DIY Radio Builders Group

DIY Radio Builders Group
Stripboard Soldering
"Solder the Stripper" Workshop

Participants learned to solder three circuits onto a single stripboard:  an LED flasher, a code practice oscillator, and a crystal-controlled transmitter.  

Follow up sessions: Pending announcement

Congratulations to our Participants! Allen K6AGW, AnneMarie WD6AMA, Bob K6ZLY, David KO6FSG, Gert KK6ZGA, Hank K6HUH, James AE6JG, Kirk KO6HLW, Kishore KR6RAO, Mark AJ6FL, & Tawny NØCALL

Tool suggestions: Bring solder, a soldering iron, needle nose pliers, 10X eyeglasses or a loupe, 9V battery, Ideal solder: 60/40 tin-lead rosin-core; not Lead-free.  Optional, but recommended: diagonal wire cutters; wire strippers, earbuds, Morse key.

2025 NanoVNA Hands-on Workshop

Learn to use the low-cost NanoVNA as a HF/VHF/UHF antenna analyzer, as an RF signal source, and to measure components, amplifiers, attenuators, filters and transmission line characteristics and faults and using SimNEC and NanoVNASaver computer software. 

Our sessions met on Sept. 9 & 16, 2025 from 7 pm to 9 pm at Congregation Beth Shalom, 4746 El Camino Ave, Carmichael CA.
Part 1 - Tues. Sep 9 - Introduction to the NanoVNA 
Part 2 - Tues. Sep 16 - Practical NanoVNA Applications

Topics included OSL calibration, Transmission line effects on measurement, measuring SWR, impedance, cable loss, locating cable faults, scan point limits, sweep options, display options, saving OSL calibration files, determining matching components using SimNEC, measuring filter parameters and other utilities. 

Course requirements:

• An authentic NanoVNA-H or NanoVNA-H4  with its SMA cables and calibration standards.  Recommended sources: R&L Electronics or AURSINC at Amazon 

• Your Laptop computer and a power strip.

• Download & install software: NanoVNASaver and SimNEC

Please send inquiries to contact@n6na.org.