June meeting to be held via Zoom

By Pat AAØO

We still won’t be able to meet in person for the June meeting, so in an effort to include more people (who may not be able to reach the 2m repeater) we’re going to hold the June meeting via Zoom. If you’re unfamiliar with it, Zoom is a free software that allows for group video chats. You can download the software from http://www.Zoom.us Video isn’t required, but encouraged, you can use your computer’s audio or you can dial in with your phone.

To help get everyone setup and alleviate problems … Click for more

Monthly Meeting moving to SPARC Repeater

By Pat AAØO

Due to the COVID19 virus and the ban on gatherings we will move the April meeting to a special net to be held on the SPARC repeater at the normal meeting time. The meeting will be on April 3rd at 7:30pm, on the 2m repeater at 147.060 MHz.

We will handle the club business as usual and then open the net for discussion. The vote on the update to the By Laws and the program on Loop Antennas by Rich AA2MF will be postponed until we are all able to … Click for more

Homebrew Night on February 7th

By Tom Schaefer NY4I

For the last few years, SPARC has held Homebrew Night in February. No, we are not talking about beer. In a long tradition, Homebrew in Amateur Radio is the things you craft yourself that you find useful in some aspect of radio. This is an evening where club members can show the projects they have built over the past year. The loose definition of homebrew equipment is something you built from scratch or a piece of gear you modified to suit your purpose. It can be an antenna project, a … Click for more

Get ready for the SPARC November Meeting

By Bob Wanek N2ESP

We will have a special presentation on Space Communications along with our yearly elections.

Jeff deGrasse, K4JJD will talk about space communications in the past, now and in the future. Jeff will discuss the history of ham communications in space. Then he will give us information on some of the various space communication techniques used today. Finally we look to the future and discuss developing technologies and how they will be used in future planned space missions

Help Support SPARC at Science Fest

By Bob Wanek N2ESP

After a year absence due to station relocation, SPARC will again be exhibiting at the St. Petersburg Science Festival on October 19th. This event is designed to provide children hands-on access to the wide world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math).

We need your help. We will be demonstrating “Worldwide Communications over Amateur Radio,” and will have an HF station running. We need CW and phone operators to man the station. We also need folks that can explain the excitement of our hobby to the public. If

… Click for more

SPARC Club Meeting Friday, Oct 4.

By Ed NZ1Q

Don’t miss this special program with Alan Dewey, WB9JTK, President of JTK Communications, Inc. Alan will demonstrate how his company fabricates circuit boards for builders and experimenters using his desktop equipment. Since we expect the demonstration of his process will last one hour we will start on time and expedite the break and business meeting.

Alan will tell us about advances in PCB fabrication now that through-hole components are disappearing. With that we are experiencing greater challenges to test and prototype our electronic circuit ideas. It is just not possible … Click for more

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