W6SD May 15 Meeting:
Clint Bradford, K6LCS, on How to Work Amateur Satellites With Your Handheld Radio
You don’t need 100 watts or more of transmit power and a big, expensive antenna array to work the FM voice amateur satellites! As Clint Bradford, K6LCS, will explain at our May 15 meeting, you probably already have everything needed to “work the birds.” Clint’s presentation will take us through all the steps needed to successfully work ham satellites — even including the International Space Station!
Clint has been a ham since 1994. He developed a strong interest in working amateur satellites, often with minimal equipment, and soon found himself telling other hams all about the techniques that worked for him!
He has served a liaison between NASA, the ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) team, and schools, coordinating amateur radio contacts between the International Space Station and students. (He also orchestrated a wildly successful ARISS contact himself).
To provide hams with useful reference materials, Clint created the Work-Sat.com website. The site, which includes a handy quick-start guide, serves as a one-stop source for ALL the citations and equipment recommendations and software suggestions made in his presentation.
Professionally, Clint was sales manager for ADI/Premier Communications/Pryme, and worked for a Motorola commercial two-way radio dealer and for Ham Radio Outlet. He resides in Jurupa Valley, California, with his wife, Karen, and their recent addition to the family: Huck, a two-year-old 80-pound Lab.
Our General Meetings are held on the third Friday of each month at 7:30 pm, in the LAPD West Valley Station Community Room, at 19020 Vanowen St, Reseda, CA 91335. (Click for a map or set your GPS to: 34°11’34.4″N 118°32’55.4″W.) Parking is behind the library. Exceptions to this schedule include our Holiday Dinner in December, and occasions when the room is required for use by police officers.
Meetings are hybrid, with attendance also available via Zoom. See our Zoom links page.
Field Day 2026
Field Day 2026 will be June 27-28. W6SD will operate out of the mini-park adjacent to the First Presbyterian Church of Granada Hills, 10400 Zelzah Ave., Northridge 91326.
We will begin setting up at 8 a.m. on Saturday, and will operate from 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, through 2 p.m. on the following day.
For more information and to sign up as a participant, see our Field Day page.
W6SD Wants To Help Hams Affected By the Southern California Wildfires
Are you one of the Los Angeles-area hams affected by the January, 2025, wildfires, or do you know one of these hams? W6SD wants to help.
Our club has radios and other equipment we can provide to help you get back on the air. We know this won’t undo the damage and devastation that these fires caused, but hope this support can help you get back on the air and involved in our hobby. To learn more, click here.
W6SD Weekly Social Get-Togethers
W6SD holds monthly speaker meetings on the third Friday of each month, at 7:30 p.m., via Zoom. We also hold informal social get-togethers every Monday morning via Zoom.
Many members meet for breakfast at 7:00 a.m. on Thursday mornings at the Denny’s restaurant at 16575 Sherman Way, west of the Van Nuys Airport. All are welcome.
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W6SD – The San Fernando Valley Amateur Radio Club
ARRL Affiliated Club #1684
Founded in 1946, The San Fernando Valley Amateur Radio Club, Inc. (SFVARC) is open to anyone interested in Amateur Radio as a hobby. The Club is affiliated with the American Radio Relay League and the Los Angeles Council of Amateur Radio Clubs, Inc.
San Fernando Valley Amateur Radio Club
P.O. Box 5472
West Hills, CA 91308
info@w6sd.com
Interested in joining W6SD? Whether you are brand new to the hobby of ham radio or are an Extra Class expert, you are welcome here. Click here for information.