N.E.W.S. Group VHF-SHF club January 3 meeting:
at the Richard Salter STORRS LIBRARY of Longmeadow, MA
(25 miles north of Hartford)
featuring:
BOARD MEETING - 11:00 AM at Lulu's, 151 Hazard Ave. Enfield, CT
phone: (860) 763-2377
I-91 exit 47 Rt.190E. 1 mile on left.
www.luluspizzeria.com/

GENERAL MEETING - STORRS LIBRARY - from 1 PM to approximately 3:45 PM.

NEWS 01/03/15
January 3 Meeting Topic:

REPORTS ON SHORT PROJECTS
EQUIPMENT TESTING SESSION


President’s Report: R.L. Frey - WA2AAU:
Wow, January 3 is upon us RIGHT after the holidays. I hope
everyone had a good time with family over the past few
weeks. And just to keep things popping, remember the January
VHF contest is on the 24-26. We are in the middle of
winter and we tend to spend more time in the shop this time
of year so this meeting let’s have some activities to support
our building habits.
This meeting let’s have some “small project” reports…
please tell us about something you have been working on in
the last several months that you can describe in 5-15 minutes.
More than one project is perfectly fine… the more the
merrier. Please bring a couple of photos, and/or some presentation
“slides” to describe what you have been working
on. It doesn’t need to be complicated, or high science, just
tell us about what you did. Also, bring some show and tell
models of the stuff so we can see the finished project if that
makes sense.
Remembering the January contest is not very far away, let’s
do some testing during this meeting. What I have available
is certainly not as impressive as the Rhode & Swartz equipment
Greg often brings to our conferences, but it should
give a lot of good information nevertheless. I will bring an
HP-8970B noise figure meter for testing preamps or receive
converters. The noise figure meter operates up through the
1296 MHz band without a converter in front of it. It would be
great if someone could bring a low-ENR noise source. If you
want to test preamps on 2304 MHz or above, please bring a
receive converter or transverter to facilitate testing. Almost
any converter will work so long as the IF is on the 1296 MHz
band or below.
Partial Test Equipment List:
HP8753B Network Analyzer 300 kHz – 6 GHz
HP8555A Spectrum Analyzer to 18 GHz +
HP85046A S-Param. Test Set 300 kHz – 3GHz
(2) HP8640B Signal Generators
One to 1100 M
Home Made N.A Frequency Doubler Equipment
Weak Signal Up Converters for 2G, 3G, 5G
HP8742 Reflection. Test Set 2-12 GHz
12 G Automatic Microwave Frequency Counter
HP 8xxx 3G Network Anal (Internal Refl.Bridge)
Several HP432 Power Meters + Attenuators
HP xxxx Scaler Network Analyzer
100 Watt Coax load good to 10 GHz
HP8970B Noise Figure Meter with 18G noise head
Many directional couplers and adapters etc.
I plan to bring 2 vector network analyzers for general purpose
measurements up to 3 GHz, or maybe 6 GHz if I can
round up a volunteer. I know some of the guys in the NEWS
Group have HP8753Bs that are capable of measurements
up to 6 GHz. If you can bring yours, please send me an EMail.
Even if not, I have an 8753B that will make measurements
up to 3 GHz, and with some messing around will
make limited measurements up to 6 GHz at least in the
3456 and 5760 MHz ham bands. I am hoping I can arrange
a 10 GHz scaler network analyzer. Sorry guys, I don’t know
anyone who owns a 10 GHz VNA but if you have one and
are willing, it would be great if you could bring it. We will also
have a microwave frequency counter with a rubidium clock
reference for accurate frequency measurements.
We will also have some older style power meters and spectrum
analyzers on hand for trouble shooting some problems
your equipment may have up through 10.5 GHz. I will have
calibrated stable weak signal sources available up through
the 5760 MHz band to trace signals through equipment. We
will be able to accurately measure power up to 100 watts at
frequencies up to 10.5 GHz.
If you don’t have any equipment you need to test, please
come to help run the test equipment to help your fellow
hams figure out their problems. Also, some of the “show and
tell” items might be fun to see!
Finally, remember the January VHF sweepstakes will be
here on January 24-26 at the end of the month. Please get
ON THE AIR on as many bands as you can. Be prepared to
tell the group what bands you will be active on, and any new
bands you will be on for the first time. If you plan to do some
roving, tell us about the route you might take. ETC, Etc, etc.
- R. L. Frey – WA2AAU



Secretary's Report - Paul Wade W1GHZ
NEWS Meeting 22 November 2014, Storrs Library, Longmeadow MA
Preceded by a Board of Directors meeting at Lulu's Restaurant
President WA2AAU called meeting to order
NO TREASURERS REPORT - Treasurer not present
NEW BUSINESS
2015 meeting dates (tentative)
1/3
3/21
4/17-19 Eastern VHF/UHF Conference
7/11 picnic
9/? tbd
11/21
APPROVED by consensus
MOTION by K1MAP to cohost the
Eastern Super VHF Conference April 14-17 2016
with SEVHFS and PackRats
- UNANIMOUS
Proposed ARRL VHF Contest rule changes
Suggestion: allow telephone in 1.16
Comment: may result in less activity because stations
will be on chat rooms instead of calling CQ
Suggestion: one year trial
Comment: beware of unintented consequences
-> Secretary to forward comments to committee
ANNOUNCEMENTS
W1COT has been in hospital - now in rehab
Speakers needed for 2015 Eastern VHF/UHF Conference
PRESENTATIONS
N1JEZ - GPS, Anglian transverter
Jason Mativi - Williams College
jwm1@williams.edu 413-597-2205
ATMOSPERIC TELEMETRY
Balloon - temp pressure humidity
Adiabatic Lapse Rate = 9.8K/km elevation for dry air
Helium balloon
80g payload 120g lifting capacity 3-4ft dia
433.92 MHz 10 mw AM MCW morse every 30 sec - Anasonde
1+ hours data to ~25k ft
Missing desired data: GPS, other
Balloon cheap but weight and guidance limit
Rocket or drone - cost & complexity
Recoverable payload with data storage?
Courtesy notification to FAA
K1JK - balloon transmitter
Arduino and GPS - 10 char Maidenhead in Morse
Adafruit crystal replacement
KA1SUN & W1AUV also participated


Treasurer Report:
I normally review the treasury and membership in July at our
annual meeting and in January when most of the stragglers
have remembered to pay their dues. I'm pleased to report
that the treasury and membership are running at slightly
above the numbers for this time last year, and are in fact at
the highest levels of the last decade. Thanks to all members
who have recruited and kept our club active and attractive.
We have paid for our space at Storres Library for 2015, and
have also sent our annual donation. Let's continue to think
about and discuss ways we can promote and advance our
club's cause with our funds.
As I have mentioned in the past, this is my last year as Treasurer.
The office has no specific term, but I have decided
that I have been doing it long enough and so am resigning
in July 2015. Please consider whether you would like the
job. In addition to keeping the dues/membership database
up to date, the treasurer has to report at meetings, write
checks to support our function, send the up-to-date email list
of paid-up members to the NEWSLetter editor, print and
mail the NEWSLetter to those who do not get it electronically
(about 20 members), and send call signs and some
other data of paid-up-members to the keeper of the website.
Also, reminders have to be sent to members who have forgotten
to renew between August and January, and thanks
sent to those who have renewed and joined. That's about
the total of it. The "database" is just an excel spreadsheet.
We hope, some day, to move to a shared file, perhaps in
Google Drive or Docs, so that the data sharing functions
and web page update can become more automated rather
than sending emails.
-Tom WA1MBA


The Board of Directors meeting is open to everyone, guests included.

Directions from Lulu's Restaurant to Storrs Library:
Take a right out of the parking lot onto CT Rt. 190 W.
After 1 mile be in the right lane to take the
Springfield (I-91 North) Entrance ramp. Then go up 2
exits, a little over a mile, and take Exit 49, Longmeadow, North, US
Rt. 5. Then north on Rt. 5 about 2-3 miles just past the Longmeadow Green
(or Town Common) and at the very end of the Green, take a Right after the
light into the Storrs Library, 693 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow, MA


General Meeting: 1pm at the Richard Salter STORRS LIBRARY,
693 Longmeadow St. (Rt.5) in Longmeadow, Massachusetts.
(This location is only 2 miles North of our old meeting site at the
Radisson-Crown Plaza, and it's on the same road!-Route 5)

LOCATION: 2 miles north of the Radisson on the same road (Route 5),
or 1.5 miles south of exit 1, I91 in Springfield/Longmeadow.
Just north of the intersection of Route 5 and Rt 192.

DIRECTIONS: (basically the same from the South, except 2 miles north
on Rt 5 instead of 1 block north)

From the South (or North if You miss Exit 1 or You are going to the BOD Meeting):
I-91 EXIT 49, Longmeadow/Enfield. Take a RIGHT at the end of the ramp,
(If you are coming from the north take a left at the end of the ramp)
then NORTH on ROUTE 5, approx 2.1 miles.
The Library has a very small sign and is the second driveway past the
intersection of Rt 192.

From the North:
I-91 EXIT 1, Longmeadow puts you right on ROUTE 5, SOUTH, then about
1.5 miles south past a CVS on RIGHT. Watch for library on your LEFT
just before Rt 192 intersection.
From East or West: Take the Mass. Turnpike, or I-84 to get to I-91.
This location is between Hartford, CT and Springfield, Mass

Details: The STORRS LIBRARY is a white building set back from
the road. The Library has a very small sign on ROUTE 5.
Parking on the side and rear of the building.
Walk-in Entrance on the side you pass driving in.
When inside the building take a right into Children's
Library/Discovery Room, then a left just before the
Children's info desk to the room.
This is a very nice facility.
The Betty Anne Low Meeting Room is large, very clean,
and will hold 70+ persons, about 6+ tables.
There is a built-in pulldown screen, so if you are
making a presentation, you only need to bring some
type of projector. We are responsible for keeping the
room clean, and keeping the noise at a reasonable level,
and no materials or signs may be affixed to walls,
or doors. There is no smoking inside the building,
and no alcoholic beverages are allowed on the property.

See our January 2015 NEWSLetter.

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