Please note the location of this month’s meeting: The Salvation Army, Bryan/College Station, 2506 Cavitt AVE, Bryan, TX 77801

After a productive club meeting on Saturday, we learned a lot from Andrew Byorth, KG5JDJ, about digital radio “hot spots.”  These small Linux computers (Raspberry Pi) and their radio HATs can act as your gateway to Internet-routed amateur radio such as Digital Mobile Radio (DMR or MotoTrbo), Yaesu Fusion, D-Star and NXDN.  For more information about DMR and amateur radio hot spots, here are a few Web links for you.

Amateur Radio Guide to Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) by John S. Burningham, W2XAB is a nice pamphlet that explains some of the concepts of DMR. 

In addition to your FCC license, you will need a DMR-Marc ID number, which you can get by registering on the radioid.net page.

Rob Robinette has a great web page about amateur radio digital modes and hot spots

Digital Hotspots for Amateur Radio is a presentation from the Richardson Amateur Radio Club and has a lot of information including quite a few more Web links regarding this topic.

Some notes from Andrew:

For those that might be interested in a plug and play hotspot please contact K4WZV. His email is good on QRZ.com. He has a couple different hot spots that he will set up with the customers configuration so when it arrives they are ready to go. The prices vary from around $110 to $189.

The raspberry pi’s can be sourced on amazon, ebay, etc. I always look for the best price. As for the MMDVM boards, you can search for mmdvm hs_hat or zumspot and find sources. I have bought a few on ebay with good luck. The ZUMspot is a little higher end and will cost more, the Chinese copies can be purchased for around 20 dollars. I have had good results with both. Nextion screens can found found easily on ebay. Make sure that the model number starts with a NX#. If is starts with a TJC avoid it.

• Needed for full build:
• RPI of your choice, pi-zero, pi 3 B or B+
• MMDVM, zumspot, mmdvm hs_hat aka.
• power supply, recommend 2.5 amp
• OLED screen or Nextion screen if desired.

This Saturday’s monthly meeting and test session will be at the CS Fire Station 6. This is the one located at 610 University Dr East at Tarrow St, next to Golden Corral. Test session starts at 8am and meeting at 9:30.  We will also have a presentation on dmr/dv hotspots by Andrew KG5JDJ. Club fees are also due. If you have not renewed please stop by and pay them. If you can’t attend print the form off of the website and mail in. We are also planning at being able for you to join/renew your ARRL membership through the club. By doing so the club gets a kickback. So it is encouraged to go thru us, it is appreciated. Forms for this will be avail at the meetings.
See you there.

During our most recent meeting, a question arose:  where can I buy the resistors and capacitors that I need for what I am building?  Well, with no local electronics stores anymore, that’s a challenge.  Here are a number of options you might consider:

Online/telephone/mail order:

• Digikey  Huge selection, reliable, long business history.
• Radio Shack  They seem to still be doing business online and, some HobbyTown stores (like the one in Waco) sell a limited selection of Radio Shack merchandise.
• Mouser Electronics  Huge selection, reliable, long business history.
• Altex Computers and Electronics  Mainly cabling and IT products, some audio, some electronics.  They have a store in Austin.
• Electronic Goldmine  Interesting items, surplus, odds and ends.
• MPJA Marlin P. Jones.  Lots of inexpensive items including microncontrollers, power supplies, components and kits.
• Parts Express  Lots of audio components, tools, speakers, vacuum tubes, etc.
• Newwark/Element 14  Huge selection, long business history.
• Antique Electronic Supply Lots of tube electronics parts, musical instrument tools, speakers, etc.
• Sparkfun  Large selection of microcontroller/microprocessor project parts.
• Adafruit  Large selection of microcontroller/microprocessor/electronic project parts.
• Seeed Studio  Large selection of microcontroller/microprocessor project parts.

Brick and mortar stores:

• Electronic Parts Outlet
• Hobby Town
• Altex
• Fry’s
• Micro Center

Note the following, for your DMR codeplugs and hotspots:

N1WP repeater talk groups

A new DMR network is available and growing.  This is in addition to DMARC and BrandMeister.  The TGIF Network.  See more here:  http://tgif.network/talkgroups.php

W5BCS will be having a breakfast social gathering at the Bryan IHOP on Saturday November 10th. Show-up time is 7:30am-8:00am. All is invited to come. So stop on by and say hi and socialize while dining on some pancakes and such. See calendar to right and click on the Nov 10 for map location.

We had a great turnout for our meeting on Saturday.  It was another opportunity to consult on technical problems, talk about your hobby and take a look at some show-and-tell items that folks brought in.  After our business meeting, Kerry Miller, AD5ABC, provided our presentation.  Kerry has quite a bit of experience with software defined radios and uses them regularly both at home, and in the field.  Kerry gave us an introduction and a helpful demonstration.  Our Volunteer Examiners were on-site and prepared to administer tests.  None were given but, we are grateful for the great work our VEs do.

The club will be having its Fall time Radio In The Park event Oct the 13th (Sat). Start time is at approx 10:00am and event runs until approx 2pm or when everyone is ready to pack it in. Bring your portable radio gear & antennas and come out and operate and have some fun doing so. Power (120v ac) will be made available. Bring your own food & drink if desired. You may wish to bring a chair. Everyone is are invited to come out, members, non members, guests, families and those just curious about amateur radio and want to learn more or see communications in action and/or portable radio setups.

We tend to setup on the south east end of park closest to East 29th but table availability may vary.

See map in event calendar section on right side of webpage for location of park.

If weather is not favorable for this outdoor event then the next Sat the 20st after the club meeting is the make up day.