Posts published in “Station Building”

Getting Started on the SPARC Remote Station

By Tom Schaefer NY4I

A few people have asked recently how to get started on the SPARC Remote station. For those that may not know, a benefit of SPARC membership is the ability to use the club station remotely via your PC. This is done via the free RemoteHams software. You can always find information on how to get started on our Remote Station page but I will summarize it here too. The complete RemoteHams Getting Started Guide is available as a PDF. I highly recommend reading this before you get started.

Assuming … Click for more

A New R7 Vertical, Two Working FSK stations and One Step Closer on the K3 Remote Station…

By Tom Schaefer NY4I

Today (12/29/2015), several SPARC members met at the SPARC Clubhouse to work on several projects to help with contesting and other activities at the W4GAC station. Bob N2ESP, John KI4UIP, Dave KR4U, Ron KP2N and Tom NY4I worked on various projects that needed to be done for this weekend’s ARRL RTTY contest. While John, Dave and Bob wrestled the Cushcraft R7 antenna into position outside and ran coax, the rest of us worked on tweaking the Elecraft K3 to work on RTTY FSK mode. For a reason that would … Click for more

Automatic Antenna Switch Decoder added to W4GAC Station

By Tom Schaefer NY4I

Ron KP2N and Tom NY4I added a Top Ten Devices Band Decoder to the W4GAC station. This switch ties into the existing Six Pack antenna switch. The idea is that rather than the operator having to select the right antenna, the Band Decoder follows a signal sent from the radio that tells the decoder what band the radio is on at the time. The corresponding position is then switched on the antenna switch. So when the radio is on bands 10m – 20m, the Log Periodic is selected. When … Click for more

SPARC Members attend West Central Florida Section TECHCON

By Tom Schaefer NY4I

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

Shack Update II

By Bob Wanek N2ESP

The coax from the surge protection devices outside the building

has been redirected

to the antenna switch panel at the new shack location.

Thanks to John KI4UIP and Dave KR4U for the installation and to Tom NY4I for fabricating the coax cable assemblies.

We’re still looking for a location for our monthly meetings. Email suggestions to president@sparc-club.org.

Shack Relocation Update

By Bob Wanek N2ESP

Lots of progress has been made moving the shack to its new location.

The electrical panel has been moved, the wiring and outlets have been installed, and the antenna switch panel has been relocated. Many thanks to Dee N4GD, Billy KN4LUZ, Ray KD4HUW , George W1AAG, Dave KR4U, John KI4UIP. The holes creating the path from the switch panel through the ceiling to the outside box junction box is complete.

We are waiting for the new coax cables from the outside box to the new … Click for more