Boeing Video–Transistor Bulk Resistances
38 years ago (1986), yours truly produced a video with the help of the Boeing Television Studio describing in detail the lab procedure to solve for the bulk resistances of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT). Sadly, the audio is a little distorted but I may be able to improve that at a later date. The video...
March 2025 Meeting–Signal Reflections
At the March 2025 monthly meeting of the Chelsea Amateur Radio Club our presentation is going to be on reflections and how electrical signals travel with respect to time and the speed of light. This knowledge is of the uttermost basic nature. When you understand this stuff it opens doors unimaginable. Author Wes Cardone Trustee WD8IEL...
WD8IEL Repeater Periodic Time Announcement
Up until today, the WD8IEL Chelsea Repeater has been programmed to announce the time at one minute after the hour, hourly, from midnight to midnight. In addition, each day at midnight it announced todays day and date together with the time. The midnight-only announcement remains unchanged. However, starting today the hourly announcement has been silenced from...
Antenna Tuners—And You Thought Them Useless
I have only been licensed for amateur radio since 2019. In that short time, I have lost count of how many times I have heard the claim that when you use an antenna tuner, you are only fooling yourself. For internal and desktop antenna tuners there are certainly cases where that is true. I have also...
Monthly Meet-n-Greet Breakfast the 3rd Saturday
This next Saturday is the Third Saturday of the month. Don’t forget to join us for breakfast at Stivers at 9:00 AM. This is not limited to club members or even licensed amateur radio operators. Maybe you are interested in amateur radio for yourself or your children. This is where you will get all the autoreactive...
More on Jim’s (KD8RFW) Antenna Calibration
In earlier club presentations, Jim has gone into details about the inner workings of his Hustler 4BTV HF antenna. This is a real lesson in antenna electromagnetics on a practical basis. The January club meeting will feature a continuation of Jim’s antenna concerning its annual calibration and a physically damaged trap on the antenna that was...
Event: Michigan Parks On the Air
Michigan Parks on the Air is sponsoring an event on June 7, 2025 at Michigan’s Fort Custer State Recreation Area (near Agusta, Michigan). For more information please click on the above image to visit their website or email them at MichiganPOTAmeetup@gmail.com. Michigan Parks on the Air Meetup is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by...
2024 Chelsea Light Parade Volunteers Needed
Each year, the city of Chelsea hosts a light parade celebrating the Christmas season. This year the parade is scheduled for Saturday, December 7, 2024. Licensed amateur radio operator volunteers are needed to work with the Chelsea Police through the Chelsea Amateur Radio Club. Please contact Jim Grissom (KD8RFW) to volunteer for this event. Author Wes...
Multi-Band Antenna Optimization Presentation
At the November 2024 meeting of the Chelsea Amateur Radio Club, Wesley Cardone (N8QM) will briefly and superficially present the theory behind the optimization and calibration of a multi-band antenna. Wes will be taking his example information from measurements he made together with Jim Grissom (KD8RFW) on Jim’s own HF antenna installation. This will be basic...
Club Net Time Changed to 8 PM
Each Tuesday, the Chelsea Amateur Radio Club hosts a net on the Chelsea Repeater sounding from 145.450 MHz with a pl tone of 100 Hz. That is every Tuesday EXCEPT the 2nd Tuesday of each month. The club has traditionally held its Tuesday net at 8:30 PM but effective October 22nd that time is moved ahead...
Designing an Antenna Tuning Stub
I recently acquired a fine quality VHF antenna having about 9 dB gain. See below my initial efforts at designing a tuning stub for it. The antenna already has excellent characteristics but it only makes sense to optimize it. Please look for updating articles to come describing my work regarding getting this antenna up and running....
Feed Two 50 Ohm Antennas from One Transmitter
Wes Cardone presented at the July 2024 meeting of the Chelsea Amateur Radio Club the principles of directed energy by means of multiple antennas. The principle is that you rob from the rich and give to the poor. We decide on a pattern that we want our dual-antenna configuration to produce and then place the two...
