[SMCARA] Ham Radio "Technical Topics" Meeting

[A.J. Farmer (AJ3U)]

Some of the Calvert guys have started a "technical topics" meeting
group.  I attended the first meeting on Monday and I am very excited
about the idea.  This is not a club, it is just a meeting of anyone
interested in learning something new.  It is fully open to anyone that
would like to attend.  On Monday, Paul Lenharr (KB3NDS) gave a very
interesting demonstration of a software defined radio kit.  The next
meeting will be on Nov 29th and Dwayne Kincaid (WD8OYG) will be
presenting "learn how to pass the code test in 30 minutes".   Future
topics will include: how to use antenna modeling software, APRS,
Amateur Satellites, PSK31, Foxhunting, and Emergency Communications,
to name a few.  Normally scheduled meetings will occur the second
Monday of each month.

Please see the e-mail from Paul (KB3NDS) below.

Hope to see you at the next meeting!

-- 
A.J. Farmer, AJ3U
http://www.aj3u.com

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Paul Lenharr II <kb3nds at gmail.com>
Date: Nov 15, 2006 12:05 AM
Subject: Software defined radio and "30 minute code course" info

Hello everyone!

After a great meeting the other night, we have decided to hold our
meetings on the 2nd Monday of each month at the Calvert Advanced Life
Support Building at 1930 hours. We have picked "technical" topics to
be discussed for the next 13 months and I will be sending out a
schedule within a week or so. We plan on having some good learning and
more importantly "FUN"!
Please remember that you do NOT have to be a member of CARA to come to
these meetings. This is not a club and there is NO membership fee's or
applications. This is solely a meeting comprised of mainly HAM's that
want to learn some new stuff and explore the more "technical" side of
Amateur Radio. This does not mean that you have to be a HAM! - We
welcome everyone that wants to learn and participate.  We demonstrated
just a taste of what is to come at our first meeting with the Software
Defined Radio demonstration.

A lot of you wanted info about how to purchase these and I have
included the info that was sent to me almost 6 months ago. This info
is old and most likely there have been newer versions released. Maybe
even some more frequency ranges also. I have emailed my contact for an
updated price list as well as a list of the available kits and
frequencies. Please be patient, I should have this info in a day or
so. Until then,  please take a look at what was available a little
while ago.

I think the best route for us is to buy the units as a group and then
build them on a "kit" night. This will allow us to test the units with
some pretty good test equipment as well as draw on the expertise of
some of our more experienced members.

Dwayne has scheduled the 29th of November as our "Kincaid Kode course"
day. This is the "learn how to pass the code test in 30 minutes" class
that we talked about at the meeting. The class will take about 2 hours
and will begin at 1930 hours at the Calvert Advanced Life Support
Building where we held our meeting on Monday. I need you to email me
back if you can attend this so I can plan accordingly.

For all the info you could ever imagine about the SDR kits that I
demonstrated at the meeting, please join this yahoo group. Please feel
free to email me with more questions.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/softrock40/