Yuma Hamfest February 14-15, 2025 - Yuma County Fairgrounds

Seminar Schedule

This is the seminar schedule for the 2025 Yuma Hamfest & ARRL SW Division Convention.

 

We are delighted to have Gordon West (WB6NOA) attend the Yuma Hamfest. "Gordo" offered classes in Amateur & commercial radio for over 40 years and his study manuals for amateur radio testing are well known. Gordon is transitioning into his new role with the ARRL.  

Gordon West

 

 

 

Seminar Room 1 (Fine Arts Building)

 

Friday Feb. 14

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Kit Building Techniques for Success

Joe Eisenberg (K0NEB)

A look at hints and tips for kit builders from beginners to advanced. We look at the proper tools, test equipment and work surface needed to have the best chance at success enjoying this very rewarding part of amateur radio.

 

Friday Feb. 14

2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

VSWR and Nano VNAs

Carl Foster (KB7AZ)

Review of VSWR how it affects transmitting and receiving and followed by how to measure VSWR using an inexpensive Nano VNA.

 

Friday Feb. 14

3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

ABC's of RFI for Hams

Bob Brehm (AK6R)

Is your transmitter the SOURCE of RFI affecting electronic devices in your own house or your neighbor’s house? Are you the VICTIM of RFI from your own electronic devices or from devices in your neighborhood? Do you want to reduce your receiver noise floor so you can hear local contacts and more DX?
If you answered YES to any of these questions and would you like to find a quick and easy solution, then you should attend this presentation.

 

Saturday Feb. 15

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Amateur Radio Satellites - You Already Have What You Need to Use Them

Frank Karnuaskas
(N1UW)

Development for the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, better known as AMSAT. Frank will set your mind at ease in that most everyone already has what they need to start making contacts through satellites. Frank will talk about the different satellite modes (voice, APRS/digital, SSTV, telemetry, etc.) with basic equipment that most everyone already has and with free software. We’ll also look at what’s ahead in the exciting world of the Amateur Satellite Service

 

Saturday Feb. 15

10:20 AM - 11:20 AM

FlexRadio – Advances in Software Defined Radio

Steve Hicks (N5AC)
CTO & VP Engineering

 

FlexRadio will discuss the benefits of SDRs with an emphasis on the technology differences, the unique operating benefits afforded by those differences and cost advantages. In addition, we will touch on multiFlex, SmartSDR for iOS, Station Integration advances and how the Flex series radios are designed for the remote operator

 

Saturday Feb. 15

11:40 AM - 12:40 PM

Creating a Ham Radio IP Network Using AREDN Software

Orv Beach
(W6BI)

By loading the AREDN®1 firmware in an outdoor wireless access point, you can join a ham radio network, mostly in the 5.8 GHz band. By joining this network you can find and use all sorts of applications (known as “services”). Anything running on a server, like weather stations, web sites showing site conditions and camera views, email servers, etc can be provided as a service. There are also services that don’t rely on a browser: video streams, chat servers, VOIP PBXes, etc. The network can also be used to host Winlink post offices, Dstar and DMR repeaters, and Allstar devices.

 

Saturday Feb. 15

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Pirate, Spy, Clandestine Radio

Joe Eisenberg (K0NEB)

 

A look at these mysterious and sometimes entertaining signals that inhabit the HF spectrum. We look at what these stations are, and when to find them. We will listen to examples and talk about the reasons for each one.

 

Saturday Feb. 15

2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Computer Logging

Bill Mader (K8TE)

Bill Mader, K8TE, will help simplify this complexity in terms easy to understand and provide the many reasons why this logging is so valuable. He'll explain the many program choices and how to interface them with your PC's.

 

Saturday Feb. 15

3:40 PM - 5:00 PM

ARRL Updates and Forum

Dick Norton
(N6AA)

The Arizona Section Manager and other ARRL officers will provide updates and lead the ARRL Forum. The forum is an opportunity for hams to find out about new developments within the ARRL, and to get their questions answered by their ARRL leadership. It is open to all hams and discussion and feedback are welcome.

 

Seminar Room 2 (Newcomer Building)

 

Friday Feb. 14

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Stealth Antennas

Tom Fagan
(K7DF)

In a HOA? Can't put up an antenna? This presentation explains a bit about antennas and shows many antennas that have worked for those needing to hide their antennas.

 

Friday Feb. 14

2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Red Cross Ready

Red Cross

Everyone knows the Red Cross helps people during emergencies. But you may not know that it’s also part of our mission to help you help yourself! Becoming “Red Cross Ready” for an emergency means following our simple steps in advance to ensure you can weather a crisis safely and comfortably. This session will offer tips on building a kit to prepare for various emergencies like wildfires, flash floods or earthquakes. Being prepared may not prevent a disaster, but it will give you confidence to meet the challenge.

 

Friday Feb. 14

3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

Hands-only CPR

Red Cross

Recent studies report about 90 percent of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests die. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival. People who survive a cardiac emergency are often helped by a bystander. In this short, free session, you can learn how to perform Hands-Only CPR – so that you can help deliver life-saving care until professional responders arrive.

 

Saturday Feb. 15

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Grounding for Amateur Radio

Tom Fagan (K7DF)

How to properly ground your amateur radio station and antennas for electrical safety, static electricity and lightning

 

Saturday Feb. 15

10:20 AM - 11:20 AM

HF Propagation Fact vs Myth & Misunderstanding

Bill Mader (K8TE)

Bill Mader, K8TE, will provide insight into HF propagation. Like antennas, the subject is a frequent discussion amongst hams and most often misunderstood. He will point out the facts along with the many myths that make understanding difficult. Most importantly, Bill will explain where to obtain good information and why we should spread that to help dispel the bad "alternate facts."

 

Saturday Feb. 15

11:40 AM - 12:40 PM

SWR? Who Cares?

Kristen McIntyre (K6WX)

Standing Wave Ratio has been a boogieman in ham radio for as long as I can remember. Some make it the defining parameter of their station efficiency and performance. But why do we care? Does it have a role in designing our stations? Let’s explore in some depth what SWR is and what it tells us and whether it really defines our station. We’ll look at how it’s calculated, what it implies, Smith charts and more. And lastly, we’ll see if you care.

 

Saturday Feb. 15

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Slow Scan Television (SSTV)

Carl Foster (KB7AZ)

SSTV is another mode of amateur radio communication. The first SSTV images were displayed on a long-persistence phosphor CRT. Today amateurs can send and receive color images across the country, and around the world. As Cycle 25 improves propagation, working DX on SSTV will be possible on the HF bands. This seminar will show how easy it is to get on the air with SSTV using the same setup that is used for FT8 and AFSK RTTY. All that is required is a computer with a sound card interface to a transceiver. The software is free and easy to set up. Sending and receiving color pictures on the HF bands is a great addition to CW, SSB, RTTY, and digital modes.

 

Saturday Feb. 15

2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

"Will It Work" - Antennas for Limited Space and Time
Tom Schiller (N6BT) President, Next Generation Antennas

An Emcomm centric moderated forum. Several experienced panelists will be on hand to assist with the discussion.

 

Saturday Feb. 15

3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

End Fed Antenna Secrets for Portable, Emergency and Stealth Installations

Bob Brehm (AK6R)

Learn how to select, choose and setup an end fed antenna system that works on multiple bands, is stealthy and radiates well at low heights. Find out the secrets of antenna matching, reducing RFI and minimizing noise present on many end fed antennas. Example installations and antenna dimensions will be shown for 160-6 meter operations.

 

Hospitality Seminars - Old Theater Building

 

Saturday Feb. 15

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

EMCOMM Forum
Michael Drapkin (WB2SEF)
An Emcomm centric moderated forum. Several experienced panelists will be on hand to assist with the discussion.

 

Saturday Feb. 15

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Presentation on the Route 66 On the Air Special Event 2024

Vicki Zumwalt
Vickie is President of the Young Ladies Radio League.  Her presentation will focus on the exciting 25th Anniversary of the Route 66 On the Air Special Event from September 2024.

 

Saturday Feb. 15

1:00 PM - 1:45 PM

Long-arm Quilting and Sewing Presentation

Brenda Farris
Brenda thoroughly enjoyed sewing at a young age.  She majored in Custom Tailoring at BYU-IDAHO and now has a Long-Arm Quilting Studio in the Foothills where she is passionate about longarm quilting and also offers sewing and quilting clinics. Brenda will present a variety of sewing and quilting tips, tricks, and techniques to help simplify your sewing projects.

 

Saturday Feb. 15

2:30 PM - 3:15 PM

Fire, CPR, AED, Bleed Control, & Choking

Mike Erfert

A review of 8 basic behaviors we can change to reduce
our risks of fire. We also will cover some basic
lifesaving techniques like Compression Only CPR, Use
of an Auomated External Defibrillator (AED), Traumatic
Bleeding Cotrol, and the Heimlich Maneuver for Choking.

 

Saturday Feb. 15

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Therapy and Service Dogs

Tim Gilliland
Laura McDaniel

Tim Gilliland was an elementary classroom teacher for 42 years with Yuma School District #1. His family began raising guide dog puppies 30 years ago as part of a 4H project that just never ended. During his time in the classroom he was able to bring puppies-in-training to school and soon his room became known as “the cool class with dogs.” He is currently a semi retired professor of Education at Northern Arizona University-Yuma and enjoys visiting the local hospital with his therapy dog.


Laura McDaniel moved from Ohio to Yuma in 2012 after retiring from education for 35 years. In a chance meeting with Tim Gilliland and his puppy in training, she became interested in learning about Guide Dogs for Blind. A few months later she began raising her first puppy. She has been raising puppies for GDB ever since. She also is a volunteer with her 2 therapy dogs at the hospital through their program called Tails of Joy.