Greetings future ham radio operators,
I hope you're as excited about this Saturday’s breakfast (November 18th, 2023) and radio class as we are.
Our schedule for the day will be:
Breakfast at 10
Once we’re happy with food and warmed up by the wood stove we will proceed (hopefully by 10:30)
Class begins with KB1TCD, Jose Douglas, diving into how amateur radio fits into prepping for a grid down scenario. He will have an 18 amp/hr lithium phosphate battery and his portable radio gear with him for show and tell.
We’ll have some hands on time where you will use a volt meter to measure the battery voltages of our solar power system and discuss series and parallel wiring, voltage, current, fuses, how to solder a wire together and rf interference.
We will end with firing up the rig (fancy term for radio) and learn how to start a conversation) and discuss the definition of a transceiver, repeaters, simplex, bands and frequencies.
Subjects such as rules, regulations, propagation can be done at home. Our on line sessions will be aimed towards helping understand theory, design, digital modes etc. which require some book time.
You will need to purchase this book by K4IA, Craig Buck. (I will have a few copies for sale at the event this Saturday the 18th)
In addition you may want to tune in to a conversation between Jose and me every Tuesday evening at 7 PM by using an SDR (software defined radio) link:
It will take you to a colorful page with a waterfall display with frequencies displayed at the top. Use the frequency of 3800 KHz (3.8 MHz) and it will then tune to that frequency where we will be having our chat. Be sure LSB (lower side band) is selected. (I will be discussing how to use this on line radio at Saturday's class.)
Once tuned in to the proper frequency all you need to do is listen. We will discuss some of the pertinent technician study material. If there is a subject you’d like us to discuss real time text (207-956-2934) or email with your question (coramdeofarm@protonmail.com) while we are on the air and we will discuss it for your listening pleasure. This will be a cool way for you to hear radio protocol and tune in on all kinds of other fun sounds found on the hf band.
Looking forward to seeing you there,
Bill
PS If you have never been to Coram Deo Farm here are the directions:
We are at 101 E Gulch Rd, Thorndike.
100% of the time the GPS tries to take people up West Gulch which can only be navigated by a tank. So please use 308 files hill road to get you in the vicinity of East Gulch road (Files Hill road is one of those marvelous Maine roads that has two names for the same road - Files hill in the Thorndike portion and Bagley Hill in the Troy end). Once on Files Hill you can plug in the 101 East Gulch. We are 1/2 mile down East Gulch on the right. You can't miss the massive beam antenna I have recently mounted on a tower next to our cabin.
