Most of our speakers have abstracts of their presentations and/or personal biographies below.

The speakers are listed in alphabetical order, by last name.

See the Conference Overview Schedule page for an overview of the weekend.

See the Forums Schedule page for full schedule of the Forums.

The following is listed in alphabetical order by speaker's last name.

Greg Albrecht, W2GMD

Saturday 11:00-11:50 AM Pleasanton/Danville

Abstract
Bay Area MESH
The Bay Area Mesh (aka The San Francisco Wireless Emergency Mesh SFWEM) is building a Bay Area-wide high-speed wireless network for use by the Amateur Radio Community. Today the resources available to the Amateur Radio Service in the Bay Area are somewhat limited to slow-speed packet, voice, and some digital modes. The goal of Bay Area Mesh is to add another capacity in high-speed IP, or as we like to say: "Why read a list when you can send an email?" Our current network has over 350 nodes across several Bay Area counties, and fueled by a $100k grant from ARDC, we are looking to extend this capability to the entire region. More information on Bay Area Mesh can be found at www.sfwem.net.

This talk will describe the genesis of this project, the core technologies used, existing and emerging use cases, and solicit volunteers to lead the charge to bring this capability to their communities. ECOMM Groups, Science researchers, served organizations, non-profits and other response and community organizations are encouraged to attend. This talk compliments the other talks on AREDN and Ham Mesh also proposed for this event.

Biography
Greg Albrecht EMT W2GMD is President of the San Francisco Radio Club and a founding collaborator on SFWEM, a 501c3 non-profit bringing high-speed wireless mesh to the Bay Area. He has extensive experience in disaster and emergency communications. In addition to being a ham, he is a licensed EMT and serves as Radio Operations Lead for the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management's Auxiliary Communications Service. He lives in San Francisco with his family and can found on any number of the Bay Area's hiking trails on the weekend.

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Orv Beach, W6BI

Saturday 9:00-9:50 AM Pleasanton/Danville

Abstract
Networking with AREDN Software
I gave a presentation on ham radio networking with AREDN software at Pacificon in 2019, and it was very well attended. After two years of progress it's time for an update! I'll cover the basics, what it's used for, and how to get started.

Biography

I'm one of three Ambassadors designated by the AREDN team, for my efforts in promoting ham radio networking. I've given almost 40 presentations on the topic in the last 5 years.

Orv, W6BI, was first licensed as WN6WEY in 1967. He's been into digital ham radio all his life, starting with CW. He worked his way up through RTTY, PACTOR, packet radio, then PSK31. He started messing around with ham radio networking in 2014.

He's given over 20 presentations about ham radio networking over the last four years and helped deploy the network's digital radios in Ventura County and the San Fernando Valley. He's also active in coordinating the build-out and maintenance of the wider ham radio network, which now spans from Goleta south to the Mexican border and east to Las Vegas, comprising over 300 nodes, both hilltop and home QTH.

He's a retired Linux system administrator, an ARRL Santa Barbara Section Technical Specialist and was recently named one of the first three AREDN Ambassadors, those who promote ham radio networking through presentations about the software developed by the Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network team.

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Michael Burnette, AF7KB

Saturday, 11:00 – 11:50 AM Contra Costa Ballroom, Salon 2

Abstract
Propagation in Amateur Radio
With the Sunspot Cycle showing promising signs, Michael Burnette is presenting a straightforward, entertaining and most importantly - informative presentation on the science relating to propagation.

Biography
Michael Burnette, AF7KB, is the award-winning author of the bestselling Fast Track to Your Ham License series. He spent decades as a commercial broadcaster, and more decades leading seminars all over the world. His approach to ham education is to offer comprehensive training in the theory and technology of ham radio. His energetic, fast-paced, content-rich presentations are a consistent hit at hamfests across the country.

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Joe Eisenberg, K0NEB

Saturday 1:00-1:50pm Pleasanton/Danville

Abstract
Kit Building Techniques For Success
I give lots of hints and techniques for both beginning and experienced kit builders. I’ll cover the proper tools for building kits as well as methods to sort and store parts, what test equipment to have on hand and how to deal with toroids. I’ll also have some suggestions for kits for beginners as well as more advanced builders.

Biography
I have been licensed for 52 years and have been the monthly Kit Building columnist for CQ Magazine since 2009 and a contributing author for the ARRL Handbook Construction Techniques chapter since the 2014 edition. I received the YASME Award of Excellence in 2020, and was given the Four States QRP Group’s QRP’er of the year in 2019.

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Randy Hall, K7AGE

Saturday, 1:00–1:50 PM Bishop Ranch Ballroom, Salon E

Abstract
Lock-Down Projects
Since our last Pacificon get together we have gone through various phases of the COVID lock-down. During this time many amateur radio operators had some extra spare time on their hands. This presentation will highlight many of Randy's and his YouTube viewer's amateur radio projects during the lock-down period.

Biography
Randy Hall, K7AGE, has held an Amateur Radio license for 50 years. Randy is widely known for his YouTube ham radio videos. Some of his most popular videos show how to operate PSK-31, satellites, and building antennas. Randy has produced a series of videos introducing the newly licensed ham to 2 meter FM, highlighting repeaters, radio programming and operating. Randy has presented to local ham clubs in the Sacramento area and at PACIFICON, SEA-PAC and QUARTZFEST hamfests. Randy is a contributor to Ham Nation as a video segment producer hosted by Josh Nash KI6NAZ of Ham Radio Crash Course and Gordon West WB6NOA. The easiest way to find Randy’s videos is to google K7AGE. Randy has an Extra class license and regularly posts ham radio content to Twitter as @K7AGE. Randy retired Jan 1 2015 and is now living in Gold Beach OR.

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Bob Heil, K9EID

Saturday 10:00-10:50am Bishop Ranch Ballroom-Salon E
(via Zoom)

Abstract
From the Microphone to the Antenna
Bob will visit the history of Equalization from the 1920 studies of the Bell Labs and how to properly adjust the transmitters and receivers of present day transceivers. We will visit phased arrays and several interesting antenna set ups, including a 10-band attic antenna system that has worked over 100 countries. This is a workshop that you don’t want to miss.

Biography
Bob Heil, licensed in 1956 as KN9EID, began his entrance into Amateur Radio as an avid experimenter designer and builder of VHF equipment. He was one of the first 6 and 2 meter SSB Kilowatt stations back in 1958. Bob became the editor of the VHF SSB column in CQ magazine in 1962. At the age of 15, Heil became the substitute organist at the St. Louis Fox Theatre. He learned to voice and tune thousands of pipes in this massive Wurlitzer organ which taught him how to listen –mentally dissect what he heard. That and his equipment building skills learned from ham radio was the foundation for his career in building the first large arena sound systems for such artists as Joe Walsh, the Who, the Grateful Dead, Peter Frampton and many others. Heil Sound is the only manufacturer in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1980, Heil turned his focus towards designing more articulate microphones, headsets and audio gear for Amateur Radio, commercial broadcast and live concert stages. Heil continues to develop new technologies and exciting microphone products for the live concert stages, broadcast and amateur radio stations.

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Bryan Klofas, KF6ZEO
Martin Rithfield, W6MR
David Volt, WB6TOU

Saturday 1:00 – 1:50 PM Contra Costa Ballroom, Salon 2

Abstract
Picoballooning in the Bay Area

Picoballoons are small, ultralight transmitters attached to common party balloons, with the goal of floating all the way around the world. Using the worldwide amateur radio Weak Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR) network, the current balloon gridsquare is posted on the internet for real-time location and altitude tracking. The electronics weigh less than 15 grams and contain a GPS receiver, amateur radio WSPR 20m transmitter, microcontroller, and solar cells.

This presentation will give an overview of recent picoballooning efforts here in the Bay Area, including electronics design and manufacture, lifting gas generation and lift calculations, launch, tracking, and lessons learned. Other non-pico high altitude balloon efforts will also be mentioned.

Biographies
Bryan Klofas, KF6ZEO has been an amateur radio operator since high school. At Cal Poly State University, he was president of the amateur radio club, built the amateur radio ground station to communicate with university CubeSats, and launched and recovered many high altitude balloons for fun. He rediscovered his love of amateur radio and ballooning during the pandemic.

Martin Rothfield, W6MRR got his extra ham license in 2010 to participate in Make: Magazine's "Hackerspaces in Space" competition with HacDC. HacDC lost but he continued launching countless high altitude balloons. Payloads have included many cameras, a crossband repeater, a Geiger counter, and environmental and biological sampling devices. He got started in the industry designing chips for signal processors and has worked in satellite, meteor burst, avionics and secure communications. W6MRR received EE degrees from University of Maryland and Tufts.

David Volt, WB6TOU graduated MIT with a masters in Chemical Engineering. He worked in nuclear power for a while, then transitioned to sugar production in California. He holds a commercial pilot license and a flight instructors certificate, a glider rating, and instrument rating. He has launched five picoballoons since 2018, with one almost going around the world, and another circumnavigating the earth more than two times.

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Kristen McIntyre, K6WX
ARRL Pacific Division Director

Saturday, 11:00 AM – 11:50 AM Bishop Ranch Ballroom, Salon E

Abstract
The Mystery of Circulators and Directional Couplers
Have you ever wondered how these devices work? I certainly have. RF only going in one direction; wait, what? Duplexers are kind of like this too, but are they different or similar? We have directional couplers in most of our transceivers, but are they the same as circulators or different? There is some interesting engineering and physics at work here, some of which relates to the wave mechanics we’ve looked at before. Let’s learn about these mysterious devices and dispel the fog around them.

Biography

Kristen McIntyre, K6WX, has been interested in radio since she was about 5 years old. She started in Amateur Radio in 1979 getting her ticket while at MIT. Kristen has worked in many diverse areas from analog circuit design to image processing to starting and running an ISP. She is currently working at Apple in Core Networking, and spent many years at Sun Microsystems Laboratories where she was researching robustness and emergent properties of large distributed computer systems. She is a long time denizen of Silicon Valley and has worked at or consulted for many of the usual suspects. Kristen is an active ham and loves to chase DX on HF with her Elecraft K2 which she built while visiting her mother in Florida. She is ARRL Pacific Division Director, president of the Palo Alto Amateur Radio Assoc., the Q&A columnist for Nuts and Volts magazine, and is active in many local clubs. Kristen has been inducted into the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame.

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Jim McLaughlin, KI6ZUM

Saturday 11:00-11:50 AM Bishop Ranch Ballroom, Salons G/H

Abstract
Multi-Mode Digital Voice Modem
An updated version of my MMDVM (multi-mode digital voice modem) talk. MMDVM (Multi-Mode Digital Voice Modem) open source project started development in 2015 and continues today. It now supports five digital voice modes (DMR, D-Star, NXDN, P25, and System Fusion) and text paging with POCSAG. The combination of MMDVM software open source hardware gives complete high power duplex repeaters through to low power hotspots.

Biography
Jim KI6ZUM has been developing and releasing open source hardware and software for over 35 years. When not experimenting with digital radio, he spends his time planning and running ARISS events to allow students to talk to astronauts on the ISS, mentoring students building a Cubesat and coaching FTC.

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Dr. Carole Milazzo, KP4MD
ARRL Sacramento Valley Section Manager

Saturday 2:00-3:50 PM Pleasanton/Danville

Abstract
YL Forum
In this forum, Dr. Carol Milazzo, the District 6 Chair for the Young Ladies' Radio League and others will present an overview of the contributions of women of all ages (YLs) in Amateur Radio, the history and mission of the Young Ladies' Radio League, and the past and present challenges to women in amateur radio. Attendees will discuss their interests and activities and network to investigate strategies to promote role models, mentoring and greater YL inclusion in the amateur community. Youth outreach opportunities, such as the Maker movement and the Girl Scouts "Radio and Wireless Technology" Patch Program will be discussed. Girls, women of all ages and allies are welcome.

Biography
Dr. Carol Milazzo is the current District 6 Chairwoman of the Young Ladies’ Radio League. Starting as a short wave listener in the 60’s she has been a licensed amateur radio operator since 1970. Carol has been a member of ARRL since 1973, the Medical Amateur Radio Council (MARCO) since 1977 and the YLRL since 2005. Carol is a Life member of the ARRL where she currently serves as ARRL Sacramento Valley Section Manager. Carol maintains a personal web page at qsl.net/kp4md and is n6na.org webmaster for the River City Amateur Radio Communications Society in Sacramento.

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Northern Amateur Relay Council of California (NARCC)

Abstract
NorCal Spectrum Working Group
NARCC will present an introduction to addressing growing interest in appropriate spectrum for digital modes. Inclusion of the whole of the amateur radio community from simplex and repeater operations to the growing population of various digital modes and local hotspots is critical to our various interests. We believe this will be a timely, enlightening and dynamic topic.

Biography
The Northern Amateur Relay Council of California, Inc. (NARCC) is the Amateur Radio coordinating organization for the 10 meter band and higher in Northern California. In cooperation with the FCC, ARRL, and the support of the hams in northern California, NARCC performs the repeater coordination function for the region. NARCC's region extends from California's coast to the Nevada border and from Tehachapi in the south to the Oregon border in the north. All amateurs with repeaters in the region are urged to file for Coordination and maintain their station data with NARCC. Having a station with Current Coordination helps should a dispute arise.

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Mathison Ott, KJ6DZB

Saturday 10:00-10:50 AM Pleasanton/Danville

Abstract
A State of Mesh for 2021

Biography

20 years of experience in commercial entertainment and theatrical production.
Journeyman in International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 107.
CTS Certified Technology Specialist.
First licensed in 2009 as KJ6DZB.
Employed as a Senior Scene Technician for Audio and Video System a Cal Performances.

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Darryl Paule, KI6MSP
Annie Paule KM6QIW

Saturday 10:00-10:50am Contra Costa Ballroom-Salon 2

Abstract
STEM Presentation
Science Technology Engineering Math, “STEM” is one of my main interests in amateur radio. I teach basic electronics, soldering, LED kit building. Learning these skills will assist students in developing the skills and knowledge to pursue careers in STEM. An engineering project is to build a bridge out of popsicle sticks. In this project students get 200 popsicle sticks. Design and build a bridge. Test its strength, and redesign it if it fails a specific weight test. I get to share my passion and help kids discover how much fun it can be.

Another very exciting part of amateur radio is ARISS Amateur Radio International Space Station. ARISS lets students all over the world experience the excitement of talking directly with crew members of the International Space Station, inspiring them to pursue interests in careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, and engaging them with radio science technology through amateur radio. I’ve had the opportunity to produce two ARISS contacts. The first was at Brook Haven Middle School in Sebastopol, CA. The second was with 8th grade students at Santa Rosa Middle School, in conjunction with the Sonoma County Library.

Biography
As an Amateur Radio operator for the past 15 years, I’ve discovered the science of propagation is a lifelong learning experience. As a kid in school, I struggled with basic Algebra. It took me 16 attempts before I got to pass the General exam. The Extra only took ten tries! I’ve learned basic electronics, which is also a great challenge. And now I’m learning and understanding logarithms. My passion for amateur radio, which I call “A hobby with 99 hobbies” motivated me to overcome my learning challenges.

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Mike Ritz, W7VO
ARRL Northwestern Division Director

Saturday 3:00-3:50 PM Bishop Ranch Ballroom, Salons G/H

Abstract
The Storied History of the Ham Radio Callsign
Every legal ham in the world has a government issued callsign, and some of us are better known by our callsigns than by our given names! But, how did our callsigns evolve, and what major world disaster caused them to be? Join us as we explore "The Storied History of the Ham Radio Callsign". (Who knows, you might learn a bit of ham radio history too!)

Biography
A forty-year plus Life Member of the ARRL and very active ham, Mike was first licensed in 1974, and earned his Amateur Extra in 1983. His main radio interests are radiosport, DX, and mentoring. He is an ARRL Accredited Volunteer Examiner, ARRL Registered License Instructor, author, and seminar presenter on a variety of ham radio topics. In November 2018 he was elected Director for the ARRL Northwestern Division, and is currently Chair of the Board's Programs and Services Committee. He is also serves as Board member for the ARRL Foundation, the League’s grant and scholarship arm. Originally hailing from Silicon Valley, he retired in 2007 to rural Scappoose, Oregon, where he grows organic HF antennas on his small hobby farm.

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Mooneer Salem, K6AQ

Saturday 2-2:50pm Contra Costa Ballroom-Salon 2

Abstract
Open Source Digital Voice on HF
Many people have used digital voice modes on VHF and UHF to improve range and communications quality with great success. However, use of digital voice has traditionally been less prominent on HF. Can we take advantage of the benefits that digital voice brings on lower bands without being locked into proprietary technology? This talk will discuss the basics of the FreeDV digital voice modes and how they have been used in real world for over the air contacts.

Biography
Mooneer Salem (K6AQ) has been a ham since the early 2000s. Mooneer is a software engineer by trade specializing in medical devices, and has helped develop and maintain the FreeDV project since 2020. He has contributed code to and developed several other open source projects, including a Web based magnetic loop controller, and to Winlink. When not developing software, Mooneer typically monitors 14.236 MHz for FreeDV traffic or other digital modes such as FT8 or JS8Call.

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Brian Tanner, AG6GX

Saturday 2:00-2:50 PM Bishop Ranch Ballroom, Salons G/H

Abstract
Ham Radio after COVID-19
Radio activities that are fun but also safe to do. Covers ARES pandemic procedures, virtual Field day, minimalist vs. the ultimate (HF/VHF/UHF) station vs. RF noise environment - online SDR, kit building - repeaters / DMR / radio kits, update on RF safety regulation / requirements, radio on location (SOTA/POTA/DX), Digital modes (FT4/8, packet, Winlink) vs analog modes.

Biography
Net Control Operator of the Western Country Cousins 3.970MHz LSB 9:00PM every other Friday (Net occurs every day)
Net Control Operator for the 9AM Talk Net N6NFI – South Bay area (145.230MHz - offset/PL 100Hz) 9:00AM Wednesday (Net occurs every week day)
Net Control Operator for Santa Clara county ARES Packet Practice Net – Tuesdays
Active in City of Cupertino ARES group – participate in Cupertino 4th of July fireworks event, big bunny fun run event and Hero fun run event.
Active in City of San Jose ARES group – participate in Terra Bella bicycle run event
Active in Santa Clara County ARES group – participate in packet and voice message drills and county wide events.
Active on 75M, 40M, 20M, 2M and 70cm bands – I have a 4 band fan dipole HF antenna and dual band J pole antenna for fixed operations. Also have go-kit radio / antenna for remote operations.
Previously worked in the rotating magnetic storage industry as a product design engineer for companies located in US / Japan and South Korea.

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Alan Thompson, W6WN

Saturday 2:00-2:50pm Bishop Ranch Ballroom-Salon E

Abstract
Radio for the Rest of Us with an Update on the Caldor Fire

Biography
Alan grew up in Placerville, California and still lives there with his wife, Debra. First licensed at age 11 but off the air for several years due to school, work and family, Alan returned to Ham Radio in 2017 after a 35-year career in the satellite communications industry where he still works. In 2018, Alan was part of a Disaster Recovery Team that installed several satellite Internet systems to help restore cell-phone service ten days after the Camp Fire rubbed out Internet and telephone communications in Butte County.

What Alan witnessed there turned him into an "Accidental Advocate" for community fire and communications safety. Since January 2019, Alan has been meeting with Amateur Radio Clubs, Civic Groups, Homeowners' Associations and Fire Safe Councils throughout Northern California and Western Nevada in an effort to alert others to the dangers we face from an over-reliance on vulnerable cell-phone and Internet communications services. Alan currently serves as Public Information Officer of the El Dorado County Amateur Radio Club.

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Fred Townsend, AE7IM

Saturday 8:00-8:50 AM Bishop Ranch Ballroom, Salons G/H

Abstract
Program Your HT or Mobile in 30 Sec.
This is a follow on to my previous "Advanced Technics for the HT" entitled "Programming your HT or Mobil in 30 Seconds". It focuses on the most often asked questions of the past and compares Proprietary, Chirp, and RT Systems programming techniques.

Biography
Fred is an Extra Class, AE7IM (ex AE6QL) professional electronic engineer with 60 years in amateur radio. He now spends most of his time designing communications devices and testing at his own antenna test range in Oregon.

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John Trinterud, K9ONR

Saturday 4:00-4:50pm Bishop Ranch Ballroom-Salon E
(via Zoom)

Abstract
Winlink Building Blocks
Discussion and Zoom demonstrations of the four basic (and customizable) Client and RMS elements of the Winlink system. Winlink is easily customized by changing configuration options in these free software packages; no custom programming is required. It fits large and small operations, can be operated from a fixed site, or from a portable go-box on location during an emergency deployment.

Biography
John Trinterud (K9ONR) has a background of 55+ years in communications, telephony, computer operations, UNIX software support, organic farming and organic inspections (!). My wife Colene is the Red Cross External Affairs rep for Pleasant Hill and organizes Red Cross Blood Drives in Rossmoor. John was first licensed in 2012 as KJ6PAP, now a General Class and graduated from Walnut Creek CERT after 10 years. I now serve as a Technical Specialist in the ARRL East Bay Division, concentrating on all things Winlink. My K9ONR VHF public gateway operates on 145.630 in CM87WV, in central Walnut Creek.

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Jerry Wanger, KK6LFS

Saturday 10:00-10:50 AM Bishop Ranch Ballroom, Salons G/H

Abstract
Advanced DMR Topics.
1. Scanning 2. Incompatibility between hot spots and DMR radios

Biography

Jerry Wanger graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Math and a minor in electronics engineering. A year later he completed the requirements of a Master Degree in Electronics with the exception of the thesis. This was so long ago that they were still discussing circuit design using tubes. He completed a law degree about 2002.

He has been working as an engineer since graduating college in various different companies ultimately working for Connect Systems in 1990 and taking over the company in 2001. He designed most of their products since joining the company. He designed phone patches, community tone panels, LTR Controller, simplex repeaters, and various other products used in radio communications.

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Joel Wilhite, KD6W

Saturday 3:00-3:50pm Bishop Ranch Ballroom-Salon E

Abstract
DATV and Microwave Bands
The fast scan television applications can only fit or be allowed operation on UHF bands where the frequency choices are very specific. On the other hand, the microwave band spectrum offers more space to operate, but introduces new characteristics and limitations and so this talk describes the processes and applications where microwave spectrum can allow many more opportunities.

Biography
Joel Wilhite, KD6W works at the corporate office of Harmonic, Inc. in San Jose and is directly involved with the development and delivery of the next generation television standard, ATSC 3.0. His work there helps him make the case for deploying amateur repeater systems based on off-the-shelf broadcast equipment where broadcast gear evolves in 5 year cycles forcing gear to drop out of the market which ham radio operators can easily leverage.

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David Witkowski, W6DTW

Saturday 1:00-1:50pm Bishop Ranch Ballroom-Salons G/H

Abstract
Amateur Radio and the USGS HayWired Telecommunications Chapter
HayWired project is the latest US Geological Survey scenario, designed to model and study impacts on the San Francisco Bay Area from a magnitude 7 earthquake on the Hayward Fault. The study builds upon an understanding of the last large earthquake to occur on the Hayward Fault in 1868, with the realization that modern urban infrastructures are made vulnerable by multiple layers of interdependencies between lifelines, with increasing reliance on the internet and communications.

Biography
David Witkowski, W6DTW, is co-author of the HayWired scenario's telecommunication chapter. In doing the science for the telecom chapter, the authors uncovered significant vulnerabilities to our region's communications networks. David will provide a briefing on HayWired's findings, and suggest ways amateur radio can have a larger role in regional disaster resiliencies, responses, and recovery.