Join Us for the 2018 July 4th Parade

SPARC been invited to march in the South Pasadena 4th of July Parade. The parade starts from the South Pasadena Public Library marshaling area and proceeds down Mission Street to Garfield Park.

The parade officially begins at 11:00 am.

If you are interested and able, please assemble in front of the library on El Centro Street before 10:30 am. We are in group #12 along with Neighborhood Watch and CERT (the street will be numbered). Invite other friends and family to participate too! Bicycles and scooters are allowed for the kids. Be sure to wear your SPARC t-shirt.
I look forward to seeing you there.

73,

Stan KR6CV, SPARC President

fourth of july flyer

Field Day 2018 Wrap Up

Field Day 2018 was a fun-filled twenty-four hours of outreach, learning and socializing. Hams from SPARC, Pasadena Radio Club, JPL Amateur Radio Club and Caltech Amateur Radio Club joined forces to operate seven different stations atop the Arroyo Seco at the Art Center College of Design. PRC’s Jim Marr AA6QI was our Field Day captain coordinating volunteers from the four clubs. SPARC was proud to run a Get on the Air (GOTA) station where visitors could try out a radio and make contacts without needing a license. We answered lots of questions and encouraged curious guests to take the plunge into our hobby.

Here are the reported number of contacts (QSOs) from each station.

  • 80-10m CW (Morse code): 1114 QSOs covering all 50 states
  • 40m single sideband (SSB):  354 QSOs covering 41 states
  • 75m/20m/15m SSB: 266 QSOs covering 44 states
  • 160m-10m digital mode station (FT8, PSK-31 & RTTY): 51 QSOs covering 21 states
  • VHF/UHF: 121 QSOs, all in California
  • GOTA: 25 QSOs from 1pm to 5pm on Saturday

Huge thanks to Jim Marr for making everything run so smoothly. To all the participating volunteers and to all the eager visitors, thanks for making Field Day 2018 such an enjoyable and memorable experience. Hope to see you soon at a meeting and hear you on the air!

2 GOTA future ham
A future ham gets on the air.
3 GOTA red shirt
Making that first QSO.
4 GOTA hello
Open for business!
5 JPL van exterior
The JPL EmComm Van
6 JPl van Stan
SPARC president Stan KR6CV and JPL’s Jonathan KF6RTA adjust the Cushcraft ATB-34 tri-band Yagi.
7 JPL van full antenna
Antenna deployed!
8 JPL van interior
Jeff W2JCL and Jim AA6QI work 15m inside the JPL van.
8a Welcome to Ham Radio signs
A handmade introduction.
9 Bob battery box
Bob WB6YJJ set up a personal station powered by his SPARC battery box.
10 Logging contacts
Working VHF/UHF.
11 Satellite antenna
A motorized satellite-tracking antenna operated by Tom WA0POD.
12 SunspotViewing sign
Science!
13 SunspotViewing telescope
Observing sun spots at the astronomy station.
14 Pot Luck Dinner
Pot luck dinner time.
15 Jeff and Eric night
Jeff W2JCL and PRC president Eric K6EJC working the night shift.

Our local paper, the South Pasadena Review, ran an article on the GOTA station in its July 6 edition.

SPARCinSPR070618

Photos by John KK6ZVQ and Tom WA0POD.

Updated 07/08/18 with links to South Pasadena Review article.

Join Us for Field Day 2018 on June 23 & 24

Field Day is ham radio’s open house. During this annual event, amateur radio operators set up temporary stations in public locations to demonstrate our hobby. As the American Radio Relay League phrases it, Field Day is an opportunity to explain radio’s “science, skill and service to our communities and our nation.”

This year SPARC is proud to join with the Pasadena, Caltech and JPL Radio Clubs to sponsor a station at Art Center College of Design. The station will operate from 11am on Saturday June 23 until 11am Sunday June 24. The address is 1700 Lida Street, Pasadena, 91103. Below is a flyer for the event put together by the PRC (click for PDF version).

Field Day 2018 flyer

Field Day is always a fun and family-friendly event, a perfect opportunity to see experienced operators in action, learn about radio gear, and even get on the air yourself. To learn more about Field Day, read this ARRL guide. Stop by and say hello!

Looking for a Technician License Class?

If you’ve been waiting for an entry level class to earn your ham ticket (your FCC amateur radio license), consider this one from Mark Seigel W6MES. Mark is a member of the PRC and provides printing services for their monthly newsletter.

When: April 5, 2018 – May 24, 2018
7 weeks of instruction
8th week – FCC test by licensed examiners

Where: 10034 Commerce Ave, Tujunga, CA

What you will need: ARRL Radio License Manual – 2nd or 3rd edition
Pencil and paper

Contact info: Mark Seigel W6MES – licensed instructor for 18 years
mark.seigel@gmail.com – put “HAM RADIO” in the subject
818‐430‐5244

Train for an Emergency with Ham Basics 101

SPARC’s own Oliver Dully K6OLI will be leading a series of training sessions at our ARES Northeast activity days, held the last Saturday of the month at Huntington Hospital. The goal is to practice emergency communications skills. If you have never had proper training or you would like a better understanding of how to put your ham skills to use, visit the first session on February 24.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact Oliver or Gary Wong W6GSW at the email addresses on the flyer below.

Click here for Activity Day Training 2018 flyer as PDF.

Meet SPARC at the 2017 SP Police and Fire Open House

Stop by the SPARC booth at this year’s SP Police and Fire Department Open House on Sunday, September 17. The open house runs from 10am to 3pm. This fun and informative event runs in conjunction with the Cruz’n for Roses classic car show supporting the SouthPas Tournament of Roses float committee. SPARC members will be happy to tell you about club activities and our work with CERT and Neighborhood Watch. Hope to see you there!

Sunday, August 17!
2017 SP PD/FD Open House

Join Us for Field Day 2017

Field Day 2017

Field Day is an annual ham radio event that encourages operating in the great outdoors. It’s “amateur radio’s open house,” a great opportunity to learn about the hobby and meet your neighborhood hams.
There are two local transmission sites we encourage you to visit. Members of SPARC will be on the air with fellow hams from the Pasadena Radio Club, JPL RC and Caltech RC on the campus of Art Center College of Design.

Saturday, June 24, 11:00 a.m. to
Sunday, June 25, 11:00 a.m.

1700 Lida Street
Pasadena, CA 91103
Hillside Campus, South Parking Lot

We will join our friends from Altadena Emergency Radio Team and ARES Northeast at Huntington Hospital.

Saturday, June 24  9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
100 W. California Blvd.
(Outside Research Conference Hall)
Pasadena, CA  91105

 

Hams Support the AC 100 Ultramarathon

At our February meeting, representatives from the Angeles Crest  100 Mile Ultramarathon demonstrated the radio gear they use to keep runners safe. The thirtieth annual AC100 will start on August 3, 2017 and continue through August 6 (Thursday through Sunday). Licensed hams are invited to volunteer at checkpoints along the route.

This video shows some amazing scenery that AC100 participants and volunteers can enjoy.
Visit AC100.com for more information.