AKBiocca Engineering is my small business. I have always been a bit of an inventor, and I’ve developed a few unique and useful products and this is the way some of them are marketed. This includes Pneumatic Antenna Launchers that are used to put lines over tall trees for emergency and ham radio antennas, and a Triple Ratio Balun that provides high isolation and impedance transformation for ham radio antennas. FDLog is a WiFi based synchronized distributed database logging program for Field Day operations that I wrote in Python and give away under a GNU license.
My background is in Electronics Engineering (UC Berkeley BS) and Computer Science & Software Engineering (UC Berkeley MS) and I have worked in the Data Acquisition and Control business for many years, starting at Automation Designs and Fluidyne Instrumentation and then Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. While at the Lab I have worked on many projects including the Keck Telescope Primary Mirror Control System, the Gammasphere Gamma-Ray detector (featured in the Hulk movie), and presently I lead the Control Systems Group at LBNL’s Advanced Light Source (also featured in the Hulk movie).
Years ago I used to manufacture my own PC Boards, but these days I send them out. It is so nice to do a PCB design with software CAD and then send it on the internet and get high quality PC boards back in a few days! A couple of years ago I set up a small machine shop in the garage to make special parts for Antenna Launchers, Antennas and other projects. The tools have become very affordable, and it opens so many possibilities!
Alan’s Ham Radio Website (WB6ZQZ)
Alan K Biocca
Eric Williams (WD6CMU) and I have worked together on several projects including the Pneumatic Antenna Launchers. Eric designed and builds the mounts and prepares the Zip Reels for the Launchers. Eric also works at the Advanced Light Source developing software and hardware for the Control Systems.
My wife Dawn (KB6LHP) helps out with document formatting, shipping, tennis ball preparation and taking packages to the post office. She has her own small business selling Cookie Lee Fashion Jewelry and we often share a table at Hamfests. So when you see me wearing a Hamfest badge that says “Cookie Lee Jewelry” now you’ll know why!
My son Chris (KG6LXL) helps out by making the Tennis Balls up for the Antenna Launchers and packing kits and boxes for shipping, as well as taking packages to the post office. He is pretty busy these days since he also works at Fry’s Electronics.
My daughter Jessica (KI6ELP) helps out with deliveries, but mostly she is working on college.