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 – March 2025 – Build & Configure a DigiPi

    For the RWK March 2025 General Meeting, we had Craig KM6LYW on to show off his DigiPi software, which combines most Ham Radio digital modes into a single, compact, easy-to-use, Raspberry Pi-based solution. For QRV Tech this month, we thought that we would show you how easy it is to actually build and get one of these on the air.

    If you would like to play along with us in real time, you will need the following:
    – A Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W (available from MicroCenter)
    – A MicroSD card (anything over 8GB is fine). You can use the cheap MicroCenter SD cards to test but you’ll probably want a better SD card for permanent use
    – A MicroUSB Raspberry Pi power supply (probably a wall wart for the build process – you can figure out how to power it from a battery later)
    – A MicroUSB to USB adapter (if you have a radio that has a built-in USB interface) or something like a DigiRig adapter (if your radio has no built-in Audio)
    – A WiFi enabled computer or tablet that you can use to connect to and use the DigiPi
    – You will also need a computer that can write to a MicroSD card to load the DigiPi software (most laptops have built-in SD card slots)
    – If you want the (optional) Raspberry Pi 1.3” Display, you can get it from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08F9VD2GZ

    All of this should be available at MicroCenter (except for the DigiRig).

    We will provide the DigiPi image to you for download during the QRV Tech session. Craig KM6LYW has agreed to let us bypass his normal Patreon process.

    We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday for the March 2025 QRV Tech!

    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

    Meeting Recording

    – – – – – – –

    Session Resources

    If you want to read ahead, here’s a youtube of the install process from M0FXB:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ukQ53OeNeI
  • 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

    – – – – – – –

    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

    – – – – – – –

    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

    – – – – – – –

    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

    – – – – – – –

    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

    – – – – – – –

    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 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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