User:Fab4187/enes100/Ham

Team Page: BH^2

Write problem statement
Design and build a low power transceiver matching antenna.

//This is a change. Originally the intent was to boost the power output a wireless router.//

Assign Task1
Assign tasks.

Begin research on methods to increase the power of a wireless router. Visit "hacker" websites to see what apporaches have been taken in the past and attempt to improve on these.

//changed focus to designing and building a transceiver and matching antenna//

Compare actual work done to Task1

 * During week 0 the team consisted of only two members because one member had to leave early. The remaining members agreed to take an off the shelf wireless router and attempt to boost the output power.


 * Research was done that led to the discovery of firmware updates that would boost the power of older Linksys routers.


 * In preparation for this project a Linksys WRT54G router was purchased.

This week our team has shifted its focus. We will build a transceiver of an un-dertermined frequency range. A matching long-wire antenna will be constructed to match the frequency of the transceiver built.

Week1 Narrative
This week we shifted our focus from trying to boost the output power of a wireless radio to designing and building a transceiver and matching antenna. Each team member introduced themselves and gave a little background information on their strengths and weaknesses. We also agreed on the task that each person will work on over the next few weeks.

My focus was to research the legalities of owning and operating a transceiver radio along with its matching antenna. I discovered that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires anyone transmitting within certain air bands to posses a license. In order to be authorized to transmit in certain bands you must be licensed. Licenses can be obtained by passing test administered through local radio clubs for a nominal fee. There are also limitations to the amount of power you can transmit legally. These rules are designed to others and to guarantee uninterrupted service of products sharing the frequency spectrum. Further information can be obtained by visiting the FCCs website.

In order for us to legally test our radio, the operator must be licensed. One of our team members must be certified before we finalize the project. One of us will focus on studying for the test. If we can't agree on who will take the test we can obtain the services of a licensed operator during testing phase. The call sign of the licensed operator is KB3VEJ.

I visited a local Radio Shack to purchase some of the raw material need to construct a transceiver and matching long-wire antenna. Unfortunately Radio Shack did not have any of the materials I was looking for. During the upcoming week I will visit local amateur radio stores to see what they offer.

The actual size of the antenna (wavelength) we build is dependent on the transmission frequency. The length of the antenna (λ) is determined by dividing the speed of light (c) by the operating frequency (f) of the radio.


 * wavelength = (speed of light/operating frequency)


 * Many calculators exist to assists with the calculations Frequency Wavelength Calculator

The antenna length is critical for safe operation. A frequency mismatch can cause damage to the radio.

The high of the antenna should not interfere with wires or the safety of pedestrians.

Collected information on local amateur radio clubs in the immediate area.
 * Columbia Amateur Radio Club
 * Davidsonville Amateur Radio Club
 * Facebook Page For Anne Arundel County Amateur Radio Club

Training for the amateur radio tests are offered by the Anne Arundel County Amateur Radio Club:
 * Training Schedule

License Information
 * License Exams

Assign Task2

 * Do more research on conductors and insulators. What is their role in antenna design.


 * Research radio wave propagation.


 * Determine antenna placement. Which way must the antenna face to ensure optimal reception/transmission distance.  Where should the antenna be placed for optimal reception/transmission.  What impact do structures, natural and man made, have on the antenna placement and design.


 * Attend the Columbia, MD amateur radio club festival on 02 October 2011. Visit the CARAFest website for flyer.


 * Convince team to attend the Davidsonville Radio Fall Fest on October 16, 2011.
 * Information on upcoming RadioFallFest
 * Pictures from last year's Radio Fest


 * Make an attempt to pass the amateur radio test.


 * Visit local amateur radio stores and meet with the business owners to research the most inexpensive methods to build antennas and transceiver.


 * Visit the Amateur radio clubs and interview its members to gather input for our radio and antenna design.


 * Continue to research the design of a long wire antenna.


 * Gather materials to construct antenna and transceiver.

Compare actual work done to Task2
I did not get a chance to accomplish all the things I set out to do. Helping setup the Columbia Amateur Radio Association Festival (CARAFest) set me back. However, I would not consider this a failure. What I learned at the CARAFest outweighs what I was not able to accomplish during the week. I will push several tasks to either week three or four. These are listed in the Assign Task 3 section.

During the week we had to iron out several issues highlighted below.

Topics to discuss with team this evening (26 Sep 2011)


 * Notes from notebook //Resolved//.
 * Visit HAMFEST in Columbia //Resolved//
 * Visit Local clubs //Pending//
 * Commit to design of radio by Wednesday 28 Feb 2011. We might find all the parts we need at the HAMFEST this Saturday  //Resolved//.
 * Transfer antenna design to AutoCad //Pending//.
 * Sheet metal work for radio case. Who has access to sheet metal press?  //Dsiregard//
 * Need to obtain at a minimum a technician class license to legally test the radio we will build. We have other options.  Bring in a licensed operator to perform the final test or test the radio inside a Faraday cage  //Pending//.

Week2 Narrative

 * Early in the design phase of our radio we identified that we would need a licensed operator to make any live transmissions. The FCC has imposed restrictions on transmitting throughout the frequency spectrum.  These restrictions are in place to protect individuals right to uninterrupted service while using their electronic devices.  In order to transmit in a particular frequency band you must have an amateur license.


 * Early in the week I focused on looking for information on how to obtain an amateur license. While searching for license information I ran across several sites that provide sample questions.  I eventually found websites of local amateur radio clubs that can be of great assistance in pushing this project forward.


 * I started to study radio wave propagation, but found this topic to be to large of a task to handle this week. I will push the bulk of this research to week three or four.  Some of the things I learned are that horizontally polarized antennas are less likely to pickup interference.  Vertically polarized antennas are more prone to pickup interference and are limited to a length of 3.05 meters.


 * There is an abundant amount of information on FCC amateur radio licenses. The easiest license to obtain, and the one that will fill our requirements is the FCC technician class amateur radio license.  The technician class license gives you permission to transmit in all UHF/VHF amateur bands above 30 MHz.  General Information on the FCCs technician class license can be found at the American Radio Relay League's ARRL website.


 * The technician class exam consists of 35 questions pulled from a pool of questions. The questions can be found at the ARRL's website.


 * Michael Burkhardt (W8MHB) runs a good website that offers online practice tests. It can be found at W8MHB's.  I took the practice test for the technician class license and scored a 63% which is a failing score.  I needed to score a 74.2% to pass.  Not bad for a first attempt.  With a little practice I should be able to pass.


 * There is a decent study guide online that can be accessed for free sponsored by KB6NU. It is dated July 2010 and it will give you an idea what to study.


 * I made a trip to Radio Shack last week hoping to get some advice and maybe pickup a radio kit and some antenna parts. Unfortunately Radio Shack is no longer the store I remember.  They were not able to answer any of my questions.  They were more interested in selling me a cell phone than helping me find what I needed.  This is no a knock on the employees, just a sign of changing times.


 * In order to to get the answers I needed I felt I needed to go to a store dedicated to selling radio equipment to amateur radio operators. A search on the internet led me to a store in Laurel.  The store's website is www.larcmd.org.  This site is also the website for the Laurel Amateur Radio Club.


 * My failed trip to Radio Shack led me to discover local amateur radio clubs such as the one in Columbia. It was a matter of luck that the Columbia Amateur Radio Association (CARA) was sponsoring a "HAMFest on October 02, 2011 at the Howard County Fairgrounds.  I convinced our team to attend this event.  There was much we could learn in one place.  See attached flier below:




 * I contacted a representative of CARA for their permission to distribute and post their flier. What happened next was unexpected.  A couple of CARA members contacted me and offered equipment for our studies.  They also requested help setting up for the festival.  This was the opportunity we needed to conduct informal interviews with members of the club.


 * Our point of contact with the club ended up being the Vice President of the club, David Prestel. David is a systems engineer who has a background in electrical engineering.  He explained the basics how radio waves travel through space and gave us a run down of the how a radio works.  He spoke of other topics of interest.  Mainly of interest was a scholarship program for members of the amateur radio community.  This scholarship may be the catalyst for Howard Community College establishing an amateur radio club of their own.


 * David volunteered to come speak at the engineering club and discuss the role of amateur radio in society, how to obtain licenses, and list some key contributions of engineers who happened to get their start in amateur radio. He will also try to bring an engineer to the club who was involved in the development of the Mercury probe.


 * This Wednesday we need to pick up radio and radio components from CARA for the club (working and non-working). Hopefully we will have space to store everything.


 * Eventually if HCC establishes their own amateur radio club an receives permission to erect antennas members of CARA will be on hand to assist.


 * I tried to draw a basic design of what I envision my antenna to look like. Unfortunately AutoDesk and AutoCad are more complicated than I expected. I can spend a full week just learning the basic commands needed to make a simple drawing of an antenna.  I need to find reference material and set aside some time to learn AutoDesk this week.


 * I plan on making a simple dipole antenna. The length of the antenna will depend the frequency we will transmit on.  I found a very good tutorial that shows to make a simple dipole antenna.


 * During the week JH brought in a transceiver (Radio Shack walkie talkies) that we could take apart to identify key components. I helped dissemble an analog radio to look inside.  I identified key components such as resistors, capacitors, transformers, etc.  Power was applied to both radios and an attempt establish communications between radio was made.  Unfortunately to much current was applied to one of the radios, damaging it, and ending the test abruptly


 * Pictures courtesy of JH:




 * Link to pictures taken by RH:


 * The website Explain That Stuff! gives a brief explanation of how an analog radio works and describes some of the internal components. I will focus on these components over the next couple weeks.


 * During my search I cam across a link to the National Electronics Museum's (NEM) website. At the museum they have exhibits of how things work.  They have a magnetism exhibit and Doppler effect exhibit.  There are many more exhibits in the museum, but these two have the most value towards the HAM project.  The other exhibits provide a brief history of the development of electronics.  I recommend the engineering club schedule a field trip to the museum and arrange for a guided tour.  Visit the National Electronics Museum website for more information.  To see pictures of some of the exhibits go to the museum's website.


 * I also visited NSA's National Cryptologic Museum website. The museum looks like a great place to go for students working on radar, cryptology, or computing projects.  It doesn't look like they offer much for the HAM project.  Visit the National Cryptologic Museum's website for more information.

Week2 Peer Review

 * See team members discuss page for comments.

Assign Task3
Task are listed in priority order


 * Gather equipment donated by Columbia Amateur Radio Association (CARA)
 * Setup a date to have David Prestel (VP of CARA) stop by and give a presentation on amateur radio to the engineering club.
 * Continue to study for Amateur Radio test.
 * Assist team members with the construction of Foxhole radio.
 * Erect Antenna.
 * Learn AutoDesk or AutoCad.
 * Use software package to draw antenna design. Drawing will depend on my ability to learn drafting software.  May push to week four.
 * Do more research on conductors and insulators. What is their role in antenna design.
 * Research radio wave propagation.
 * Determine antenna placement. Which way must the antenna face to ensure optimal reception/transmission distance. Where should the antenna be placed for optimal reception/transmission. What impact do structures, natural and man made, have on the antenna placement and design.
 * Make an attempt to pass the amateur radio test.
 * Visit local amateur radio stores and meet with the business owners to research the most inexpensive methods to build antennas and transceiver.
 * Continue to research the design of a long wire antenna.

Compare actual work done to Task3

 * I was able to resolve many of the tasks set forth for this week with the help of team. This week I assumed more of a management role and helped motivate the team to begin presenting their individual work to the class.  Many of the tasks I planned to accomplish this week were redistributed and assigned to different team members.


 * I am not going dedicate any time to AutoCAD for the remainder of this project. I would have liked to have had more time to learn AutoCAD, but there are more important task that I need to work on to push this project forward.  Any drawings that are needed for this project will be passed on to another member of our team who has experience with AutoCAD.


 * I have not attempted to take the FCC technician class amateur radio license test. I will try to fit it in the future.  I have made arrangements to have a licensed operator available at the time of testing.


 * I decided not to visit stores that are dedicated to selling amateur radio gear this week. I will remove this trip from things to do, because of the relationship that has been established with the Columbia Amateur Radio Association.
 * The Jove antenna was not setup this week, because we were short one team member on the day we planned to setup the antenna.


 * I am in the initial stages of Radio Wave theory. I will save most of my research for the last week of the projectt

Week3 Narrative

 * A major problem we identified was the failure to present our progress to the class. For a team that was working as hard as ours was, our efforts were gong unnoticed.  Every time we achieved a milestone we failed to discuss it with the class.  This was definitely the team's weakest link and needed addressing.


 * I spent most of last week planning and developing strategies to push the team's project forward.  I briefed the team and made written recommendations on what should be briefed to the class.   So far the team has responded well and our presentations are improving.  Individual team members are becoming more comfortable briefing their progress.  I consider this the biggest success so far.


 * This weekend I attended the Columbia Amateur Radio Association's (CARA) festival at the Howard County Fairgrounds. I was able to meet several engineers and establish a friendship with the Vice President of CARA, Dave Prestel.  Dave Prestel, is a Systems Engineer with a background in electrical engineering. Dave promised to donate study materials, electronics components, radios, and other products to the engineering club.  These items will be picked up during the week.


 * I briefed the class on everything that happened this weekend at the CARAFest.


 * Dave offered to come speak to the engineering club and possibly bring an engineer that was involved in the launch of the mercury probe. No date has been set yet.


 * Dave also made me aware of educational scholarships that are to the amateur radio community. This scholarship information was given to the engineering club faculty advisor and presented to the class.  Hopefully the scholarship information will make it into the Howard Community Scholarship pool.  The scholarship program may be the catalyst to setting up a amateur radio club at HCC.


 * The study materials received from Dave can be used as a study guide for the technician class exam. This information combined with the pool of questions from Amateur Associations Radio Leagues should be plenty to pass the technician class exam.  Links to these sites can be found in week three of this page.  The tutorial can be found on team member JH's Wiki page, specifically the section titled Week3 Narrative.

Much of my research on radio wave theory has come from these sites:

 * Radio Wave Propagation


 * WikiPage on Antenna Theory


 * Radio Wave Propagation Sunspot Cycle Information


 * Tactical Radio Communications Techniques




 * I have a lot more work to do to grasp this subject. The theory is quite complicated to say the least.

Week3 Peer Review
See Discuss page for comments

Assign Task4

 * Present our progress to the class daily.
 * Present the FoxHole Radio (FHR) to the class this Wednesday
 * Setup Jove antenna.
 * Which way must the antenna face to ensure optimal reception/transmission distance? Where the antenna should be placed for optimal reception/transmission. What impact do structures, natural and manmade, have on the antenna placement and design?
 * Setup dipole antenna behind the engineering room. A tentative location has been selected.
 * Find out what is the role of conductors and insulators in antenna design?
 * Research radio wave propagation theory. This is a very complicated subject.
 * Finish "team done" page.
 * Have Dave Prestel speak to the engineering club

Compare actual work done to Task4

 * This week I was not present for the first part of the Wednesday class. As a result our team failed to present status of the foxhole radio and the overall progress of our team.  I plan on briefing the class on the results of the first four weeks of our project this Wednesday.  I will also discuss our goals for this project.


 * I am pushing all work related to radio wave propagation and antenna setup to the next project cycle. Since I will continue to work on the same project and with the same people I can work on these tasks at any point next month.


 * Radio component theory research is assigned to another team member. I will research this topic if time allows for it.


 * Hopefully Dave Prestel (VP of Cara) will have time to talk to the club this week. Another team member and I are waiting for his response.

Week4 Narrative

 * This week was spent mostly preparing the team's final report. Before I could contribute to the team final report I had to go back and review all the work we've done this cycle.  After reviewing the teams individual pages and notebooks, I was very happy with the progress we've made.  I felt is was necessary go over what we've accomplished before I could contribute to the final report.


 * I spent quite a bit of time discussing with my team how we would approach writing our final report. I met with team member JH this Saturday (15 Oct 2011) for about 5 hours to work on our team's final report.  We should have it done by Sunday (16 Oct 2011)..


 * I developed a decision tree that highlighted key decision points during the design of our radio. The file consists of six pages.




 * I also created a spreadsheet that tracks all the time invested by each team member. I will create a Google doc for next project and have each team member update their own hours weekly.



Week4 Peer Review
See each team member's individual page for comments. Comments can be seen by clicking on the team member's discuss tab.
 * Comments for JH
 * Comments for RH

Complete Project Page
I provided input to the the HAM project final report. Visit the BH^2 HAM Team Page to see the final results.

Start Next Project Week0 activities

 * This week I took the time to create the new team page and my individual page.


 * Get to know new team members.


 * I also created a list of basic goals I have set for myself that hopefully will coincide with the overall goal of the Apps team. These goals can be seen by viewing my new individual page.


 * Links to next project's individual page and team page:
 * FAB Individual page
 * HAMV2 team page