The VHF and above activity level in the Dallas Ft.Worth area seems to have
gotten off to a great start as evidenced by the apparent increase in activity
during the January VHF contest. The local activity recruiters have certainly
done a good job in pulling people out of the woodwork and putting those multimode-multiband
radios to good use! We even had some great rainscatter QSOs on 10 GHz Saturday
night as the Dallas Ft.Worth area received about an inch of much needed rain.
I even made my first 10 GHz rainscatter QSO on 10 GHz FM with Eric NM5M during
the contest. That was a lot of fun. Chasing N5AC/R around the area was also
a blast. At the February meeting, both Eric NM5M and Steve N5AC will be talking
about the activity during the January VHF contest.
On another note, my friend Tony WA8RJF told me about an inexpensive piece of
hardware called the Soft Rock 5 which turns out to be a small 40 or 20 meter
CW receiver that is controlled by the same software as the Flex-Radio SDR-1000.
I bought a few units and have just completed one this week and it is amazing
how it works. I also figured out how to use it as a 48 kHz wide spectrum analysis
display for my microwave transverter IFs at 10M and I will be discussing the
Soft Rock 5 at our February meeting. Our March meeting will include a follow-on
talk by Steve N5AC on computer control of his rover setup and Craig KA5BOU will
discuss his very successful flyswatter antenna for 10 GHz. So in summary for
the next 2 months the technical agenda is as follows.
February 4th at the North Richland Hills Church of Christ Community Center
from 1 to 5 PM with bull/swap session at noon
All time high activity in the January VHF contest by Eric Silverthorne NM5M
Using the Soft-Rock 5 SDR as a microwave IF spectrum analyzer by Al Ward W5LUA
Roving Challenges by Steve Hicks N5AC
March 4th at the University of North Texas Student Union building Room 413 from
1 to 5 PM with bull/swap session at noon
Computer Control of the VHF contest Rover Mobile by Steve Hicks N5AC
Flyswatter Antenna at 10 GHz by Craig Young KA5BOU
Directions to both meetings will be posted at www.ntms.org
We have several NTMS projects underway and the plan is to have a project report and discussion in hopes of luring more people in to getting involved. The list so far is as follows
As always, the biggest dilemma that the leaders of NTMS face is soliciting articles for Feedpoint and getting speakers for the meetings. That’s where you the membership need to play a more active role. The articles for Feedpoint can be long or short. Even a 1 pager on something that you ran across recently that may be applicable to helping folks building equipment, building antennas, computer control of the station, operating ,rovering, etc. If you have an idea and you are not sure about writing it up, drop me or Steve N5AC an email and let’s discuss it. When it comes to finding speakers for the meetings, it also gets tough to find “new blood” but here again you don’t have to be a seasoned speaker to talk at our meetings, you just need to have an idea to share with the group. We can help with a few powerpoint slides as well to dress it up a little if you would like. Again, if you have an idea for a short talk or know of someone that you would enjoy listening to at one of our meetings, please let Steve or myself know.
There was considerable interest in having another transverter/LNA workshop and test clinic. Both N5AC and NM5M are coordinating the event and the date will be made available at the next NTMS meeting. We are also planning another antenna range party, the details of which will be available as the information becomes available.
The NTMS will have a presence at Hamcom this year. We are planning technical presentations hopefully on Saturday morning so we can all be home for the start of the ARRL June VHF contest in the afternoon. We will have a table in one of the hallways at the Plano Centre. Mark your calendars for June 10 at Hamcom in Plano.
Hopefully this will be an exciting year for NTMS members. We look forward to your attendance and support of the meetings and Feedpoint.
Best 73
Al W5LUA
January 26, 2006