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Posts published in “Station Building”

SPARC on the Move

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 09/17/2018

SPARC has been asked to relocate their station to another room in the same  building. Our station engineering team consisting of John KI4UIP and Dave KR4U has worked out a plan to move our equipment, furniture, power, internet and antenna wiring to the new station location.

Our old shack

 

On Saturday 9/15, the furniture and equipment was relocated to the new room. Additionally, all the equipment previously stored in the back room was also moved. In addition to John and Dave, thanks to Ron KP2N, Rich AA2MF, Tom NY4I, Lisa KC1YL, Bob N2ESP, Ed NZ1Q for assisting in the move. Additional work will be scheduled shortly.

 

Our new shack under construction

Our October business meeting will be the last meeting held at DMI. We are currently trying to identify a new location to hold our monthly meetings. We anticipate that we will be able to continue to do VE Testing in the new station room. If you have any meeting room suggestions, please send them to president@sparc-club.org

Keep an ear to the nightly nets, our web site and Face Book pages for up to the minute changes.

 

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SPARC Equipment for Sale

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 02/14/2018

SPARC has a wide variety of used equipment for sale. Equipment is on display inside W4GAC Clubhouse. Local pickup only. Click here to view the list. 

 

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Get your Homebrew project ready for Feb 2

By Ed NZ1Q on 01/13/2018

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 useful accessory, a piece of software (yes, radio-related software counts as homebrew), some modification and others. We usually get a good assortment of gear so if you have something you have come up with (or even a kit you built from plans), you are welcome to participate.

The way this works is we take the allotted time (usually 45 minutes), and divide it up by the number of people that wish to show something. You each get that amount of time to show us what you have. We will have the projector available so if you have some pictures and want to create a PowerPoint, or just send one of us the photos we can create the PPT. Some projects like antenna projects cannot travel well so pictures and whatever you have that will show the club what you did are fine.
If you can bring your project to pass around and let members see it, all the better. So, now is your chance to put the finishing touches on your latest project. Please let me know if you need assistance with the presentation part.

If you plan to show something at Homebrew Night, please let Ed NZ1Q or Tom NY4I know as soon as you can so we can get a count and schedule time.

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A Tale of Two Roundups

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 01/08/2018

 

W4TA 2017 RTTY RU Award

SPARC received word that we did well in last year’s RTTY Roundup, Multioperator Low Power category.

  • First in the West Central Florida Section
  • Second in the US & Canada
  • Winning the Southeast Division

Operators enjoying this victory are: KA4IOX, KB8ESY, KP2N, KR4U, N2ESP, N4GD, N4KPJ, N4RI, NY4I, VE3XD, W4CU and W4TSP.

Final tweaks on the 40M Vertical Dipole
Dave, KR4U Connects Surge Arrestors

Not to be out done, the 2018 Roundup just ended. Some new antennas and software enabled the W4TA team to beat last year’s score. This year’s team consisted of many experienced operators as well as some first timers. Operators braving this year’s cold weather and poor propagation were: KA4IOX, KB8ESY, KP2N, KR4U, KX4HL, N2ESP, N4BUA, N4GD, N4RI, NY4I, W4CU, W4TSP and WA4EEZ. Helping us brave the chilly weather was a crock pots of chili provided by Tom, W4CU and Sloppy Joes courtesy of Ron, KP2N.

Dee, N4GD Running
Dave, KR4U Works on Triplexer
Leslie, WA4EEZ Running
Pat, KX4HL Learning the Ropes on the Run Station
Ron, KP2N Cursing Propagation at the Mult Station

Lisa, KC1YL [L] Watches Leslie, WA4EEZ [R] Running
Problems with our triplexer prevented us from taking advantage of the log periodic antenna on multiple bans simultaneously. Dave, KR4U quickly diagnosed problems with the band pass filters, so our new 160/80M fan dipole was quickly put into service. The new 40M vertical dipole combined with the 160/80 dipole enabled the late night ops to run as well as search for multipliers on 40M & 80M throughout the evening. A few of the ops were new to contesting and N1MM+ software, so there was a bit of a learning curve. There was a lot of Elmering (mentoring) and hand holding for the first few QSOs, a small price to pay for bringing new blood into the Radiosport arena.

Many thanks to all those folks who worked on the station improvements that lead to another good effort by the SPARC Contest Team.

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New Aerials in the Ether

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 12/17/2017

The weather was picture perfect. The station engineering team of Dave, KR4U and John, KI4UIP had the necessary tools and hardware ready. Then the SPARC Elves showed up at W4GAC/W4TA, and suddenly our station had the ability to work the “top band.”

Fan dipole adjustments. (N2ESPhoto)

Up went a 160M/80M fan dipole, extending virtually the entire western property line of our station. But not before a semi-permanent tower was erected to support the north end of the antenna. A robust pine tree anchors the southern end.

 

 

 

 

NZ1Q checks for resonance. (N2RESPhoto)
KK4WTE watches KI4UIP exchange rotors. (N2ESPhoto)

The center of the antenna was hoisted up the tilt-telescopic tower, but not before the rotor was swapped out for a rebuilt unit.

 


[L to R] W4CU, N4GD & KC1YL assemble 40M vertical dipole. (N2ESPhoto)
While all that work was going on, another group of Elves were busy assembling and testing a 40M vertical dipole donated by Scott, N4RI. This antenna will shortly be mounted atop the tower section on the shipping containers. Provisions were also made to raise a 30M dipole, which was not done as most of the elder Elves ran out of gas. Expect these two antennas to be ready to go by early January.

The following SPARC elves graciously gave their time and talents to make this effort a success: Norman, KA1IJA; Lisa, KC1YL; Bob, KC4SXO; John, KI4UIP; Rick, KK4WTE; Ron, KP2N; Dave, KR4U; Pat, KX4HL; Ed, NZ1Q; Bob, N2ESP; Dee. N4GD; Scott, N4RI; Tom, NY4I; Tom, W4CU; Bob, WA4OAB and Ed, WV6H.

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You’re invited to an Antenna Party Saturday

By Bob Wanek N2ESP on 12/11/2017

SPARC members are all welcome and encouraged to assist at the assembly, repair and erection of antennas at W4GAC. Starting at 9:00AM on Saturday 12/16, the tower will be lowered to replace the rotator. At the same time, adjustments will be made to accommodate the center support for the new 80/160 dipole. The south end of the dipole will be attached to a tree near 90th Avenue. The north end will terminate at a new “tower” to be installed at the north end of the property. Finally, a new 40M vertical will be installed on the tower atop the shipping containers.

Everyone is welcome. Workers, assemblers, hold diggers, supervisors, laborers, students, etc.

 

 

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