News from the Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club (SPARC)

Hi,

A card from the Ole Virginia Hams ARC arrived to day. Thought I wuold pass it along. This is the hamfest where we present the awards for the 2005 Virginia QSO party. 73, Gordon, NQ4K

***
The Ole Virginia Hams A.R.C.

MANASSAS HAMFEST
and Computer Show

June 5, 2005

Time - 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Vendors - Tailgating - 25 Acres
http://www.w4ovh.net

Location: Prince William Fairgrounds
10624 Dumfries Rd, Manassas, VA 20112 (Route 234)
Information: Keith (KM4AA) 703-909-1512
Talk In: 146.97- and 224.66- and 442.20+
*****

Hi,

We had an excellent meeting on 18 Apr.

First we scored the paper logs from the 2005 Virginia QSO party. Went fairly fast. We had the logs that Dick, W2YE, picked up from the SPARC mail box as well as the LRAG paper logs.

After that was done, we did our "show an tell." Bill, KC4ATU, low-powered us with his "tuna-can" 40M CW transmitter and receiver (although the receiver was still only a collection of parts). Bill, WF1L, and Jim, KF4PQL, impressed us with their newly acquired mobile radios. And finally, I showed off my 1960's vintage Viking Challenger transmitter and Viking 6N2 VFO. We are going to have to do this again.

See you at the next meeting.

73, Gordon, NQ4K

Received from: FAR

The National Capital ARES Council (NCAC) offers public service training twice each year, in the fall in Virginia and spring in Maryland.

The next NCAC Institute will be held on April 23 just off the Capital Beltway in Prince George's County. All amateurs interested in public and emergency service are encouraged to attend. The cost is $10 for a full day of training and includes lunch and all materials.

Registration is requested in advance. So that we can have enough materials and lunch for everyone, let us know your plans by writing to Dave Lane at KG4GIY@arrl.net. After April 16, you may pay at the door.

Topics and directions>>>>>>

Beginning at 8:30, we will offer:

Online Education--Dan Miller K3UFG of the ARRL.--coordinator of the program

Winlink--Lou Linden KI5TD, International Health Service volunteer, who helped facilitate a medical evacuation of a Honduran girl with life-threatening burns from a local clinic.

Louis F. Linden, KI5TD, won the November QST Cover Plaque Award (Dec 7, 2004) for his article "Winlink 2000 in the Jungle."

Doug Lindsey, KB3HER will follow up with the nuts and bolts.

SkyWarn training with National Weather Service meteorologist David Manning

NIMS-The National Incident Management System is the recognized model for incident management

Volunteer Roundtable-recruiting and keeping them, youth and retirees and their special places in the organization

ARES/RACES organization

We will have a variety of HeaterMeals for lunch. If you haven't tried one, here's your chance!

Science Fair-a display of clever inventions and solutions to common problems.

NOTE: If you would like to share an item at the Science Fair [poster presentation, tabletop display], contact Dan Blasberg at Blasberg@verizon.net to arrange space.


Directions to the Prince George Office of Emergency Management, Fire Service Building (6820 Webster St, Landover Hills, MD 20784) from Virginia via the Beltway over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge:
1. Take Beltway to Rt 450.

2. Take exit toward Bladensburg (West).

3. Go approx 2 miles.

4. At the light at 68th Ave turn Right, by the Landover Hills Fire Department.

5. Go one block to the end of the fire dept and turn right onto Webster St.

6. In two blocks you will come to the Hanford Graves Fire Service Building.

7. Proceed around the building CCW (follow the one way sign).

8. Park along the side or rear of the building in any non-designated space.

9. Enter through the front.

I hope to see you there!

Jeanne

posted by SPARC'ie  # 7:25 PM 0 comments

Finally noticed that the web site home page was missing the logos at the top and bottom. Fixed this. Also updated the "Activities" page to reflect the activities for next meeting. Jim recommended we have a short "show and tell" in addition to the Virginia QSO party scoring.

73, Gordon, NQ4K

Forrest writes:
Our meetings should be so interesting.
Enjoy!

Forrest

-----Original Message-----
From: On Behalf Of Dave Brown
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2005 7:44 AM
To: glowbug reflector
Subject: GB> A Night at the Ham Club

Wouldn't normally do this sort of thing, but you just HAVE to read
this -it popped up on the boatanchor list earlier today, from Mark-
K3MSB.  I'm  eagerly awaiting the next instalment-just what IS the old
timer up to?

73
Dave, ZL3FJ
************************************************************
Last evening was our monthly radio club meeting. There were about a dozen of the regulars in attendance, and three visitors. The meeting was proceeding normally when the door to the club house opened and an old timer walked in and leaned against the doorway. We invited him to sit down and join us, but he declined and proceeded to tell us that he was from the housing development across from the cemetery, and just wanted to stop in and ask if anybody had a plate transformer he could have.


Well, I was all nice and comfortable in one of the operating position's command chairs, but I must admit his request got my attention. Having someone pop in and ask for directions isn't unheard of, but popping in for a plate transformer is, well, you know, a tad out of the ordinary.

A silence descended upon the crowd and I noticed that all eyes slewed to me and my buddy (who was partaking of the second command chair). The two of us are known to posess strange knowledge, such as how to tune up a radio without using a wattmeter.

So, I asked the gentlemen what he wanted it for.  He replied "Believe me, you don't want to know".   A strange answer to be sure.   Someone than asked what kind of current he was running.  He then waved his hands and told us that it was for a "chemical experiment", and he only needed about 500 volts at a few millamps. He then let us know that he had some things to trade, such as some muffin fans.

Now,  while my buddy and I actually knew how to use a plate  transformer, quite a few others seemed to at least know that a "plate" transformer was some kind of high voltage gizmo, and from the looks on their faces they shared my buddy's and my sentiments that this guy wasn't going to get anybody's plate transformer for a couple of muffin fans.

So, we told the feller we'd take a look, and he was on his way.

The meeting went on, thankfully not in an ad naseum manner, and we soon adjourned.  I got to talking to two of the visitors.  They were both recently licensed, wanted to upgrade to General to get on HF, and were asking us what the best way was to learn the code. We told the one that starting off at 20 WPM as he wanted to do was not a good idea; his intention being that if he could master 20 WPM  then 5 would be a cinch.  I suggested listening to W1AW, and inquired if he had access to an HF receiver. 

"Heck yeah" was his reply, " I got a 706 MK 1".    Well, that's great, and we told him to start listening to W1AW.

Somewhere along the line the he told me that he also owned an SB-200, but he didn't know if it worked.  Would I know how to find out?   Well, we chatted for a few minutes on this issue,  when the topic of ALC came up.  He proudly told me that "I don't need that ALC, cause it just limits the mic frequency to 5 KHz, and all I want the SB-200 for is the power".  

Surprisingly, I did not spit my can of soda out, nor did soda start coming through my nose. I was proud to keep composure in light of such a slight technical
inaccuracy and after all, he was a visitor.

Well, he was still talking about his SB-200 and I must confess that at this point, my mind started wandering to the old codger and the muffin fans. 500 Volts at a few mills, maybe to take care of the neighbor's cat? Chemical experiments near a cemetery?   Reality finally found it's way back and our visitor was asking me if I would know if the capacitors were good in his SB-220. I told him that I wasn't sure, but as I recalled the plate voltage was around 2200V, and the cap bank was composed of 6 capacitors, so the voltage drop across each should be around 350 to 400V or so, and that he could measure each voltage drop to see if any were shorted.

He was now concerned about what to do if any of the caps were shorted; could he still get replacements.   At this point,  the second visitor (they both came in together) very factually told us that "They're big ones, a few hundred thousand microfarads each"

At this point, I figured that it was time to exit stage right, and fortunately my soda can was empty, so I excused myself and went inside.. and stayed there for a good 10 minutes after which I peeked out the door. Breathing easy, I saw they had departed, and headed home.

73 Mark K3MSB

Hi,

Thought I would try this for a while. New technology and I guess I have to keep up.

73,
Gordon, NQ4K

Hi,

Here is the link to the old news page: http://www.qsl.net/sterling/News/News.htm

73,
Gordon, NQ4K