October Club Meeting

LARC Clubhouse (4420 NW 41st St, Lincoln)

Presentation by: Matthew N. Anderson – KAØBOJ

The Branched Oak Observatory has brought Amateur Radio in helping to bring the night sky down to earth. Designed by Doug Buhrman KØDSP, the 4 element cross polarized antenna array is situated on a commercial 25 foot tower custom designed for this installation. Utilizing an Icom-9700 and Beko amplifier we are able to provide maximum wattage to the surface of the moon. This installation is a unique one of a kind installation in the world at a public observatory. Come and enjoy the program and the journey that has made this project a reality.

August Club Meeting

Installing A Mobile Radio In Your Vehicle

LARC Clubhouse (4420 NW 41st St, Lincoln)

Presentation by: Shaun Munson, KØSMM; Bryan Leavitt, WØBCL

Ready to add or upgrade a mobile radio? Join us for tips, tricks, and areas of concern when installing your rig.

Power hookup, antenna install, detachable face plates, etc. Bring your questions. We have answers.

July Club Meeting

Climbing and Maintaining Antenna Towers

LARC Clubhouse (4420 NW 41st St, Lincoln)

Presentation by Eric Schoenleber, KØMTV

Summer is full of excitement and activities, and it tends to be the ideal time weather-wise for antenna work. When that work involves altitudes beyond what a ladder can practically reach, as in the case of a tower-based installation, it’s often necessary to climb to install, maintain, or decommission one or more antennas or the mounting equipment or associated cabling. For July’s club meeting, I’ll be giving a high-level view of what that entails, safety things to keep in mind, and tips and tricks.

I’m by no means the most experienced climber or tower technician who’ll even probably be in the room, but I did a tower for Future Technologies, which is now Nextlink, which provides internet access to the club building and 16,000 square miles of Nebraska. I’ve been in an IT-related field since 1996 and have installed, maintained, or decommissioned quite literally thousands of outdoor communication devices in that time.

It should be noted that this is not meant to ensure anyone is ready to climb and perform these tasks, nor is it meant to dissuade you from taking them on. It’s just a presentation of some ins and outs of what I’ve encountered and some generally good things to know.

June Club Meeting

10 Meters – Cycle 25 Brings the Band Back to Life

In-person only: LARC Clubhouse (4420 NW 41st St, Lincoln)

For those who earned their ham licenses less than eve or ten years ago, the 10 Meter band (28 MHz) probably seems like a deserted wasteland. But, at least during sunspot maximums, 10 Meters is truly a magic band capable of providing exciting worldwide communications for even the most modest stations, and we are currently approaching the maximum for Sunspot Cycle 25. That’s great news! More good news, Technician Class hams have nearly full privileges on 10 Meters, including voice, CW, and digital modes! This month’s program will highlight what you need to know to fully enjoy “working the world” on 10 Meters, including some historical perspectives, propagation types, equipment, and operating tips. Don’t let the magic of HF radio pass you by! If you miss Cycle 25, you’ll have to wait another 11 years for Cycle 26 (at least for 10 Meters!)