Event Calendar

UAARC Introduction to Ham Radio October 29, 2024

Course Outline - Part II
(Once a week for four weeks)

Week One - October 29
5.0 Propagation - HF, VHF/UHF
5.1 The bands effected by ionosphere and atmosphere
5.2 What effects the bands (day/night, seasons, sun cycles, solar flares, etc..)
5.3 Ionosphere Layers and their importance
5.4 CMEs, how long to reach earth from sun and why we care
5.5 Other impacts to propagation
5.6 Modulation types - SSB, CW, FM, Digital and relationship to propagation

Week Two - November 5
6.0 Setting up your Fixed Ham Station (Home QTH) *Not a base station*
6.1 Power Supplies for 13.8VDC, DC drop, connectors, etc., Linear vs SMPS
6.2 Coax - care, handling, connectors, loss, protection
6.3 Importance of good antenna - overview, details next week
6.4 HF Tuners, why needed, correct way to use, inappropriate use
6.5 Feed-lines - open wire, twin lead, coax, how to decouple from antenna
6.6 Grounding - safety, surge protection, RF counterpoise
6.7 Receivers, Transmitters and transceivers
6.8 Station Construction - single point ground, access to cables, ease of use

Week Three - November 12
7.0 Setting up your mobile/Portable Ham Station
7.1 How to safely connect to vehicle DC power
7.2 Coax - care, handling, connectors, loss
7.3 How to mount mobile antennas
7.4 HF Tuners in mobile or portable use
7.5 Grounding to vehicle for RF counterpoise
7.6 How to minimize vehicle engine noise
7.7 Portable antennas and mounting techniques
7.8 Portable power supplies

Week Four - November 19
8.0 Antennas and Summary
8.1 VHF/UHF antennas - mobile and fixed
8.2 HF antennas - mobile and fixed
8.3 Antenna design - gain, directivity, construction, resonant vs non-resonant
8.4 Take-off angle of radiation
8.5 VNA (Vector Network Analyzer), Antenna Analyzer, SWR meter, directional power meter
8.6 ARRL Antenna Handbook best reference available (not the only, but overall very good)
8.7 FCC RF safety Requirements
8.8 Course survey and review
8.9 Questions, comments and continued training