News from the Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club (SPARC)
The SPARC web site is at http://www.qsl.net/sterling.
Monday, June 26, 2017
Field Day
Eric, AJ4LN, has compiled the logs from the HF stations, except for the GOTA station, and provided some summary data.
Once again, Jim, AF4MO, leads the pack with the highest number of QSOs. He did 286 of the 986 QSOs. That is 29 percent of all the QSOs. He got out at the field day site about 1030 Saturday night and worked at it until about 5:30 Sunday morning. An excellent effort.
In addition, Ray, KD4RSL, did 5 QSOs on 2M.
And the GOTA station had 143 QSOs.
We will have to wait until, Dick, W2YE, finishes compiling our field day entry to see how well we did overall.
73, Gordon, NQ4K
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Field Day - Its Over
It is over. Except for cleaning up equipment and putting it away.
We all did an excellent job. Really good time Saturday evening - lots of folks came out to chat.
Thanks to all of those who helps set up and tear down. It really helps when there are more hands. We have a couple of pictures of the group at the end of setup and at the end of the tear-down.
We also had a good number of operators. It was fun watching some hams try it our for the first time.
We did have two who had the energy to spend the night. Jim, AF4MO, and Gary, K4SRX, were there until the sun came up.
Pictures and any stores you want to email to me will be posted in a couple of days. If you took pictures, please email or we can make arrangements for me to pick them up.
I had fun. Thank you all for making that possible.
See you at the pizza party in August.
73, Gordon, NQ4K
Friday, June 23, 2017
Field Day Update Friday Night
Antenna rope hanging went well. 3 of 4 poles were successfully fitted with rope. Number 4 pole resisted all attempts by our group of four marksmen (Dick, W2YE; Bill, K4UPE; Monte, KV4KS; and Paul, K4PDF).
We had an excellent turnout. About 15 hams in all. We started at 8 and ended at about 9:15.
We start again at 1000 tomorrow, Saturday. In addition to the normal site setup, we will still need to string rope on the fourth pole. We need some additional slingshoters - the work this evening took its toll on the equipment - at least three of the four marksmen had equipment failures.
the good news is that the weather looks good. Probably some rain very early Saturday morning, but is should be all gone by 1000 when we start to setup. The remained of the weekend is clear.
See you tomorrow morning.
73, Gordon, NQ4K
Field Day - Update
Field Day starts this evening with rope hanging.
The weather appears to be accommodating our Field Day planning. Paul, K4PDF, pointed me to Weather underground, which has an excellent display. See https://www.wunderground.com/q/zmw:20163.1.99999?MR=1
For today, Friday, there is a very low probability of rain all day and very low at 7PM this evening. We should be OK.
For Tomorrow, Saturday, there probably will be rain in the early morning, but by 1000AM it should be over. Then nice for the rest of the weekend.
Of course, the weather changes all the time.
We can still use volunteers to fill out our plan. See attached.
See you all tonight.
73, Gordon, NQ4K
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Field Day Update
Paul, K4PDRF, reports the weather is probably going to be fair. Perhaps with rain during rope hanging on Friday. The usual approach to rain on Friday is that we show and make a weather decision on the spot. We have not had a problem in several year. For some reason, 7 PM seems to be a good time.
Kevin, W4KLS, reports that he will be in Europe during Field Day. He has done the educational activity in the past. We are now looking for someone to present a short educational activity at 5PM on Saturday. Something short, ideally a demonstration to build some interest. For example, one year, Mark, KI4OBT, demonstrated foxhunt transmitters and held a small foxhunt on the football field.
I have the formal messages drafted. Still looking for someone to volunteer to send them during Field Day.
We have operators about half full for the two SSB stations. Please let me know when you would like to operator.
Current version of the plan is attached with items we need help with highlighted in RED.
73, Gordon, NQ4K
Monday, June 19, 2017
Field Day Weather
Expect a fair (30%) chance of thunderstorms during or slightly before rope hanging on Friday with temps in mid 80"S. on Saturday expect mostly cloudy skies and temps around 87 degrees and a Slim chance of of rain or thunderstorms, Overnight expect temps of 68 or so again with low chances of rain., Same into Sunday with temps of 88 or so during tear down. again low chances of rain or storms. mostly cloudy during the day and clear overnight! Just about the best we could expect
to look at a graphic of this you can use the following link to my weather forecast:
https://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=pws:KVASTERL47&MR=1
Paul K4PDF
Monday, June 12, 2017
Virginia QSO Party Pictures and Mailing
The Virginia QSO Party awards ceremony pictures have been posted to the web site and the website updated.
http://www.qsl.net/sterling/VA_QSO_Party/2017_VQP/2017_VQP_Main.html
The certificates and plaques which were not picked up at the awards ceremony have been mailed. Thanks to Red, N3TG, and Carol, XYL, for helping with envelope stuffing and mailing.
I believe that is the last action for the 2017 Virginia QSO Party.
73, Gordon, NQ4K
Friday, June 09, 2017
Herndon Festival Pictures
Some pictures are posted at:
http://www.qsl.net/sterling/HerndonFest/2017/2017_Herndon_Festival_Pics/2017_Herndon_Festival.html
Thanks to all who made this a wonderful event.
73, Gordon, NQ4K
Field Day Plan for Comment
Field Day is coming up quick. The actual event is on Saturday and Sunday, 24-25 June, with antenna rope hanging on Friday, 23 June.
Paul, K4PDF, reports that he has made arrangements for the use of the same area as last year at Park View High School for our use. He will also pick up the key to the gate on Friday, before our antenna rope hanging activity.
Eric, AJ4LN, will host the computer /N1MM / radio setup at his QTH on Saturday, 10 June at 1300. Dick, W2YE, and Blair, KC9BBW, will be there with their radios and computers. They will hook all the radios and computers up to ensure they are working prior to setting them up on Field Day. All are invited to attend to watch and help out. It is an excellent opportunity to see how everything is hooked up.
At the last club meeting, we discussed field day and updated our draft plan. See our webpage.
There are still several TBDs in the plan and we have not filled out the radio operator times.
If you want to fill in one of the TBDs, please email back and we will add you to the list.
If you want to reserve come operator time on one of the radios, please email back and we will put you in that time slot.
That is all for now.
73, Gordon, NQ4K
Thursday, June 08, 2017
Field Day N1MM Logger+ logging computer set up, this Saturday, June 10, 1pm
Once again, we will do the annual Field Day N1MM Logger+ logging computer and radio set up at my house this Saturday, June 10 at 1pm.
Tuesday, June 06, 2017
Meeting, Wednesday, 7 June, at 7PM - REMINDER
Tomorrow it the meeting. Please remember to come out. This meeting is specially designed to acquaint our new members and new hams with field day.
I understand that Herndon Festival and the Virginia Awards Ceremony went very well. Maybe Marty, NV3H and Gordon, NQ4K, can give us an report.
See you all on Wednesday.
73, Gordon, NQ4K
Saturday, June 03, 2017
Herndon Festival Booth
The booth went great today.
Set up a little after 8. Weather was great all day. Had several visitors. A couple of older hams and a couple of people interested in becoming hams.
In addition, John, KK4AHY, Mary, KK4HMX, and Tia, KM4WXA, stopped by to chat.
Closed down at 5. At home now, but maybe the equipment will wait until tomorrow to be put away.
Tomorrow, Sunday, we have the Herndon Festival Races, with at least nine members of the club participating, and the Virginia QSO Party Awards Ceremony, with at least three participating. It will be a full day.
73, Gordon, NQ4K
Friday, June 02, 2017
SDR radio presentation
Skip, KJ4LBB, passed this info along to us.
DARPA Software Defined Radio Hackfest
Tuesday, 6 June 2017
7 PM to 9 PM
Price $5.00 per person
See https://www.meetup.com/NOVA-Makers/events/239180262/#
73, Gordon, NQ4K
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