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SPARK LODGE ARC

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55th Annual
Jamboree-
on-the-Air
JOTA

SPARK Lodge
Schedule

Merit Badge
Course
Registration

Boys' Life
Radio Club
use of K3BSA
Call Sign

Camping at
Delmont

BSA & ARRL
MOU Signing

Recent
Recognitions

Programs
Cub Scout
Boy Scout
JOTA

Station
Station Tour
HF Operations
Packet BBS
Mobile Ops
The Crew
Vintage QSL's
Direction's to SPARK
Recognition's
Membership
NJ017R
Fallen Tree takes
out 2 dipoles and
our electric

World Scout
Movement

Boy Scouts
of America

Cradle of
Liberty Council

ARRL

Federal Communications
Commission Amateur
Radio Service

Many thanks to our host
Phil Leinhauser
for generously contributing space for this site.

ONLINE STATION TOUR

	K3BSA is housed in SPARK Lodge at Camp Delmont. SPARK Lodge is the name that the cabin was given by the SPARK Lodge ARC. It was formerly the camp's Cook's Cabin. It housed the kitchen staff for the Cedar Dining Hall. In 1994 the Council loaned the cabin to the radio club to provide program opportunities for the camp. The club completely gutted and rebuilt the interior of the cabin, added a new roof and added a porch-like extension to protect outdoor classes from the rain. The cabin had been used to store old ceramic tiles, tent poles, and other junk.
	SPARK Lodge presently houses two all-mode HF operating positions. Seen here is the Yaesu operating position which includes a Yaesu FT-990 transceiver and a Yaesu FL-7000 linear amplifier. In the foreground is a packet station used to participate in the DX spotting cluster of the Frankford Radio Club. In the center right of the picture, the interlocking antenna switching arrangement can be seen. It permits the selection of a Cushcraft R7 vertical or either a G5RV or a home brewed dipole (one up about 35 feet and the other at about 60 feet) from either HF operating position.
	Our other HF operating position used a Kenwood TS-930 transceiver and other equipment donated by Addison Howard, KC3VM, of Perkasie, PA. Unfortunately, this radio is inoperable due to transmitter failure. It shares the packet cluster station with the Yaesu position. The computers at the two HF operating positions are fully networked into a state-of-the-art cat-5 ethernet network. HF operations on SSB and CW take place on any open band on all Saturdays that the camp is open. Unfortunately, our Kenwood TS-930 has recently, September 2009, stopped working. When and if we can afford to get it fixed or replace it with another donated radio, we will have this operating position back up and running. After a qualified technician recently looked over this rig, he determined that this rig may not be able to be fixed. From this position, we operated PSK-31 and Slow Scan TV in addition to SSB and CW. It really gave us a great hands on opportunity for the Scouts.
	The VHF operating position has a Yaesu FT-2200 for VHF-FM Phone operations on simplex and through several local repeaters. The Yaesu's liquid crystal display is failing but when it works we know for sure what frequency we are on. It is not a backlight problem, the display itself is failing. This rig also doubles as our packet station which is connected to a computer through a home brew modem and is used for packet operations. The antennas for these operations are a pair of Ringo Rangers mounted about 25 or so feet up above the roof of the cabin. The Yaesu FT-2200 2-mtr radio's display has been failing and we sometimes don't know what frequency the radio is on. We wish it was only a bulb but, it is the LCD display itself that is failing.
	Repairs and projects are easily handled on our well equipped workbench.
	Our kitchen/bunk area doubles as a classroom in inclement weather. So does the operating room when conditions get really crowded. (Don't let the appearance fool you, we have no running water--yet!)
	When weather permits, classes are held on our open porch. The porch also makes an excellent outdoor dining area and sleeping area when the weather is nice.