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Posts published by “Bob Wanek N2ESP”

Originally licensed as WN2JTL in 1968. License and interest lapsed until 1984 when relicensed as N2ESP. I currently hold an Extra class license and a BSEE from the Florida Institute of Technology.
I am past President of the St. Petersburg Amateur Radio Club (SPARC) and trustee of W4TA, the club’s contest station. I’m also a member of Florida Contest Group, an ARRL Volunteer Examiner, member of the ARRL A-1 Operator Club, frustrated DXer, 10-10 member (40586) and charter member of the Radio Shack Battery of the Month Club.

Station QTH is a small island (USi: FL285S Coquina Key) on the shores of Tampa Bay (Pinellas County / EL87qr). Station consists of an Elecraft K3/P3 (100W) into a ZeroFive GP-1040 Vertical/Ground Plane or an 80M Horizontal Loop. QSL via LoTW.

Woody Huddleston, K4SCL, SK

SPARC’s oldest member, Woodrow Huddleston, K4SCL, USN (Cmdr. Ret. US Navy) 103 of Largo, Florida passed away peacefully on June 19, 2021, just five days shy of his 104th birthday.

Known as Woody, he was born in Dublin, Mississippi and grew up in Sorrento, Illinois, the second of three children.

Woody served in the Navy for 30 years, as a ship-board radioman, as a “Silver Eagle” pilot, Pensacola flight instructor, flight squadron commander, and anti-submarine warfare strategist, before he retired in 1966.

After moving his family to Largo, FL, he … Click for more

SPARC Member A Top Ten Finisher

SPARC member and former club Vice President Rich, AA2MF, was among the top finishers in the 2021 ARRL RTTY Roundup radiosport event. Competing in the Single Operator, RTTY Only, Low Power category, Rich earned 102,178 points, giving him a top ten finish in the US and Canada. Congratulations Rich for a job well done.

Related Images:

Real Time Starlink Satellite Map

Hi space fans. If you enjoy Alan’s (KO4CR) informative QST announcements about space flights, perhaps you would enjoy knowing where those Starlink satellites are right now! Point your browser to https://satellitemap.space and see where the satellites are in real time.

Related Images:

Lagnaippe* Unique Tools – Who Knew

In preparing to do some rewiring in my shack, I investigated the use of crimp-on coax connectors. I ended up purchasing a crimp tool along with coax connector and Powerpole dies from DX Engineering. I can now easily install crimp-on connectors on a variety of coax cables. The die for Anderson Power Pole connectors will make their installation a snap as well.

In my research, I checked out a number of YouTube videos on the subject, I found this one very interesting.

Special Coax Scissors

What caught my attention were … Click for more

Aardvarks Rank High in Makrothen RTTY Contest

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

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

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