CAKE Session Nov. 26, 2016

Notes from the CAKE meeting

CAKE  session November 26 2016

It was a pleasure to meet  John N6QX (our new Club Treasurer) for the
first time and to have Eric  WA6HHQ with us. The other regulars taking
part were Glen KG0T, Don K6GHA John N5HPB and your scribe Ron W6WO

Our multiple conversations certainly brightened up an otherwise gloomy
morning. There was quite a lengthy discussion on portable and mobile
operation and clearly we have some serious expertise (technical and
operational) in Eric, Don and Glen.

Cap shared news about some recent antenna projects at the N6IJ station in
Ft Ord.  Ron recalled some heroic tower and antenna efforts by Eric and
Bob K6XX several years ago and recalled his efforts to set up a 6ft dish
for communications with the ill-fated AO40 bird. We could consider a CAKE
field trip to N6IJ in the New Year

The exhibit today was Ron’s nearly completed QRPLabs Ultimate 3S WSPR
/QRSS beacon kit. For low cost fun and experience this kit would be hard
to beat. The small stacked boards rely on Nylon connectors of 3mm diameter
which are hard to find locally so it is important not to loose any during
construction. John (N5HPB) is waiting to receive his kit and is a mine of
information on finding scarce parts locally. The challenge question was to
locate the tiny power transistor on Ron’s board.

 While this kit uses through hole components the board space is very
cramped and Ron expressed delight to discover a soldering iron tip of 0.6
mm diameter.
The noise output of 3 terminal linear regulators surfaced briefly and in a
separate conversation  with Tom KW6S Ron learned this had been covered
at-length by Bob Pease (sadly SK) and is something for us to discuss in
the future.

I wish to take this opportunity to thank you all for contributing your
knowledge and sharing the fun of ham radio at these sessions and to wish
all the very best for the Christmas season and in the New Year.  I will be
away from the area for the remainder of 2016 and note that the next CAKE
meeting for me will be January 14th