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UPARC

2025 ARRL Field Day Follow-Up Report

By Tom Schaefer NY4I on July 11, 2025

It would be somewhat trite to say we got the band back together for ARRL Field Day this year, but that is nonetheless what we did. Members of SPARC teamed up with members from the Clearwater Amateur Radio Society and the Upper Pinellas Amateur Radio Club for the annual ARRL Field Day this past June. Specifically, June 27 and 28th at the Clearwater Fire Training Center off of Belcher Road.

We have been at this facility before with both the other clubs for the most recent Winter Field Day in January and in years past. It is a wonderful facility and sharing the workload with the other clubs allows us to put on what I think is a better event.  … Read the rest

ARRL 2025 Field Day Dry-Run Report

By Tom Schaefer NY4I on June 23, 2025

On Saturday June 21, members of CARS, SPARC and UPARC met at the Clearwater Fire Training Center for the Field Day Dry-Run. This is where we setup the radios and computers to ensure we have all the necessary cables for this coming weekend’s ARRL Field Day. We do not setup the antennas or coax but we do perform a transmitter test on the Elecraft K3 radios to ensure they are transmitting full power.

We started at 9:00 AM and were able to finish up by 11:30 AM. It is a few well-spent hours to make sure we have all the little cables and other accouterment that radios and computers need to operate (microphones, CW keys, foot switch, USB cables, etc).… Read the rest

ARRL Field Day 2025

By Tom Schaefer NY4I on May 23, 2025

The Sign-up deadline for food has passed.

You are still welcome to attend but please plan on your own meals.

ARRL Field Day is a combined event to test our ability to setup radio communication under less than ideal conditions–think temporary antennas, generators and radio gear. Our event this year is a combined event with three clubs—the Clearwater Amateur Radio Society (CARS), St. Petersburg Amateur Radio Club (SPARC) and the Upper Pinellas Amateur Radio Club (UPARC). The date is Saturday, June 28th starting at 2:00 PM until Sunday, June 29th at 2:00 PM. Setup generally begins in earnest at 8:00 AM on Saturday morning. The location for all of this is the Clearwater Fire Department Fire Training Center at 1716 … Read the rest

UPARC in the Park April 2025

By Jack Kinney on April 12, 2025

On April 12, 2025, some members of UPARC got together to play radio at Honeymoon Island State Park. We activated Parks on the Air site US-1880 an attempted to reach our goal of 1,000 contacts for our W4AFC callsign. At least one of us was eager to get going as evidenced by a photo he sent.

I am not sure of the total count but would say at least a dozen people met up and there were at least five different stations setup. In the past UPARC has typically provided all of the equipment for a UPARC in the Park event. This time our President Ryan Rager AF4O decided that people would bring their own equipment and “run what … Read the rest

BREAKING NEWS – HAMS TO OPERATE OUTDOORS!

By Jack Kinney on April 6, 2025

Come out and join us for a mini field day event we call UPARC in the Park during a POTA (US-1880) activation. This will be a “run what you brung” event. Bring your portable operating station and setup to operate at the park. Have all your gear on hand, including a power source.

 … Read the rest

Parks-on-the-Air Trip to St. Marys, Georgia

By Tom Schaefer NY4I on April 3, 2025

Just beyond the Florida-Georgia border, exit 1 off I-95 ushers you into a world that feels distinctly different. As you leave the bustling traffic of Jacksonville behind, time seems to slow in St. Marys, Georgia. The first landmark to greet you is the sail of a mock Polaris submarine, seemingly surfacing from the parking lot of the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. From March 26th to March 30th, several members of local radio clubs made their way to Crooked River State Park (US-2170) to participate in an annual Risk tournament (yes, the classic board game). As dedicated amateur radio enthusiasts, we quickly realized that being in a state park also provided us the perfect opportunity to operate … Read the rest

Winter Field Day 2025 Follow-up Report

By Tom Schaefer NY4I on February 10, 2025

On January 25th & 26th, 2025, local ham radio clubs participated in the annual Winter Field Day event in Clearwater, Florida. The day started out as planned with people gathering at 8:00 AM–some even earlier–at the Clearwater Fire Training Center for Winter Field Day 2025. This was a joint effort between the Clearwater Amateur Radio Society, the St. Petersburg Amateur Radio Club and the Upper Pinellas Amateur Radio Club. This was the first time SPARC had been back in a few years for Winter Field Day and given the number of members from different clubs, it was great to have everyone back together again.

Due to the forecasted weather being a bit too chilly overnight (yes, I know, it’s … Read the rest

Winter Field Day 2025 Announcement

By Tom Schaefer NY4I on December 9, 2024

Sign up by clicking here!

Do you like operating in the field but hate dripping in sweat while setting up antennas? Does the idea of enduring another Field Day constantly fighting off every mosquito in Tampa Bay make you wish they held Field Day in January? Well, you’re in luck! Winter Field Day is an event very similar to the June ARRL Field Day except—you guessed it—it’s held in Winter. Specifically January 25 & 26, 2025. This is a joint operation with both the Clearwater Amateur Radio Society (CARS) and the St. Petersburg Amateur Radio Club (SPARC). The event will be held at the Clearwater Fire Training Facility on Belcher Road south of Sunset Point Road in Clearwater. Prior efforts … Read the rest

Upper Pinellas Amateur Radio Club

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