The RST general meeting held this past Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at the Golden Coral was very well attended. We had over forty attendees and two speakers.
Presentation of Xerocraft Makerspace
by Jeremy Briddle
Jeremy Briddle from Xerocraft Makerspace gave an overview of the Makerspace in downtown Tucson. This unique facility makes available equipment and space for members to work on a wide variety of projects. There are various open workshops and events. Xerocraft has dedicated shops for:
- 3D Printing Lab
- CNC Shop
- Crafts Shop
- Electronics Dept
- Jewelry & Fused Class Studio
- Laser Cutter/Engraver
- Metal Shop
- Welding Shop
- Wood Shop
For the aspiring broadcaster, Xerocraft also has a low power FM radio station, KMKR 99.9FM. There are also plentiful opportunities for Volunteer Membership in addition to the traditional paid membership.
The presentation certainly created a feeling of wide open possibilities for future projects. Give Xerocraft a visit or check out their website xerocraft.org. We thank Jeremy Briddle for a stimulating presentation. (RST-Presentation-2023-05-09.pdf)
Presentation of beginner friendly antenna projects (J pole) by Joe Statkevicus, K3TYE
Joe Statkevicus, K3TYE provided an introduction to the J pole antenna with a 2M antenna made of easy to obtain copper plumbing pipe. Joe reviewed the key dimensions and how they relate to the operating frequency range of the antenna. Joe also showed variations of the antenna design along with the propagation models. I felt like I wanted to go home and make one! Perhaps one could even use the Xerocraft facilities to make several! Thanks Joe! (J-Pole Presentation.ppt)
Report by Ken, N7NBV