Category: Announcement Page 1 of 4

PARC just keeps on trunking! (HiHi). In all seriousness, with the new test bench came the need for a sturdier table top (because the awesome particle board from another country (ahem) has a weak signature (HiHi again!). Stop in and check it out! Thanks to AA0EU for the donation and to KI4ZER for the assist along with KQ4FRB taking the photo! Another bode of thanks goes to KQ4ACS for holding Romeo (the dog) while work was going on!

There are several ways to renew a ham radio license, including:

• Online

Use the FCC License Manager System to renew your license online:

• 1. Go to https://www.fcc.gov/universal-licensing-system 
  2. Log in with your FCC Registration Number (FRN) and password
  3. Select Renew Licenses from the My Licenses page
  4. Choose the license you want to renew
  5. Pay the $35 renewal fee

• By mail

Send FCC Forms 605 and 159 directly to the FCC:

• 1. Download Form 605 from https://www.fcc.gov/fcc-form-605 
  2. Download Form 159 and its instructions

• With the ARRL or W5YI

These organizations can help renew your license for a fee or for free, respectively:

• • ARRL: Members can have their application submitted for free by calling or emailing the ARRL

• • W5YI: This group can help renew your license for a fee

You can renew your license up to 90 days before it expires, or within the two-year grace period after it expires.

If your license expires and goes beyond the two-year grace period, the FCC will cancel it and you won’t be able to automatically get a new license.

Team PARC is working to make the Clubhouse more user friendly and enhance it’s already expanded technical capabilities! Part of our Clubhouse is our well versed library with Amateur Radio books, magazines, and periodicals that cover a wide array of subjects from the introduction of Amateur Radio to the advanced skillsets needed for radio repair and more! These assets of the Club are the backbone to any amateur or any communications hobbyist that help fuel the area with the best information advancing our and your skills! Stop in during any Pile-Up or meeting to see this in person!

The Playground Amateur Radio Club is always improving and advancing with the changes in Amateur Radio and we offer a wide range of engagement! If you are looking to learn, we are looking to teach just as much as we are looking to learn from you!

Check out the Vice President’s new shack addition!

The Inovato Quadra HamClock Bundle is a compact and affordable solution for amateur radio enthusiasts to display the HamClock software on their monitors or TVs. Here are the key features and details:

Hardware:

• The bundle includes the Inovato Quadra PC, a small computer with a quad-core A53 ARM v8 64-bit SoC processor and 2GB RAM. It comes with an HDMI cable, USB power adapter, custom stand, quiet fan, and USB hub
• The device is designed for use with 1080p or higher resolution displays

Software:

• HamClock, developed by Elwood Downey, is pre-installed and configured
• The system auto-updates to the latest version of HamClock
• Other ham radio software like WSJT-X, FlDigi, and QDMR are also pre-installed

Setup and Usage:

• Initial setup is straightforward, with the system guiding users through HamClock configuration on first boot
• Users can choose to have HamClock start on boot and run in full-screen mode
• The “Live Spots” feature is automatically enabled, showing active bands at the user’s location
• HamClock can be viewed on other devices within the local network using a web browser

Features:

• Displays a digital version of visual maps showing the Earth, gray line, space weather, satellite tracking, and moon phases
• Offers a more affordable alternative to commercial products like the geocron Atlas

Flexibility:

• Users can exit full-screen mode (ALT-F11) to access other installed applications
• The system includes a Ham apps installer for adding or updating additional software

Price and Comparison:

• The Inovato Quadra HamClock Bundle is priced at less than $50, making it a cost-effective option compared to similar Raspberry Pi setups

The Inovato Quadra HamClock Bundle provides an easy-to-use, pre-configured solution for ham radio enthusiasts to display HamClock and access other ham radio applications, offering good value for its price point.

Bob got his kit at: https://inovato.com/