View Full Version : Club Stations
Does your local amateur radio club have a club station?
If so, give us a description.
73
Joe
N3PAQ
My local club has a club station.
We have two complete HF positions and two VHF radios.
The two HF rigs are a Kenwood TS-180S with matching manual tuner and an Alinco DX-77 with a manual MFJ tuner. Both have desk mics and power supplies. We recently got two CW keys as well. The antennas are a Carolina Windom that is good 10-80M and a Cushcraft R7 vertical.
We have a Kenwood dual band rig and an Icom all mode 2M rig too. We have a dual band vertical antenna for VHF & UHF.
We will be operating the MDC QSO Party which runs from August 12 1600-0400 UTC to August 13 and 1600-2359 UTC August 13.
73
Joe
N3PAQ
N5KRC
08-09-2006, 11:54 PM
As far as I know, our local club doesn't have a station. They do, however, have an equipment loaner program with a decent selection of equipment.
Scott, N5KRC
Yep.
I just happen to be the trustee. Our club callsign is WWØWWW. For full info see: Contest club WW0WWW (http://www.qrz.com/ww0www)
Tom kcØw
W3OK is the club station of the Delaware/Lehigh Amateur Radio Club (http://www.dlarc.org/). It's colocated with the backup lowband repeaters for Northampton County EMS.
Equipment consists of a Kenwood TS-940S and a Yaesu FT-857D, both connected to computers for digital modes and logging/packet. There are also a variety of rigs in storage, from Heathkit SB-101s to Kenwood TS-430s.
The 940 has a built-in antenna tuner, and the 857 is attached to an LDG Z100 autotuner.
Antenna is a multiband trap dipole hanging from the EMS tower, though the club has a variety of towers, beams and verticals in storage.
On long-term loan to W3OK is N3IVX's FT-1000, all filtered up and with the Timewave DSP in the external speaker. That, my friends, is a nice radio. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Thanks, Ken!
I've worked quite a bit out of W3OK, and it's a fine station. The pictures on the club website are a bit old, but still indicative of the station layout. That'll all change over the next few months.
Well I have to ask the question "CLUB WHAT CLUB"? I guess the closest Club is over in Dothan Al. which is about 60 miles from me. I don't think we could even get 3 Hams to agree on anything enough to form one here in Seminole County. It would be nice to have a Club but I doubt it in my lifetime.
73's
I guess not many clubs actually have club shacks. I wonder why?
I had a blast on Saturday during the MDC QSO party. We were able to get two HF rigs on the air plus 2 meter FM. There were additional operations on Sunday that I couldn't attend.
73
Joe
N3PAQ
We just have a repeater and packet digipeater.
Quote[/b] (N3PAQ @ Aug. 14 2006,12:32)]I guess not many clubs actually have club shacks. #I wonder why?
I had a blast on Saturday during the MDC QSO party. #We were able to get two HF rigs on the air plus 2 meter FM. #There were additional operations on Sunday that I couldn't attend.
73
Joe
N3PAQ
Real estate.
Our club doesn't have the funds to acquire a club station site. We use the local library to hold meetings, but we can't set up a club station there.
Quote[/b] (AB2MH @ Aug. 14 2006,13:00)]Quote[/b] (N3PAQ @ Aug. 14 2006,12:32)]I guess not many clubs actually have club shacks. I wonder why?
I had a blast on Saturday during the MDC QSO party. We were able to get two HF rigs on the air plus 2 meter FM. There were additional operations on Sunday that I couldn't attend.
73
Joe
N3PAQ
Real estate.
Our club doesn't have the funds to acquire a club station site. We use the local library to hold meetings, but we can't set up a club station there.
We rent a room on a house that lets us put up antennas. Not a house someone lives at, it is used as a meeting place for another non profit group. The cost to us is $600/year -- a bit expensive, but we also get some storage space in the basement.
Quote[/b] (N3PAQ @ Aug. 14 2006,17:28)]Quote[/b] (AB2MH @ Aug. 14 2006,13:00)]Quote[/b] (N3PAQ @ Aug. 14 2006,12:32)]I guess not many clubs actually have club shacks. #I wonder why?
I had a blast on Saturday during the MDC QSO party. #We were able to get two HF rigs on the air plus 2 meter FM. #There were additional operations on Sunday that I couldn't attend.
73
Joe
N3PAQ
Real estate.
Our club doesn't have the funds to acquire a club station site. #We use the local library to hold meetings, but we can't set up a club station there.
We rent a room on a house that lets us put up antennas. #Not a house someone lives at, it is used as a meeting place for another non profit group. #The cost to us is $600/year -- a bit expensive, but we also get some storage space in the basement.
We probably couldn't get a room for $600/month!
Plus all of the restrictions with HOAs etc around here make finding a ham friendly QTH a difficult proposition.
W5HTW
08-15-2006, 03:15 AM
The way to do it is to use someone else's station and location. How? By using the county EOC! (Back in the old days our club station was the county Civil Defense Headquarters.) That way there is no rent, no equipment cost. That means our "club station" is owned by the county, and is in the courthouse, but it is licensed as NM5EV, (New Mexico Five Estancia Valley) for which I am trustee, and we get our mail at the courthouse.
I've never been in a club that had an actual club-owned station, with its own location! Wow! Years ago I was in a small VHF only club that met in a fellow's basement, so he owned all the equipment (long before the club was formed) but we had access to it pretty much anytime we wanted.
The best club I was ever in had a US Government owned full Collins S-Line, including a 30S-1 amp. And it was for the exclusive use of properly licensed hams, though it was owned the Uncle Sam and located on that rich Uncle's property.
Yeah, we're cheap!
Ed
W4CBJ
08-15-2006, 03:34 AM
The EXTRA CLASS ARC WX4TRA has a club station. We recently moved from the Florida Maritime Museum in Cortez, FL to the USPS Anna Maria Island Power Squadron. HF/VHF station equipment housed n a cabinet. The XCVR is a Kenwood TS 820S and the VHF is a Kenwood TM261A. Both were donated and repaired at the club. Our repeater is a GE MSTR II on 147.300/147.900 mHz.w/ 100Hz. tone. Joe W4CBJ station license trustee.
Joe, We got that one on the long path too http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
We rent from another non profit group in the county. For $50/month, it is more of a dontation anyway.
The Kenwood TS-180 was bought back when the club was taking in good money from the hamfests. The Alinco was a donation from a SK. A lot of our club equipment has been donated over the years.
73
Joe
N3PAQ
The one club I belong to has a 'shack' on the mountain where the repeaters are located, and operating space, and tower and antenna, but you must bring your own radio. It's a great way to get on VHF if you don't have high antennas at home.
W2BBQ
08-19-2006, 10:24 PM
Yeah,
It is going to require a stroke of fine luck or a pile of yearly cash for any club to have a permanent clubhouse with operating station.
Luck is with the Southern Piedmont ARC, WD4NHW, in Habersham County, NE Ga. We have use of half of a buiding which houses the the local radio station's AM transmitter site, WCON. The part we occupy used to be their office space but they build new office and studio space in town about 20 years ago. So we have had fortunate and grateful use of half the building since then. Their old announcer's booth is our station area where we have a Kenwood TS 850 and a VHF FM rig. Antenna is a trap dipole strung up in the yard trees and a 5/8 colinear verticle for 2 meters. The AM station doesn't interfere with us and we don't interfere with them. We also have a large former office room where we hold our meetings and additional space for storage. All free.
How cool is all of that? Do wish other clubs were as lucky http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
WA9SVD
08-19-2006, 10:50 PM
HOO, BOY, do we have a "club" station. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Ten operating positions: Packet, Yaesu FT1000, Kenwood TS-950, TS-850, TS-570; Icom IC-746, Yaesu FT-847 for satellite, and VHF radios for 2M, 1.23 M, and 70 cm. Tri-band Yagi for 10/15/20, and 4 el.Yagi on 6 Meters. About 120 feet ASL (+/- 20 feet depending upon GPS accuracy and tide.)
Tha "catch?" Agree to operate a 4 hour "shift" at least once a month.
Since I'm not an "official" spokesperson, I don't want to "name names." But I might respond to inquiries...
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
ab8ro
08-20-2006, 12:32 AM
scratch that. one lookup answered my question.