San Bruno Amateur Radio Club

Serving the Bay Area since 1958

Welcome to SBARC

First pardon our dust. After several years, we've decided to do a little remodeling on the website to bring it up to more modern standards. We've asked our new buddy Claude to help out and he's been very helpful. Right now not everything is working right but shortly we expect things to not only be working but working better than ever. So stay tuned as they say and again pardon our dust.

The SBARC is open to all licensed Amateur Radio Operators, and those with an interest in Amateur Radio. Part of our mission is to provide radio communications to the City of San Bruno in a time of need. We operate the radio room at City Hall, and other designated locations. We have monthly meetings, where we discuss Amateur Radio topics and other related items. We participate in training exercises and drills. Occasionally, we have social dinner meetings with other clubs.

Take the tour of SBARC, plus a free license class"

Upcoming Events


DateEventStart Time
November 16, 2026Our Weekly Net7:30 PM
November 18, 2026Our Weekly HF Net8:30 PM
November 19, 2026November Coffee and a Radio get-to-gether at Starbucks Bayhill9:30 AM
November 23, 2026Our Weekly Net7:30 PM
November 25, 2026Our Weekly HF Net8:30 PM
November 30, 2026Our Weekly Net7:30 PM
December 2, 2026Our Weekly HF Net8:30 PM
December 7, 2026Our Weekly Net7:30 PM
December 9, 2026Our Weekly HF Net8:30 PM
December 14, 2026Our Weekly Net7:30 PM

Our Next Meeting

November Meeting

Weather, Radio & the El Niño Winter Ahead

The forecast is still calling for a wet winter, and if the predicted El Niño develops as expected, we could be in for some interesting weather!

Last month, our meeting focused on emergency power options and how to keep our stations operating when the lights go out. This month, we're taking the discussion a step further by exploring what an El Niño winter might mean for our community and our amateur radio operations.

Many of us probably haven't thought much about those weather-related questions we studied for our Technician License exams. Remember all that material about how weather affects radio signals and propagation? Well, it's time for a little refresher! We'll revisit some of what we learned way back when, look at how different weather conditions can affect our communications, and discuss what we might expect during a particularly stormy winter.

We'll also be conducting our annual election of club officers for the coming year. This is an important opportunity for members to help shape the club's future.And speaking of the future, we'd love to hear your ideas! If there's something you'd like the club to try, a topic you'd like us to explore, or an activity you think would benefit our members or the community, please let Dave know. We're always looking for ways to make SBARC even better, and some of our best ideas come from our members.

Join us this Thursday evening at 7:00 PM in the San Bruno City Hall Emergency Operations Center (EOC).We look forward to seeing everyone for another evening of learning, fellowship, and amateur radio!

November Meeting

Weather, Radio & the El Niño Winter AheadThe forecast is still calling for a wet winter, and if the predicted El Niño develops as expected, we could be in for some interesting weather!Last month, our meeting focused on emergency power options and how to keep our stations operating when the lights go out. This month, we're taking the discussion a step further by exploring what an El Niño winter might mean for our community and our amateur radio operations.Many of us probably haven't thought much about those weather-related questions we studied for our Technician License exams. Remember all that material about how weather affects radio signals and propagation? Well, it's time for a little refresher! We'll revisit some of what we learned way back when, look at how different weather conditions can affect our communications, and discuss what we might expect during a particularly stormy winter.We'll also be conducting our annual election of club officers for the coming year. This is an important opportunity for members to help shape the club's future.And speaking of the future, we'd love to hear your ideas! If there's something you'd like the club to try, a topic you'd like us to explore, or an activity you think would benefit our members or the community, please let Dave know. We're always looking for ways to make SBARC even better, and some of our best ideas come from our members.Join us this Thursday evening at 7:00 PM in the San Bruno City Hall Emergency Operations Center (EOC).We look forward to seeing everyone for another evening of learning, fellowship, and amateur radio!

Find Us On The Air



Our Weekly Nets

Mondays at 7:30 p.m. Pacific (1930 HRS), the club conducts nets on:

  1. K6PVJ 440.550 +5.0 MHz 114.8 Hz
  2. 146.595 Simplex

Wednesdays* at 8:30 p.m. Pacific (2030 HRS), the club conducts an HF net on:

  1. 40m net on 7.270 MHz lower sideband
  2. 146.595 Simplex as a backup communications frequency

The purpose of these nets is to test equipment and locations around San Bruno, as well as to stay in touch with other club members. Visitors are always welcome to check in.

Amateur Radio Nets Today

Day Time Sponsor Output Input Tone Type Name
Thursday 09:00 AM 9am Talk Net 145.2300 145.8300 100.0 repeater N6NFI
Thursday 11:00 AM California Amateur Radio Service Ne 7.2480 7.2480 HF-LSB
Thursday 11:30 AM The Noontime Net 7.2840 7.2840 HF-LSB
Thursday 9.00 AM Maritime Mobile Service Network 14.3000 14.3000 HF-USB
Thursday 7:00 PM San Mateo Club Rag Chew 145.3700 145.9700 107.2 repeater N6ZX
Thursday 7:30 PM Millbrae Radio Club 146.4900 146.4900 simplex MILL 1

El Niño Winter: What It Means for Your Radio

Satellite image of a long band of moisture streaming across the Pacific toward CaliforniaAn atmospheric river aims at California, February 4, 2024. Storms like this are what a strong El Niño winter can deliver. Image: NOAA / CSU-CIRA GOES image.

The timing could not have been better. On the afternoon of the club's November 12 meeting, NOAA released its monthly El Niño update, and the first storm of the season was due that night. The evening's speaker, Dave, opened with a warning: this was not a weather forecast. For that, he said, watch the TV meteorologists. The question for the night was narrower and more useful to hams. When the weather turns, what happens to our stations, our signals and our community, and which of those changes help us?



NOAA's Climate Prediction Center kept its El Niño Advisory in place on November 12 and said El Niño continues to strengthen. The key ocean reading in the central Pacific, called Niño-3.4, rose to 2.5 °C above normal, up from about 2.1 °C a month earlier.

Read Full Article →

So You Want to Become a Ham

Amateur Radio is a very rewarding hobby, but it's also one of the few hobbies that require a license. Every Ham operating today has passed a license exam that allows them to be granted a license from the Federal Communications Commission (the FCC).

The good news is it's very doable and particularly since the requirement to learn Morse code was dropped in 2007. And it's a hobby for all ages. The youngest known Ham in the United States was a young lady of 5 1/2. That's amazing, but it should be reassuring that all the family can join in this hobby.

Today, there are three license classes: The Technician, General and the Amateur Extra Class. With each class the operator gains more privileges in using the available airwaves. Read more

Ham Resources

We've put together a great library of resources to help you find just what you're looking for.

Antennas Mesh Networks DX-Long Distance Equipment History Digital Topics Licenses Organizations Programs Clubs Education Contesting Software Propagation Meshtastic/Meshcore Radio Basics Electronics EmComm Everything

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K6PVJ-Special Service Club