Looking Forward May 2025
It’s May already! That means Hot RF Nights is happening! This time we’re doing it earlier than we’ve ever done so we can enjoy some nicer weather and a new larger venue. On the 17th, amateur radio operators and emergency communications personnel from all over the area will spend an afternoon checking out each others’ setups, exchanging ideas, learning a thing or two, all while enjoying great food and social time. Whether it’s you car, truck, van, or RV, bring it by so we can all admire your work and get inspired to take radio out into the field. No mobile install? No problem, because go kits big or small have stories to tell! Whatever it is you’ve got, come show it off and be a part of the action.
The first full week of the month is its busiest, with a club VE session on the evening of the 5th. Come join us and help out with showing new and upgraded licensees what ham radio is all about! Our club board meeting is on the 8th, and following that is the general meeting on the 9th. With so much of our lives happening on digital devices, it’s important to safeguard our data. Smitty (WB1G) has an excellent presentation on how to store, preserve, and ultimately retrieve important data so you’re left with peace of mind in case emergencies arise. Come join us and learn all about how you can take control of your digital assets and make sure it’s all there when you need it!
Field Day is in June, and we’ve got a T-shirt design contest going on this month! We’re accepting submissions starting on the 2nd and we’ll take designs until the end of the 16th. For more information on the contest, head on over to http://w6ek.org/contest. The winner will be announced on the 19th, and I look forward to what you all come up with for this year’s Field Day T-shirt!
73,
Jim Zheng (W6JCZ)
SFARC Vice President
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Field Day T-Shirt Contest
QST QST QST. The Field Day T-Shirt contest has begun! We’ll be taking submissions until May 16th @ www.w6ek.org/contest www.w6ek.org/contest
* Please indicate below whether this is a homemade design or generated by AI * Limit design to 4 COLORS ONLY. * Design will be used on the back of the shirt. The front of the shirt will have the SFARC logo. * Bonus points for limiting your design to ONE color! * Last day to submit designs is 11:59PM May 16th, 2025 * If you have more than one design, please submit an entry for EACH design. * The contest winner will be announced by email on May 19th with instructions on how to order. READY, SET, GO!!!
_ ___ _ ___ _ ___
73, The Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club (W6EK) (530) 492-0920
Website: www.w6ek.org www.w6ek.org Group.io: groupsio.w6ek.org
Social: facebook.w6ek.org facebook.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org
* Please indicate below whether this is a homemade design or generated by AI * Limit design to 4 COLORS ONLY. * Design will be used on the back of the shirt. The front of the shirt will have the SFARC logo. * Bonus points for limiting your design to ONE color! * Last day to submit designs is 11:59PM May 16th, 2025 * If you have more than one design, please submit an entry for EACH design. * The contest winner will be announced by email on May 19th with instructions on how to order. READY, SET, GO!!!
_ ___ _ ___ _ ___
73, The Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club (W6EK) (530) 492-0920
Website: www.w6ek.org www.w6ek.org Group.io: groupsio.w6ek.org
Social: facebook.w6ek.org facebook.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org
Watts Up This Week
We’ve got a busy week ahead on many fronts.
THIS WEDNESDAY, FIELD DAY PLANNING MEETING & 5TH WEDNESDAY SPECIAL PRESENTATION (04/30) We’ve got another Field Day planning meeting coming up, this Wednesday in the club Zoom room. All are welcome to attend. (6P).
At 7:30P, the Zoom room will reopen with a special presentation by Craig (KM6LYW). Craig has a really cool DigiPi project he’s been involved with for some time. Rather than carry a separate computer to operate modes such as FT8, RTTY, APRS, and WinLink, DigiPi allows you to do all that and more through your phone. Craig will give a brief introduction to the platform and demonstrate the many useful features it provides to your digital ham radio operations. He will also go into further details, what it takes to build your own device, and how it can be interfaced to various models of amateur transceiver equipment.
RIVER CITY ARC HAS INVITED SFARC TO THEIR ENCORE SERIES OF MENTORING SESSIONS ON HF OPERATION – FIRST SESSION, THIS TUESDAY April 29 | Practical home, portable and mobile HF Antennas | 7-9 pm You must register first @ CLICK HERE bit.ly/4js5KPr
TRIVA NIGHT, THIS FRIDAY, 7:30P – W6EK 2-meter repeater, now in full duplex! This is going to get fun!!!
_ ___ _ ___ _ ___
73, The Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club (W6EK) (530) 492-0920
Website: www.w6ek.org www.w6ek.org Group.io: groupsio.w6ek.org
Social: facebook.w6ek.org facebook.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org
THIS WEDNESDAY, FIELD DAY PLANNING MEETING & 5TH WEDNESDAY SPECIAL PRESENTATION (04/30) We’ve got another Field Day planning meeting coming up, this Wednesday in the club Zoom room. All are welcome to attend. (6P).
At 7:30P, the Zoom room will reopen with a special presentation by Craig (KM6LYW). Craig has a really cool DigiPi project he’s been involved with for some time. Rather than carry a separate computer to operate modes such as FT8, RTTY, APRS, and WinLink, DigiPi allows you to do all that and more through your phone. Craig will give a brief introduction to the platform and demonstrate the many useful features it provides to your digital ham radio operations. He will also go into further details, what it takes to build your own device, and how it can be interfaced to various models of amateur transceiver equipment.
RIVER CITY ARC HAS INVITED SFARC TO THEIR ENCORE SERIES OF MENTORING SESSIONS ON HF OPERATION – FIRST SESSION, THIS TUESDAY April 29 | Practical home, portable and mobile HF Antennas | 7-9 pm You must register first @ CLICK HERE bit.ly/4js5KPr
TRIVA NIGHT, THIS FRIDAY, 7:30P – W6EK 2-meter repeater, now in full duplex! This is going to get fun!!!
_ ___ _ ___ _ ___
73, The Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club (W6EK) (530) 492-0920
Website: www.w6ek.org www.w6ek.org Group.io: groupsio.w6ek.org
Social: facebook.w6ek.org facebook.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org
Watts Up This Week
Loaded email this week… In case you missed it, some substantial upgrades have been done to the W6EK 2M repeater system. If you haven’t talked on the repeater since the weekend, you should first and foremost hear it better. It is back at full power after a long hiatus on the top antenna. We also launched voting receivers overlooking the valley HIGH above Auburn, another in Rocklin (with good ears), and a third at the Georgetown airport. ONE NOTE!!! The W6EK TX is not transmitting a CTCSS at this time, it is carrier squelch only at this time.
BREAKFAST AND FOX HUNT, THIS SATURDAY A reminder that this weekend (this Saturday) is the club breakfast at Mel’s Diner in Auburn. The fun starts at 7:30 but make sure to come early or you’ll be stuck at the kids table.
Following breakfast is Fox Hunt. The Fox Tenders for this month will be John KO6COW and his son. Thank you to both. The Fox Hunt pre-meeting will be in the parking lot of Mel’s, 9:00 AM, immediately following the monthly cub breakfast. The Fox Hunt itself will start at around 9:45 AM and end at 11:45 AM. The Fox Hunt call-in frequency will be 146.550 MHz The Hunt will be south of Mel’s and north of Indian Hill Road. The Fox transmitter will be 146.535 MHz running at 20 mW. Come one, come all. Bring the family.
HOT RF NIGHTS UPDATE New Served Agencies and Clubs Added * Placer County ARES * Community Emergency Radio Association (CERA) * El Dorado Amateur Radio Club * North Hills Amateur Radio Club * Glenn County Amateur Radio Society and GC ARES * Yuba-Sutter Amateur Radio Club and Sutter County ARES * Oroville Amateur Radio Society (tentative) * Rocklin Fire * Rocklin Police This year we’re at William Jessup University in Rocklin. We REALLY hope all club members and friends will come out.
_ ___ _ ___ _ ___
73, The Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club (W6EK) (530) 492-0920
Website: www.w6ek.org www.w6ek.org Group.io: groupsio.w6ek.org
Social: facebook.w6ek.org facebook.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org
BREAKFAST AND FOX HUNT, THIS SATURDAY A reminder that this weekend (this Saturday) is the club breakfast at Mel’s Diner in Auburn. The fun starts at 7:30 but make sure to come early or you’ll be stuck at the kids table.
Following breakfast is Fox Hunt. The Fox Tenders for this month will be John KO6COW and his son. Thank you to both. The Fox Hunt pre-meeting will be in the parking lot of Mel’s, 9:00 AM, immediately following the monthly cub breakfast. The Fox Hunt itself will start at around 9:45 AM and end at 11:45 AM. The Fox Hunt call-in frequency will be 146.550 MHz The Hunt will be south of Mel’s and north of Indian Hill Road. The Fox transmitter will be 146.535 MHz running at 20 mW. Come one, come all. Bring the family.
HOT RF NIGHTS UPDATE New Served Agencies and Clubs Added * Placer County ARES * Community Emergency Radio Association (CERA) * El Dorado Amateur Radio Club * North Hills Amateur Radio Club * Glenn County Amateur Radio Society and GC ARES * Yuba-Sutter Amateur Radio Club and Sutter County ARES * Oroville Amateur Radio Society (tentative) * Rocklin Fire * Rocklin Police This year we’re at William Jessup University in Rocklin. We REALLY hope all club members and friends will come out.
_ ___ _ ___ _ ___
73, The Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club (W6EK) (530) 492-0920
Website: www.w6ek.org www.w6ek.org Group.io: groupsio.w6ek.org
Social: facebook.w6ek.org facebook.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org
Placer County ARES (Page)
WE NOW HAVE A NEW WEBSITE
The Placer County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes.
The Placer County ARES net is on the 3rd Sunday of the month, starting at 1930 (7:30 PM) PT on the W6EK 2M Repeater.
Everyone is invited to check-in. You do not need to be an SFARC member to participate.
Hot RF Nights Update
For those in attendance last night, thank you for the overwhelming support of Hot RF Nights.
For those not in attendance of last nights meeting, me and Greydon presented a shortfall in our budget to fund Hot RF Nights this year. By quorum, the general membership voted to approve $500 towards the event out of the general fund. We still have a $450 deficit, however, we believe we can make that up in float and drawing ticket sales.
Many expressed an interest in donating to the Hot RF Nights fund. If you are one of those people, I’ve included a link below. Once you click that link, scroll done and look for the donate link.
www.w6ek.org/activities/hotrfnights
We have also attached last nights presentation for context.
_ ___ _ ___ _ ___
73, Smitty (WB1G) and Greydon (KC6SLE) | Hot RF Night Chairs The Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club (W6EK) (530) 492-0920
Website: www.w6ek.org www.w6ek.org Group.io: groupsio.w6ek.org
Social: facebook.w6ek.org facebook.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org
For those not in attendance of last nights meeting, me and Greydon presented a shortfall in our budget to fund Hot RF Nights this year. By quorum, the general membership voted to approve $500 towards the event out of the general fund. We still have a $450 deficit, however, we believe we can make that up in float and drawing ticket sales.
Many expressed an interest in donating to the Hot RF Nights fund. If you are one of those people, I’ve included a link below. Once you click that link, scroll done and look for the donate link.
www.w6ek.org/activities/hotrfnights
We have also attached last nights presentation for context.
_ ___ _ ___ _ ___
73, Smitty (WB1G) and Greydon (KC6SLE) | Hot RF Night Chairs The Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club (W6EK) (530) 492-0920
Website: www.w6ek.org www.w6ek.org Group.io: groupsio.w6ek.org
Social: facebook.w6ek.org facebook.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org twitter.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org linkedIn.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org instagram.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org youtube.w6ek.org
hotrfnights_04122025_presentation.pdfDigiPi Zoom Session with Craig KM6LYW
On the fifth Wednesday night in April (4/30/2025 @ 7:30 PM), Craig (KM6LYW) will give the club an update on the DigiPi, an operating system for the Raspberry Pi that makes amateur radio digital modes easily accessible through a web browser. Rather than carry a separate computer to operate modes such as FT8, RTTY, APRS, and WinLink, DigiPi allows you to do all that and more through your phone.
Craig will give a brief introduction to the platform and demonstrate the many useful features it provides to your digital ham radio operations. He will also go into further details like what it takes to build your own device and how it can be interfaced to various models of amateur transceiver equipment.