Operating

4 QSO Parties this Weekend Covering 16 States.

By Tom Schaefer NY4I on 04/30/2021

This weekend (May 1 and 2) is the “4 QSO parties in one” weekend.

This includes the New England QSO Party (6 NE states), 7th Call Area (8 states), Indiana and Delaware.

QSO parties are a great way to pick up states you need to WAS on different bands. With better propagation lately, you may even be able to get some 10 meter states.

To make it easier to log, the organizers of these four events will all accept logs with contacts of the others. They will filter out the … Click for more

Winter Field Day This Weekend!

By Tom Schaefer NY4I on 01/27/2021

Winter Field Day is this weekend. Full rules can be found at the Winter Field Day website at https://www.winterfieldday.com. The event starts at 2:00 PM EST Saturday and goes until 2:00 PM EST on Sunday. Available modes are SSB, CW, RTTY, PSK31 and other conversational digital modes–not FT8 or FT4 according to their rules.

For the last several years we have joined with our friends at the Clearwater Amateur Radio Society and the Upper Pinellas Amateur Radio Club at the Clearwater Fire Training Center to setup for Winter Field … Click for more

Aardvarks Rank High in Makrothen RTTY Contest

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 11/27/2020

Seeing the need for a small Radiosport (contest) group, two SPARC members, Tom W4CU and Rich AA2MF asked members of CARS, SPARC and UPARC if they would be interested in learning more about contesting by joining a small local group. As a result, the Aardvark Wireless Group was formed. When asked how the name was chosen, Tom stated “we’ll always be at the top of the list.” Members of the group consist of both experienced contesters and folks that have never participated in a contest. The group provides a focal … Click for more

Repeater Trustee Request

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 09/03/2020

The SPARC repeater system has FCC mandated 3 minute timeout requirement programmed into its RC-210 controller. This holds true for all amateur radio repeaters under FCC license.

Most hams using the SPARC system, for the most part, are using programmable radios that have a timeout (TOT) feature in the software. I am requesting you program your TOT to less than 3 minutes. This would help to keep our repeaters from timing out from the occasional stuck microphone switch or shorted PTT line.

Our system also has a BEEP signal that … Click for more

SPARC Scores in the 2020 RTTY Roundup

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 08/15/2020

The SPARC contest Group, W4TA, placed in the top ten in the 2020 running of the ARRL RTTY Roundup. Participating in the Multioperator, Single Transmitter, High Power category were SPARC members: AA0O Pat, KA1IJA Norm, KA4IOX Paul, KB8ESY Rex, KC1YL Lisa, KI4UIP John, KP2N Ron, KR4U Dave, N2ESP Bob, NY4I Tom, VE3XD Don and W4CU Tom. The final score was 113,730 points, good for tenth place.

Rich, AA2MF, entered the contest in the Single Operator, Low Power category, placing second with a final score of 144,228 points.

Congratulations to all … Click for more

Spare Arc-Plugs for Alpha Delta Switches

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 08/15/2020

Many of us use Alpha Delta coax switches in our stations for antenna selection. These switches use Arc-Plug gas discharge tubes as lightening protection. Spare Arc-Plug elements sell for $10 – $12 from the traditional ham retailers. Mouser Electronics sells them for $2.37 each in quantities of 10. P/N 576-CG21000.

Thanks to Richard K2UPS for this tip.

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