Rochester Amateur Radio Association, Inc.
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Since 1931
Rochester Hamfest

 
 
 

 

RaRa Academy

Hands-On Learning

Academy learning sessions help support STEM and ham radio at the same time by providing hands on examples for various topics.

RaRa Academy provides workshops on a variety of Ham Radio topics and interests. Workshops have included APRS, Power Supplies, HF Operations, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Digital communications, IRLP, Echo LInk, WinLink, Fox Hunting, build a 20m and 15m fan dipole, 2 meter tape measure Yagi, just to mention a few.

For more information contact our education coordinator at academcy@rochesterham.org.

Sessions are generally two hours, usually on a Saturday each month at a location described below.

2023 Upcoming Academies

Topics: 

Stuff coming in the fall!

Past Academies

(note below this index the sessions are in chronological order)

Index:

 

Antennas

APRS

Arduino:

Getting Started with Arduino

Very Basic Arduino Programming

Baluns

Battery Technologies

D-STAR:

D-STAR Operation Overview

D-STAR and DMR

DMR:

DMR Overview

DMR Workshop

DIY Best Practices

Electronic Components

FLDIGI

FT8

Grounding

HF Operations:

Getting on the Air

FT8

HF in the Park (October 2019)

Internet Ham Radio

Power Supplies

QRP

Raspberry Pi

SDR (Software Defined Radio)

Soldering

Weather Stations

WSPR (Weak Signal)

 

QRP Operations (03/13/2021)

Slide Presentations and Supporting Materials:

Karl Heinz Kremer, K5KHK (PDF)

Bob Karz, K2OID (PDF)

Ned Asam, W2NED (PDF)

Scott Theis, W2LW (PDF)

 

Antenna Analyzers (09/19/2020)

Slide Presentations and Supporting Materials:

PDF to follow

Special Thanks to: Larry Brightenfield, W2LB, Pete Schuch, WB2UAQ, and Brian O'Connor, KA2CGB

DMR (05/02/2020)

Slide Presentations and Supporting Materials:

Slides in PDF

Brandmeister Talk Groups (PDF)

Talk Groups Data List (CSV)

Useful Links

Special Thanks to: Rich Hoffarth K2AXP

 

D-STAR (04/11/2020)

Slide Presentations and Supporting Materials:

Slides in PDF

Echo Check:                    Check Status:

  

Links:

 D-STAR:http://dstarinfo.com
 Blue DV:http://www.pa7lim.nl
 Repeaters:http://dstarinfo.com/repeater-list.aspx
 Reflectors:http://dstarinfo.com/reflectors.aspx
 Nets:http://dstarinfo.com/nets.aspx
 DRATS:http://dstarinfo.com/drats.aspx
 Hotspot to Hotspot:https://sites.google.com/site/darathursdaynite/d-star/d-star-ccs7-whats-that

Special Thanks to: Mike Moore (KC2NM)

 

FLDIGI (03/14/2020)

Slide Presentations and Supporting Materials:

Slides in PDF

YouTube Links (list 1)

YouTube Links (list 2)

Digital Nets and Programs

Additional List of Digital Nets

SW Radiogram

Special Thanks to: Paul Conaway (KD2DO)

 


Very Basic Arduino Programming (02/22/2020)

Slide Presentations and Supporting Materials (in PDF):

Coding Standard for STM32-SDR

Short Breadboard Tutorial

Academy Slide Deck

Special Thanks to:  Forest Shick, WA2MZG
                               Karl Heinz Kremer, K5KHK
                               Jeff Sonstein, KD2RRB

WSPR and FT8 Modes (11/09/2019)

Slide Presentations (in PDF):

–  WSPR and FT8, Karl Heinz Kremer, K5KHK

Special thanks to Karl Heinz Kremer, K5KHK, for an excellent presentation.

HF in the Park (10/05/2019)

Thanks to Tim Brown, WB2PAY

Station Grounding and Lightning Protection (09/14/2019)

Slide Presentations (in PDF):

–  Practical Grounding Presented, Don Kiser, AC2EV

–  Grounding & Lightning Protection, Brian O'Connor, KA2CGB

Thanks to Don Kiser, AC2EV and Brian O'Connor KA2CGB

Baluns (05/11/2019)

Slide Presentations and Notes (in PDF):

–  Introduction (WB2PAY)

–  Transformers for EFHW Antennas and Baluns for General Use (W2LB and WB2UAQ)

–  AA-30.ZERO 30 Scans, Larry Brightenfield, W2LB

Thanks to Pete Schuch WBUAQ and Larry Brightenfield W2LB.

 

APRS and Weather Stations (04/06/2019)

Slide Presentations and Notes (in PDF):

–  Citizen Weather Observer Program (AC2EV)

Thanks to Jon Dickason, N2JAC and Don Kiser, AC2EV. 

Electronic Components (03/09/2019)

Slide Presentations and Notes (in PDF):

–  Electronic Components Overview

–  Component Testing

Thanks to Scott Theis, W2LW, Karl Heinz Kremer (K5KHK) for presentations, and Mike More, KC2NM and Tim Brown, WB2PAY for samples and hands on instruction.

Antennas (02/23/2019)

Information to follow in the next few days.

Introduction to Raspberry Pi and Ham Radio Application (01/19/2019)

     

     

     

Information:

Video of Presentation:

0:00:00 – Academy Info (Tim Brown, WB2PAY)

0:03:24 – Introduction to the Pi

0:13:57 – Linux, Raspbian and NOOBS

0:19:36 – I Have a Pi, Is That It? USB

0:27:30 – Setting up SD Card and O/S

0:33:40 – Programming Python

0:52:13 – GPIO

1:00:18 – Keeping Software Up to Date

1:07:30 – Installing Software

1:22:30 – FreqShow

1:27:10 – APRS

1:37:10 – WSPR

1:43:45 – Fldigi and WSJT-X

1:49:00 – Other Stuff (Signal Gen, ADS-V, RTL_433, DMR)

2:03:30 – Resources

2:05:00 – Closing Remarks 

Slides in PDF

Thanks to Karl Heinz Kremer (K5KHK) for the excellent presentation.

Power Supplies and Battery Technologies (11/17/2018)

    

    

Slide Presentations and Notes (in PDF):

–  Power Supplies

–  Care a Feeding of Batteries

–  Low Power Applications and Batteries

Thanks to Scott Theis, W2LW and Tim Brown, WB2PAY, Tim Guyout, KB1POP, Todd Spath N2TMS and Ralph Dutcher, KD2BDZ, for their Academy presentations

Getting on the Air With HF — Scott Theis, W2LW, Tim Brown WB2PAY — Slides (10/20/2018)

     

Thanks to Scott Theis, W2LW and Tim Brown, WB2PAY, for the Academy presentation
Slides available as PDF by clicking here

DMR and D-STAR Workshop — Mike Moore, KC2MN, Steve Verzulli, KA1CNF (09/08/2018)
                                                                 Video: Part 1 DMR, Part 2 D-STAR and Fusion

Slide Presentations and Notes (in PDF):

–  DMR

–  D-STAR

–  Fusion

–  D-star, DMR, Fusion, Which is Right for You?

Thanks to Mike Moore, KC2MN, Steve Verzulli, KA1CNF, for the Academy Presentation

Soldering and DIY Best Practices — Scott Theis, W2LW — Slides (06/16/2018)

(click on picture for larger image)

Thanks to Scott Theis, W2LW and Tim Brown, WB2PAY, for the Academy presentation
Slides available as PDF by clicking here.

Antenna Build(05/05/2018)

Software Defined Radio — Forest Shick, WA2MZG — Video, Slides and Resources (03/10/2018)

  

  

(click on picture for larger image)

Getting Started with Arduino — Scott Theis, W2LW — PDF Slides (02/03/2018)

 

Internet Ham Radio — Duane Fregoe, K2SI — PDF Slides (01/14/2012)

Have Ideas?

We would like to hear from you! We have lots of ideas for sessions but would like to focus on what members are most interested. Contact our education coordinator at education@rochesterham.org with suggestions. Here are some ideas we are working on:

–  Antenna Analyzers

–  Component Fundamentals -- Precision, Types, Capacitors, etc.

–  Fighting Noise -- A Discussion of Noise Filtering and Techniques (2 Shack Noise)

–  Fighting Noise -- A Discussion of Noise Filtering and Techniques (Mobile)

–  Getting Started with CW

–  Getting Started with FT-8

–  Getting Started with JT65

–  Getting Started with PSK31

–  Getting Started with WSPR

–  HF Band Review and Propagation

–  HF Noise Filtering

–  Noise Filtering and Techniques and Common Rig Controls

–  Limited Living Space Radio

–  Mesh Networks Using Routers

–  PIC Programming

–  RF Connectors (Good Bad, Ugly and Common)

–  Radio Techniques -- Improve/Practice Calling

–  Repeaters

–  Setting Up a Shack

–  Shack Software Options (HRD, Chirp,....)

–  Test Equipment Basics and Safety

–  Understanding Antenna Options

–  Understanding RF Exposure

–  Understanding Radio-Computer Interfaces

–  Using Beacons and Reverse Beacons

–  VHF Modes

Last revised: 05/14/23 04:17 PM


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