JAMBOREE ON THE AIR 2018

The Spartanburg Amateur Radio Club will participate in this year's Boy Scout "Jamboree on the Air" which will take place on Saturday, October 20, at Morningside Baptist Church, 897 S.Pine Street, in Spartanburg.  The event begins at 8:30 AM and runs until noon.  All members are encouraged to support both the club and the Boy Scouts in this activity.  Here's how you can help:

1. Attend the event.  You don't have to stay the whole time, but your presence will demonstrate to the Scouts that ham radio is alive and well in Spartanburg.  (Wear your call sign badge!)  There will be plenty of opportunity for you to be involved in the activities!  Also, we will be setting up the day before - Friday, October 19, at 4:00 PM - and your help would be appreciated.

2. Loan your surplus gear for the static equipment display.   Any interesting piece of radio paraphernalia would be appreciated: radios, microphones, Morse keys, etc.  It doesn't have to be pretty and it doesn't have to be functional - it's for display only.  We'd especially like to have some home brew equipment.  If you can't attend the event but have gear you'd like to contribute, contact me - I'll pick it up and return it to you (wa8ojr@arrl.net).

3. Monitor the K4JLA repeater (147.315) during the event and be prepared to answer our CQ's.  We hope to have some Scouts ready to talk with you on the radio!

Many thanks for helping to make the 2018 JOTA a success!

73, Bruce  WA8OJR  

LETS PARTY LIKE IT'S 1919

On Saturday, July 21, 2018, we will have our Summer Supper and celebrate Fritz, W4NTO's, birthday. Born in 1919 he will be turning 99 years young. We will gather at the Grapevine Restaurant at 6:30 pm for the celebration. As always, this is a Dutch treat event. Let's have a big turn out to wish the club's Elmer a happy birthday! The Grapevine is located at 1926 Boiling Springs Road (Highway 9), Boiling Springs, SC. Mark your calendar's so you won't miss the fun!

FIELD DAY 2018

It's time for Field Day! The Grid Chase will begin on Saturday, June 23, 2018, at 2 pm. For the next 24 hours our members will make as many contacts as possible in an effort to improve our ranking from last year. This year we have two new state of the art Icom IC-7300 radios plus new end fed antennas. This years event will again be at the Drayton Fire Department, 50 Carney Street, Drayton SC. Setup is Friday, June 22, 2018, at 9 am. Below you will find a links to the Icom IC-7300 manual and a video to help you learn about these new radios. You can come early on Saturday, starting  at noon so you can "play" with the IC-7300 before the contest begins. Please bring snacks to share with your fellow radio operators; drinks and other necessary supplies will be provided. Get ready it's time to for Field Day. Come help your club participate in this awesome event and increase our ranking!

IC-7300 Specifications (Basic Manual)

IC-7300 VIDEO

Famous DXer Talks About his New Radio

Local Students Discover Amateur Radio

McCracken Middle School students found their radio voice with the help of Timothy Terrell, W4TDT, Bret Phillips, N9LPT and Fritz Nitsch, W4NTO. Timothy wants to thank his fellow SPARCsters who helped introduce these students to amateur radio. For most, this was their first opportunity to talk on amateur radio and he hopes this will inspire them to pursue a license. Bret and Fritz answered lots of questions and did a wonderful job promoting amateur radio. This is a great effort to inspire a new generation of Hams!

SPARC Moves to a New Home

On Tuesday, May 29, 2018, we will have the first meeting at our new home  on the campus of USC Upstate. The meeting space is in the University Readiness Center, a shared facility between the SC National Guard and USC Upstate. The building is located on North Campus Boulevard in Spartanburg  SC. The room for Tuesday, May 29th is 252; future meetings will alternate between rooms 252 and 219. All meetings will begin at 7:00 pm. We have included two links to help you find our new home, one from Google Maps and one from the University: 

University Readiness Center/ SC National Guard
USC Upstate Campus Map

See you Tuesday!

Ms. Bonnie Kallio

We are saddened to inform you of the passing of Ms. Bonnie Kallio, wife of Bill Kallio, KK4BRK. Bonnie passed away Saturday, May, 19, 2018. Visitation will be on Tuesday, May, 22, 2018, from 2:00 – 2:45 PM and the service will follow at 3:00 pm in Floyd’s Pacolet Chapel, 141 Memorial Drive, Pacolet, SC 29372. Please keep Bill in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. You will find her full obituary here: Bonnie Kallio Obituary

Sad News...

We are sorry to report that Mr. Mark Thompson, N4TIR, passed away on Saturday, March 10, 2018. Mark was a life member of SPARC and will be greatly missed. Information about his funeral arrangements may be found by following this link: Mr. Mark Thompson Obituary.

Ms. Deborah Beck, wife of Mr. Carl Beck, N3EKW, also passed away on March 10, 2018. Carl is a life member of SPARC and moved out of state a couple of years ago. Information about her funeral arrangements may be found by following this link: Ms. Deborah Beck Obituary.

Please keep both families in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

PHYLLIS HAYES THOMPSON

Ms. Phyllis Hayes Thompson, wife of Mark Thompson, N4TIR, passed away on Tuesday, February 20, 2018, after a brief illness. Visitation will be from 1:00-2:30 PM on Friday, February 23, 2018, at Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel, 2075 E. Main St., Spartanburg, SC 29307. A private graveside service will follow. 

Additional details my be found at http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/spartanburg/obituary.aspx?n=phyllis-hayes-thompson&pid=188256756.

Please keep Mark and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

 

December 2017 Business Meeting

December is here and this month's business meeting (December 5, 2017) will be held at Golden Corral located at 1492 W. O. Ezell Boulevard in Spartanburg.  Our annual Christmas Party will begin at 6:00 pm and members and guests are invited to attend.  Club members please check in with Lisa, N4BOO when you arrive so the club can pay for your meal and all non-members will pay as they enter the restaurant.  Santa has sent his gifts for our drawing so don't miss out on the time of fun and fellowship.

Spartanburg County's Community Emergency Preparedness Day 2017

On September 30th, 2017, SPARC will participate in Spartanburg County's Community Emergency Preparedness Day which will be held in conjunction with the Harvest Day Festival in Inman, SC.  We will begin set up between 7:30 and 7:45 am.  The event will start at 9 am and end at 5 pm.  All club members are invited to participate. The trailer will be set up for radio operation and tours.  Come and stay all day or come out for an hour or two; all help will be appreciated.  This is a great way to get some DX time in and practice using the club radios.  The Harvest Day festival has run for many years and has great community support so there will be many opportunities to "sell" ham radio to those in attendance. 

We will be located close to 43 North Main Street.  The business located at this address is Carolina Vision Associates.  Parking will be available across the railroad track and street at Inman First Baptist Church.  Hope to see you there!

Summer Supper

Please make plans to join us on July 22, 2017, for our annual summer supper. We will gather at the Grapevine Restaurant at 6:30 pm. This is dutch treat and is a great chance to get together for fun and fellowship. All are invited to attend so we hope you will join us! The Grapevine is located at 1926 Boiling Springs Road (Highway 9).

Don't miss the fun!

Field Day Log and IC-746PRO Videos

                                                    

Field Day 2017 is June 24th & 25th. In preparation for this fun event we wanted to send out some videos that will allow you to familiarize yourself with the logging program and radio we use for the contest.  Our goal this year is to exceed the points earned last year and these videos will prepare you to log and work the radio efficiently before the contest begins.  Enjoy and get those vocal cords and fingers in shape because Field Day will be here before we know it!

N3FJP Field Day Log - A Quick Start video from N3FJP shows how to use the logging software and highlights some of its new features.

IC746PRO Videos - These videos will give you an overview of how to operate the radio that will be used on our voice station.

Assaults on Marion and Mt. Mitchell Meeting

A meeting to finalize the details for the Assaults on Marion and Mt. Mitchell will be held this Tuesday night, May 9, 2017, at 7:00 pm.  We still have a couple of water stops that need radio operators so if you can help with the Assaults on Monday, May 15, 2017, please join us on Tuesday night.  Mike hopes to have the t-shirts for distribution also.  The meeting will be held in conjunction with the regularly scheduled rag chew at the Herald Journal building in Spartanburg.

A big thank you to all those who are working this great community event!

MARCH OF DIMES WALK

The March of Dimes Walk will be held this Saturday, April 29, 2017. The walk will begin at 9:00 am at Duncan Park, 81 West Park Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29306. Spartanburg Amateur Radio Club will once again be supporting this event by providing radio communications during the walk. We need to man the following positions: 2 water stations, 2 vans, 2 people at net control, 1 operator at the stage and 1 operator near the fire truck to help start the race. If you would like to help the club support this event please respond to lisacdav@gmail.com with your name, preferred position, and your t-shirt size. Please note that the organizer has not mentioned t-shirts this year so they may not be available; I am checking on the availability this week.

If you plan to volunteer for this event please meet at the District 7 Operations Center parking lot located at the corner of Union and Virginia Street by 7:45 am.  Vans will pick up their radio operators in the parking lot and other operators will disperse from there.

As always, thanks for your help!

Lisa Davis, N4BOO

President, Spartanburg Amateur Radio Club  

HAROLD KINLEY WA4GIB SK

Harold Kinley, WA4GIB, a friend and elmer to all passed away March 25, 2017, after a period of declining health. Harold  was a life member of SPARC and will be missed by all.  Below is a link to his obituary. Please keep Harold's family in your thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time.

Obituary

SPARC Business Meeting, March 7, 2017

We are pleased to announce that on Tuesday, March 7^th, Mr. Marc Tarpley-N4UFP, will be our guest speaker.  Marc is the South Carolina ARRL Section Manager and will speak to us about the benefits of ARRL membership, "Auxcomm", and the future of the Amateur Radio Parity Act.

As always, at the end of his presentation, the floor will be wide open for questions about any amateur radio related topic. 

Mr. Bill Pressley, KK4FE SK

We are very sad to report that Mr. Bill Pressley, KK4FE passed away Monday, February 13, 2017. He was a life member of SPARC and will be missed by all.  Many may remember he would say KK4EE Kilo Kilo 4 FRIED EGGS when identifying himself on the air.  73  KK4FE DE K4II

Obituary For Bill Pressley

ARES MEETING

On January 31, 2017, Pokey Burnett, KK4UCE will hold an ARES meeting at the Spartanburg Herald Journal building located at 189 W. Main Street in Spartanburg.  This will be an update on ARES in Spartanburg County and will begin at 7:00 pm.  The rag chew will also be held at 7:00 pm at the Spartanburg Herald Journal Building.  We hope you will plan to attend!
 
The first testing session of the new year will be held on February 14, 2017.  If you plan to test please arrive by 6:30 to complete your paperwork in preparation to test.  If you need more information about testing with the Spartanburg Amateur Radio Club please go to www.k4ii.com for all the details.

December Business Meeting Reminder

December is here and this month's business meeting will be held at Golden Corral located at 1492 W. O. Ezell Boulevard in Spartanburg.  Our annual Christmas Party will begin at 6:00 pm and members and guests are invited to attend.  Club members please check in with Lisa, N4BOO when you arrive so the club can pay for your meal and all non-members will pay as they enter the restaurant.  Santa has sent his gifts for our drawing so don't miss out on the time of fun and fellowship.

See you at the Golden Corral!

Tower Auction, Tuesday, November 8th

The final tower has been removed and will be auctioned off at the Rag Chew this Tuesday, November 8^th.  The rag chew begins at 7:00 pm and the auction will begin as soon as all parties have an opportunity to see the components that are available for purchase.  If you plan to bid on any of the merchandise please be prepared to take it with you.  Items that will be auctioned are: 

Tower Package – starting bid $350.00

·         5 sections of straight tower

·         1 taper top

·         1 six foot base section

·         1 rotor plate

·         1 mast

·         6 guy lines and turnbuckles

·         Assorted coax

Rotor – starting bid $75.00*

·         Ham IV rotor

·         Control box

·         Rotor cable

Moseley Classic – starting bid $200.00

·         HF Beam 24 foot boom

Cushcraft Six Meter Beam – starting bid $40.00

40/80 meter wire dipole – starting bid $10.00

*Rotor starting bid may be dropped to $45.00 if when checked out it does not work completely.