Author: Harry - K0TV

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Liberty Park Island on the Air — ANOTHER CHANGE

Sorry everyone!

The US Islands on the Air event originally scheduled for September 14 then postponed to September 21 is now postponed again to September 28.

The National Weather Service Decision Support System Packet for the weekend doesn’t have kind things to say about our weather chances for Saturday.  It has been decided to cancel Saturday and try again on September 28.

This will be our last opportunity because we will then be into SparkFest season and then into November.  Let’s try
Saturday September 28
for now and after that we can talk about it at the next SPARK meeting.

Strike 2.
Let’s see what kind of pitch we get in a week.

https://usislands.org
Island #MO019L
Liberty Park Island
Pettis County
Missouri

Harry, K0TV

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Liberty Park Island on the Air Event change

The US Islands on the Air event originally scheduled for September 14 is postponed to another date.

The Pettis County United Way and the Sedalia Parks and Recreation organizations are going to be using the entire Liberty Park that day for their “Day at The Park” event.

https://www.spcuw.org/day-park

They plan to have food trucks, other vehicles on display, as well as games, kids activities, and prizes.  Access will be limited, some streets will be one way, parking will be difficult.  The event will span the entire park, so we have a conflict.

For now the date for this club event is changed to
Saturday September 21
as the alternate.  Next week, I’ll let Parks and Recreation know about our plan to be on the Island that Saturday.

Note.  This is not an IOTA activation.  That group is focused on islands world wide and it basically only covers costal islands of the US.  Our activation is part of the US Islands group at

https://usislands.org

Island #MO019L
Liberty Park Island
Pettis County
Missouri

Please make note of the date change on your calendars.

Harry, K0TV

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April 10, 2022 Sunday night SPARK net

The club is beginning to use the Net Control Manager for logging our nets.

You can find Net Control Manager by clicking HERE

You can follow net activity, see check ins, and get some cool post-net statistics.  This is a map of tonights check ins for example.

The reports you will find on net-manager are available for viewing immediately following the net.  You can check the statistics at your own convenience.

 

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WinLink Thursday beginning again

WinLink Thursday exercises have begun again.

Go here for information and download the exercise PDF:
https://www.emcomm-training.org/Winlink_Thursdays.html

I participated last year and found each exercise to be not only informative but a lot of fun.  Every weekly exercise added a layer of complexity and a new challenge.  As a result, quite a bit was learned regarding the capabilities and previously unknown inner workings of using WinLink.

If you are already using WinLink, then you are set. If your equipment is set up for digital modes, like FT8, then you are very close and you may only need to add the software.  There is a local VHF FM WinLink node on 145.07 WAØSDO-10.  You can use Packet Radio for access.  Or, WinLink using VARA-HF modem software works very well on HF.  Once you have WinLink working, the PDF, mentioned above, pretty much leads you click by click on what you need to complete the exercise.

The exercise runs 0000Z to 2359Z on Thursday. Usually on the weekend following the Thursday exercise, they publish a map showing all the check-ins.  It would be cool to see lots of spots show up here in central Missouri.

Harry, KØTV

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Field Day 2021 – After the Fact

Field Day 2021 is behind us.
Time for picking up the pieces and reviewing how we did.
The map shows where we made contacts.

Early stats so far appear to be that we had:
21 members/guests signed in
3 new members joined
25 points made from contacts
We are still counting the bonus points
Also, there might be other members who will share points from their home station contacts

What happened:
On Friday there was really bad weather in the area and a forecast for Saturday threatened cancellation of our event.  But we found things different on Saturday morning. Can you believe it, the weather forecast was wrong!

At 10am, we decided to go ahead and do set up.
We were done around noonish
We began operation at 1pm
We were class 5A and our ARRL section was MO.
There was a lot of digital activity (FT8 mostly), but conditions for both voice and digital didn’t seem to be very favorable.
Around 3pm, we had a small, but very strong, storm cell pass over the FD site bringing a huge amount of rain over a short period.
We took a break about 5pm for supper.
We enjoyed hot dogs, side dishes, and deserts.
Daren KDØOPS cooked the dogs.
I didn’t try all the pot luck dishes. But, Chris KCØTKS ‘best ever baked beans’ claim didn’t disappoint.
We closed around 8pm. Everyone left in shiny, clean, freshly washed vehicles from the 3pm downpour.

Points are still being counted. A better idea of how we did will be announced at the July club meeting. The ARRL publishes Field Day results in their December QST magazine.

If you got contacts from your home stations, consider turning in points for yourself. Claim those contacts for your own call credit, but associate your submission with our club and your points will then be added to our club result.

Our club name is known as “Sedalia-Pettis AR Klub” to the ARRL.
We are an ARRL Special Service Club and are already in the ARRL database. So it is likely going to already be one of your choices as you search.

I’m working on collecting pictures which will be posted to this website. Be sure to check back later.

A really big Thank-You goes out to all the members of the SPARK club that made this 2021 Field Day such an enjoyable event.  I think everyone got something out of the experience and, if anything, we learned a few things to implement and make the next FD even better.

,73
Harry, KØTV

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Field Day 2021 – Friday evening comments

UPDATE: Field Day is a go

See everyone there.  It is Friday evening. We had some pretty fierce rain pass thru. And, the Saturday forecast is for even more rain.

I know why you are reading this. You are concerned about how that will affect the SPARK Field Day plans.

Well, for now, we are still a GO.  The set up crew is still looking to meet around 10am.  Everyone will throw around their opinions, and we will decide about any FD schedule changes at that time.

Continue to watch this website, the club FaceBook page, and also monitor the club 2M repeater. We will do our best to keep everyone informed about how this weekend weather event might alter our plans.

Harry, KØTV
K0tv@burford.org

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Field Day 2021 – You are invited

You are invited!

Local Amateur Radio operators, guests, even the Amateur Radio wanna-be are invited to the Sedalia SPARK club Field Day event being held this Saturday June 26, 2021. Stop by if you are in the neighborhood.

LOCATION:  Our Savior Lutheran Church, 3700 W. Broadway in Sedalia
DATE: Saturday June 26, 2021
SCHEDULE:
10:00 am                                 – Begin equipment setup
1:00 pm                                    – Begin operating
5:00 pm (or a little after) – Pot Luck Dinner

As of this post, we have 4 stations we will be putting on the air. We will determine our operating class Saturday morning.

For the pot luck, we will have hot dogs and fixings. Plus what ever dishes you might bring to share. I already have a list of a few folks saying they will be bringing something. Surprise dishes are OK, but it would be nice if you let me know what to expect.   The church has a refrigerator if you bring a dish that needs to be kept cold.

Plan to spend Saturday with us.
CU at Field Day
Harry, KØTV
K0tv@burford.org

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January 24, 2021 SPARK club net


PURPOSE: Weekly SPARK club information net
LOCATION: The club 147.03- (179.9) repeater
NET CONTROL: KØTV
CHECK IN:
KEØVCR, KEØWTX, KEØCYR, KEØOTS, ADØVD, KEØMER, KFØARQ, KDØOPV, KDØETL, KEØWJX, KEØFUD, W3MEB, WØVK, KEØUHO, KDØWXT, KEØYWX, KEØLMY, KEØLMZ, KEØYGT, KCØTKS

Net opened 8:00 pm and closed 8:15pm.  It only lasted 15min. Majority of check-in was in and out status. Pretty much everyone had other more pressing projects going on. The most frequent reason was getting back to the Chiefs Divisional game which was in progress.  If I missed anyone on the check in list or messed up your call, let me know and I’ll update the posting.

Harry, KØTV

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Online hamfest

www.qsotodayhamexpo.com

There ‘ya go. That is the link to the online hamfest mentioned at todays SPARK membership meeting.

Looks pretty cool. 70+ speakers, virtual vendor booths, and pretty significant door prizes. Sign up is free and presentations will be available for download for 30 days after the fest.  Use the link above to learn all the details.

Have fun
Harry, KØTV