News from the Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club (SPARC)

Hi,

We have added an SK page to our web site.  We have had four SKs in the recent years, the most recent is Jim Purks, KF4PQL.  His is the first page.

http://www.qsl.net/sterling/Silent_Keys/SK_Main.html

If anyone would like to contribute a story, remembrance, or picture, please email it to me and I will add it to the page.

73, Gordon, NQ4K

Hi,

Eric, AJ4LN, rightly points out that:

Herndon Festival is at the end of May.  For us, the special event booth is on Saturday, 30 May, and the Herndon 5K/10K races are Sunday, 31 May.

Manassas Hamfest and the Virginia QSO Party Awards Ceremony is on Sunday, 14 June, not 8 June.

Thanks for the corrections.

73, Gordon, NQ4K

Hi,

Another month has gone by very quickly.  The monthly meeting is this week on Wednesday, 1 April.

Refreshments will be provided by Dick, W2YE.

We have had a very busy month.

I worked the ARRL DX SSB and CQ WPX SSB contests.  Both were fun.

The Virginia QSO Party is coming along very well.  As of right now, we have received 260 logs. I am collecting them and Henry, K2BFY, will be scoring the electronic logs this year. Several of us worked the station at Dick's QTH.  We have also received photos from some participants. These are at:

http://www.qsl.net/sterling/VA_QSO_Party/2015_VQP/2015_VQP_Post_Party/2015_VQP_Post_Party.htm

A short demonstration this month will be given by Kevin, W4KLS, demo on radio network interoperability.

If anyone else has a short demo or presentation, there will be time at the meeting for it.

We have a few items of club business.

Herndon festival and race is coming up on 30-31 March.  This is to alert people to reserve the dates.

Manassas Hamfest and the Virginia QSO Party Awards ceremony will be on Sunday, 8 June.

Field Day is coming up at the end of June on 27-28 June.  We should have an initial discussion of what we want to do.

Finally, I am thinking about a new activity, called SPARC (SPARC Portable Amateur Radio Contest).  Randomly selected teams of 3 operate a portable station for 1 hour.  Teams will be organized from those who indicate a willingness to participate - hopefully a mixture of all skill levels.  We meet at a central location (maybe Claude Moore Park) at a convenient time, maybe 0800, teams go off, set up and operate from 0900-1000.  Team with most QSOs are declared Top SPARCers.  I liken this to a flash party.  Maybe on a weekend day in May.

If enough express and interest at our April meeting for at leat 3 teams, then we will proceed. Otherwise not.

See you at the meeting.

73, Grodon, NQ4K

Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club Monthly meeting minutes

Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Time: 7pm - 9pm
Location name: Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, Eastern Loudoun Station, community room
Location address: 46620 East Frederick Dr., Sterling, VA 20164
Facilitator: Gordon, NQ4K
Attendees: 20

Refreshments were provided by: Eric, AJ4LN

Secretary Eric, AJ4LN collected the annual $10 dues from 4 more people, and handed the money to treasurer, Ray, KD4RSL.

We were saddened by the news of the passing of long time club member Jim Purks, KF4PQL. We shared remembrances and photos, and had a moment of silence.

We had a round of introductions where each person shared their recent amateur radio related activities.

Charlie, K3SR, gave a presentation on test equipment and technical measurements for ham radio.
The test equipment included:
 - Noise bridge
 - Calibrated signal generator
 - SWR bridge
 - Bird watt meter
 - Low and high power dummy loads
 - MFJ-259b antenna analyzer
He also used various antennas and lengths of coax for demonstration purposes.

We finalized plans for the Virginia QSO Party.
 - Bill, KJ4VTH, reported that all the award plaques except 1 were paid for, and the other is expected to be paid for shortly.
 - Dick, W2YE, discussed the K4NVA club station at his place, and that we need operators.
 - Red, N3TG, still plans to do K4NVA/M HF Mobile on Sunday morning, though his mobile radio is out of service: Eric, AJ4LN, will lend him a radio for the event.

- Eric Carlson, AJ4LN, Secretary

Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club Monthly meeting minutes

Date: Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Time: 7pm - 9pm
Location name: Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, Eastern Loudoun Station, community room
Location address: 46620 East Frederick Dr., Sterling, VA 20164
Facilitator: Gordon, NQ4K
Attendees: 17, including 1 new attendee

Refreshments were provided by: No refreshments

Secretary Eric, AJ4LN collected the annual $10 dues from 6 more people, and handed the money to treasurer, Ray, KD4RSL.

We had a round of introductions where each person shared their recent amateur radio related activities.

Henry, K2BFY, gave a presentation on Loudoun County ARES.

We discussed the Virginia QSO Party.

We discussed the recently completed technician license class.

Next month: Charlie, K3SR will give a presentation on technical measurements for ham radio.

- Eric Carlson, AJ4LN, Secretary