Edward Larsen
The SaddleBrooke Amateur Radio Club demonstrated radio equipment and antennas at the clubs and groups Activities Fair on Jan. 20.
On display were a 70s-era AN/PRC-47 portable high frequency (HF) transceiver used by the U.S. Marines in Vietnam, a modern Elecraft K3 transceiver, a Yaesu FT-991A transceiver, a LNR Precision HF portable loop antenna, and a Super Antenna vertical on a tripod.
Thanks to Ron W6ZQ, Gabor KM6JSR, Larry W8TCS, MaryAnn W6IRR, and Ed KI6R for bringing and setting up their equipment.
Larry W8TCS didn’t need to bring his equipment. He operated his FlexRadio System 6400 transceiver located at his home via an Internet connection using his iPad. Radio communication certainly has advanced since Guglielmo Marconi first sent a message across the Atlantic Ocean in 1901.
The club fielded many questions from our neighbors at the fair and signed up nine new members!
The Radio Club is continuing to grow, with a membership of 79 at this time. If anyone would like to learn more about the wide range of technologies amateur “ham” radio has to offer, please join us at a club meeting or breakfast.
The next club meeting is at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, at the Sonoran Conference Room of the SaddleBrooke TWO MountainView Clubhouse.
There is a weekly club on-the-air net using a UHF repeater located in SaddleBrooke.
Club meetings and breakfast gatherings are open to everyone. Membership in the Radio Club requires nothing more than an interest in pursuing or learning about radio communications. There are no club dues. Meeting dates and times can be seen at the SaddleBrooke One or TWO clubs/groups pages or at sites.google.com/view/saddlebrookearc.