Press "Enter" to skip to content

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.

Skywarn Training

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 12/01/2016

St. Petersburg Fire Rescue will host a National Weather Service (NWS) SKYWARN Severe Weather Spotter training on December 14th.  This free 75-minute long class will be delivered by Tampa Bay National Weather Service Warning and Coordination Meteorologist Dan Noah. Those completing this training will receive a weather spotter’s guidebook and become part of a nationwide network of citizen monitors.  Citizen monitors report anomalies such as tornados, flooding rains and extreme temperatures. 

WHO:        Anyone! You can attend the training even if you do not want to be an official spotter.   

WHEN:… Click for more

2017 Dues Payable Now

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 11/15/2016

Rejoin now and get the entire 2017 year paid up, only $15 for all 12 months. You get all our club activities, events, club station, newsletter, meetings, e-mail reflector, websites and a lot more. You can re-up at any meeting or by mail.

Related Images:

Sweepstakes Operators Needed

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 11/13/2016

You are invited to join the SPARC Contesters as W4TA participates in the ARRL SSB Sweepstakes Sweepstakes Logocontest beginning this Saturday at 4:00PM. Sweepstakes is the oldest domestic amateur radio contest held, beginning in 1930.

We will gather around 1:00PM to reinstall our temporary 40M/80M dipole antenna, with operating activities starting at 4:00PM. The object of this contest is to exchange QSO information with other stations in the United States and Canada (including territories and possessions) using the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands. While the contest lasts … Click for more

W4TA back in Contest Mode…New Antennas Work Great

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 11/06/2016

With the completion of the relocation of our Log Periodic antenna on our new tower and the erection of a temporary dipole for 40M/80M, W4TA is on the air. The tower puts the antennas up around 55 feet. And boy do they work well in combination with the Alpha 9500 amplifier. We inaugurated the antenna/amplifier combination in the CW Sweepstakes contest, the oldest contest in amateur radio. It was no effort to hold a frequency and it was fun to hear the pile ups focused on us.

Congratulations to all … Click for more

Log Periodic Antenna Moved

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 11/02/2016

The Log Periodic antenna was transferred from its old location atop the shipping containers to the new tower by John, KI4UIP; Donn, N4KII; Dave, KR4U; Bob, N2ESP; and Hal, W1EES. Ron, KP2N replaced the logging computer power supply. With luck, W4TA will be ready for the sweepstakes. Click on title for photos.

lp2
The LP antenna removed from shipping containers.
lp1
The LP antenna installed on new tower.

Related Images:

Antenna Modeling with EZNEC

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 11/02/2016

 

The program for Friday, Nov 4, will be antenna modeling, building simple models and then comparing them to more complex antennas.  Ed, NZ1Q will demonstrate EZNEC software, which offers a free demo program that can be easily downloaded.   Ed will go through how to build an antenna model and read the resulting charts and graphs for a simple dipole, a two element beam and then as time permits, an Off Center Fed Dipole and other antennas., Radiation patterns, SWR, impedance matching and effects of grounds will be demonstrated. 

Be sure … Click for more

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com