Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club (SPARC)
2025 Field Day
 

Field Day at Loudoun County Sheriff's Office in Sterling
SPARC held Field Day at the Sheriff's Substation in Sterling, VA.  This is our third year at this location.  It had air conditioning and nearby facilities.  Due to the proximity of houses, we were unable to run on emergency power, i.e, our club generator.  
We had three radio stations.  One was a CW/SSB station, and one was the SSB station.  In addition we had a Get-On-The-Air (GOTA) station.
We has three antennas.  One end-feed antenna for 10-80M, one G5RV for 10-80M, and one vertical for 10-40M.
Site Set-Up started at 0730 on Saturday, 28 June 2025.

Paul, KK4AIA, arrived first and was on-site longer than anyone else.

Bud, W4KSN, also arrived early to set up antennas.

Evan, KM4SK, helped with antennas.

Charlie,  K3SR, arrived to help with antennas.

Gordon, NQ4K, arrived early to help  antenna setup.

Kevin, W4KLS, starting to set up his antenna mast to be used for an end-feed antenna and a vertical antenna.

Steve, KN4BGW, arrived early to help with antenna setup.

Setting up one of the antenna tripods to support a mast for the carolina windom.

Angel, NR3N, arrived to help with radio setup.

The large group still working on the carolina windom antenna mast setup.

Paul, KK4AIA, and Kevin, W4KLS, putting together the vertical antenna.

Paul, KK4AIA, and Kevin, W4KLS, mounting the vertical on a mast.

Steve, KN4BGW, and Paul, KK4AIA, walking from the Carolina Windom setup.

Charlie, K4SR, in front of one of the carolina windom masts.

Eric, AJ4LN, starting to set up the logging computers.

Kevin W4KLS (on left) repositioning CAT5 cable so folks do not step on it.

The welcome/publicity table in from of the sheriff Station.

Conrad, N4ZQA, arriving.

The SSB station.

The end-feed antenna and vertical antenna mast with Kevin, W4KLS, Paul, KK4AIA, and Angel, NR3N.

The Get-On-The-Air (GOTA) station.

The sign on the road pointing the way to our field day site.  Thanks to Evan, KM4SK.

The CW/SSB station.

The SSB/CW station.

Bud, W4KSN, at the SSB station.

Eric, AJ4LN, relaxing after setup.

Evan, KM4SK, taping down coax transmission line so people do not trip on it.

Jeff, KB4IWD, arriving to help.

Evan, KM4SK, at the CW/SSB station.

Gordon, NQ4K and Conrad, N4ZQA, discussing important matters.

The group before start of operatiions.Evan, KM4SK; Gordon, NQ4K; Angel, NR3N; Conrad, N4ZQA; Bud, W4KSN, Kevin, W4KLS; and Eric, AJ4LN.
Operations started at 1400 on Saturday

Bud, W4KSN, at the SSB station.

Angel, NR3N, at the CW/SSB station.

Gordon, NQ4K,(in red shirt) working with three young people to make a contaact on the GOTA station.

Gordon, NQ4K,(in red shirt) working with three young people to make a contact on the GOTA station.

Kevin, W4KLS, teaching a class on knot tying.

Dinner at 6.

A final visitor at the GOTA station.

Visitors behind the CW station.

Some more visitors behind the CW station.

The sun rising behind the Sheriff Substation on Sunday morning.

Paul, KK4AIA, at the SSB station.

Evan, KM4SK, coaching two visitors at the GOTA station.

Joe, WB2SAI, arriving at the site.

Kevin, W4KLS, at the QRM table.

Evan, KM4SK, at the CW/SSB station.

Conrad, N4ZQA.

The vertical antenna was taken off the mast because of possible high wind and attached to a ballard in front of the Sheriff station.

Marty,  NV3H, arriving.

Roger, KM4SJ, a visitor, working the CW/SSB station.

The group around the QRN table.

More vissitors at the SSB station talking to the operator.
Operations ceased at 1400 on Sunday.  Ready for tear-down.

Eric, AJ4LN, with Steve, KN4BGW, and Paul, KK4AIA, discussing how well SPARC is doing.  Eric is looking at a display of QSOs made during the event.

Field Day is almost over.  All that is left is tear-down.

Putting masts in a car to deliver to their home.

The group after tear-down.  Joe, WB2SAI; Even. AJ4LN, Gordon, NQ4K; Paul, AJ4LN; Kevin, W4KLS; Bud, W4KSN; Eric, AJ4LN; and Steve, KN4BGW.
Field Day is Over

Photos by Conrad N4ZQA; Evan, KM4SK; Kevin, W4KSL, Paul, KK4AIA; Steve, KN4BGW; and Gordon, NQ4K.