“Successful POTA” at 2025 Northeast HamXposition

WV1W Don Rickey POTA book coverDon Dickey, WV1W, will share his experience from over 700 activations and 71,000 POTA QSOs at the 2025 HamX. Don is also the author of the original POTA book “Successful POTA.”

This presentation will help new operators get started with portable operation and POTA, but experienced hams will also pick up new tricks to make their outings more fun and productive. Everyone will come away having learned something useful. 

Connecticut Section Meeting at HamX

Join ARRL Connecticut Section Manager Douglas Sharafanowich, WA1SFH, for a discussion of Connecticut news and activities at the 2025 Northeast HamXposition.

“Radio on the Byrd 1928 Antarctic Expedition” at 2025 Northeast HamXposition

Photo of Rchard E. Byrd
Rchard E. Byrd

The magnitude of Richard Byrd’s all-out privately funded Antarctic Expedition in 1928 was going to put it in a class all by itself; perhaps one only bested by the Mars program with Space-X.  Join Mike Murphy, WU2D, of the popular Mikrowave1 YouTube Channel as he presents a history of Byrd’s south pole overflight attempt at the 2025 HamX.

GPS NTP Workshop at HamXposition 2025

NTP server workshopAmong the Friday HamX workshops is a NO-SOLDER Precision NTP Server by Bradshaw Lupton, K1TE; and Dhiru Kholia, VU3CER/WQ6W. Build a $25 GPS timekeeper, accurate to 20 nanoseconds.

Come prepared. Bradshaw has arranged a way to to pre-order parts through Amazon. (Note, bill of parts is for two GPS NTP servers. Bring a friend, share on-site, or build two units for yourself—the workshop itself is free.)

Additional information can be accessed through https://lupton.us/HamXposition/.

“SDR Transponder/ Transceiver for AMSAT” at 2025 HamX

Ray Roberge, WA1CYB, will discuss AMSAT and the ASCENT group (Advanced Satellite Communications & Exploration of New Technologies) within AMSAT at the 2025 Northeast HamXposition.

Want to learn about the Software Defined Radio (SDR) that is being built for the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT)?  Most satellites are hardwired to use the 2meter and 70cm bands. These are crowded and noisy. Moving up into the microwave bands gives amateurs greater flexibility with all modes. The 2-meter to 6 GHz SDR breadboard card is built and under test. Ray will talk about the high-level design and the status of the project.

“Operating the Ham Radio Satellites” at 2025 Northeast HamXposition

Ham operators have access to a wide variety of satellites orbiting the earth. These orbiting repeaters allow reliable communications without relying on the ionospheric propagation we require on the HF bands. But there are things you need to know to be able to successfully utilize satellite communications on both the easy FM satellites and the more complicated weak signal satellites.

At his presentation “Operating the Ham Radio Satellites,” Mitch Stern, W1SJ, will review satellite technology and focus on the equipment and techniques used to make the contacts. There is nothing quite as rewarding as putting all the myriad details together to complete a satellite QSO! 

“HamClock” Demonstration at 2025 Northeast HamXposition

HamClock is a ham radio application that integrates propagation forecasts, solar weather, DX spots, DX information, and terrestrial weather into one kiosk-style view that can greatly assist in DX hunting.

George Allison, K1IG, will demonstrate the program and show how to install it on your computer, as well as how to use a Raspberry Pi to display it in your shack.

George served almost 30 years in the U.S. Navy, finishing up as head of the Navy’s Computer and Telecommunications Command. 

“An Introduction to RF PCB Design” at 2025 HamX

photo of printed circuit boardRF 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. 

“Large-Scale WiFi Networks using Amateur Radio Emergency Digital Network” at 2025 Northeast HamXposition

AREDN antennaThe Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN) is a system leveraging modified commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware to establish high-speed, self-configuring, and self-healing data networks in amateur bands. AREDN has the capability to deliver critical and redundant Internet Protocol based infrastructure that is independent of traditional Internet infrastructure.

Join this HamXposition presentation by Ben Jackson, N1WBV, as he discusses the basics of AREDN, what you can do with it, the status of projects in the New England Area, and how you can contribute by setting up your own node.