Club Meetings

Join us Tuesday night, November 19th Preston Ridge Community Center.  Folks will start gathering at 6:30PM.

Zoom broadcast this month. Meeting available via the following Zoom url:  Launch Meeting - Zoom
This meeting link is the same for all Monthly Club meetings in 2024. Copy the link to your calendar for your convenience.

We look forward to seeing you there!!!

Meeting location is: Preston Ridge Community Center, 3655 Preston Ridge Road Suite 100, Alpharetta, GA 30005.

Directions to the Meeting Location

https://www.google.com/maps/place/3655+Preston+Ridge+Rd+%23100,+Alpharetta,+GA+30005/@34.0686083,-84.2607463,15.81z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x88f59e366168b3d1:0x711de3f8b3c5449!8m2!3d34.0702151!4d-84.2516683?hl=en

As you come into the parking lot, turn to the left and follow the signs to lead you around the edge of the lot to the far side. There’s plenty of parking and the Community Center is at the left end of the building.  Go in the front.


Meetings are usually held on the third Tuesday of each month.

Click here to visit our Activities calendar for upcoming meeting dates.

Guests are always welcome.  If you are interested in learning more about our club and our hobby, our meetings (and the preceeding dinner) provide great opportunities to chat with our members.

Program Suggestions?

Contact Club Activites Chairman Lee Johnson, N4WYE lehmanjohnson@gmail.com if you have suggestions for an interesting program or speaker.

Meetings

2024
Month Presenter Topic
January Daryl Young, K4RGK Amateur Radio in Space
February Steve Randall, KO4VW This meeting will be a workshop meeting on Building Common Mode Chokes. For the choke build, we will try to build around 10 units. Three have already been spoken for. Get in touch with Steve at KO4HVW@gmail.com to reserve one. Cost per unit is being finalized but expected to be about $35. No Zoom broadcast will take place.
March John Tramontanis N4TOL

Steve Randall KO4VW

Georgia QSO Party

Logging Software basics: K3FJP, N1MM

April Tom Crowley, KT4XN Radio Astronomy
May Mike Riley, KN4OAK Field Day Plan Review
June No Meeting- Field Day Field Day replaces meeting
July Lee Johnson, N4WYE NanoVNA Workshop
August Ted Macklin, K4MPM FT8 Digital
September KN4OAK & KO4VW NFARL Mini Hamfest
October Robert Achtenberg, AJ4RJ Winlink and Digipeaters
November HamJam
December Holiday Party
2023
Month Presenter Topic
January Leadership Team The club meeting will be a workshop style meeting.  It will not be broadcast on Zoom.  Winding toroids will be the main topic, and we will be building EFHW transformers as an example.  Those not interested in toroid winding or antenna transformers, can assemble parts kits for the CPO kits we sell on our website.
February Erik Bagby, N4NXD,
Radio Support Technician Senior,
Fulton County Emergency Communications
Fulton County’s 800MHz and MotoTRBO 450MHz trunked radio systems.
March John Tramontanis, N4TOL Georgia QSO Party Preparation
April Wes Lamboley, W3WL
Neil Foster, N4FN
Nathan Wood, K4NHW
Wes & Neil:   DX 101
Nathan:         DX'ing.  Operating from the other side of the pileup.
May John Tramontanis, N4TOL
Steve Mays, KS4KJ
Steve Randall, KO4VW
Ted Macklin, K4MPM
GQP Party Results & Awards
Operating 2023 Field Day from the SSB Station
2023 Field Day Signups & Operating from the CW Station
Operating 2023 Field Day from Home with Digital (WSJT-X)
June The NFARL Field Day Team Field Day
July Neil Foster, N4FN The Art of QSLing
August Richard Dervan, N1RBD Intro to SOTA & POTA - Activating and Chasing
September Mini Hamfest.  NFARL will have our second annual Mini Hamfest at our normal meeting location on September 19th. More details will be coming soon. Free tables are open only to NFARL Club members, but the event is open to all. If you are not a club member and wish to have a table to sell items then the price is joining NFARL for one year. This is of course for Ham Radio items. Last year was a huge success.
October Lee Johnson, N4WYE Antenna Modeling
Elections.  Although the meeting will be broadcast on Zoom, you must be present at the meeting to make nominations and vote.
November HamJam
December Holiday Party
2022
Month Presenter Topic
January Friends of Jim Stafford Celebration of Life for Jim Stafford, W4QO
February Warren Merkel, KD4Z Warren will provide us with information on how he uses KiCad EDA, a software package for capturing circuit schematics and undertaking printed circuit board design.  Click here to download a PDF file containing Warren's meeting presentation slides.
March Ian Kahn, NV4C Using N1MM Logger+ during a contest.  Click here to download a PDF file containing Ian's presentation slides.
April Warren Merkel, KD4Z Node-RED.  Click here to download a PDF file containing Warren's meeting presentation slides.
May Ted Macklin, K4MPM Ted, K4MPM will give us a short overview of FT8 and share some first hand knowledge on operating with it. Also, Mike, KN4OAK needs assistance with packing the NFARL CPO Kits. We've set a target of 50 CPO Kits packed for the evening. Five people can pack 20 kits in one hour, so help us out!
June Steve Randall, KO4VW The June meeting will be an ice cream social plus a preview of Field Day. The meeting will be broadcast on Zoom, but Zoom participants will have to bring their own ice cream!
July Grant Register, KK4PCR Grant is the North Fulton ARES Emergency Coordinator and will tell us about NFARES activities (such as the support provided for the recent Sandy Springs Lantern Parade) and how you can get involved in this valuable civic resource.
August The meeting topic will be "Antenna Building" as described in Martha W4MSA's notes about the meeting.  Click here to view a PDF file containing her notes.
September Mini HamFest.  Click here to see more info about the event.
October The agenda will include election of 2023 club officers.  The meeting will be broadcast via Zoom however you must be present at the meeting to make nominations and vote.
November Our November meeting was replaced by HamJam on November 12th.
December Our December meeting was our NFARL Holiday Dinner Party on Saturday, December 17th at 6 PM at Preston Ridge Community Center.
2021
Month Presenter Topic
January via Zoom Jim Kauffman, W4IU Space Weather and Ionospheric Propagation
February via Zoom Philip Miller Tate, M1GWZ tinySA®, a "tiny" spectrum analyzer that may be of interest to ham operators.
March via Zoom John Tramontanis, N4TOL
Mike Roden, W5JR
Georgia QSO Party
April via Zoom Jack McElroy, KM4ZIA Midnight Rider Balloon KM4ZIA-3
May Hal Kennedy, N4GG His new book, "Ham Radio Tips & Tales"
June Field Day Team Field Day
July Neil Foster, N4FN
Mike Roden, W5JR
Club Log
CW and Computer Logging
August Chuck Catledge, AE4CW "100 Watts and a Wire” Contest and Wires That Go With It
September Mike Roden, K5JR
Mike Riley, KN4OAK
Fred Ackley, W4FRA
Repeaters
The Contest
October

Club Elections & Kit Development Workshop

November No meeting due to HamJam
December NFARL Holiday Party on December 10th at 7 PM
2020
Month Presenter Topic
January Lee Johnson, N4WYE NanoVNA Introduction.  Click here to view the meeting video on NFARL's YouTube Channel.  Click here to download a PDF file containing Lee's presentation slides.  The PDF file is large - 12MB - but is a worthwhile companion to the video as Lee's links in the file are easier to read and are live.  Photos from the meeting are available in our Photo Gallery.  Click here to view them.
February Tim Duffy, K3LR Tower Safety.  Tim has been a guest on Ham Nation many times and was elected to the CQ Contest Hall of Fame in 2006.
March via Zoom Greg Abernathy, AI4UD Grounding and Bonding
April via Zoom Chuck Catledge, AE4CW
Mike Roden, W5JR
Managing Multi-Station Interference
Doug McAlexander, N4HNH SOTA Activity
May via Zoom Bob Heil, K9EID Importance of Speech Articulation
June via Zoom Mike Riley, KN4OAK Field Day.  Click here to download Mike's PDF from the meeting containing copious FD materials.
July via Zoom Dr. Gordon Gibby, KX4Z Open Source Ventilator Project.  Ham ingenuity, Arduino, and the development of the ventilator Dr. Gibby and others put together from commonly available parts.
August via Zoom Marty Sullaway, NN1C Marty discussed his experiences and rationale for supporting youth involvement in Amateur Radio.
September via Zoom Grant Register, KK4PCR Red Cross Nationwide Radio Drill
October via Zoom Joe Eisenberg, K0NEB Joe told us about kit building and its impact on youth development inside the ham realm.
November via Zoom Bob Bruninga, WB4APR Bob presented a program on Alternative Energy Choices.
December NFARL Holiday Party
2019
Month Presenter Topic
January Jim Stafford, W4QO CW and CWSIG
Bill Cobb, K4YJJ NFARL Web Sites.  Click here to download program slides.
Mike Roden, W5JR NFARL Repeaters
February Jordan Sherer, KN4CRD JS8Call
March Mike Roden, W5JR
et al
Georgia QSO Party
April Jim Sorenson, KA4IIA T-Hunting / Fox Hunting
May Mike Greenway, K4PI 6 Meter DX
June GQP NFARL Awards, Field Day & IEEE Event
July David Cripe, NMØS Reinartz and the Radio Boy - The Hidden History of the MacMillan Expedition
August Audrey McElroy, KM4BUN
Jack McElroy, KM4ZIA
The Other End of the Pile-up: Our Story in Curacao
Dr. John Kludt, K4SQC Some Thoughts on Amateur Satellites
September Neil Foster, N4FN The Art of QSLing (or how I learned the hard way)
October Eddie Thompson, AE4TQ Homebrew Mini Satellite Antenna Controller For Under $150
November HamJam
December NFARL Holiday Party
2018
Month Presenter Topic
January Catherine Andrews AC4YL
Lori Young K4UPI
Melanie Glemser AG4YL
Women (YLs) in Amateur Radio - Who We Are, What We Do, and Where We're Going
February Mike Cohen AD4MC
Grant Register KK4PCR
North Fulton ARES
March Chuck Catledge AE4CW
Tim Lemmon WK4U
Mike Roden W5JR
The Georgia QSO Party - How to at Home and on the Road (rover)
April John Kludt K4SQC
Martha Muir W4MSA
Jim Stafford W4QONathan Wood K4NHW
ARISS Contact at Mill Springs Academy

13 Colonies Special Event

May Scott Straw KB4KBS Field Day by the Numbers
June Hal Kennedy N4GG Wire Antenna Basics
July Wey Walker K8EAB Boots on the Ground in Puerto Rico.

Wey shared his experience as part of the ARRL disaster relief team deployed to Puerto Rico following the recent hurricanes.

August Bob Hensey K4VBM Operating Digital Modes - Lessons Learned [Chasing Grid Squares and DX]
September Charles Osborne K4CSO Radio Astronomy for Amateur Radio
October Bob Allphin K4UEE Bouvet Island
November HamJam
December NFARL Holiday Party
2017
Month Presenter Topic
January John Kludt K4SQC dB, Coax Loss and EME
February Scott Straw KB4KBS JT65 on the HF Bands
March Bill Morton W4ASE How Can I Be In Two Places At Once - Changing the Laws of Physics
April Chuck Catledge AE4CW

Tim Lemmon WK4U

DXCC & WAS in 9 Days - and the Antennas that Made it Happen

Chuck & Tim's Adventure to PJ2T

May Alan Adamson W7QO Balloons Carrying Ham Radio - Around the World in 250 days
June John Kludt K4SQC Field Day
July Jim Sorenson KA4IIA Fox Hunting
August Jeff Stuparits W4DD A New Way to Find Power Line and Other RF Noise
September Mike Cohen, AD4MC

Jim Stafford, W4QO

Setting Up & Using the New & Improved FT8 Digital Mode

Antennas, Ideas & Tips

October Mack McCormick, W4AX Chasing DX and Contesting on Two Bands Simultaneously With A Single Transceiver
November HamJam
December NFARL Holiday Party
2016
Month Presenter Topic
January Tim Romashko K4RA Emergency Preparedness
February Mike Cohen AD4MC Solar Power Systems
March Chuck Catledge AE4CW Antennas: Hints and Kinks

Click here to download a PDF file containing Chuck's program slides.

April Scott Straw KB4KBS
Tim Lemmon WK4U
DXpeditions
May Tim Romashko K4RA D-Star
June John Kludt K4SQC Field Day 2016
July
August Pavel Anni AC4PA
Terry Joyner W4YBV
Jim Paine N4SEC
Pavel spoke on CW

Terry & Jim spoke on National Parks on the Air (NPOTA)

September Neil Foster N4FN
Bill Morton W4ASE
HRD
October Barry Kanne W4TGA Stone Mountain Holiday Present
November HamJam 2016
December NFARL Holiday Party
2015
Month Presenter Topic
January Jim Stafford W4QO CW
February Jim Paine N4SEC,
Terry Joyner W4YBV,
Wes Lamboley W4WL
IOTA expedition to Turkey Island, FL in November, 2014
March Rick Downs of Georgia Power Electrical and Power Line Safety
April Jeff, N1KDO
Tim, WK4U
Linux in the Shack
May Gregg Marco W6IZT K1N -- Navassa Island: How'd They Do That?
June Everyone

John K4SQC

Show Your Assets -- club show and tell session

Field Day Launch Pad

July Bob Mantell, K4GA Fun on Old TV Channel One. Bob's program was an overview of the Six meter band.  Click here to download a PDF file containing his program slides.
August Gary Pearcey, WB4RLW Cox Broadcasting Television Station WSB-DT
September John Davis, WB4QDX D-Star and Fusion 101: An Overview and Introduction to Digital Modes on VHF/UHF
October Aaron Melton, KK4LOV
Warren Merkel KD4Z
Unique Uses for Computers in Ham Radio

Click here to view a PDF file containing Aaron's slides.

November HamJam 2015
December NFARL Holiday Party
2014
Month Presenter Topic
January Wes Lamboley W3WL
Jim Paine N4SEC
Terry Joyner W4YBV
Quarter Century Wireless Association Cruise
February Clark Macauley W4UB Life is Too Short for QRO
March Gary Bush W6GB Renovation of Old Equipment.  Click here to download a PDF file containing Gary's presentation slides.
April Steve  Henke W9SH Open Source Software for IP Communications
May Wes Lamboley W3WL
Jim Smith W4JDS
Jim Stafford W4QO
Chuck Catledge AE4CW
Wire Antennas You Can Build.  This will be a quadruple play presentation covering:

  • Vertical Antennas
  • Indoor Stealth Antennas
  • End-Fed Antennas
  • Doublets
June John Kludt K4SQC Field Day
July Mike Roden W5JR Fox Hunting.  Click here to download a PDF file containing Mike's presentation slides.
August Neil Foster N4FN The Art of QSLing and LOTW
September Bob Allphin K4UEE The FT5ZM Amsterdam Island DXpedition
October John Tramontanis N4TOL
Chuck Catledge AE4CW
Neil Foster N4FN
Setting Up Your First HF Station
November HamJam 2014
December NFARL Holiday Party
2013
Month Presenter Topic
January Don Nesbitt N4HH DXing
February Joe Camilli N7QPP
Mike Roden W5JR
EchoLink for Beginners
March Kevin King KC6OVD
Kevin Swanson N8WHG
John Burningham W2XAB
Digital Mobile Radio
April Christian Kuhtz AK4VV Summits on the Air
May Neil Foster N4FN
Ian Kahn KM4IK
Tour of Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD) version 6.0
June Double Play Scott Straw, KB4KBS provided a final update on Field Day.

Mary Hobart, K1MMH, Chief Development Officer for the ARRL, will be our special guest.

July Triple Play Jim Stafford, W4QO: Purpose and use of some common test equipment

Chuck Catledge, AE4CW: The ins and outs of baluns and chokes, including construction

Roger Shaddick, N7BU: Home weather stations

August Lt. Gary Robinson
Alpharetta Department of Public Safety
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
September John Kludt K4SQC NFARL Satellite Adventure
October Hal Kennedy N4GG How to use your existing antennas on 160 meters
November NFARL & SEDXC HamJam, November 9th
December NFARL NFARL Holiday Party, December 14th
2012
Month Presenter Topic
January Paul Manno KG4UVU Paul gave an insider's look at the DXpedition to T32C.
February Chuck AE4CW
Bill N4NX
The How's and Whys of QSLing Click here to view a video of the business segment of the February meeting; click here to see part 1 of a video of Chuck and Bill's presentations; click here for part 2.
March Jim W4QO
Scott KB4KBS
Chuck AE4CW
Jim W4QO introduced the club's 2012 approach to the GA QSO party, Scott KB4KBS shared his vision for 2012 Field Day, and Chuck AE4CW discussed ideas for turning both of these events into learning opportunities for our new and not-so-new hams.

Click here to view a video of the business segment of the March meeting; click
here to see a video of the presentations.

April John Gorkos AB0OO John AB0OO, APRS coordinator for North Georgia, shared with us the latest advances in the deployment of APRS systems.Click here to view a video of the business segment of the April meeting; click here to see a video of John's presentation.
May John Kludt K4SQC ARISS contact at Parkside Elementary
June Scott KB4KBS Field Day
July Scott Dunbar N4SBD Scott Dunbar N4SBD took us through the start-up and launch of a balloon into Near Space over North Georgia with APRS tracking through most of the flight and a successful recovery of the balloon.Click here to view a video of the business segment of the July meeting; click here to see a video of Scott's presentation.
August Edward Doyle KJ4NRN Youth DX Adventure
September Ed Tanton N4XY Grid Dip Meters
October Kyle Albritton W4KDA Digital Modes
November HamJam
December Holiday Party
2011
Month Presenter Topic
January Neil Foster N4FN The January program looked at the Ham Radio Deluxe suite of computer programs designed to automate many of your station activities.  As a follow-up to his Q&A session on TechNet, Neil Foster N4FN walked us through some of the functions and features of HRD.
February Ian Kahn, AK4IK
Mack McCormick, W4AX
Mike Roden, W5JR
Fred Moore, N4CLA
Ian Kahn AK4IK gave a presentation on his recent trip to the TenTec factory.

The "Sweat Mountain Boys" -- Mack, W4AX, Mike, W5JR and Fred, N4CLA -- gave an update on and visual tour of our repeater site.

March Wes Lamboley, W3WL
George Nicholson, N4GRN
South Orkney Islands DXPedition Report, January - February 2011
April Mike Roden, W5JR Transmitter Hunting
Meeting Slides
May Bob Ross, WA2EXZ
Ron Howe, KB4RQM
Radio Control Model Airplanes
June Ian Kahn, AK4IK et al Field Day
July Ken Evans, W4DU QRP Q & A
August Rich Arland K7SZ Ten Things New Hams Should Know
September Wes W3WL
John N4TOL
John K7SYS
HF Phone Operation Basics
October Kay Craigie, N3KN
Tom Rauch, W8JI
Eric Swartz, WA6HHQ
HamJam
November Rick Maxwell, W8KHK Early Days of Space Program, an Insiders View
December Holiday Party
Updated 11/16/2023 by K4YJJ