SPARC

PayPal available for dues payments

By Pat AAØO on 12/21/2020

We’ve setup a PayPal for the club to make it easier to collect dues. Dues are $20 for single or $25 for household membership per year.

PayPal payments can be sent to treasurer@sparc-club.org. Clicking on the email link will take you to the PayPal payment website. Please include your callsign in the note. If you send a payment to the email without using the link please select the “Send to someone you trust” (Friends and Family) option so the club doesn’t pay fees. If you need to select the … 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

SPARCFest cancelled

By Pat AAØO on 10/14/2020

Due to the 50 person limitation placed on using Freedom Lake Park due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SPARC has decided to cancel this year’s SPARCFest that was to be held on November 14.

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Time for SPARC Club Elections

By Tom Schaefer NY4I on 09/12/2020

Hal Chase W1EES is heading up the nominating committee to create a slate of officers for the next SPARC year. The way this works according to our bylaws is the committee comes up with a slate of candidates and presents them at the October meeting. At that meeting, we will accept nominations from the “floor” (Zoom will be our forum of course). Once the nominations are closed in October, there is no other opportunity for nominations. At the November meeting, we have the election.

People subscribed to the club’s groups.io … 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