DIRTY DISHES and clean signals the publication of The 50 MHz and UP Group of Northern California, Inc.

Volume 3 Number 5                  May, 1998

(Edited by Rex Allers, KK6MK)

Visit our web site at: http://www.nitehawk.com/rasmit/50UP.html

Next Meeting: TUESDAY, May 5, 7:30PM - at Lockheed Bldg. 202.

*** Note - this meeting is changed from our usual meeting day and time! ***

PROGRAM:  Larry Moore, KM6IU, will talk about Traveling Wave Tubes (TWT's).

Larry is a local ham. Larry has mostly been active on the lower frequency bands but has extensive experience with microwave engineering in his career. Larry worked in the TWT group at Varian. He will share some of his experience, discussing the function and operation of TWT Amplifiers.

• SWAP: Bring any goodies you might have for a small buy/sell/swap session.

DIRECTIONS: The meeting place will be the Lockheed Auditorium in bldg. 202 on Hanover St. in Palo Alto, California. Access Hanover from Page Mill Road (between 280 and El Camino). Follow Hanover as it curves right and up the hill. Watch for the Lockheed sign indicating Bldg. 202 on the left side, about 2/3 of the way up the hill.

Officers for 1998

Contests and Events

Foothill Swap Meet - The second Saturday of the month. Next is May 9.

Livermore Swap Meet - First Sunday of each month at Las Positas College in Livermore, CA, 7:00 AM to noon, all year. Talk in 147.045 from west, 145.35 from the east. Contact Noel Anklam, KC6QZK, (510) 447- 3857 eves.

ARRL 50 MHz-Up Contests

May 9 902-MHz Spring Sprint

1296-MHz Spring Sprint

2304-MHz Spring Sprint

May 16-17 50-MHz Spring Sprint

June 13-15 ARRL June VHF QSO Party

June 27-28 Field Day

August 1-2 ARRL UHF Contest

August 15-16 ARRL 10-GHz Cumulative Contest (1 of 2)

September 12-14 ARRL September VHF QSO Party

September 19-20 ARRL 10-GHz Cumulative Contest (2 of 2)

VHF+ WeakSignal NETS
 

New members welcomed

The 50 MHz and Up Group reached a new milestone with 50 paid members! Now we would like to continue to move Up in membership.

At the end of 1997 a vote was unanimous to reduce the dues back to $15.00 per year. It was also decided that a special rate of $25 for two years be implemented.

Please encourage anyone who might have an interest to join our group.

50 MHz & Up Group Minutes

Meeting of April 7, 1998

The 50 MHz & Up Group held their April meeting at the Lockheed-Martin auditorium on the evening of April 7, 1998. Executives and directors present were: Rex Allers, KK6MK, President; Jim Moss, N9JIM, Vice President; Will Jensby, W0EOM, Treasurer; Bill Ogilvie, KQ6FY, Secretary; Bob Johnson, KF6KVG, and Jeffrey Pawlan, WA6KBL, directors. There were 30 members and visitors in attendance. The meeting began and ended with a flea market of RF and microwave parts.

The meeting was chaired by Rex Allers, KK6MK, President. The first item on the agenda was a discussion of alternate meeting times. As a result of the member's vote on meeting times and discussions that have been held, it has been decided to have every second meeting on a Tuesday night, and that the Sunday meetings would be on the second Sunday of the month. The next meeting of the 50 MHz and Up Group will be on Tuesday, May 5 at 7:00 PM in the Lockheed auditorium. Larry Moore, KM6IU will speak on TWTs.

The June meeting will be an exception to the planned schedule. It will be held at the National Semiconductor Credit Union. This will be on Saturday, June 6, beginning with the annual 50 MHz and Up Group picnic at 1:00 PM.

The next item on the agenda was a vote on arrangements that had been made by the Vice President Jim Moss, N9JIM, for the Western States Weak Signal Society. The 50 MHz and Up Group will provide deposits for the Hotel and other expenses, to be approved by the board on a per expense basis. The first expense, a $300 hotel deposit, was approved with a unanimous vote of all executives and directors present.

The last item on the agenda was to confer on Rein Smit, W6/PA0ZN, honorary membership in the 50 MHz and Up Group. Rein gave a short, interesting talk on hosting the "Weak Signal News Kiosk".

Ron Hopkins, K6BQ gave an in depth talk on 1296 MHz EME; with lots of interesting equipment to show.

de KQ6FY, Bill Ogilvie

Our Meeting Day and Time

After much discussion and feedback, we have come to final resolution on the schedule for our upcoming meetings. As mentioned in the minutes for the April meeting, it was decided to rotate the meeting day and time on alternate months. The meetings will be held on:

• The second Sunday of the month at 1 PM -or-
• The first or second Tuesday of the month at 7:30 PM.

The May meeting is being held on Tuesday, May 5.

June meeting will be an exception, allowing for the Picnic, and will be Saturday, June 6.

July meeting will most likely be Tuesday, July 7.

Check your newsletters and email for the exact dates and times of upcoming meetings.

Rex Allers, KK6MK

Picnic coming up

The 50 MHz and Up Group and BAYCOM will have their joint picnic and meeting on Saturday, June 6. The cost will be $5 per person which will cover the charcoal, drinks, plates, and utensils. Each person should bring any meat or vegetables that they wish to cook. The picnic gathering will be held in the Employee Park area of National Semiconductor in Santa Clara behind the NS Credit Union (same location as last year.)

National Semiconductor Federal Credit Union is located on Kifer, between Lawrence Expressway and Wolfe. Very close to HRO Sunnyvale. Kifer is located just one light south of Central Expressway.

From 101, take Lawrence Expressway south to Kifer. Turn right on Kifer. Go past the main National Semiconductor Buildings. On the right just before a park is the Credit Union. Go around to the back. The park area is gated and the entrance is located at the far end of the parking lot.

After the picnic we will have a meeting in the adjoining building, and are fortunate to have as guest speaker, Philip Gabriel, AA0BR. Philip will be visiting in the Bay Area. He will discuss amateur microwave activity in Colorado and will also summarize planning for Microwave Update this year.

Mark your calendars. I hope everyone will be able to attend.

Order your 50 MHz and Up Group Shirts

We are working on obtaining Group shirts for any of our members that want to order them. The shirts will bear our club logo on the back in color and probably have our club name on the front. For those that have not seen it, the logo is similar to the image in the header of this newsletter. If you have Internet access you can see the logo in color on the Group WebPages listed at the end of the newsletter.

The exact prices will depend on the size of our order, but are expected to be close to the following:

• T-shirts $9.00
• Polo Shirts $18.00
• Sweat shirts $25.00

The polo shirts are short-sleeved shirts with collars and a few buttons at the neck.

Please decide quantities for any shirts you would like to order and contact me. You can call me at home (my telephone number is listed in the member list from last newsletter) or email me rexa@dnai.com or bring your order request to the next meeting.

 - Rex, KK6MK

Our Non-profit Status is Finalized

The 50 MHz and Up Group of Northern California, Inc. has received final approval as a 501c(3) non-profit organization. This means we can issue letters acknowledging contributions of money or equipment that are suitable for IRS tax-deductible contributions.

If you know of any organization that might want to donate equipment or supplies to our group that are suitable for pursuing the purposes of our group, please contact one of the group's officers.

WSWSS '98: CALL FOR PAPERS/PRESENTATIONS!

Here is your big chance to show the rest of the VHF+ community what you have been up to! Have you been busy with a technical project? Have you been out grid hopping, hill topping, or world bopping with your VHF+ equipment? Do you have information to share on propagation, equipment, operating techniques for 6m through light (or even beyond)? Do you have some building skills to share with others?

The 50 MHz and Up Group of Northern California, Inc. and the Western States Weak Signal Society will be holding the annual WSWSS VHF+ Conference on October 3, 1998 at the Sunnyvale Hilton in Sunnyvale, California.

The conference will have two presentation paths, one for general interest and one for technical specialties, which will run from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Papers or presentations may be of general VHF+ interest or detailed technical content. Please submit a paragraph outlining content by June 1, 1998 to: Jim Moss, 862 Somerset Drive, Sunnyvale, CA, 94087 or email to: n9jim@aol.com. Selected papers will be notified no later than June 15, 1998. Full papers must be submitted by July 20, 1998 for inclusion in the proceedings.

Key dates:

See the WSWSS '98 website at: http://www.qsl.net/wb9ajz/wswss98

- Jim Moss, Vice President, N9JIM

On the Internet…

Do you have a Web Page relevant to our members? Let us know and we will put it here. (You must be a member.)

50 MHz and Up Group page: http://www.dnai.com/~rexahttp://www.nitehawk.com/rasmit/50UP.html The official group web page. Hosted by Rein Smit, W6/PA0ZN as part of his Weaksignal News Kiosk. The 50Up page includes an archive of newsletters.

ARRL Pacific Division Web page:  http://www.pdarrl.org/
Ham RF Exposure Guidelines Effective Jan. 1, 1998: http://www.arrl.org/news/rfsafety
Vanity Call Sign Gate 4 to Open Dec. 2, 1997

Rex's Place - KK6MK: http://www.dnai.com/~rexa/ Microwave stuff, 50 MHz Up Group pictures and information.

Laser Communications Home Page! http://www.qsl.net/wb9ajz/laser/laser.htm Lots of bright stuff.