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Winter Field Day 2026 Announcement

By Tom Schaefer NY4I on January 3, 2026

Sign-up for meals 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 24 & 25, 2026. 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 were … Read the rest

UPARC Provides AirComms for Coast Guard Flyover at JW Mitchell High School

By Ryan Rager, AF4O on January 9, 2026

On the evening of Jan 7, JW Mitchell High School Girls’ Varsity soccer team had their last game of the season up in Trinity. The high school’s announcer and scoreboard operator submitted a Deparment of Defense request about 11 months ago for a pregame flyover at one of their matches and the approval came in just before the holidays. I got a ping from Roger KY4YC, who got an ask from the announcer to see if we could help with planning and run ground comms with a United States Coast Guard Sikorsky MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter doing the flyover. So, I reached out to Jason N4BOZ and Jack N4KIN to have a proper posse on hand and assistance. I thankfully was … Read the rest

2026 Board of Directors Elected

By Jack Kinney, N4KIN on December 6, 2025

Thank you to everyone who either attended the picnic to vote or submitted a proxy ballot. Below are the 2026 Board of Directors Elect. Congratulations to everyone!

 … Read the rest

Jamboree on the Air Event with Troop 12

By Joshua Luria KO4VVX on October 23, 2025

On October 18, 2025, UPARC engaged in support of the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council’s Jamboree on the Air at Troop 12 in Lutz, Florida, for the fourth consecutive year. Our club participants included Ryan Rager (AF4O), Alan Streitman (W4UB), Olev Isak (N4OHI), Rob Bird (WD4IFT), Ron Ambrosio (N2SKH), Jack Kinney (N4KIN), Fred Botero (W2SUB), Joshua Luria (KO4VVX), Charlotte Luria (KO4WNK), Gabriel Luria (KS4GAB), and Melissa Luria (KS4MOM), with the logistical support of Tom Schaefer (NY4I).

The club members met up and worked with Troop 12 scouts to erect a 132-foot end-fed antenna, a vertical antenna for 20 meters, and a satellite antenna. The club donated the use of two of the Elecraft K3 radios. The event served 56 scouts … Read the rest

Tim Mathison W4OH (SK)

By Jack Kinney, N4KIN on August 17, 2025

 

“Mathison, Timothy D. took his last flight July 23, 2025. He leaves behind family and many friends to cherish his memory. Memorial service will be Saturday, September 13, 2025, 1 pm at Faith United Church of Christ, 1650 Pinehurst Road, Dunedin, FL 34698.”… Read the rest

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

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