West Valley Ham Shack
Classes are now being scheduled for remainder of 2024
Classes are FREE! Keep an eye on the 'Calendar of Events' accessible from the main menu.
Students need to purchase kits for Kit Building Classes.
Available Classes
Learn about Portable Amateur radio that promotes emergency awareness and communications from national and state parks. This course teaches you how to hunt parks from the comfort of your shack, and how to activate a park and rack up many contacts from experienced activator, Frank K7SD. Learn the basics of building a 'GO Box' for portable operations. Limited to 10 students per class.
Parks on the Air (POTA) * NEW *
Get familiar with basic functions of the Nano VNA). Topics include VNA menus, calibration, setting the measurement range, & setting up sweeps to perform reflective (S11) and thru (S21) tests. Make basic measurements like Standing Wave Ratio (SWR), Return Loss, Coax Loss & Length, Antenna Frequency Range, & Resonant Frequency. Limited to 10 students per class.
Nano Vector Network Analyzer * NEW *
Covers the basics of the FT-8 digital mode, including hardware and software installation.Limited to 10 students per class.
Basic FT-8 Digital Mode
Learn the finer points of chasing and working DX stations and DXpeditions using the FT-8 mode. Limited to 10 students per class.
Advanced FT-8 Digital Mode
This class will teach morse characters in an active exercise using a code key sending an audio signal. Limited to 10 students per class.
Introduction to Morse Code (CW Mode)
Now that you have your Technician license do you know what you can do with it? You can still talk all over the country, or even all over the world with the right gear and tools. In this class, we will help you get the most out of your technician license. Class is perfect for new Hams or hams who have had their technician license for years but haven’t ventured out beyond the local repeater. Limited to 10 students per class.
Discovering Your Technician Privileges
Learn to use the various test instruments in the WVHS repair facility to troubleshoot your own electronics! Learn to recognize components, use signal generators, Calibrated dummy loads, power supplies and more! Limited to 8 students per class.
Test Bench at the WVHS (The Shack)
Learn by "hands on" use of soldering iron with point-to-point and circuit board soldering practice, a basic class for beginners. Loaner soldering irons are supplied to use during the class.(Limit 6 students per class)
Soldering
Introduction to kit building. Assemble and solder a working electronic kit. Learn to identify components and observe polarity. Recommend you first attend our Soldering class if you are new to soldering. We ask that you purchase the Elenco SP-1A kit from Amazon before attending the class. Please review the kit's instruction sheet before attending. Loaner soldering irons and soldering materials are supplied for use during class. Limited to 5 students per class/
Kit Building
Use the skills you have already acquired in Kit Building to build a working FM radio. Test and trouble shoot. We ask that you purchase the Elenco FM-88K kit from Amazon before attending the class. Please review the kits instruction sheet before attending. Loaner soldering irons and soldering materials are supplied for use during class. Limited to 5 students per class.
Advanced Kit Building
A course focusing on small lot solutions for antennas for HOA or XYL restricted situations. For HF, VHF/UHF, and Satellite antennas. Commercial and DIY solutions discussed. Limited to 10 students per class.
Practical Antennas
Do you have a new DMR radio, & you want to take advantage of all that extra capability? This class will help you get started on DMR Brandmeister. We will not cover specific radios, but we can help you make sense of the radio you have. Or maybe you just want to see what DMR is all about and you haven’t purchased a DMR radio yet!
Introduction to DMR
Learn what Anderson Power Poles are and why you want to use them. You will also learn about the tools needed and how to install them. The Shack has a complete set of tools and an assortment of the zip cord and other wire. Learn by "hands on" to install Anderson Power Poles. Limited to 10 students per class.
Anderson Power Poles
Advance toward your General class license with this new proposed Electrical Principles class just for Technicians. Material to be covered includes the Sub-Element G5 questions on the FCC test. Resistors, Capacitors, Inductors, Transformers, Decibels, Current/Voltage Dividers, Power, RMS & PEP Calculations, Reactance, Inductance, Capacitance, Impedance, & Resonance. Some math. Calculator helpful. Limited to 10 students per class.
General Class Electrical Principles (G5)
This class covers Sub-element G6 (24 pool questions). Two of the questions will appear on the 35-question General Test. Topics include resistors, capacitors, and inductors; rectifiers; solid-state diodes and transistors; vacuum tubes; batteries; analog and digital integrated circuits (IC's); Microwave ICs (MMICs); display devices; RF connectors; ferrite cores. Limit 10 students. Some math required.
General Class Circuit Components (G6)
The Raspberry Pi class is an introduction to the Pi. We cover general information and general uses for the Pi. Recommended components (hardware and software) are discussed. Some Ham-related applications are detailed. After the general coverage we set up a new RPi and install some software applications
Introduction to the Raspberry Pi
NEW!! Oct 21st: What is GMRS & Why You Should Use It – Learn about the fast-growing General Mobile Radio Service, a segment of the UHF band. Frank K7SD/WRVG584 explains licensing procedures, practical uses, and gives a lay of the land for GMRS in Phoenix, and beyond. See why GMRS is a must for your radio toolbox!
Introduction to the General Mobile Radio Service