Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club (SPARC)
2026 Field Day
 

Field Day at Loudoun County Sheriff's Office in Sterling
SPARC held Field Day on 27-28 June 2026 at the Sheriff's Substation in Sterling, VA.  This is our fourth 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 a 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 Carolina Windom for 10-80M, and one vertical for 10-40M.
Site Set-Up started at 0730 on Saturday, 28 June 2025.

Paul, KK4AIA, the first arrival.

Gordon, NQ4K, arriving at around 0730.

Bud, W4KSN, arriving with antenna masts.

Evan, KM4SK, arriving to help.

Steve, KN4BGW, arriving to help.

Rob, KF4AUX, arriving.

Western antenna mask (to the left of the Sheriff Substation)

Putting up antenna mast for the Carolina Windom on the left of the building.

Kevin, W4KLS, arriving with his antenna mast and end feed antenna.

Gordon, NQ4K, taking a break.

Rob, KF4AUX, laying out coax cable.


Evan, KM4SK, carefully routing coax through door stop.

Kevin, W4KLS, starting to put up an antenna mask.


The on-duty Auxillary Deputy sheriff for Saturday.

Angel, NR3N, arriving to help.

Still working on the mast with the vertical antenna on one cross arm and the end feed antenna on the other side.

One young visitor with his father  arrived early.  He worked hard to get a QSO.

Joey ???

Bud, K4KSN

Daniel, W5DJV

Henry, K2BFY.

Gordon, NQ4K, and Daniel, W5DJV

Angel, NR3N, provided a display of QRP equipment. 
All set up and ready to start operations.
Operations started at 1400 on Saturday

Eric, AJ4LN, and Daniel, W5DJV.

Bud, K4KSN; Evan, MM4SK; and Mike, WA8AHZ, ARRL Virginia Section Manager.

Evan, KM4SK; Mike, WA8AHZ; and Kevin, W4KLS.

Visitor at the GOTA station.

The view of the field day site upon entering the outside door to the community room.

Eric, AJ4LN, brings two radios and computer networking equipment.

The Get-On-The-Air (GOTA) station with a 5-year old trying to make a contact.

Gordon, NQ4K

More visitors working the GOTA station.

Visitors working the SSB station.




Daniel, W5DJV, at the CW/SSB station.

Paul, KK4AIA, at his laptop in the QRM area, i.e., center of the room with some tables.
Operations sontinued on Sunday

The Sheriff Substation on Sunday morning just before sunrise.

Gordon, NQ4K, arriving.  Notice the flannel shirt to keep warm.

The welcome / publicity table.

Paul, KK4AIA, stayed all night to watch the equipment.  He said that the last operator left at 0300 and it is now 0530.


Standing around watching a GOTA operator.

Angel, NR3N, arriving Sunday morning.

Cindy, the Auxillary Deputy Sheriff, making a contact on the SSB station under the supervision of Bud, K4KSN.

Two visiting hams at the SSB station.

Joe, WB4SAI, at the GOTA station.

A view of the operations site .  In front is the CW/SSB station.  Against the far wall is a QRP equipment display.

Joe, WB2SAI, at the SSB radio.

A visitor signs in on the visitor log.

Daniel, W5DJV, at the CW/SSB station.

Bud, K4KSN, at the SSB station.

Two visitors at the GOTA station.

Joe, WB2SAI.

More visitors at the QRP equipment display.


Bud, K4KSN, at the SSB station.
Field Day operations are over and Equipment Take-Down Commences.

Loading Kevin's car.

Taking down an antenna mast.

Loading Bud's car.

Loading Gordon's truck.

Some of the folks remaining at the end.  From the left at Angel, NR3N, Bud, W4KSN; Kevin, W4KSL; Joe, WB4SAI; and Steve, KN4BGW.

Taking down went much faster than putting up.
Field Day is Over

Photos by Evan, KM4SK; Eric, AJ4LN; Kevin, W4KSL; and Gordon, NQ4K.