Category Archives: hamradio

10th Anniversary/Open House

August of 2021 marks the 10th year of existence of FCW and 4th year after the fire.

Open House and Ribbon Cutting Dec. 15, 2017

FCW will be having an OPEN HOUSE for 3 days to observe the dates.

The OPEN HOUSE Dates are as follows:

    • Friday, August 13 from 4-9PM
    • Saturday,  August 14 from 12 Noon -8PM
    • Sunday, August 15 from 2-6PM

There will be food, activities, and tours of the space.  Also, there will be demonstrations of 3d Printing, laser cutting, wood turning, Ham Radio, Electronics/robotics, Science and others.

Here are links to png and pdf versions of the poster.  The poster is designed to be cut in two in order to make two half posters.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19vZWThttocrh64JN_0qbgxW1MR6u8Jfm/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YD0vXTQSmvgXuorVq7c2z-WFMlF9Y2fk/view?usp=sharing

This event is free and open to the public.

Ham Radio Tech Class – Jan 2020 – VE exams Feb 1

FCW will be hosting an Amateur Radio (Ham) entry level Techician Class in January 2020.  This class will prepare participants to take the Technician exam, which will be offered at the end of the class.

 The  sessions will concentrate on the more difficult portions of the exam.  The instructor is Gary Schwartz

Class #1 Sat Jan 11, 9:30-12

Class#2 Sat Jan 18, 9:30-12

Class#3 Sat Jan 25,  9:30-12

Exam: Sat Feb 1, 10 AM

The sessions will be held at FoothillsCommunity Workshop, 141North Main Street, GraniteFalls, NC 28630

The class and all materials are free and will be available online for downloading.  This class is open to the public.

The exam fee is $10. The exam is at all levels and is available to anyone wishing to obtain or upgrade an Amateur Radio license.

For more information, contact michelle@foothillscommunityworkshop.org or call 828-754-5002

 

Ham Radio Field Day

On Saturday, June 23 starting at 2PM through Sunday, June 24 at 2PM, FCW’s Amateur Radio station, K4FCW will participate in Field Day.

Sponsored by the ARRL, Field Day is set up as a contest to make contacts all across the US and Canada.  It allows Hams to set up portable/emergency equipment for practice and provides an opportunity to introduce Ham Radio to new people.

K4FCW will be operating  to introduce persons to Ham Radio.  If you are a Ham, or interested in Ham Radio, come by (it is a 24 hour event), and “get your feet wet” on long distance radio communications.  Our antenna system is still being rebuilt, since the fire, but we will be operating.

Contact Michelle, kd4ytu at michelle@foothillscommunityworkshop.org or (828) 754-5002 for more details.

This event is free and open to the public.

Grand re-Opening/Open House

Open House and Ribbon Cutting Dec. 15, 2017

It has been a long journey since the fire on July 21 last year,  but FCW has, for the most part, recovered nicely.  On “Star Wars Day”, Friday May 4, from 4-9PM and Saturday, May 5 from 9AM-6PM. FCW will be having an Open House celebrating the re-Opening of several areas for usability.    The areas ready for use are:

Electronics – includes electrical, analog and digital electronics, microprocessors, robotics, computers, networks, automation, PLCs, soldering, and Internet of Things.

Arts & Crafts – includes the former stagecraft and fabrication areas: model shop (wood, metal, plastic and glass), sewing, laser cutting, 3d printing, sets, props, costumes, special effects, lighting, sound, video, animation, and VR.

K4FCW- the Amateur Radio station.

Classroom – set up for 20 participants.

Computers/robotics/gaming – includes general computing and all kinds of games.

Computer Museum – various vintage computers.

Lounge – a place to relax.

Woodshop – includes woodturning, woodworking, construction, and CNC routing.

As usual, with the Open Houses, there will be food, tours, demos and activities.  One special activity this time is a retro-gaming which includes vintage computer games, console games, and arcade games.

The address is 141 N. Main St, Granite Falls, phone 828-212-0930.  This event is free and open to the public.

Classes Resume: Ham Radio Technician Class

FCW will conduct a condensed Ham Radio Technician License class on Saturday, September 9, from 9AM to 3PM at the Caldwell County Public Library, Room 5 in Lenoir.  This class will cover the more difficult aspects of the entry level Technician exam.  Topics covered will include:

  • Electromagnetic waves
  • Electrical Fundamentals
  • Electronics components and circuits
  • Station setup and operation
  • Antennas and propagation
  • Modes of operation
  • Units and the metric system
  • Safety
  • Some rules and regulations

Since this is a condensed class, participants will be expected to view some videos and do practice exams on-line.  A schedule for the test will be determined at the class.

This class is free and open to the public.  Contact Michelle, (michelle@foothillscommunityworkshop.org) or 828-754-5002 for more information.

Ham Radio Field Day – 2017

Once again, FCW via Amateur Radio station K4FCW will participate in Field Day from Saturday,  June 24 at 2 PM thru Sunday, June 25 at 2 PM.  Field Day was created by the ARRL and encourages Hams in North America to:

  • Set up under emergency conditions
  • Test equipment
  • Promote Amateur Radio
  • Socialize
  • Practice contest techniques

Even though FCW is not a “portable” setup, it is not a normal station location.  For 24 hours, participants will be contacting hams across North America (and a few other countries) to accumulate points in the contest.

If you are a ham, interested in ham radio, or just curious, this is a good opportunity to get on the air and see why many people still enjoy ham radio as a hobby or a public service.

The event starts at 2PM on Saturday.  Drop by for a while and check out the activity.  This event is free and open to the public.

Ham Radio Tech Class – Jan 13, 20, 27

FCW will host a class to prepare anyone interested in obtaining an entry level Amateur Radio license.  The class will meet on three Fridays, January 13, 20, and 27 from 6PM to 8:30PM.

 

Topics include:

  • FCC rules and regulations
  • Electromagnetic (radio) waves
  • Basic Electronics
  • Setting up an Amateur Radio station
  • Station operation
  • Antennas and Propagation
  • Safety
  • Preparation for the Technician level exam.

There is no text required.  All materials will be handed out or online.  The class is free and open to the public.

Contact  Michelle,    michelle@foothillscommunityworkshop.org

for more information.

 

Visitors from Abroad

Chris-and-Angel-from-ChinaMeet Chris and Angel.  They currently live in China but were visiting Chris’  relatives in Lenoir recently and stopped by FCW for a visit.   Their work takes them all over the world and they try to visit hackerspaces and makerspaces wherever they go.  Having visited numerous spaces so far, they spent some time relating to us what other hackerspace and makerspaces were doing.  They were impressed with FCW, both with the size, expertise, and variety of the shops that we have.  Chris commented that thus far, FCW is the only space that they have visited that had both a model railroad and an Amateur Radio station.  We wish them safe journeys.

Ham Radio License Class / Exams

FD-2012-croppedFoothills Community Workshop will be offering an Amateur Radio Technician level license class consisting of  three sessions on  consecutive Saturdays, August 8, 15, and 22 from noon until 2pm.  With some additional on-line exercises, this class is intended to help prepare for the entry level Technician  Amateur Radio Exam.  Topics include:

  • Rules and regulations
  • Station setup and operation
  • Operating procedures
  • Basic electronic  terms, components and calculations
  • Electromagnetic waves, bands, and modes
  • Propagation and antennas
  • Safety

This class is free and open to the public.

FCW will also be  hosting  exams for all levels of Amateur radio licenses.  The testing will tentatively  be on Saturday, August 29 at noon and is available to anyone wishing to obtain or upgrade an Amateur Radio license.  The testing fee is $10.

Ham Radio Field Day 2015

FD-2012-croppedOnce again, FCW via Amateur Radio station K4FCW will participate in Field Day from Saturday,  June 27 at 2 PM thru Sunday, June 28 at 2 PM.  Field Day was created by the ARRL and encourages Hams in North America to:

  • Set up under emergency conditions
  • Test equipment
  • Promote Amateur Radio
  • Socialize
  • Practice contest techniques

Even though FCW is not a “portable” setup, it is not a normal station location.  For 24 hours, participants will be contacting hams across North America (and a few other countries) to accumulate points in the contest.

If you are a ham, interested in ham radio, or just curious, this is a good opportunity to get on the air and see why many people still enjoy ham radio as a hobby or a public service.

The event starts at 2PM on Saturday.  Drop by for a while and check out the activity.  This event is free and open to the public.