Ham Radio Field Training 3/15

IMPORTANT NOTE: Here's a Signal link for the class. See the Location info below if you need directions to the Arrowhead Marsh parking lot closest to where we'll be. We'll try to keep this page up to date, but the Signal group will be the place to get the most accurate information.

This is the 3rd (and most fun!) in a series of ham radio trainings we're doing for the Bay Anarchist Free School. We did a smaller version of this on 2/22, but the upcoming one on 3/15 will be better because we'll have volunteers from the NorCal Lefty Radio League 💖 joining as teachers! Also we've corrected the wrong address on the BAFS website that confused folks before.

Now that you have your license and a radio, learn how to use it! Experienced hams are also welcome to come and share knowledge. Unlicensed folks can come, too, but our focus will be on newly licensed folks.

You’ll get the most out of this if you bring your own radio, but we will also have a small number of radios on-hand if you don’t have one yet. Here are a couple of relatively inexpensive options:

• Gigaparts QRZ Jumpstart (deal available if you've been licensed for the first time within the last 6 months) or QRZ-1 (same radio, but w/o discount and you'll have to buy programming cable separately). 
• Baofeng UV-5R

These low-end radios might not last for years, but they are a reasonable way to get started on a budget. We will be using a pre-set list of channels during our training; if you want these channels programmed onto your CHIRP-compatible radio and it's neither a QRZ-1 nor a UV-5R please let us know via Signal.

Keep in mind that there's a U.S.-initiated trade war currently that might affect delivery of radios coming from China (and possibly elsewhere).

Location info

We will be meeting at the Tern picnic area at Arrowhead Marsh (we'll post updates to Signal group if that picnic area is occupied and we have to move). Here's are a couple photos for reference:

There is a parking area next to the observation platform near where we'll be (we'll update this post with more specifics the day-of). Here are some map links:

• Open Street Maps
• Apple Maps
• Google Maps

The Tern picnic area is near the whale-scuplture playground and wooden observation platform (GPS coordinates: 37.7413603, -122.2093613)

If you have questions and can't use Signal please email hello@partee4justice.org.