DIY Radio Builders Group

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

During this River City ARCS workshop, participants will learn to solder three circuits onto a single stripboard:  an LED flasher, a code practice oscillator, and a crystal-controlled transmitter.  We will accommodate and confirm the first 12 applicants.

Tool suggestions: a controlled temperature 30-60W soldering iron or soldering station with replaceable tips (Yihua, Hakko and Weller are top quality brands carried by Amazon. Avoid the $5 Harbor Freight or Walmart irons); 60/40 rosin core tin-lead solder; needle nose pliers; diagonal cutters; and a 9 volt battery.  Bob Mix, KF6ABC, says, "Parts-Express.com has the Stahl STSSVT and Elexp.com has irons that may be decent.  Also solder."

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.