HAM RADIO UNIVERSITY AT THE CARA FLEA MARKET

Every year the Calgary Amateur Radio Association presents technical sessions in conjunction with the annual spring flea market.

The technical sessions are free and open to all who are interested (no market admission required).
There is an admission charge of $5 for the market.
All are welcome, whether licensed hams, or just "interested in radio".

Link to Calendar Event

2026 lineup:

8:00 am - INTRODUCTION TO MESHTASTIC FOR AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS by Matt Patrick, VE6AZX

Meshtastic is an open source packet radio protocol using low-power, long-range radios. This presentation will introduce the Meshtastic project from an amateur radio perspective: we will demonstrate how to get set up with some inexpensive hardware, and show some of the infrastructure and activity on Calgary’s mesh network. This system provides text communication without any other infrastructure. This is an independent self-forming mesh network that works if the power is out and / or the cell phones are down. You don't have to be a licensed ham to set up a meshtastic node. Another piece in your emergency planning toolkit, and it's just plain fun to play radio with tiny devices.

9:00 am - Break for opening of flea market - chase some bargains and socialize.

10:00 am - VarAC - IS HF CHAT RE-INVENTED? by Greg Chabassol, VA6GAC

VarAC uses the Vara family of sound modems to perform keyboard to keyboard communications and has expanded to file and message transfers while automating processes that make it simple for new hams and non-computer users. VarAC uses the Vara family of sound modems to perform keyboard to keyboard communications and has expanded to file and message transfers while automating processes that make it simple for new hams and non-computer users.

Topics included: brief explanation of Vara family of sound modems and why in poor radio conditions it can get the message across while increase speed when comms are good; comparison to FT8 Specifically slices; Automated SNR data; Keyboard to keyboard conversations; VARAC mail; e-mail; File transfer; Artificial intelligence; BBS

The 2024 Learning conference, held in conjunction with the 2024 Spring Flea Market, had the following presentations:

• 8:00am - NanoVNA Explained and Demo.  Pat Spencer VE6PDS
  Link to Presentation slides => CARA-NanoVNA_2024-04-13.pdf

• 10:00am - Updated APRS Messaging , VA6PJB Peter Barry
  There has been bad news and good news in the world of APRS messaging in the last year.  The good news is that new systems are in place to send text messages by RF from your APRS radio to cell phones or email.  Learn about the new developments in this service.  They could be life savers when you are off grid. 
  Link to presentation pending

• VHF Group Presentation on Shack Tools => https://youtu.be/H_nNaA49Kug
• Presentation by Ciff Linton VE6PLC on setting up and using a RasPi as an EchoLink Node