[d-star] Next Packet & Radio Workshop Sunday May 6.

[Doug Reed]

Hello World!

The next packet & radio workshop will be Sunday May 6. I'll be there at
9AM, but you can come when you are ready. As usual we'll go till around
5 or 6PM. Be aware the road destruction season is in full swing. The
694/35E intersection is having major construction and Hwy 36 through
North St Paul is closed from tomorrow through November. I-94 through St
Paul to Century Ave may be your fastest route.

There will be another meeting on Saturday May 5 at the Minneapolis Red
Cross building to discuss the state-wide packet infrastructure and
emergency communications. I can send more info if any of you are interested.

We had a good turn-out for the last workshop. Not many of the regulars
but around a dozen
people came and went, most were working on APRS tracker kits. I had the
Icom RP-1 1.2G D-STAR repeater at the April workshop and will bring it
again this Sunday since we didn't do anything with it last time. I will
have the spec-an with tracking generator available this time so we can
check antennas and filters for 1.2GHz.

The purpose of the workshops is to help people who are interested in
packet radio and other digital modes, or just plain need a little help
with a computer or radio related project. The great thing about the
workshop is that we all help each other.

I provide some of the more exotic test equipment that might be needed,
you bring your project, the parts you'll need, and small hand tools. I
usually bring an oscilloscope, frequency counter, signal generator, RF
power meter, dummy loads, and a spectrum analyzer. The spec-an is great
for checking receivers and transmitters. If you need to work on anything
above 1GHz, please let me know in advance.

The location is 1177 Century Ave North (55119) at the Maplewood East
County Line Fire Station #1 about 1.5 miles north of I-94. Century Ave
is the same as Highway 120 and it is on the east side of the 3M Center
complex. If you found the Tailgate Swapfest site, you just continue east
to Century Ave and then go north to the fire station.

If you want a map, Google search for:
    1177 Century Ave N, 55119
If you look for the 80 foot tower on the roof, it will be hard to miss.

Park in the lot on the north side of the building. We'll be using the
training room in the north-east corner of the building. We'll probably
use the side entry door, the one without a door knob. Pound on the
door and we'll let you in.<g> The alternate entry will be the east side
doors nearest the flag pole but I'm not going to guarantee anyone will
hear you there....

If anyone does need to do a little drilling or solder some wires, I'll
put a table out in the garage bay for that. The difference is the
concrete floor. I really don't want any burns or scratches in the tables
or solder and metal bits in the carpet of the training room. If we mess
it up I don't get to use the facility again.

I'll have the coffee pot running and I'll probably bring some cookies or
rolls. Feel free to bring more treats. There are pop machines in the
station and a Holiday gas station store a block away. Bring your own
lunch or go out to eat. Usually we order in a pizza. We have Internet
available and cable TV to help keep kids entertained.

I hope to see you there! The next workshop will probably be in mid or
late June. I'll try to schedule the next work party for June 3, the
Sunday before the MS 150 Bike Tour. But that will make a long weekend
since June 2 is the Tailgate Swapfest..... <http://www.nlrs.org/>

73, Doug Reed, N0NAS.