Winter Field Day 2026

A man wearing a winter jacket with an American flag sits at a radio station filled with vintage radio equipment, monitoring communications while snow falls outside the window.

Come join the DARC for Winter Field Day 2026 January 24, 2026. This will be a fun indoor event. The DARC will be back at the Johnston Outpost YMCA. Winter Field Day 2026 is January 24 & 25, 2026 but the DARC will only operate Sat Jan 24, 2025, Plan on 11:00am (central time) for setup and we will wrap things up by 6pm that day. WFD2026 will get underway as soon as setup is complete.

Continue reading

Lecture And Lab February 2026

A portable black power box with a digital display showing voltage, current, and power usage, featuring multiple buttons and indicators.

Come join the DARC for the February 2026 Lecture and Lab – In this lecture and lab you will build a 12volt 34Ah LiFePo4 battery box complete with a 10amp charger, volt/amp meter, LED lights, 65W PD power/USB-C (this is enough to charge/power a MacBook Pro and more). The build will take place at the Dallas Medical Center on the 3rd floor. Plan on attending in-person Feb 28, 2026 start time is 10am central time. More details below.

Continue reading

Skynet 1-17-26 “SETI’s Final 100 Signals” & Constellation “Taurus” 9PM CT

3D visualization of SETI@home data analysis showing frequency and power spectrum with colorful waveform representation and user information.

SKYNET!!!!  9PM CT – 10:30 PM CT

Electronic Check-Ins: https://forms.gle/WY9CVNkqxxvNc4JPA

Saturday’s Topic: “SETI Program is Chasing Down Its Final 100 Signals” & Constellation “Taurus the Bull”

Net Control: Tom KE5ICX

Afterglow Movie 10:30PM: Creature (1985)

2-Meter Repeater W5FC: 146.880MHz, PL 110.9, –

Echolink: W5FC-R, node 37247.

Youtube.com Search “DARC Skynet”

Facebook.com Search “DARC Skynet”

Direct Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCishlh8WmW7OXy9Q6sxsaag

Skynet 1-10-26 “Moon Talk – Artemis II & III” / Constellations “Perseus” and “Camelopardalis” 9 PM CT

A 3D rendering of a space capsule in orbit, surrounded by earth in the background, representing a spacecraft designed for lunar missions.

SKYNET!!!!  9PM CT – 10:30 PM CT

Electronic Check-In: https://forms.gle/sYFZ2iuXphZuivsC6

Saturday’s Topic: “Moon Talk – Artemis II & III” & Constellations: “Perseus the Hero” and “Camelopardalis the Giraffe” 

Net Control: Virginia (NV5F)

Afterglow Movie 10:30PM: Phantom From Space (1953)

2-Meter Repeater W5FC: 146.880MHz, PL 110.9, –

Echolink: W5FC-R, node 37247.

Youtube.com Search “DARC Skynet”

Facebook.com Search “DARC Skynet”

Direct Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCishlh8WmW7OXy9Q6sxsaag

Brenda Magee (SK) Memorial Service and Get-together – Jan. 3rd, 2026

A smiling woman with short blond hair, wearing glasses and a purple shirt, is standing outdoors in a green setting.

It’s with great sorrow I report on Brenda Magee (WB5OZL), a silent key on December 7th. She was an active member of the DARC; board member, volunteer, and NCS for many activities and functions.

She is best known amongst most hams as NCS for “Ham Fixins” and “Skynet” for the past 10+ years. Brenda became a ham in Austin, TX in the 1970s and was a member of the Austin Amateur Radio Club.

In recent years she joined the DARC and volunteered for “Life Walk”, “Dallas Turkey Trot”, “Moon Day” and “Wings of Freedom” events. Brenda was a licensed GAA pilot and owned her own aircraft for several years. She also worked for the “Frontiers of Flight” Museum in Dallas.

She had many hobbies beyond amateur radio; astronomy, living history, aviation, and science fiction.

A memorial service for Brenda is open to all, Sat. Jan. 3rd at 2 PM. There were be a reception following the service. Anyone who knew Brenda are welcome to attend.

Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home

7405 W. Northwest Hwy

Dallas, Texas

DARC friends of Brenda (actually anyone) will also meet Jan. 3rd at 7 PM.

El Fenix
Located in: Northwest Plaza
Address: 6811 W Northwest Hwy #5, Dallas, TX 75225

We hope to see you at either or both events.

Additional information is available here.

If you have any questions, you can contact Tom (KE5ICX) at ke5icx@yahoo.com or 469-628-6880.

Skynet (12-27-25) “Six Spaceflights Ahead in 2026” & Constellations “Fornax” and Eridanus” 9 PM CT

A view from a spacecraft over Earth, showcasing the curvature of the planet, clouds, and the ocean reflecting sunlight.

Electronic Check-Ins: https://forms.gle/fxMrvxUmefnAFHXy6

SKYNET!!!!  9PM CT – 10:30 PM CT

Saturday’s Topic: “6 Spaceflights Ahead in 2026” & Constellations  

“Fornax the Furnace” and “Eridanus the River” 

Net Control: Billye KF5PDS

Afterglow Movie 10:30PM: “LX 2048” (2020)

2-Meter Repeater W5FC: 146.880MHz, PL 110.9, –

Echolink: W5FC-R, node 37247.

Youtube.com Search “DARC Skynet”

Facebook.com Search “DARC Skynet”

Direct Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCishlh8WmW7OXy9Q6sxsaag

Skynet 12-20-25 “What We Learned from Apollo 17” & “The Christmas Star” 9PM CT

An astronaut explores the lunar surface near a large rock while a lunar rover is in the foreground.

Electronic Check-Ins: https://forms.gle/S1B71VE3ESEKRQ5h7

SKYNET!!!!  9PM CT – 10:30 PM CT

Saturday’s Topic: “What We Learned from the Final Manned Lunar Mission (Apollo 17)” & “The Christmas Star” 

Net Control: Tom KE5ICX

Afterglow Movie 10:30PM:  “The Twilight Zone: Christmas 1985” 

2-Meter Repeater W5FC: 146.880MHz, PL 110.9, –

Echolink: W5FC-R, node 37247.

Youtube.com Search “DARC Skynet”

Facebook.com Search “DARC Skynet”

Direct Video Link:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCishlh8WmW7OXy9Q6sxsaag

Skynet 12-13-25 “Microbes, Bacteria, and Space Suits” 9 PM CT

A scientist demonstrating a device to two women in a lab setting.

Electronic Check-Ins: https://forms.gle/rKeQrJgHHykxbB8KA

SKYNET!!!!  9PM CT – 10:30 PM CT

Saturday’s Topic: “Microbes, Bacteria, and Space Suits – Oh My!” & Constellations “Fornax the Furnace” and “Eridanus the River”

Net Control: Virginia (NV5F)

Afterglow Movie 10:30PM: “Scrooge” (1951)

2-Meter Repeater W5FC: 146.880MHz, PL 110.9, –

Echolink: W5FC-R, node 37247.

Youtube.com Search “DARC Skynet”

Facebook.com Search “DARC Skynet”

Direct Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCishlh8WmW7OXy9Q6sxsaag

Skynet 12-6-25 “Getting Hi-Res Views of Other Stars” & Constellations “Cetus” and “Pisces” 9 PM CT

An abstract image of a star displaying a blurred, reddish appearance with bright, colorful highlights.

Electronic Check-Ins: https://forms.gle/mGksQMdpWN9tsCse6

SKYNET!!!!  9PM CT – 10:30 PM CT

Saturday’s Topic: “How to Get High-Resolution Views of Other Stars” & Constellations “Pisces the Fishes and Cetus the Sea Monster” 

Net Control: Bill (N5BB) 

Afterglow Movie 10:30PM: Christmas Icetastrophe (2016)

2-Meter Repeater W5FC: 146.880MHz, PL 110.9, –

Echolink: W5FC-R, node 37247.

Youtube.com Search “DARC Skynet”

Facebook.com Search “DARC Skynet”

Direct Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCishlh8WmW7OXy9Q6sxsaag