The next DARC “Lecture and Lab” is set for Saturday, March 22, 2025 at 10am (central) In this lab series you will learn how to properly build coax cables and terminate them. In addition you will assemble a 50 Ohm 20W dummy load that you can use to test coax cables and coax runs to antennas.

This will be a fun and exciting build.  You will make 2 two foot coax jumpers using RG8X with the proper SO239 connectors. Next you will assemble the 50 ohm 20W dummy load complete with a custom 3D printed case in blue ABS. After assembly you will go through the process of testing coax cables using the dummy load.

The DARC will have 20 kits on hand and it will be first come first served at the Dallas Medical Center 3rd Floor community room (same place as the club meetings)   Plan on starting at 10am and will go until everybody is done with the assembly or 2-3pm that day.   

Basic soldering tools, stripers etc. are all that is needed – but if you don’t have any or have just a small selection – that is okay, we will have some extras to share.   A standard volt-ohm meter would also be handy and if you have an antenna analyzer then bring that along as well. There are NO surface mount components to solder.   Cost of the kit will be $25.00 and includes all the connectors, cable and 50 Ohm 20W dummy load parts (and case) along with an adapter from BNC to SO239. This is an open public invite – you do NOT need to be a DARC member to participate. 

If you have any extra foam laying around from inside a pelican case you should consider bringing it along, it may be of help assembling the QRP Labs Dummy Load (first published in the ARRL 2019 QST publication) Prior to the lab it is highly recommend to review the assembly directions for the 20W dummy load and if needed print them out for the lab – http://qrp-labs.com/images/dummyload/dummyload.pdf