatuer radio while descending back to earth. Come here Mark’s latest exploits and get a feeling of what it is like to operate ham radio from aloft.

PAARAFest 2009 This Saturday at 10AM

kd6w — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:31:57 +0000

Please RSVP to Joel if you are bringing items and need some space or if you are bringing a food dish. kd6w@arrl.net

This time of year is always marked by the success of our crop harvest and PAARAFest is no different. We have made a huge dent in the sale of flea market items but there are always more bargains coming out of the basement and or from Gerry’s farm. Come by and share your cache with ours and for 5 dollars we’ll have the usual food on the grill fare and of course and a cool beverage of your choice. We’ll monitor 145.230 N6NFI for those that need further refinement in their directions.

General Meeting Sept 4th

kd6w — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:41:24 +0000

Jerry Ramie - KI6LGY

Green Power and the Modern Power Grid

Risk and uncertainty in the electric industry have driven investment to an all-time low. Regulations designed to encourage competition have fallen short of expectations. Several promising technologies could address problems in system operation, but the Information Technologies that have transformed other “networked” industries (like telecom) haven’t transformed the electric industry. The proliferation of microprocessors requires greater power quality and reliability. It is increasingly difficult to site transmission lines, thus requiring new power electronic solutions that allow more power flow through existing lines (Flexible AC Transmission Systems, or FACTS) and local (distributed) generation.

Their conclusions were that the “technology readiness” of our critical electric systems needs to be improved. Jerry will tell us more about what happened at their meetings and what to look forward to.

Building a New U.S. Electric Power Grid Roadmap

July 10th General Meeting

kd6w — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:03:28 +0000

Ben Koning - The History of the Radio Industry in Sunnyvale, CA.

Ben Koning is a software engineer and spare-time filmmaker whose chance meeting with the late Jack Rowe led to a 3-year project culminating in a 48-minute documentary. Working with the Sunnyvale Historical Society, Ben’s parents were heavily involved in the creation of their new $2.5M museum. Ben video taped a long-time resident, Ann Zarko which led to a chain reaction documenting the early history of radio manufacturing in Sunnyvale. Ben will bring a working Echophone radio that was restored by his father.

June 5th General Meeting

kd6w — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:27:50 +0000

Automated Antenna Design and Optimzation Methods

Dr, Jason Lohn

Sr. Systems Scientist at Carnegie Melon, Silicon Valley Campus

Dr. Lohn has recently co-founded a startup to commercialize his automated antenna design technology based on his evolutionary algorithms. Previously he led Evolvable Systems research at NASA Ames Research Center, worked at Google, Stanford University and IBM. He received his MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park, and his BS in Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University. Dr. Lohn comes to us courtesy of the NASA Ames Research Center.

April 3rd General Meeting

kd6w — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 04:40:57 +0000

Dave Wolfe - AA6XV

This talk will cover various aspects of operating CW and is primarily intended for people who have not operated CW before, or are perhaps, returning to it after being off for a while.

David Wolfe has been operating CW as an amateur since 1965 and served as a Radio Officer in the Merchant Marine and later as an Operator/Engineer at Coast Stations operating in the Fixed, Maritime Services. He holds BSEE, MSEE and PhD degrees
in Engineering and Physics. He is currently employed as a independent consultant in the areas of Communication, Radar Systems and Digital Signal Processing. He is a current holder of FCC T2, GROL , GMDSS DB with Ship Radar Endorsement Commercial
Licenses and is a past holder of the T1 and First Class Radiotelephone Licenses. He has held the Amateur Extra Amateur Radio License since 1972. His principal amateur radio interests are Dxing, Contesting, VHF/UHF operations on CW and Digital modes, Experimentation and Antenna Design.

March 6th Meeting

kd6w — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 06:30:07 +0000

Cameron Rolfe, KA6ONV

“What makes Helicopters fly and how are they different from airplanes”

Cameron has a background in broadcast engineering, has flown traffic
reporters for several local radio and TV stations in the bay area for
many years. He is the owner of Bay Area Helicoptours at the San Carlos
Airport. When not touring the Bay Area, Cameron gives helicopter
instructions. Cameron was instrumental in setting up the CARLA 440
linked Repeater system in the late 80’s.