Benicia Amateur Radio Club

BARC Monthly Zoom Meeting February 9
2021-02-09 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Our monthly BARC Zoom meeting will occur on Tuesday the 9th of February. We will be announcing the Election results! We will also discuss new communication tools!
We always have fun getting together and all are Welcome!
To get the Zoom invite contact us at:
info@beniciaarc.com or
707-742-3227

January 12, 2021, Monthly BARC Zoom Meeting: Discussion of Winter Field Day
2021-01-12 19:00 - 22:00 | Zoom
We will explore and discuss Winter Field Day!
Due to COVID we’re unable to hold a group activity, but people can participate individually.
We will also present a revised Constitution and Bylaws for ratification by mail, and accept nominations for club officers for the 2021-2022 term.
Where:
Zoom teleconferencing. To get the Zoom invite contact us at:
info@beniciaarc.com or
707-742-3227
All are welcome!

WinterFieldDay.com

12/08/2020: BARC’s Monthly Meeting: Mike Dahlhofer K8MRD,“Parks On The Air”.
2020-12-08 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
On Tuesday, December 8, 2020 is our BARC Zoom monthly meeting! Mike Dahlhofer K8MRD, will give the presentation, “Parks On The Air”. He is a prolific YouTuber with an interesting and informative, lively and entertaining style!
When:
Tuesday, 8 December, 2020
7:00pm to 9:00pm PST
Where:
Zoom teleconferencing. To get the Zoom invite contact us at:
info@beniciaarc.com or
707-742-3227
Invite your friends! Share this info! All are welcome!
Mike Dahlhofer, K8MRD, On his YouTube Channel:
https://youtu.be/y_7UVJoAlvI

At the November 10, BARC Zoom Meeting: “How to Learn and Have Fun with CW”, given by Howard Bernstein, WB2UZE, and Jim Crites, W6JIM, of the Long Island CW Club
2020-11-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
Benicia Amateur Radio Club (BARC) is inviting you to our November Zoom meeting for an exciting presentation, “How to Learn and Have Fun with CW”, given by Howard Bernstein, WB2UZE, and Jim Crites, W6JIM, of the Long Island CW Club.
“The Long Island CW Club teaches 50 CW classes weekly on Zoom. Come listen how we do it and how many of our students get on the air with CW within 3-4 months”.

When:
Tuesday, 10 November 2020
7:00pm to 9:00pm PST
Where:Zoom teleconferencing. To get the Zoom invite contact us at:
info@beniciaarc.com or
707-742-3227
The Long Island CW Club is dedicated to helping people learn Morse Code numerous ways including: online classes, videos, podcasts and articles.
Invite your friends! Share this info! All are welcome!
To get info about the Long Island CW Club: https://longislandcwclub.org/

October 13th BARC Meeting presents Kevin Stow
2020-10-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
On the 13th of October we will have our monthly BARC Meeting. It will be on Zoom. We are happy to announce that Kevin Stow, N6VLF, will be returning to give a presentation on Antenna Analyzers!
Watch our groups.io for the Zoom meeting invite.
If you aren’t a member of the BARC groups.io or don’t get the invite, call (707)742-3227, and leave a message!

BARC Sept 8th Zoom Monthly Meeting: Informal Get-Together!
2020-09-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Due to COVID-19 all of our 2nd Tuesday of the Month Club Meetings will be meeting on Zoom. For September we will have an informal get together. Catch up with your friends and other hams! If you aren’t a member of our groups.io call (707)742-3227 and leave a message to get an invite! If you join our groups.io you will get all the details and an invitation to a really exciting event occurring next week and all of our future exciting events as they come up!

Previous in person meetings shown here.

August 11th BARC ZOOM Meeting Presents Gordon West!
2020-08-11 18:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
We are pleased to announce Gordon West will be coming to our Monthly BARC Meeting on August 11th via Zoom! The meeting will begin earlier than usual at 6:00 pm. To get details how to join this meeting contact Bob Fentress, W6RBF. More details to follow!

“Again, Again! Why Do Some Modes Work Better?” By Kristen McIntyre K6WX at July’s BARC Meeting
2020-07-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
“Again, Again! Why Do Some Modes Work Better?” Will be the presentation by Kristen McIntyre, K6WX, at July 14th’s BARC Meeting.
Time: 19:00 – 21:00
It will be a Zoom Meeting. Please contact Bob Fentress for how to be admitted to the Zoom Meeting or go to the BARC groups.io email or join our groups.io.

June BARC meeting:Solano CART with Vicki Dawson and Bob Hawkins
2020-06-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
Solano Community Animal Response Team: A Year Later
This is an exciting Zoom event! Please contact Bob Fentress or look in our groups.io or contact us at the email or phone listed below to find out how to connect to this exciting presentation!
Solano CART is excited to return to BARC ‪on June 9, 2020‬, almost a year to the day after we last visited and update you on our progress. We have accomplished quite a few things this past year, including great advances in our communications set up. Like everyone else, we are also greatly impacted by the Covid 19 pandemic and we will share with you how we have and will continue to train our members within the county covid guidelines and how we are preparing for disaster deployment in the midst of a pandemic. Presenters will include Vicki Dawson, Founder and President and Bob Hawkins, Solano CART Member & ACS Captain.

May 12th BARC Zoom Meeting at 7:00 pm: Justin Cowgill, KM6ZTH, Presents, “Audio connections, and routing. Ways to interface your radios.”
2020-05-12 19:00 - 21:00 | CA
“Audio connections, and routing. Ways to interface your radios.” is Justin Cowgill, KM6ZTH’s May 12th BARC Zoom Meeting presentation. Always interesting and informative, Justin will explain clearly, demonstrate and answer questions. We are looking forward to this exciting Zoom opportunity!
Justin’s Bio:
Always curious as to how things work. Justin can be found inspecting, tweaking, and building audio, video, broadcast and network systems. He is the Chief Technology Officer for CreaTV San Jose, with a Bachelors Degree of Radio and Television Communication from San Francisco State University. In addition Justin is a proud Amateur Radio Operator, Eagle Scout, Husband and Father of 2.
To connect to this exciting Zoom event contact Bob Fentress, WB6RBF or go to beniciaarc.groups.io .

Cancelled -Show and Tell April BARC Meeting
2020-04-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Benicia Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military West, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
April’s meeting will be cancelled due to the COVID-19/Corona virus. All meetings and in-person events are postponed until further notice. We’ll listen for you on the air!

Ralph Simpson will present: The German Enigma Machine: The Secret Battlefield of WW2
2020-03-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Benicia Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military West, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
We are excited that Ralph Simpson will be giving his fascinating presentation, “The German Enigma Machine: The Secret Battlefield of WW2“ at our monthly meeting! It meets at the Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military W. Please enter via the 2nd St. side door. Doors open at 6:30, the meeting starts at 7:00.
All are welcome to our pre-meeting meal at Roundtable Pizza, 878 Southampton at 5:00 pm.
The Enigma machine was invented over 100 years ago, and it proved to be quite an ingenious invention! This was the first cipher device in history to use electricity to encode a message, which was a giant leap in cipher technology. The cryptographic strength of the Enigma gave the Germans the utmost confidence in the secrecy of their messages during World War II. While this confidence was justified, it later became their undoing because they refused to believe the evidence that the enemy was reading their messages!
The story of the Allies overcoming the odds and breaking the Enigma is a story of innovation, intrigue, and deception; which significantly shortened the war and ushered in the age of computers. The success of cracking the Enigma was kept secret for 29 years after the end of WW2, despite tens of thousands people working on the effort in the UK and US. This secrecy is especially incredible for us living in the age of the internet, WikiLeaks, and Edward Snowden. Over 35,000 Enigma machines were manufactured, but only 350 are known to exist today.
Biography
Ralph Simpson worked in the computer industry for 32 years, at IBM and Cisco Systems. He is now retired and volunteers at a local museum, History San Jose. He wrote a book on cipher history called, Crypto Wars: 2000 Years of Cipher Evolution. He is also an avid collector of cipher machines, which you can see on his website, ‪CipherHistory.com‬. Ralph lives in San Jose in a restored Victorian house, which is also home to his Cipher History Museum and a very understanding wife. They have three grown children.

JB Still, NR5NN, DIY Junk Box Antennas
2020-02-11 19:00 - 21:30 | Benicia Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military West, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
JB will show us how to build antennas from our junk boxes in this exciting presentation!
We will have our pre-meeting meal at Roundtable Pizza in the Southampton Shopping Center starting at 5:00 pm.
Side Doors at the Downtown Fire Station open at 6:30. All that are interested are welcome!

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 GOTA Get on the Air Class
2020-02-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Benicia Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military West, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
Learn how to operate your radio, about antennas, how to talk on the radio and actually get on the air! Get your questions answered. This class gets you up and running. All the fun stuff – and No Test! All are welcome!

Where?
Benicia Fire Station
150 Military West, Benicia CA
Please enter via the West 2ns St side door
When?
‪Tuesday, Feb 4, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM‬

Andy Record, “Batteries the Caveman Way” January 14th BARC Meeting
2020-01-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Benicia Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military West, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
We are happy to have another exciting and informative presentation given by our neighbor from across the Bay, Andy Record. His previous presentation on Repeaters was talked about for months!
Andy Record, KF6TJR, has been a ham for over 20 years and self identifies as a OM. He is a Product Manager for Silke Communications where he is overseeing and coordinating the City of Roseville’s transition to an EF Johnson P25 Phase II system as well as several other smaller projects. Silke Communications has the World’s largest Kenwood NXDN system.
His wife Tiffany, KG6TJR, and daughter Amelia, KK6VYX, are both Technician class amateurs and they enjoy gardening, reading and their two cats.
Pre-meeting meal is at Roundtable Pizza in the Southampton/Raley’s Mall!

Ham Radio Licensing Exam Session Saturday, January 11, 2020
2020-01-11 09:00 - 11:00 | Benicia Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military West, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
Ham radio EXAM SESSION
On Saturday, January 11, 2020 We are having a FCC exam session from 0900 to 1100 at the Downtown Benicia Fire Station, 150 Military W., Benicia, Ca. Please enter via the 2nd St. Side door. Walk-ins are welcome! (This is not a class!)
The fee is $15.
Bring two forms of ID.
Minors may bring school ID, minor’s work permit, report card, Kaiser card etc.
If upgrading bring photocopy of your current Amateur Radio license or the original(s) and/or photocopy(s) of any Certificates of Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE). The photocopy(s)will not be returned.
Questions: Contact Art at: aa6am@beniciaarc.com

Benicia Amateur Radio Club/BARC Christmas/Holiday Party Tuesday, December 10, 2019
2019-12-10 18:30 - 21:00 | Benicia Senior Center, 1201 East 2nd Street, Benicia, 94510, United States
Get together with BARC for our annual Christmas Party! It’s always fun!
$30 per person-$15 for children. See you there! You can pay online on the link below!

At the November 12th BARC Meeting, Michelle Paquette,AA6MP, will be giving the presentation, “Fundamentals of Real Radio: Real Radios Glow In The Dark”.
2019-11-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Benicia Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military West, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
We are happy to announce, Michelle Paquette will be giving us another exciting presentation, “Fundamentals of Real Radio: Real Radios Glow In The Dark”
Low tech doesn’t mean no tech! Older technologies give us a way to look at basic principles of our gear that modern, computer driven and software controlled equipment obscures. We will look ‘under the hood’ at some basic principles of electronics and touch a bit on what is involved in restoring older electronics to service.
She is known for her ability to explain technical subjects so that even non-technically oriented people can understand, and she is very able to answer the most technical questions easily! This presentation is for everyone! All are welcome!

October 17th:Gordon West and his team, “Tropospheric Ducting”.
2019-10-17 19:00 - 21:30 | Heritage Presbyterian Church, 1400 East Second St., Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
On October 17th we will have Gordon West and his team of experts coming to Benicia! His team consists of Gordon West, WB6NOA; Suzy West, N6GLF; Jodi Lenocker, WA6JL; and Tracy Lenocker, WM6T.
Note the change of day and date and location! This special event meeting will be held on the THURSDAY before Pacificon, not the 2nd Tuesday of the month! It will be held at Heritage Presbyterian Church, 1400 East Second Street, Benicia.
GORDO ON TROPO!
Learn why your 2 meter radios sometimes works repeaters several hundred miles away during hot days in October!
You say you are hearing the Central Valley farm reports on a 162.550 MHz weather channel, more than 200 miles away? Ever wonder why your VHF and UHF range is sometimes out of this world?
Gordo will demonstrate Tropospheric ducting and summertime atmospheric layering with a laser and stratified liquids, with also some record breaking tropo recordings of 2 meter stations booming in to the Bay Area……2,500 miles away from Hawaii, for a solid 5 days in hot dry weather!
Fun stuff, with plenty of Gordo and Tracy humor and antics to keep everyone on the edge of their seats!

One Day Ham Study
2019-10-05 07:30 - 17:00 | Benicia Senior Center, 1201 East 2nd Street, Benicia, 94510, United States
A great opportunity to get either your Technician or General License In a Day! It’s from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. Only $35 includes exam!

Bob Hewitt, K6HEW, Celebration of Life
2019-09-28 12:00 - 14:00 | Solano Events Center, 601 Texas Street, Fairfield, CA, 94533, United States
All are welcome to come and share memories of Bob. Please let us know if you are coming by registering at the link listed under “Details” then “Website” below, or highlight, copy and paste the following into your address bar:
www.eventbrite.com/o/solano-county-office-of-emergency-of-services-105748091.

September 14th Exam Session
2019-09-14 09:00 | Benicia Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military West, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
BARC is giving an FCC exam session ‪on Saturday, September 14, 2019‬, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at the Benicia downtown fire station. 150 Military W.
Enter through side door
on West 2nd St
Benicia CA 94510.
Questions contact Art at aa6am@beniciaarc.com
(Walk-ins allowed

September 10, 2019 BARC Meeting: Marcel Stieber, AI6MS, presents “HF Towers”!
2019-09-10 19:00 - 21:30 | Benicia Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military West, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
We are lucky to have at our September 10, 2019’s BARC Meeting, Marcel Stieber, AI6MS, a well known, prolific Pacificon Speaker, presenting “HF Towers”! Meeting begins at 19:00 (7pm). Doors open at 18:30 (6:30pm)
His exciting biography:
I am an Electrical Engineering alumnus of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. I am currently employed as a Hardware Systems Integration Lead at Amazon Lab126 in Sunnyvale, CA and also serve on the Cal Poly Electrical Engineering Industry Advisory Board. I was former President and am current Industry Advisor to the Cal Poly Amateur Radio Club (www.W6BHZ.org). I am regularly volunteering to help at local repeater workdays as an RF technician and tower climber. I also enjoy helping with community events and providing communications for bike rides and triathlons. I also volunteer as a Technical Advisor for several event management companies and local repeater groups. My Masters Thesis is titled: Radio Direction Finding Network Receiver Design for Low-cost Public Service Applications. I was licensed on Cinco de Mayo in 2008 with my friend John KI6QDF and received my Extra License in the Summer of 2010. I am also an ARRL Life Member and have used my VE credentials to help license over 673 hams since 2009!
I especially enjoy portable stations and events, APRS, ARDF, and out of the ordinary operating locations (like on a jetski or bicycle!). You will occasionally also find me operating HF portable. In 2013, I was appointed to the ARRL Committee on Youth by President Kay Craigie N3KN and was pleased to serve the Amateur Radio community in this position. I serve as the trustee and technical lead for the Cupertino ARES UHF repeater, W6TDM. This system was rebuilt with W6KWF in 2014. I am the Technical Deployment Manager for the Cupertino ARES ARKnet Project which is building up a high-speed wireless intranet for the emergency responders in Cupertino.
I operated portable in Ghana, West Africa as 9G5MS from January-May 2013 with my Yaesu FT-857D. I was volunteering with a non-profit called Medicine on the Move at Kpong Airfield and used amateur radio in the classroom for the students from the AvTech Academy in Kpong, Ghana. I also operated during the ARRL School Club Roundup in February as the first school to participate from Africa.

BARC August 13th: Gary Gross, KE6QR, “Providing Communications for Public Service Events”.
2019-08-13 19:00 - 21:30 | Benicia Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military West, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
We are happy to announce that Gary Gross KE6QR, will be coming back and giving us another exciting presentation! In the past Gary has given numerous interesting and informative presentations to BARC. This presentation will be “Providing Communications for Public Service Events”. Pre-Meeting meal will be at Pizza Pirate starting at 5:00 pm.
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Field Trip to the USS Hornet - August 3, 2019
2019-08-03 | USS Hornet, 707 W. Hornet Ave, Pier 3, Alameda
We are going on a Field Trip!
On Saturday, August 3rd, BARC is going on a Field Trip to the U.S.S. Hornet! We will be given a tour by a member of the Hornet Amateur Radio Club (HARC), NB6GC. It will include Radio Central. People will also have the opportunity to sit in on the monthly HARC meeting if they like! All are welcome. Bring family and friends!
Please let Michelle, AA6MW, know if you and your family and friends will be attending. (We need a head count) and also let her know if you will be meeting at the Raley’s Parking lot ATM at 9:00 am or meeting at the Hornet parking lot at 9:50.
Contact Michelle: AA6MW@BeniciaARC.com
Hornet’s Legacy
USS Hornet CVS-12 is the eighth ship of the United States Navy to bear the name Hornet.
World War II
In April 1942, the aircraft carrier USS Hornet CV-8 departed Alameda, California, carrying Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle and 16 Army B 25 bombers to raid Tokyo in retaliation for the Pearl Harbor attack. Just six months after the Doolittle raid CV-8 was sunk in the battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. USS Hornet CV-12 was commissioned in early 1943. CV-12 was a major factor in our victory in the war in the Pacific.
The Cold War
With the rise of the Soviet submarine threat during the 1960’s, Hornet engaged in a new kind of war – a game of hide-and-seek with Soviet submarines.
Apollo 11 & 12
On July 24, 1969, President Nixon was aboard to observe the recovery of the Apollo 11 space capsule and the first man to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong. In 1970, Hornet was chosen for the successful recovery of the Apollo 12 and the all Navy crew of the second Lunar mission.
The Twilight Years
USS Hornet CVS – 12 was decommissioned on June 26, 1970. She remained in storage and reserve status until 1989 when she was stricken from the records and made ready to be sold as scrap. In 1991 Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and in 1995 she was turned over to the Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation. In 1998, the USS HORNET museum opened at Alameda.
HARC’s Mission:
“Supporting and preserving the USS Hornet Museum Ship CVS-12 and its History through Amateur Radio Communications”.
Hope to see you there!
(There is a concession stand on the hangar deck open at lunchtime with hotdogs, hamburgers, chips, candy & drinks etc.)

July 9th Walking Transmitter Hunt by Art Mayoff
2019-07-09 19:00 - 21:30 | Benicia Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military West, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
July 9th’s BARC Meeting
PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE!
Walking Transmitter Hunt in Downtown Benicia led by Art Mayoff
July 9, 2019 @ 19:00 – 21:30
Benicia Downtown Fire Station
Art Mayoff will conduct a transmitter hunt or “T Hunt”, with a “How-to” session before the hunt starts. Please bring your HT’s and your enthusiasm for this fun event! Bring friends too! Doors will open at 6:30 pm. A “How-to” session will start around 7:00. After the session the hunt will promptly begin.
After the hunt there will be a club business meeting.
The Pre-Meeting Meal at Roundtable Pizza will begin at 5pm. All are welcome!

July 3rd Torchlight Parade
2019-07-03 17:30 - 20:30 | 1st Street Benicia
Every July 3rd, BARC Volunteers help with communications for the Famous Benicia Torchlight Parade. The parade itself is from 6:30-8:30 pm, but ham radio volunteers meet earlier at 4:30 at the Depot at the bottom of 1st street to set up and get instructions. If interested contact Art Mayoff AA6AM. Or you can drop by and view the parade and say hi to fellow hams!

Field Day June 22nd! And Radio License Testing Too!
2019-06-22 | Benicia Fire Museum, 900 East Second, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
This year BARC is going to have a smaller Field Day, but it’ll still be lots of fun! Also, we will have VE License Exams offered from 1:00pm to 3:00pm for anyone wanting to get their ham license or seeking to upgrade their license!
If you are curious about what ham radio is or or you already know what it is, but have never gone on a radio, or even if you are an experienced ham wanting to see how we run Feild Day, Everyone is welcome! It’s a great family experience!
Field Day will open to the public at 11:00 am! More Details to follow!

June 11th BARC Meeting: Solano Community Animal Response Team With Vicki Dawson & Jackie Post
2019-06-11 19:00 - 21:30 | Benicia Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military West, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
The presentation is Disaster Preparedness for Animal Owners. It will cover an introduction to Solano Community Animal Response Team and our role in the county disaster plan. There will also be a small segment of how Solano CART can benefit from developing a relationship with BARC.
The Pre-meeting Meal will be at Roundtable Pizza in the Southampton Shopping Center starting at 5:00 pm. All are Welcome!

May 14, BARC Meeting: Art Mayoff, AA6AM: A Portal to the Past: Collecting and Restoring Telegraph Keys and Bugs
2019-05-14 19:00 - 21:30 | Benicia Downtown Fire Station, 150 Military West, Benicia, CA, 94510, United States
A Portal to the Past: Collecting and Restoring Telegraph Keys and Bugs
From the late 1800’s Morse Code shaped our country and laid the foundation for our Industrial successes and News dissemination. It played a role in safety at sea and helped our Armed Services in WWII. Learn about Glass Arm, Bugs, Speed Keys, Keyers and Paddles.
Art has been a ham since 1961, is a past President of MDARC and BARC, is a lifetime ARRL Member, has given numerous Get Your License In a Day Ham Classes, is a previous owner of the Base Station a ham radio/CB Store…
The list goes on and on for this highly accomplished ham. We always enjoy Art’s presentations and look forward to seeing him give one again! All are welcome! Our Pre-meeting meal will be at Pizza Pirate starting at 5:00pm. See you there!
