Category — Clubs

In this series on Club Program ideas, I’m providing possible programs for clubs to use in their meetings. You can find a full explanation of the approach in Club Programs – The Series.

Today’s program idea: Building a Quad Antenna.

Quad antennas are radically different then Yagi antennas. While there is debate over the effectiveness of one versus another, quad antennas offer a different challenge than a beam in terms of construction and mounting the antenna to the mast on a tower.

The program would show the various materials used to build the quad and how to mount it to a mast:

• Materials for the elements
• Wire used and support to the elements
• Feeding the bands — single or multiple antenna feeds
• Impedance matching
• Mounting the antenna to the mast — the three dimensions of a Quad.

Of course, good pictures on the construction and the mounting would make a world of difference to the program effectiveness.

Quad antennas aren’t for every location (for example, the ice storms in the Midwest), but offers great performance with a different setup than standard Yagi antennas.

Scot, K9JY

Receive articles automatically: subscribe through a news reader or via e-mail. Choose in the "Subscribe" box top right or K9JY.com Subscriptions for more info.

In this series on Club Program ideas, I’m providing possible programs for clubs to use in their meetings. You can find a full explanation of the approach in Club Programs – The Series.

Today’s program idea: Building a tower.

Every year, someone in the local club is either putting up or taking down a tower. It is a special time, of course, but also a great way to document how good construction, or de-construction, is done.

Have someone with a camera be the documentation person for the construction of the tower. Sure, they can help with the tower construction itself, but the most important role for this person is to document how construction is done.

Then, the tower owner can provide a program that shows the various construction details — with pictures — on how this tower was built.

A great example is the HD-70 tower construction, delivered instead to the local club.

Scot, K9JY

In this series on Club Program ideas, I’m providing possible programs for clubs to use in their meetings. You can find a full explanation of the approach in Club Programs – The Series.

Today’s program idea: Radio filters.

One of the most effective ways to increase your ability to hear is the use of filters on the radio.

Filters vary by radio as well as how they are implemented. Filters that are great for CW are crappy for SSB. RTTY offers a challenge for filters, but great ones shine.

Then there are mechanical filters as compared to software (DSP) filtering. Which is better? How can you tell?

A program on making the case for filters in your receiver could cover these subjects:

• The need for filters in your radio
• OEM or specialty filters?
• Mechanical compared with DSP filtering — or both?
• Roofing filters

Upgrading a receiver with correct filtering can help turn average to excellent.

Scot, K9JY

Photo Credit: International Radio Filters

In this series on Club Program ideas, I’m providing possible programs for clubs to use in their meetings. You can find a full explanation of the approach in Club Programs – The Series.

Today’s program idea: Inside an amplifier.

Everyone loves a big amplifier, who wouldn’t? But the inside of an amplifier is a scary place. This program suggests taking a tour inside an amplifier so that hams can see the different sections. Here are a few ideas for the presentation:

• Show the tubes and how they are rated
• Show the various band switch areas
• Show the electronics in today’s amp and compare with older tube models
• Show the transistor amplifier sections in the new amplifiers
• Show why you need an interface between new radios and old amplifiers

Amplifiers are, for many, a dream to own. This type of program can show hams the guts of power in a ham station.

Bonus program idea: set up a few tables and have club members (pre-arranged) bring in their amplifiers so that everyone can look at the various models and makes. Great for individual questions and answers as well.

Scot, K9JY

Photo Credit: Alpha Amplifiers

In this series on Club Program ideas, I’m providing possible programs for clubs to use in their meetings. You can find a full explanation of the approach in Club Programs – The Series.

Today’s program idea: Antenna modeling software.

A lot of contesting wars are won before the antenna is ever put up in the air.

Sure, geography helps — a lot. But if you have choices for antennas, you can win or lose a lot from where you are planted. Knowing your ground, your elevation angles to distant population centers, and the type of operating you do makes significant differences in your choice of antennas.

Then comes antenna modeling.

Antenna modeling can be used for dipoles to beams. Verticals to inverted vee’s. How antennas are placed, how high they are, and the surrounding ground will optimize their performance. That is what antenna modeling software will tell you.

Program ideas:

• Why use antenna modeling software
• Antenna modeling software for the average ham
• Practical example of using the software for an antenna (have a club member who is going to be putting up an antenna be the example)

Antenna modeling software has come a long ways since the early DOS versions. Given the power of home computers today, great analysis can be done for our antennas.

Scot, K9JY

Photo Credit: Antennex.com

In this series on Club Program ideas, I’m providing possible programs for clubs to use in their meetings. You can find a full explanation of the approach in Club Programs – The Series.

Today’s program idea: Moonbounce.

Bouncing signals off of the moon and listening to them come back is a fascinating entry into Doppler shifts, weak signals, long distances, and knowing when the moon is available at your QTH.

Program ideas;

• Why the moon?
• How it works
• Building Antennas — and rotors
• Software (WSJT)
• Frequencies to listen

Hams were working the moon long before astronauts landed there. It’s time to brush up on how all that was done.

Scot, K9JY

Photo Credit: SV1BTR’s antenna on Skynet