Sofas on the Air

David N6AN: from Teen with Tubes to 2024 SOTA Challenge Winner | Sofas on the Air Ep. 11

In this episode we welcome David N6AN! David was #1 in the USA for the 2024 10m SOTA challenge, and #5 in the world - all done while QRP. He's a consummate contester and DXer, with ears trained to hear CW whispered by a mouse across a canyon in a hurricane. In this episode David shares his journey from eager teen to seasoned CW op amidst plenty of jokes and fun tangents into activations and other SOTA-ventures! As always, the Sofa was captained by Mark KD7DTS and Ara N6ARA. __PATREON__ We strongly believe that in-person chats are more fun! Want to help us fly SOTA icons out for in-person interviews? Join our Patreon (and Discord) community! https://www.patreon.com/c/SofasOnTheAir Are you audio-only? We're on most of the Podcast services! - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5nCqdV4j1TdPEenmwpCEPS?si=82449a53352a477d - Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sofas-on-the-air/id1820292444 __SHOW NOTES__ Ara N6ARA on YouTube: @N6ARAElectronics The N6ARA Store: https://n6ara.com/ Drink tastings: - Hazy IPA by MadeWest Brewing Co. - N6ARA: Opt Outside by Chapman Crafted Beer - N6AN: Pink Lemonade by Spindrift High Speed Telegraphy Record: https://youtu.be/Gkn4SsUMMnI?si=DbZALXIRUrSly6tD __CHAPTERS__ 0:00 Welcome and Episode Summary 2:47 Drink tasting 5:22 The Retrorig for April Fools 18:41 Today's Activation: Pebble Build! 33:59 David's Ham Journey 1:03:14 How did David get SO good at Morse Code? 1:14:25 Winning the 10m SOTA Challenge in America 1:29:00 Telegraphy Competitions 1:43:48 Thanks to our Patreons and... DIT DIT! __THANKS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS__ Umesh KK6TXI - outro music Di KO6BTM - intro/outro graphics and cover art

The TinyGawant lives! (plus a SOTA DXpedition and Winter Field Day) | Sofas on the Air Ep. 10

If you’re a regular listener, you may have noticed we’ve been - dare I say - a bit radio silent. Well, today we’re back - and Ara and I are going to catch up on all the shenanigans that kept us out of the studio! Stay tuned to hear about Ara’s newest product - the TinyGawant - along with Mark and Di’s SOTA DXpedition to Australia, Winter Field Day, and a few spoilers from Ara on upcoming product concepts! As always, the Sofa was captained by Mark KD7DTS and Ara N6ARA, with Di KO6BTM running the studio system. __PATREON__ We strongly believe that in-person chats are more fun! Want to help us fly SOTA icons out for in-person interviews? Join our Patreon (and Discord) community!https://www.patreon.com/c/SofasOnTheAir __SHOW NOTES__ Ara N6ARA on YouTube:⁠  @N6ARAElectronics ⁠ [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCu1E6Dhjip-fWQps7Gr-o-w]  The N6ARA Store: https://n6ara.com/ Drink tastings: - Hi Dez by Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. - Opt Outside by Chapman Crafted Beer __CHAPTERS__ 0:00 Mark and Ara catch up 6:43 The TinyGawant Antenna 26:59 SOTA DXpedition in Australia 43:48 Winter Field Day with W6TRW 57:27 Ara gets a surprise! 1:04:56 Ara’s Future Products?!? 1:33:11 Thanks to our Patreons __THANKS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS__ Umesh KK6TXI - outro music Di KO6BTM - intro/outro graphics

Josh KI6NAZ: Crash Course in SOTA, YouTube and Testing Antennas | Sofas Ep. 9

Friend of the 'pod Josh KI6NAZ, from the little-known  @HamRadioCrashCourse  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UChAu6Cof9KlfFxSbL9ytosQ] drops by the sofa to get nerdy... and share how he entered the SOTA-verse! This episode covers Josh's disastrous first SOTA activation and Mark's theories on the importance of balancing technical, physical, and mental skills for success. Ara shows hardware for his nearly complete "Antennode" project, which uses Raspberry Pis and LoRa to automate antenna A/B testing and provide a scientific method for evaluating antenna performance without expensive equipment. Josh dives deep into the challenges of content creation, emphasizing the need for consistency over perfection. Finally, the whole team gets passionate about building sustainable ham club club leadership, and how to empower new members to take the initiative in gettin' stuff done! As always, the Sofa was captained by Mark KD7DTS and Ara N6ARA, with Di KO6BTM running the studio system and Ormoo noshing on kibbles. Patreon: Want to help us fly SOTA icons out for in-person interviews, and support our audio upgrades? We believe strongly that in-person chats are more fun! https://www.patreon.com/c/SofasOnTheAir __SHOW NOTES__ Josh KI6NAZ on YouTube:  @HamRadioCrashCourse  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UChAu6Cof9KlfFxSbL9ytosQ] Ara N6ARA on YouTube:  @N6ARAElectronics  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCu1E6Dhjip-fWQps7Gr-o-w] The N6ARA Store: https://n6ara.com/ [https://n6ara.com/ ] Drink tasting: Elysian "Contact Haze" __CHAPTERS__0:00 Welcome & beers 3:07 Josh's hot takes on AI 8:30 Josh's first (failed) SOTA, and need for "Intro to SOTA" days 30:27 Mark's principles of "SOTA Success" 36:07 The "Antennode" - antenna science! 1:02:13 Developing ham club leaders 1:17:19 Patreon questions! (YouTube... how does that work??) 1:45:34 Turning the tables - Josh's questions for Ara & Mark __THANKS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS__ Umesh KK6TXI - outro music Di KO6BTM - intro/outro graphics

Justin K5EM - Building Community through Radiosport | Sofas on the Air Ep. 8

Ara's friend Justin K5EM drops by the sofa to share his pro tips on how friendly radio events (including SOTA!) can build community both locally, and around the world. As always, this episode was captained by Mark KD7DTS and Ara N6ARA, with Di KO6BTM running the studio system. Patreon: Want to help us fly SOTA icons out for in-person interviews, and support our audio upgrades? We believe strongly that in-person chats are more fun! https://www.patreon.com/c/SofasOnTheAir __SHOW NOTES__ Drink tasting: Sake - Kunoichi by Moon Bloom Supercon: https://hackaday.io/superconference/ Salmon Run QSO Party: https://salmonrun.wwdxc.org/ Palau DX: https://www.qrz.com/db/T88WA SOTAMAT: https://sotamat.com/ Non-Ormoo SOTACAT: https://store.invertedlabs.com/product/sotacat/ __Chapters__ 0:00 Intros 8:00 Mark's SOTA Goat activation 19:50 Justin's ham journey 42:51 DXpedition in Palau 1:09:01 Salmon Run QSO Party 1:30:51 SOTACAT 1:42:12 Thanks to our Patreon supporters __THANKS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS__ Umesh KK6TXI - outro music Di KO6BTM - intro/outro graphicsNote: Amazon links, if any, are affiliate links

N7KOM - What is a 'Pseudotachylyte', and how to play SOTA Royale | Sofas on the Air Ep. 7

Tim N7KOM returns to the Sofa to share his Oregon campout experience, drop some cool geology knowledge, and take a speed-round of Patreon questions! Patreon: Want to help us fly SOTA icons out for in-person interviews, and support our audio upgrades? We believe strongly that in-person chats are more fun!https://www.patreon.com/c/SofasOnTheAir __SHOW NOTES__ Drink tasting: Nikka - From the Barrel Tim's Etsy Page: https://www.etsy.com/shop/N7KOMPortableRadio Tim's Dank Meme Page: https://www.instagram.com/n7kom_mtntop/ K6ARK's W7O First Activation Video: https://youtu.be/p5zHlpZ3jbQ?si=eoqnDGwMAMP3tkqJ Learn about Pseudotachylytes: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191814113000436/pdfft?md5=2cfbe5aed237c265df9b7ed67a158d81&pid=1-s2.0-S0191814113000436-main.pdf __Chapters__ 0:00 Intros... and Tim's wedding! 2:56 Whiskey tasting & catching up 11:23 Tim's W7O Experience 17:44 Dank Memes - HOW? 19:55 SOTA Royale 43:14 Patreon Questions - Pseudotachylytes?? 58:17 Speed Round! 1:05:23 Thanks to our supporters __Thanks & Acknowledgements__ Umesh KK6TXI - outro music Di KO6BTM - intro/outro graphics Thanks to our Patreon supporters for making this show possible! Note: Amazon links, if any, are affiliate links