The Richardson Wireless Klub > QRV Tech – Education Series

QRV Tech – Education Series

Shawn KI5PXG is kicking off an new Education Series for RWK – We’re calling it “QRV Tech” (h/t to Don KG5CK). It will be (mostly) monthly, usually on the third week of the month (check the calendar). We will start out on Zoom but we have plans to get together in person when there is a “build” type project.

The goal for this series is primarily education – teaching something new to those that are interested – but we plan on building things too (as part of the learning). We realize that not everyone will be interested in each subject (which is why we’re not making them presentations for General Meetings) – we’re aiming for 10-20 people or so each session.

Our topics will range from test equipment to microcontrollers to SDRs to antennas. This series is something that we’ve wanted to do for a long time. We hope that you enjoy and learn! QRV Tech?

  • QRV Tech – February 2025 – A Short Discussion of Coax

    It’s an unseen but critical component in every ham’s station – coax. But do you know how to select and handle coax, and why it matters? And how do you install and maintain coax? We won’t go into excessive detail but we will give you things to think about and investigate further.

    If you can’t make the session, we will have it posted on the K5RWK website shortly after the presentation – but as you probably know, it’s always easier to ask questions live with all the experts available.  We look forward to seeing you then!

    Meeting Details

    Topic: QRV Tech

    Time: Third Tuesday 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

    Join Zoom Meeting

    https://zoom.us/j/93467541992?pwd=RjJqWkFPd0VjeSt2U21QL2hKc0QwZz09

    Meeting ID: 934 6754 1992

    Passcode: 307016

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    Session Resources

    ARRL has several resources on Lightning Protection: http://www.arrl.org/lightning-protection

    If you are interested in the “gold standard” guide for grounding and bonding for radio installations, search online for the “Motorola R56 Manual” (the 2005 edition is over 500 pages!) (it’s findable on the internet but it’s copyrighted so we’re not linking it here)

  • QRV Tech – January 2025 – Intro to Station Grounding

    If there’s any subject that confuses hams, it’s likely to be grounding. It’s often discussed and often confusing. That’s because there are really at least three different types of grounding, and they are all different and require different solutions.

    A full treatise on grounding could last days and require several textbooks, so this won’t be a complete treatment. But we will hopefully get you thinking about the different grounding needs and simple steps that you can take to improve your station.

    If you can’t make the session, we will have it posted on the K5RWK website shortly after the presentation – but as you probably know, it’s always easier to ask questions live with all the experts available.  We look forward to seeing you then!

    Meeting Recording

    Click the image to view the recording

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    Session Resources

    ARRL has several resources on Lightning Protection: http://www.arrl.org/lightning-protection

    If you are interested in the “gold standard” guide for grounding and bonding for radio installations, search online for the “Motorola R56 Manual” (the 2005 edition is over 500 pages!) (it’s findable on the internet but it’s copyrighted so we’re not linking it here)

    Here is an excellent example of an exterior ground block and lightning protection, as provided by John KC5JMD. PolyPhasers mounted to a ground buss, inside a weatherproof enclosure. Both the enclosure and buss bar came from Amazon.

  • QRV Tech – December 2024 – Learn How To Model Antennas

    If you’ve ever wanted to dabble in modeling antennas (but were afraid to try), then don’t miss tomorrow night’s QRV.  I’ll be talking about MMANA (Macoto Mori’s ANtenna Analyzer) which is a free, easy-to-use-once-you-understand-it software…and my goal for tomorrow night is to get you to a point where you can model antennas after watching the 30-45 minute session.  I’ll be live-demonstrating how to model a 3-element Yagi that I use for foxhunting, and I’ll also show some models of popular antennas (including the Bob Hill Special!) that Jon NN5T was kind enough to provide to me.

    If you can’t make the session tomorrow, we will have it posted on the K5RWK website shortly after the presentation – but as you probably know, it’s always easier to ask questions live with all the experts available.  We look forward to seeing you then!

    Meeting Recording

    Click the image to view the recording

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    Session Resources

    Here’s the link to download MMANA:

    http://gal-ana.de/basicmm/en/#18

    The download of the “basic” version (free for ham radio use) is a little down the page.  There is also quite a bit of help and tutorial information. This is an easy-to-use antenna modeler that everyone can use and should be able to learn.

    Here is a good (albeit a bit long-winded) tutorial on modeling a dipole with the software if you want to get a jump start:

    https://youtu.be/dgBcYy6kwWs?t=478

    Here is Callum’s complete playlist of antenna modelling with MMANA:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfX_8rogur8&list=PLcC64tNkZB7zFt6NV9fnnde2lP11fUTQ8

    Here are some pre-defined models for MMANA (you can download and modify):

    https://mmana.home.blog/category/10-m-280-297-mhz

  • QRV Tech – November 2024 – A Closer Look at SSTV

    On the heels of another SSTV Event from the International Space Station, our November 2024 QRV Tech program will take a deeper look at the Slow-Scan TV Mode, how it works, and how you can use it on both HF and VHF/UHF. It’s a fun mode and has been around a long time, and it’s now easier than ever for you to play along!

    Meeting Recording

    Click the image to view the recording

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    Session Resources

  • QRV Tech – October 2024 – Build a HamClock for Your Shack

    Our October 2024 QRV Tech program will be a bit different -we’re going to walk you through how to build a HamClock – that incredibly useful piece of software that is much more than just a clock – step by step out of a Raspberry Pi. We’ll show how to prepare the Raspberry Pi and load the OS, and how to install and configure the HamClock software. So instead of a technical subject, this will be much more of a “build it” tutorial, with a little explanation of the HamClock software. If you like this one, we can do more Raspberry Pi based subjects and projects.

    If you want to build along with us, here’s what you need:
    1) Raspberry Pi single-board computer – most any version will work, but I recommend the $15 Raspberry Pi Zero W
    2) A SD card for the Raspberry Pi (you probably won’t find anything less than 16GB) – Should set you back around $5-10
    3) A power supply for the Raspberry Pi (5VDC @ 2A with a MicroUSB plug)
    4) A MicroHDMI to HDMI Cable (or MicroHDMI to whatever your monitor accepts)
    5) A MicroUSB to USB-A adapter (something to let you plug in a keyboard) – this is optional but it makes the build more complicated

    If you have none of this in your shack, this entire project will set you back maybe $35 – All parts are available at MicroCenter or Amazon.

    Meeting Recording

    Click the image to view the recording

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    Session Resources

    The source for the Raspberry Pi OS: https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/

    Source for the (optional) VNC Viewer: https://www.realvnc.com/en/connect/download/viewer/

    The website for the HamClock software: https://www.clearskyinstitute.com/ham/HamClock/
    The Install script for Raspberry Pi is on the “Desktop” tab and the (excellent) User Guide is on the User Guide tab

    This is a Step-by-step Procedure to build a HamClock on a Raspberry Pi: https://qso365.co.uk/2024/05/how-to-set-up-a-hamclock-for-your-shack/

  • QRV Tech – September 2024 – How To Participate In The RWK Balloon Launch From Your Shack

    Our September 2024 QRV Tech program will be a discussion and demonstration of the various ways that you can participate in this weekend’s RWK High-Altitude Balloon Launch. Here’s a preview: How To Participate In The RWK Balloon Launch From Your Shack

    Meeting Recording

    Click the link to view the recording

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    Session Resources

    How To Participate In The RWK Balloon Launch From Your Shack

    How To Participate In The RWK Balloon Launch As A Mobile Receiver

QRV Tech Meeting Location

These sessions will primarily be on Zoom, but we will have physical meetings for hands-on or build projects. Please check each session for details on the location.

Upcoming Events

Past Meetings

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