NJ-QRP Club Projects
N2APB and N2CX recently introduced a new club focus and activity in which all members can participate, contribute and learn -- and have fun in along the way! This is a series of group projects designed, built and tested by multiple NJQRP members, and then ultimately retained by the members who worked on the projects.
These are not kitting projects to be offered for general availability, although some projects might indeed be kitted later on. But they are simply the projects representing the interests and special skills of the club members, designed and built by the club members, and kept by the club members for use in their shacks.
Examples of club projects include: digital VFOs, paddles, Coherent CW, enhanced transeiver design, portable antennas, beacons, TR switch, surface mount VFOs, 1-tube rigs, and more!
A bunch of benefits can arise from coordinating such a simple concept as Club Projects:
- All members get a chance to contribute whatever level of effort they care to, in any phase of the project that interests them: the initial specifications, the design (of hardware, software, analog/digital/RF electronics), the construction, testing or documentation. As everyone knows, there's a ton of different aspects to a project, and any one individual usually doesn't have ALL the skills or interest in doing each aspect. This is a way to circumvent that and depend on the collective group knowledge.
- People can learn about the whole projects along the way ... even those who don't directly participate and just follow the discussion threads which would inevitably come about.
- Publication of the resultant work in a national mag, a quarterly rag and ultimately via posting on our website ... instant celebrity status for the Project team!
- And lastly, if we wanted to provide limited component availability for club members, those not initially participating can benefit after the fact and have the benefit of having the experts within arm's reach.
There's lots more logic, reasoning and background on the Club Project concept. Stay tuned to the listserver and website for more as this quickly develops.
