Operating

Net Manager Needed

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 04/17/2016

After many years of dedicated service, Johnnie, W4TSP has decided to step down as SPARC Net Manager as of July 1, 2016. Thank you Johnnie for all the time you spent keeping the net on the air 7/365.

If you are interested in the position of SPARC Net Manager, please contact Johnnie or Bob, N2ESP. We also have the Wednesday night net controller available for those not interested in a “management” position.

If you are a SPARC Net regular, please consider stepping up to help the club maintain its … Click for more

Field Day 2016

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 04/08/2016

By Coy, KK4JMP, Field Day Chairman

Objective

Field Day 2016, a local and national amateur radio association promoted by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), as an educational, radio operating and public relations event where radio operators all over America work and make as many contacts as possible on all amateur radio bands throughout Florida and across the nation and some foreign countries and regions under abnormal conditions and unique radio operating situations. Field Day experiences helps to develop skills among amateur radio operators to meet the challenges of emergency … Click for more

Mid Florida DX Association Featured Program

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 02/18/2016

Join in on our Friday, March 4^th meeting for a very special evening with Tony DeAngelo, N2MFT, President of the Mid Florida DX Association. Tony will present some of the club’s motivation, planning, execution and results for activation of National Parks as part of the ARRL yearlong program. MFDXA has already activated two National Parks and is planning more.

We will also hear about the Mid Florida DX Association’s other activities. One of their services is QSL card checking for DXCC awards credit. Tony will give us a little … Click for more

Antenna / Radio Smoked

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 02/16/2016

Bad Antenna install — Photo by Klein PhotoGraphics

While visiting this year’s Hamcation® Stephan, K4SHK heard a loud bang like a cannon going off. It turns out someone setting up their antenna let it contact high-power lines. The area was roped off while the electric company powered down the lines to remove the antenna. Stephan reports no one was injured but the radio was hooked up at the time and most likely fried. Looking around the camping area, Stephan noticed another accident waiting to happen (See photo to right). These stickers are required on … Click for more

SPARC Ham Radio Bucket List

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 01/01/2016

The challenge for 2016 is for each SPARC member to expand their activity in our hobby. To this end, the SPARC Bucket List below provides some potential growth areas. There are no prizes, just the personal satisfaction of learning a new skill or reaching a new goal.

Give a presentation at a club meeting
Upgrade your license
Help setup/takedown at field day site
Enter your first Radiosport contest
Win a contest award
Elmer a newbie
Write a SPARC GAP article
Write a SPARC Web site article
Confirm a new DXCC

… Click for more

A New R7 Vertical, Two Working FSK stations and One Step Closer on the K3 Remote Station…

By Tom Schaefer NY4I on 12/29/2015

Today (12/29/2015), several SPARC members met at the SPARC Clubhouse to work on several projects to help with contesting and other activities at the W4GAC station. Bob N2ESP, John KI4UIP, Dave KR4U, Ron KP2N and Tom NY4I worked on various projects that needed to be done for this weekend’s ARRL RTTY contest. While John, Dave and Bob wrestled the Cushcraft R7 antenna into position outside and ran coax, the rest of us worked on tweaking the Elecraft K3 to work on RTTY FSK mode. For a reason that would … Click for more

Posts published in “Operating”