News from the Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club (SPARC)

Hi,

That is right! ARRL International DX Contest (CW) is this weekend. http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2008/intldx.html

Make a few QSOs and submit a log with Sterling Park ARC as your club.

73,
Gordon, NQ4K

International DX Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 123
Catawba, SC 29704
U.S.A.

January 25, 2008

GORDON R MILLER, NQ4K
STERLING PARK ARC
PO BOX 599
STERLING, VA 20167-0599

Dear :

We are sending this letter to you as the contact for STERLING PARK ARC
as identified on the ARRL’s list of affiliated amateur radio clubs. We wish to provide
you some information about the International DX Association—most often referred
to as INDEXA—and ask that you share our message with all of your members, either
at one of your meetings or via your club newsletter. If you or other members
of your group find what we are doing is worthwhile, then we ask that you support
INDEXA by becoming a member.

In 1983 INDEXA was incorporated as a non-profit organization to provide assistance
to various DXpeditions to rare and semi-rare DXCC entities. This year we are
celebrating our 25th anniversary of providing that support. In that time,
INDEXA has helped over 175 expeditions to operate from many countries on the
DX “most wanted” list. We have supported expeditions to many very rare DXCC
entities, sometimes more than once. In our earlier years we actually supplied
radio equipment such as rigs, antennas, coax , etc., along with purely financial
support. Over time our support has become principally financial contributions
since most of today’s DXpeditions are receiving valuable support from the various
equipment manufacturers.

The latest information on propagation predictions are that the next Solar Cycle
began in early January 2008. It looks like we are now beginning that positive
climb to what is believed to be a very strong cycle which in turn leads to
great propagation on the bands. This positive propagation trend will certainly
lead to more DXpeditions wanting to activate countries from the “Most Wanted”
DXCC list. Between December 2007 and March 2008, INDEXA is supporting five
separate DXpeditions. We have a lot more fun in store the next few years in
our DXing hobby.

What does this mean for INDEXA? Simply, INDEXA will be solicited for financial
support to help send DXpeditions on their way. DXpeditions make possible all
time new DXCC entities for some and new band entities/countries for many.
Yet, many DXpeditions are undertaken only when sufficient “seed money” is pledged
to render them possible, and that is where an organization like INDEXA comes
into play.

As a group which has expressed interest in Amateur Radio DXing, we presume
your club is interested in making DX happen. Beyond financial support that
your organization may already be providing—often after the fact, via contributions
with your QSL activity—we ask that members of your group join INDEXA, a non-profit
DX organization which has as one of its main goals provision of financial aid
to DXpeditions seeking to activate rare DX entities. A visit to our web site
at www.indexa.org will provide an informative overview of our organization
and our DXing history. The web site also provides information on how to join
electronically or by mail.

If you are already a member of INDEXA, we value your support so we can continue
supporting DXpeditions as we have done for a quarter century.

Thanks and best DX !!

-73 Gary Dixon, K4MQG, INDEXA President

John Scott, K8YC, INDEXA Vice-President

Bill Jennings, W4UNP, INDEXA Secretary-Treasurer

GEORGIA QSO PARTY 2008
APRIL 12 AND 13
Annually, the second full weekend of April
There are two operating periods:
1800Z Saturday until 0359Z Sunday
1400Z to 2359Z on Sunday

JOIN US!!
Mobiles operate as Rovers to get ALL GA counties On the Air
WE NEED YOU
OBJECTIVE:  For amateurs outside of the state of Georgia to make contact
with as many Phone and/or CW Georgia stations in as many of the 159 Georgia
counties, as possible.
Georgia stations work everyone on Phone, CW, or both modes.
The GQP is on 160m, 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m, 10m, and 6m only.
Awards for Club competition, Out of state clubs, and Georgia clubs, are
offered in each mode category along with the individual station awards.
New prizes are being prepared for 2008

GQP is becoming one of the most popular QSO party events.

QSO parties in general are now very popular.  GQP has gained some status as
one of the "best".  Our goal is to get all the 159 (!) GA counties on the
air for the event.  So far we have not quite done it.  It can be done if the
GA clubs rally to get stations on the air.  Home stations can easily put in
some hours on the weekend.  It is the Rovers who go to the rare counties and
make it fun.  Get in the mobile and visit your neighboring counties on short
Rover run.  GA is beautiful in April.

Use your favorite logger if you have one, send a Cabrillo file to
gqp@iham.us
ALL forms of logs are accepted, Text files, word doc files, spreadsheets,
paper logs too!
(The Mailing address for paper or?? is on the web site)

Full Rules, Prizes, Awards, current and prior results are on
http://gqp.contesting.com/
Be sure to visit the site, and check.

Want to sponsor Prizes, Plaques, or Awards.... Contact gqp@iham.us
GQP is sponsored by South East Contest Club, and Southeastern DX Club.

From the pit of the "Peach State"
James Lee Weaver
wi4r@comcast.net
http://home.comcast.net/~wi4r/

Hi,

1. Another month has gone. Jan seemed long, not really sure why. This month, I worked the NAQP CW contest and did 59 contacts. Search and pounce is a little slow as is my CW, but it was still fun.

2. Our Vice-President Jim, AF4MO, will lead the meeting this month. I will be on a business trip to California.

3. Refreshments will be served by Dick, W2YE.

4. The presentation this month will be on the "National Capital Region (NCR) Radio Cache." Kevin, W4KLS, is trying to get the Fairfax County Cache to our meeting. Alternatively, he will give a presentation on the same subject. He needs a projector to hook his computer up to. If anyone has one they can bring, please email Kevin, Jim or I.

5. We are rapidly coming up on the Virginia QSO Party. We got a lot done in January.

a. Bud, W4KSN, mailed flyers to all Virginia clubs. He can tell you a minor mishap with the flyers.

b. I has the opportunity to give the Virginia QSO Party presentation to two clubs. The Central Virginia Contest Club hosted me on 8 Jan and the Virginia DX Century Club hosted me on 15 Jan. Both gave me a warm reception.

c. We also updated the 2008 VQP Certificate with two new symbols: the Smithfield Ham and the Chincoteague Pony.

6. February is a crucial month in our process as there are several promotional activities that need to be accomplished this month.

a. Bud, W4KSN, has volunteered to email all clubs and also ask Dennis, W4PWF,to send an email to hams in Virginia.

b. Jim, AF4MO, has worked up some Virginia coverage telephone call lists for those counties and independent cities without much coverage. Last year, all members of the club volunteered to make some of these telephone calls.

c. We also need volunteers to:

1) Arrange for newspaper support from the Loudoun Times-Mirror and Loudoun Independent.

2) Place announcements on all the Virginia Traffic Nets.

3) Post announcements to various email reflectors such as the PVRC reflector.

4) Finally, Dick, W2YE, may solicit operators to operate the club station at his location.

7. I will also mention that there are two big contests coming up this month that our club normally participates in a a club, so please work tham and submit a log. These are:

16-17 February 2008 ARRL International DX Contest (CW)
1-2 March 2008 ARRL International DX Contest (Phone)

8. This will be a busy month as we get ready for the Party. Have a great meeting and I am sorry that I will miss it.

73,
Gordon, NQ4K

The Ole Virginia Hams (OVH) will be offering a General Class course starting March 8, 2008. Please refer to the attached flyer. If you or your club members have any questions please feel free to contact me via email.

http://www.w4ovh.net/

Regards and 73,

Mark Braunstein
WA4KFZ