July 2026 Club Meeting – Front End Components by W4VBD

W4VBD

17 Jul July 2026 Club Meeting – Front End Components by W4VBD

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July 2026 Club Meeting – Front End Components

By George Fenn

Meeting Date: Thursday, July 30th, 2026

Time: 7:00 PM EDT

Location: Fayette County Emergency Operations Center

110 Volunteer Way, Fayetteville, GA

Presentation Overview

Have you ever looked at a radio and wondered what all these buttons, dials, knobs and menu items are for? Have you wondered what is AGC, AVC, IPO, a PBT, or a MGC? What is an ATTenuator? The presentation will cover what functions these front end components are, how to use them, and other controls like those. Different radio architectures will be discussed and where these components might fit into that scheme.

About the Presenter: George Fenn (W4VBD)

Originally from Oklahoma, George moved his family to Georgia in 1993 for a new job. Now, he is a software engineer for the Unisys Corporation.

As part of teaching the Radio Merit Badge to his Boy Scout Troop, George passed the Technician exam in 2007 as a birthday present to his dad George, W5VBD (sk), who was first licensed in 1953. George had been around ham radio all his life because of his dad, but it had never been an interest of his until that point in his life. Even with his Technician license, nothing was done with it. Then in 2017 he upgraded to General so he would be able to talk with his dad on the radio at a nursing home back in Oklahoma. This was done with his dad using an iPad and the internet service RemoteHamRadio to talk to him in Georgia using radio.

 

His son Jacob, W3VBD is a General and a third generation ham using his grandad’s Yaesu FT-840. One of his grandson’s is studying for his license now so he can take over his great-grandad’s call sign.

 

George’s interests are mainly HF, where at his home QTH using 40m and 20m SSB he enjoys ragchewing and special event stations; HF in the field using QRP for POTA/SOTA operations with a Yaesu FT818 or an FX-4CR; plus digital using DMR through a ZumSpot hotspot. He especially enjoys antique radios along with their history.

Eating Before the Meeting

Join us for a social hour and dinner before the meeting begins!

  • Time: 5:00 PM
  • Location: Partners Pizza
  • Address: 834 Glynn St S #228, Fayetteville, GA 30214
  • RSVP: Not required, but helpful for seating—email fcarcsecretary@gmail.com.

  

Club Business & Virtual Attendance

  • Zoom Link: The meeting will be live-streamed for those unable to attend in person.