ARRL/TAPR Celebrate 26th Annual Digital Communications Conference
TAPR President David Toth, VE3GYQ, welcomes participants to the 26th Annual Digital Communications Conference Friday morning. [S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA, Photo]
ARRL New England Division Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI, makes his welcoming remarks Saturday morning at the DCC. [Steve Ford, WB8IMY, Photo]
More than 150 people came to Hartford for the DCC. [S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA, Photo]
Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, gave the first presentation at the DCC. Bruninga is the developer of APRS. [S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA, Photo]
The ARRL and TAPR held their 26th Annual Digital Communications Conference September 28-30, in Hartford, Connecticut. The DCC is an international forum for radio amateurs to meet, publish their work and present new ideas and techniques. Presenters and attendees had the opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about recent hardware and software advances, theories, experimental results and practical applications.
With more than 150 in attendance during the three-day event, ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, said, "It was exciting to see and hear about the latest developments in Amateur Radio digital technology. The depth of knowledge, commitment and enthusiasm were very impressive and bode well for the future of Amateur Radio."
According to QST Editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY, most of Friday's seminars were devoted to the Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS). Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, gave the first session of the conference, "The APRS Local Voice Repeater Initiative." Bruninga is the developer of APRS.
Other seminars at the conference included "The Flex 5000 and SDR Software," "HPSDR Update," "AMSAT's Phase IV," "A Method for Automatic Image Balancing in IQ Mixer Based Software Defined Receivers" and "SuitSat 2 Update." Ford also gave a standing-room-only seminar on an introduction to HF digital.
Ford said one of the highlights at the DCC was the NUE-PSK device. This gizmo makes it possible to do PSK31 without a PC. There is no word yet on when kits will be available for this item. "The latest Flexradio software-defined transceiver also drew a great deal of attention," Ford said. RPC Electronics debuted their all-in-one APRS tracker (2 meter transmitter, packet TNC and GPS receiver in one compact package). The company said it would be available for sale in December, just in time for holiday giving.
One of the vendors in attendance at the DCC was RPC Electronics, showcasing their new all-in-one APRS tracker -- a 2 meter transmitter, packet TNC and GPS receiver in one compact package. [S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA, Photo]
A popular feature of the DCC was the Demonstration Room. This was a place for participants to set up their projects for everyone to see, as well as a place for vendors to demonstrate their equipment.
ARRL New England Division Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI, spoke to conference participants Saturday morning, welcoming them to the DCC. TAPR held their annual meeting later that day.
The 2008 Digital Communications Conference will be in Chicago, but no date has been set. Be sure to check out the TAPR Web site for more information.
Page last modified: 04:45 PM, 10 Oct 2007 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
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