Operating

FQP: A Big Struggle, A Big Success

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 05/01/2017

By Bob Wanek N2ESP

This year, SPARC contest station W4TA participated in the Florida QSO Party with a special 1×1 call: W4S. 2017 marks the 20th anniversary of the FQP. In celebration, twenty Florida stations were given special 1×1 calls such that the proper suffixes, when combined together, spell out FLORIDA SUN as part of this year’s FQP spelling bee. That means that the rest of the country was looking for us.

Things started slowly for the CW station on 40M while the SSB … Click for more

Random Lessons from 30+ Years of Field Days

By Tom Schaefer NY4I on 04/26/2017

by: Tom Schaefer, NY4I

First, these are my own opinions, but I thought the club might enjoy some things I have picked up over the years. I have seen all of these things actually happen.

Going to Field Day is the best ham radio best decision you will ever make!
This one is only half-joking…The most dangerous place to be is between the Field Day site and the parking lot at 1759z on Sunday afternoon. Teardown starts at 1800z so it is the really committed (and tired) that hang around

… Click for more

Join Us to Create a Pile Up

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 04/09/2017

This month, join the contesters at SPARC Contest station W4TA as they use the special 1×1 call sign W4S in the Florida QSO Party. The object of the Florida QSO Party is for everyone to work Florida (67 counties) and Florida to work everyone.

This year is the 20^th anniversary of the FQP. In celebration, twenty Florida stations have been given special 1×1 calls such that when the proper suffixes are combined together spell out FLORIDA SUN (e.g. SUN = W4S & K4U & W4N… Click for more

Operators needed for W4S at the Sun n’ Fun International Fly-In & Expo in Lakeland.

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 03/04/2017

Coverage is needed Tuesday, April 4, through Sunday, April 9, 2017. Operating hours are 0900 – 1700 each day except Sunday, 0900-1500. W4S will be setup at the back West exit of the Museum. General information on the Fly-In, can be found at the Sun n’ Fun web site click HERE.

Volunteer time will be 3 1/2 to 4 hours per day. I need to know the day they wish to and if they would like to work AM or PM hours. Volunteers will get a pass into the … Click for more

SPARC Members attend West Central Florida Section TECHCON

By Tom Schaefer NY4I on 02/26/2017

Section Manager Darrell KT4WX discussing PICAXE Microcontrollers.

On Saturday, February 25, several members of SPARC made the trip to Sarasota for the 3rd annual WCF section TECHCON. This is a free technical conference put on by the WCF ARRL section technical staff. The location changes to various places around the section to allow the most section members to attend.

This year, there were two conference tracks. One focused on more introductory topics such as station design, antenna building, APRS and programable microcontrollers such as the PICAXE and the Arduino. … Click for more

NAQP RTTY Effort a Success

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 02/26/2017

The W4TA SPARC contest team set another club record this weekend. Eight operators were able to make 950 QSOs and 147 multipliers in 12 hours on four different bands for a total of 139,650 claimed points. Our previous record was 94,416 claimed points in July of 2012. Quite an improvement.

Special thanks to Ron, KP2N in organizing, preparing for and keeping the effort on track. Additionally for keeping the equipment humming (and making noise), and for his patience in mentoring the less experienced members of the team,

Additional thanks to … Click for more

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