Meeting Schedule:        Past Meeting Info is here.

2019/2020:

Sept 12 - Featuring LTSPICE software from Analog Devices (who bought Linear Technology who originally did this version and posted it for free)

Oct 10 - George Whitehead guest speaker, one of the designers of the Apollo spacecraft communications radios.

Nov 14 - More Spice, The Museum of Broadcast Technology, and TNR GUI.

Dec 12 - Transistor Circuits, CERT.

Jan 9 - Guest Speaker Bob Jackson, Transmission Line Physics.

Feb 13 - TechNight Radio and The CES in Las Vegas.

Mar 12 - Cancelled [TechNight Radio Progress and other miscellaneous things.]

Sorry, I didn't get a topic ready for the meeting. I thought I might get the National Grid guys back again, but they didn't respond. Been spending all my time on the radio. We'll just have to sit around and eat cookies and drink coffee.

April 9 - Cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic (along with future meetings probably, for a while...)

Still working on the TechNight radio now and then.

The Radio Project continues:   The Project Page.

Meeting Format:

7:00 - 7:05 PM - Gathering Time - Meet & Greet as people arrive.

7:05 - 8:30 PM - Program Presentation
Usually by Dan but sometimes a guest speaker

8:30 - 10:00 PM - Informal Discussions
Questions on the program, small specialty groups, time with test equipment

Future Topics:

You should try LINUX

I didn't like windoze 10, so I took the dive. It was very easy. I have not gone back.

The Fourier Transform

The one piece of somewhat complicated math that does amazing things for radio. See it work, step-by-step.

Antique Radio

What are all those beautiful radios in the lobby at TechNight? Who owns those? Meet the man himself, who also happens to be the owner of the building we're using.

Radioactivity

Not just being active in radio, this is the real thing. You'll see some real sources and how strong they are with a geiger counter. "And they used to put those paint brushes in their mouths to get them wet..."

Computers, yesterday and today

What it was like when I graduated from college in 1978, and what it is now.

Computers, Part 2. Let's program

It's easy to do this. Just have to decide what you want to do.

You want to try Moonbounce?

What it takes to bounce a signal off the moon and hear your own echoes. You can measure the distance to the moon yourself, no need to believe all this Wikipedia orbit stuff.

Intro to Music - where'd the scale we use come from?

12 notes make up an octave, but why 12? Can you tune a guitar? Dan brings his keyboard to TechNight, the one with 88 keys on it.

Displays-they are part of everything

CRT, LED, VFD, LCD, TFT, OLED, DLP - all explained. Ever want to hit your LCD with a hammer? I did it, and I'll bring in the pieces with a microscope. Well run a CRT at the meeting, and hold magnets near it.

Printers

Like displays, you need to see the output, but used to be hard copy. I'll bring in some rather unique types of printers and show you how they work. I paid my way through college repairing these.

Thomas Edison

All about the man and what he did and didn't do. There are a few other people we should do, too.

If you want to do your own topic, or suggest one, feel free to talk to Dan.