News from the Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club (SPARC)

 Hi,

Our weekly 2M/Zoom Net will be Wednesday, 28 April at 8:00 PM.

Same agenda.
   Open net
   Check-ins
   Initial round of introductions and comments.
   Short story/tech talk (looking for volunteer)
   Final round of comments with Joke
   Close net

You can join us on 2M repeater or on Zoom or both.

73, Gordon, NQ4K

Join via 2M Repeater
      2M on the Dulles Repeater 145.310 (-) PL77

Join via Zoom Meeting - Email for connection information

posted by SPARC'ie  # 7:18 AM

 Hi,

Excellent 2M/Zoom Net meeting.  Eight participants.  Good time.

I saved four jokes to repeat to my XYL.

73, Gordon, NQ4K

posted by SPARC'ie  # 11:44 AM

Hi,

Our weekly 2M/Zoom Net will be Wednesday, 21 April at 8:00 PM.

Same agenda.
   Open net
   Check-ins
   Initial round of introductions and comments.
   Short story/tech talk (looking for volunteer)
   Final round of comments with Joke
   Close net

You can join us on 2M repeater or on Zoom or both.

73, Gordon, NQ4K

Join via 2M Repeater
      2M on the Dulles Repeater 145.310 (-) PL77

Email for Zoom connection information.

posted by SPARC'ie  # 5:07 PM

 Hi,

A very nice Stand-In.  Ten attended.  Nice little breeze. 

There were more people out and about the park.  Several families with the accompanying sounds of children playing. 

John's, KK4AHY, problem with interference continues.  Bud, W4KSN, is cleaning out his shack and brought a box of cables to give away.  Scott, WB6EFW, mentioned he will become the ARES leader in Loudoun county in the near future. 

Mike, WB6RDN, did not attend because it was not cold enough for him to wear shorts. HA HA

73, Gordon, NQ4K

posted by SPARC'ie  # 5:06 PM

 Hi,

We will have our Sunday Stand-In on Sunday, 18 April, at 1300 at the amphitheater at Claude Moore Park (near the visitor center).  We may move across the parking lot to pavilion if it is not being used.  Or maybe somewhere close by is the Park is busy.

For the Stand-In, we bring masks, do social distancing, and enjoy a lot of talk. 

The weather says 60 deg, with high cloud cover, very low winds, and with very low percent chance of rain.

Remember not to park on the grass - you could get a ticket or warning.

Hope to see you all there.

73,

posted by SPARC'ie  # 9:24 AM

 Hi,

The funeral arrangements for Gary, K4SRX-SK, are as follows:

  Friday  5-8 PM  Viewing at Adams-Green in Herndon

  Saturday  10:00 AM  Funeral Service at Chantilly Bible Church, 4390 Pleasant Valley Road, Chantilly, VA
              Followed by private family internment at Chestnut Grove Cemetery.

A nice obituary is at:
  https://adamsgreen.com/tribute/details/12003/Gary-Rinker/obituary.html#tribute-start

73, Gordon, NQ4K

posted by SPARC'ie  # 12:37 PM

 Hi,

Our weekly 2M/Zoom Net will be Wednesday, 31 March at 8:00 PM.

Same agenda.
   Open net
   Check-ins
   Initial round of introductions and comments.
   Short story/tech talk (looking for volunteer)
   Final round of comments with Joke
   Close net

You can join us on 2M repeater or on Zoom or both.

73, Gordon, NQ4K

Join via 2M Repeater
      2M on the Dulles Repeater 145.310 (-) PL77

Email for Zoom information

posted by SPARC'ie  # 10:46 AM

 Hi,

We are sorry to relay that Gary Rinker, K4SRX, passed away peacefully yesterday evening.  Duane had talked to him on the phone yesterday and he seemed well, so this was unexpected.

He was a friend to all, long time member of SPARC,  always enthusiastic about ham radio, and always willing to help.  He will be missed.

Gary's father will be making funeral arrangements at Adams-Green Funeral Home in Herndon.  Duane, K4UW, will pass along information as it becomes available.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

73, Gordon, NQ4K

posted by SPARC'ie  # 9:00 AM

Hi,

Remember to join us this evening. 

If you are looking grubby, you can still join us because Zoom does not do odors and you can turn off the video. 

Remember 7 PM.

73, Gordon, NQ4K

posted by SPARC'ie  # 8:09 AM

 Hi,

It is time for our monthly SPARC club meeting.  This meeting starts at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, 7 April. 

This meeting will be held via Zoom. The connection information is below.  It is same connection we always use.

After introductions, we will have a presentation. 

Marty, NV3H, has arranged for John Pinckney, W3XWT, to return for his third talk. This one is “Numbers Stations: An Audience of One?”  I remember hearing about number stations.  Maybe there are some still going.  Maybe not.  You will have to attend the presentation to find out.

We have a few items of club business.

The Virginia QSO party is over.  Most logs are probably in but the due date is still a few days away on 15 April.  Marty's log submittal portal worked very well.  Henry's scoring program is working well.  We will see how Barry is doing with defining the certificate achievement levels.

Herndon Festival, normally scheduled for late May or early June has been cancelled.  

Field Day is still on ARRL's calendar.  We will not be doing an actual field day event at Park View High School this year.  The COVID pandemic is still to unpredictable.  However, we can all work the Field Day from our home QTH.  So put this event on your calendar.

We have not had a Tech-Ten-Talk in some time.  Maybe this is the time to revive it.  Do we have a volunteer who wants to undertake the challenge?

73, Gordon, NQ4K

posted by SPARC'ie  # 4:17 PM

 Hi

Ten attendees.  Good meeting.  All on Zoom. No one on 2M.

Jokes are getting better.  Three that were good enough for me to write down and repeat to my XYL.

73, Gordon, NQ4K

posted by SPARC'ie  # 6:22 AM