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RF PCB design is often considered one of the more challenging aspects of electronics engineering due to the high frequencies involved and the sensitivity of signal integrity. In this presentation, Max Kendall, WØMXX, will dive into the core principles that underpin effective and reliable RF board design. He will explore the importance of using a 4-layer PCB stackup, which allows for better isolation, dedicated ground and power planes, and improved signal performance.

Topics will include the role of copper pours in managing return paths and minimizing interference, as well as how to achieve proper impedance matching for critical RF components and transmission lines. Max will also walk through best practices for feedline routing, highlighting techniques for minimizing signal loss, avoiding crosstalk, and ensuring consistent characteristic impedance throughout the board. 

Andy Stewart, KB1OIQ, has created a ham radio software collection called “Andy’s Ham Radio Linux.” This freely downloadable software has over 100,000 downloads to date. It now runs on several flavors of Linux including Raspberry Pi.

Andy’s talk will be a high level discussion of some of the available software. You won’t want to miss it!

Join the Club Track on Friday afternoon. Affiliated Club Coordinator Bruce Blain, K1BG, will host this series of half hour talks, by clubs and for clubs, featuring representatives from successful clubs sharing ideas and programs that will help clubs energize, invigorate, and grow.

The current schedule on Friday is as follows:

• 12:30 – 1:00 Pi Pugh, K1RV, K1USN RC — Encourage Newcomers, but …
• 1:00 — 1:30 Phil Temples, K9HI ARRL New England Division — Using WordPress to Energize Your Website
• 1:30 — 2:00 Nancy Austin, KC1NEK, and Rowan Eggert, WO1P, Rhode Island Section — Leveraging the ARRL School Roundup as a New Youth Force Multiplier; Follow Up to Winter Field Day and JOTA
• 2:00 — 2:30 Chris Ranney, WA1CMR, Falmouth ARA — Encouraging Technicians and the Local Community
• 2:30 — 3:00 Break
• 3:00 — 3:30 Bruce Bain, K1BG, Nashoba Valley ARC — Jumpstart Your Membership with Licensing Classes—the Easy Way
• 3:30 — 4:00 Corey Adelt, N1XWS, Northern Berkshire ARC — Using POTA to Energize Your Club
• 4:00 — 4:30 George Allison, K1IG, PART of Westford — Silent Keys and Estate Sales—Helping Your Members
• 4:30 — 5:00 Mark Noe, KE1IU, SE CT ARS — The Many Benefits of Obtaining 501(c)3 Status for Your Club

Handwritten logs aren’t a thing of the past! Some of our fellow amateur operators, such as those with vision impediments, still record their contest logs on paper but many contests now require digital Cabrillo logs.

John Pooley, W1JPI, will discuss the applicability and merits of Artificial Intelligence including Optical Character Recognition and newer technologies like Generative AI for multiple topics within the Amateur Radio hobby with a focus on log transcription.  

Join Kenneth Carr, KE1RI, as he will present on the New England Wireless & Steam Museum, located in East Greenwich, Rhode Island.

Ken writes, “We will bring with us a larger number of very early amateur and consumer radios and related equipment.”

Join Hisen Zhang, KD2TAI, for his talk entitled, “De-mystifying Quantum Computing: Application of RF Control System,” one of the many outstanding technical talks that will be presented at the 2025 Northeast HamXposition in Marlborough, MA, August 21-24, 2025.

Find out about the Courage Kenny Handiham Program, who they serve, and the many volunteer opportunities. The Handiham Program turns 58 this year, and Program Coordinator Lucinda Moody, AB8WF, has lots of stories to share from over the years along with plans for the program’s future at the 2025 Northeast HamXposition!

Fred Lass, K2TR, will present his ever-popular talk on “Wideband Wire Antennas” at the 2025 Northeast HamXposition. 

If your nonprofit club or organization wants to have a table or display at HamXposition, be sure to use the new signup form, found at <https://hamxposition.org/organizations/>. 

Note: Tables will be allocated based on availability.  Completion of this form does NOT guarantee that you will be assigned one.   Please contact Mike Raisbeck, k1twf@hamx.org with any questions.