Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club Announces Scholarship Recipient

Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club and the Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation have announced their annual scholarship recipient promoting high school seniors interested in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

Mateo Olin Ferreira, a graduating senior at Orcutt Academy Charter High School, was awarded the 2024 scholarship at Santa Barbara Courthouse on Monday, June 3. Ferreira is set to graduate with a 4.0 GPA and plans to attend Allan Hancock College for initial credits before transferring to California State University, Long Beach to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Business.

The scholarships award up to $1,000 to one or more recipients each year. Donations to the scholarship fund can be made through the Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation website.

Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club - https://www.sbarc.org/

New RSGB Trophy Manager

The RSGB have announced that Mike Franklin, G3VYI will be the new RSGB Trophy Manager.

He will focus on the Contest Trophy collection and RSGB HQ will now manage the AGM Trophies.

Jacqui Goodey, G6XSY, the retiring RSGB Trophy Manager, will support Mike’s transition into this role.

She will also take responsibility for the historical aspect of our trophies.

You can contact Mike via trophy.manager@rsgb.org.uk, and Jacqui can be reached on trophy.archivist@rsgb.org.uk.

The RSGB thanks Mike and Jacqui for volunteering for this important work.

California Radio Club Faces Homelessness

A California ham radio club that has provided disaster communications and other community services from its building on city property now faces an emergency of its own: The Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club has until the end of July to find a new home for its members and all its radio equipment. Since 1975, the club has been permitted to use the site owned by the city of Santa Barbara, where it built an earthquake-resistant, climate-controlled modular structure. Now the city needs the land back to accommodate a construction project that will replace an aging reservoir near that property with two reservoirs that are 5-million gallons each. For the project to go forward, the ham club and a number of other users of the land will need to vacate the premises.

“...the club now faces an uncertain future due to the new municipal developments and lack of a permanent home for its facilities.”

— Levi Maaia, K6LCM

The club has been unable to find a replacement site that would accommodate the club's communications requirements to fulfill public safety communications needs.

He said that, so far, no alternate site has been identified and the club remains without a solution. The club has appealed to the local community for help.