NEAR-Fest VI Schedule of Events & Forums Schedule

NEAR-Fest VI Schedule of Events

Friday, October 16th 2009.

6:00 AM: Fairgrounds Gate 'G' opens for Blue (Staff) and Yellow (Commercial Vendors and Clubs & Associations) passholders ONLY. Commercial vendor set up commences.

9:00 AM: Pre-Paid Entry, Gate 'F' opens for RED ticket and passholders only. Once the Pre-Paid entry line has entered the General Admission line will enter through Gate 'E'.

This is the ENTERTAINMENT BUILDING, see map for location.

12:30 PM: “ Digital Radio Modes with Ned Bassick, KA1CVV, West Mountain Radio (Located in the Entertainment Building, see map)

Ned will discuss the various digital radios modes and how to them.

2:00 PM: “ Mobile HF Operation: Equipment and Strategies or How to Work Rare DX Stations! While Driving to Work.......” with Neil Kaltman, K6SMF
(Located in the Entertainment Building, see map)

Now that he's retired Neil travels to hamfests all over the USA and does a great deal of HF mobile operating, working plenty of DX as he travels from event to event. Over the years he has developed a deep knowledge of the installation and safe operation of mobile equipment. His presentation will cover equipment selection, installation, proper grounding, antennas and the basics of working DX from a mobile: how to crack a pile up; the best protocol to use when working DX stations; strategies; successful QSL methods, and so on.
If you are interested in mobile HF operation, be sure to attedn this forum. Neil's many years of experience as a highly successful DXer offer valuable advice, tips and secrets for everyone - whether new to the hobby or experienced - in working the rare ones and confirming the contact. The techniques that Neil will teach you are not limited to mobile operation so anyone interested in DX is urged to attend. Neil will also take questions from the audience, so here’s your chance to ask the man who knows how it’s done.
A past President of the Southern California DX Association, K6SMF joins us from Canoga Park California. His achievements working DX stations are very impressive: ARRL DXCC Honor Roll - 352 Confirmed contacts. He is one country short of the coveted "Top of the Honor Roll" certificate.

The Sunspots are returning! (Really, they are) The HF bands will soon provide worldwide DX opportunities not seen in years. What better way to prepare yourself and your mobile station than attending a forum by one of the premier DXers of our time.

3:30 PM: “ See How Antennas Work with Dale Clement, AF1T
(Located in the Entertainment Building, see map)

"SEE HOW ANTENNAS WORK", is a visual demonstration of various phenomena related to radio communications and different types of antennas. Originally, it was a one hour program for understanding the concepts encountered in studying for the entry-level Technician Class Amateur Radio License. Topics included Frequency, Wavelength, Polarization, Dipoles, Ground Planes, and Directional Antennas (Quads and Yagis). Working antenna models were set up to receive 432 MHz radio energy across a room, detected by small light bulbs. Audience participation helped to make this a success. Use of light bulbs instead of meters was more dramatic and less mathematical, an important consideration for newcomers. 432 MHz was chosen because of available equipment (a Microwave Module Transverter), and because practical antennas are small enough to easily transport. A one-half-wavelength dipole is about 13 inches (33 cm) long, and many antennas can be easily constructed from No. 12 house-wire and wooden supports. Going to a much lower frequency would result in larger antennas and require a longer room. Going to a much higher frequency would make construction tolerances too critical especially when accounting for the wire leads to the light bulbs. The program was well received, and was later expanded to cover topics encountered in the General Class and Extra Class Exams. Quite a few model antennas were constructed; some of these (such as the half-square and Moxon rectangle) are normally used at H. F., where they would be too large to fit in a room. Many topics can be demonstrated, including phasing and stacking of antennas. These topics can be chosen by the audience if time is limited.

BIO – Dale P. Clement, AF1T, of Henniker, New Hampshire, has been involved with varied aspects of Radio Communications and Technology for many years. Dale's Electronics career has included employment in Short-Wave Radio Repair, Antenna Design and Development Engineering, Research, Design, and Development of Satellite Communications Circuitry, and Electronics Instruction. His RF experience spans the range from VLF through SHF Microwaves.

Dale owes much of his RF background to a nearly life-long enthusiasm for Amateur Radio. Home-built equipment first got him "on the air", and he still enjoys designing and constructing station gear and antennas. Pursuits include world-wide DX Contacts, HF and VHF Contests, Meteor-Scatter, Microwave Experimentation, and EME (Earth-Moon-Earth) Communications. Dale has a 10 GHz (3 cm) World- Record Rain-Scatter Contact, and a 902 MHz (33 cm) World Record Moon-Reflected Contact. He has an Extra-Class License (call sign AF1T), is a Life Member of the American Radio Relay League, and of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.

MisterMike comment: I have seen Dale's incredible antenna demonstration. I HIGHLY recommend this forum as you WILL learn more about how your antenna behaves as it emits RF energy. DON'T MISS IT!!!!

5:00 PM: The Spy Radio Workshop with George Rancourt, K1ANX (Located in the Entertainment Building, see map)

After providing us with four incredible workshops on the R-390A and related receivers, George will present a fascinating display and dissertation of covert 'spy' type radio equipment from WWII onward, ranging from OSS-type briefcase radios to the venerable GRC-109 (Army adaptation of the CIA RS-1) and more. Most of us know the roles played by the R-390A and its siblings in the Cold War, but few of us have heard about, muchless seen some of the interesting gear used by the 'Black' agencies.
Time permitting, George will explain some interesting modifications made to the R-390A and variants for its more mysterious missions. And, as always, he will answer your questions to help you with your projects.

Here's George at NEAR-Fest II showing us how to work on a R-390A. Better get there early or you'll be standing!

8:00 PM: “NEAR-Fest's Legendary Ad-Hoc "Ham-Jam Session"
(Located in the Entertainment Building, see map)

For full details see http://near-fest.com/index.php?topic=465.0

Saturday, October 17th 2009.

9:00 AM: GEMOTO Forum - moderated by Rick Zach, K1RJZ
A Roundtable Discussion for the New England 900 MHz Repeater Stakeholders... Users, Trustees and Owners. (Located in the Entertainment Building, see map)

Topics include:
Welcoming new users
Updates on new repeaters both with and without "HearClear" audio companding
Linking to the NEAR-900 network... to link or not to link and why.
How to avoid RFI from Part-15 unlicensed users
Promoting the continued surprising high-level of activity.

Comment from MrMike: I am pleased to welcome these fellows back for their third Forum at NEAR-Fest. If you think that ham radio is "dying", think again! These guys embody the very essence of our hobby. Our fathers got WW-II surplus equipment that no one else wanted for next to nothing, converted it, got on the air and had a ball! Essentially the GE-MOTO gang are doing the same thing in the New Millenium.

For more information about the GEMOTO group and the Forum please visit their Web site:

http://www.gemoto.com/

GEMOTO (pronounced G-E-MOTO) is not a club but is a loosely organized group of like-minded individuals with common interests; converting commercial equipment for amateur FM and repeaters. Anyone of similar interests is cordially welcome to join them at one of their famous breakfast "meetings".

10:00 AM:Volunteer Exam Session conducted by Bruce Anderson, W1LUS
(Located in the Meeting Room, see map)
The Volunteer Examination session begins at 10:00 sharp. Be sure to have all your identification, licence (if you have one), documentation and exam fee ready. For more information on the Volunteer exams or if you are a ARRL accredited VE wishing to help, please contact the VE Coordinator at w1lus@att.net. Pre-registration is not required. Just show up and give it your best shot. Good luck!
Note: Anyone who successfully passes an amateur radio licensing exam for the first time will receive a free ticket to the next NEAR-Fest with our compliments.

10:30 AM: Vintage Radio Refurbishing & Restoration with Ron Baker, WB4HFN
(Located in the Entertainment Building, see map)

Known far and wide for his work, Ron Baker shares his knowledge and experience of reviving classic tube gear with the NEAR-Fest audience.

This forum discusses some of the differences between “Restoring” and “Refurbishing” vintage ham equipment. Ron will specifically cover the Drake and Collins lines, but the same basic techniques apply to all vintage ham equipment. He will go through the basics of refurbishing a radio and discuss some of the basic methods for servicing vintage ham gear. This presentation will help you bring new life to those old radios that have collected dust awaiting attention.

12:00 PM: "Never Say Die" or "How Ham Radio has Helped Change the Whole World...and for the Better" with Wayne Green, W2NSD/1
(Located in the Entertainment Building, see map)

This NEAR-Fest we are fortunate to have a very special guest - Wayne Green, W2NSD/1 who will need no introduction to many of us who have been in the hobby for a while. If you don't know Wayne he's outspoken and at times controversial but, above all, a true supporter of amateur radio and its importance to young people. I am sure that you will enjoy meeting him.

Here's what Wayne wrote in response to my request for a description of his talk:

"Our hobby is a fabulous stepping stone for teenagers into the high tech world, so we need to encourage kids to see what we're doing and the fun we're having. And high tech is the future."

"Bio? An angel came into church one Sunday when I was twelve with a box of radio parts and asked if I was interested. Wow, was I! With them I built a cigar box radio from an article in Popular Mechanics. It worked, and I was hooked…for life."

"The rest would take a ten-volume set. Like publishing 73 Magazine for 43 years."

One thing I can promise for certain: this will be an interesting and well-attended forum so plan on arriving early.

2:00 PM: Awards Ceremony and Door Prize Drawing (Located in the Relaxation Grove, see map)
More than simply a prize drawing, this is the time we honor individuals, present updates to the NEAR-Fest mission, and provide a little insight as to what lies ahead. It’s a nice way to wind down the show, along with an excellent opportunity to meet distinguished guests and the crew who brings you NEAR-Fest.

6:00 PM: Gates Locked, Fairgrounds Turned Back Over to Fairground Committee
Thank you for attending. See you at NEAR-Fest VII on April 30th and May 1st 2010!

73,

Tony, W2BEJ,
NEAR-Fest Forums Chairman
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