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ARS Spartan Sprint Tonight!
7 to 9 PM CST 0100 to 0300 Z Overview & Rule Summary FOR THE ADVENTURE RADIO SOCIETY SPARTAN SPRINT What is an ARS Spartan Sprint and how can I participate? The Adventure Radio Society Spartan Sprint is a two hour casual QRP contest. It is held on the first Monday of every month to encourage QRP operators to get on and go to somewhere near the standard QRP frequencies on the 80-40-20-15-10 Meter bands for an evening of fun. It is open to all QRP CW operators ¨C there is not any membership requirement. Operating portable and/or using lightweight minimalist (spartan) equipment is encouraged, but is not required. THE CONTEST PERIOD FOR EACH TIME ZONE IS: EASTERN 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Local. CENTRAL 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Local MOUNTAIN 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Local PACIFIC 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Local Does not shift for DST ¨C This event is always at these Local Times (UTC for STANDARD TIME : 0100Z to 0300Z) (UTC for DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME : 0000Z to 0200Z) POWER OUTPUT To keep with its minimalist theme, Maximum Spartan Sprint power output is 5 watts. However, a Spartan Sprint participant running 5 watts who is submitting results is allowed to work a non-QRP station. That contact will count. (A Non-QRP station is not permitted to submit results for this QRP event.) OPERATION We operate CW on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters, around standard QRP frequencies. Call CQ SP Or listen for calling stations. EXCHANGE - Your Call Sign - Your State or Province - Your Power output SCORING Scoring is somewhat unique - score is calculated based on [Number of Contacts] / [Station Weight]. Working the same station on a different band counts as another contact. The weight of your station consists of everything except your antenna and feed line. If your station includes your home-based rig, antenna tuner, DC power supply, heavy paddle or bug - obviously you are not lightweight - simply report your weight as 30 lbs. (That is the default weight for the Tubby division.) REPORTING To report your results, go to 3830scores.com 3830 Scores Home , and select the ¡®ARS Spartan Sprint¡¯ (on the Left side). You will enter your [Station Weight] and the [Number of Contacts] that you made. Soapbox comments may include your power, equipment, antennas, band conditions, outdoor experiences, and anything else you wish to comment on. Scores will be Automatically Calculated Reports will be available for both the Skinny (lightweight) and Tubby (heavyweight) entrants. Looking forward to working you during the next Spartan Sprint. 73, Jody ¨C K3JZD on behalf of Russ Carpenter - AA7QU and Richard Fisher - KI6SN The Adventure Radio Society Pioneers Last Updated : 09SEP24 Mark Prather - WB9HFK Celebrating my 53rd year as an Amateur Radio (Ham) Operator.
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Monthly Reminder
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Monthly Reminder: The QQ is published in January, April, July, and October The next issue is April 2025 and will be mailed around the middle of April. Check your subscription status at https://qrparci.org/join-renew All "Four Days in May" information can be found at https://qrparci.org/fdim If you wish to submit an article for publication, having it to the editor@... by the 10th of the preceding month will almost guarantee you make the cutoff. The sooner you send it in the better. if you need some extra time, send email to editor@... and work it out. Articles can be in .DOC, .DOCX, .PDF QRPARCI membership is forever, if you are an active member that means you subscribe to the QQ. If you do not subscribe but you have an ARCI number you are considered an inactive member, which means you don't subscribe to the QQ. If your sub expires with the July Issue, you need to renew (pay) by no later than September 10th in order to keep getting issues without missing one. If your sub expires with the October Issue, you need to renew (pay) by no later than December 10th in order to keep getting issues without missing one. If your sub expires with the January Issue, you need to renew (pay) by no later than March 10th in order to keep getting issues without missing one. If your sub expires with the April Issue, you need to renew (pay) by no later than June 10th in order to keep getting issues without missing one. When you renew or subscribe, you get the NEXT FOUR ISSUES. QRPARCI does not fill your subscription with back issues. Back Issues MIGHT be available on a per copy basis for a fee from the Toystore. QRPARCI doesn't print many more than we have subs for, it's expensive, so if you want a back issue, do not delay in ordering it from the Toystore. Instead of the back issues, you could buy a QQ DVD with ALL the issues since time began, or with the last 20 years only. The DVD is updated with every single issue. So if you missed the last issue, buy the DVD and it'll be on there. QRP-ARCI does not sell or rent our membership email list. You can check your membership status and QRP Quarterly Expiration date at https://qrparci.org/join-renew If you have questions about your membership status, address changes, callsign changes, contact membership@... If you have questions about subscription issues, contact president@... If the website is failing you, please send email to webmaster@... The staff at QRPARCI will bend over backwards to get you happy, but keep in mind, they have real jobs, and they do this for you in their spare time, and without compensation. So if you send in an email, don't be concerned if it takes a few days to hear back from them. If you are interested in being a staff volunteer, please contact president@... Here's to great DX and lots of QRP fun! de KB9BVN Membership Manager Brian Murrey -- 72 de KB9BVN
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AGCW QRP Contest 08.03.2025 (next Saturday)
Hello, the contest will take place on many bands 10/15/20/40/80 and from 14:00 to 20:00 UTC. There should be the possibility for every OM to make a few QSO's. Every log, no matter how small, is very welcome. All details about rules and suitable log programs can be found here https://contest.agcw.de/qrpc/ Have fun and good luck ! 73 de DK3DUA Tom
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On 3/01/25 I had a CW practice / rag chew session on 20 meters. I worked four stations: Date / TimeCallBndFrequencyPowerModeRecSntNameSPC#Comments3/1/2025 15:52NN0TT2014.044100CW599559RodMNK2 at 100 watts 100 ft sloper doublet3/1/2025 15:02KK6QON/42014.044100CW599559DennisVAK3 at 100 watts 100 ft sloper doublet3/1/2025 14:37K9UCX2014.044100CW579599KenILK3 at 100 watts 100 ft sloper doublet3/1/2025 13:57K4XNY2014.044100CW599559JohnGAK3 at 100 watts 100 ft sloper doublet Conditions were OK. SSN = 104, SFI = 155, A = 32, K = 4. I worked K4XNY, John. It was his first CW QSO. Now that¡¯s what it is all about! My next CW practice will be in a couple of weeks because I will be off the air. Anyone is welcome. This practice is intended for operators who are new to CW or they need some practice. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW POOR YOUR CW IS. Mistakes are OK. Poor fists are OK. Slow speed is OK. Really slow speed is OK. This practice is meant for you to improve your CW. I will do my best to adjust to your skill level. Operate at any power level. If several stations show up, I will operate as a round-table control station. I will do it as a round-table so everyone gets a chance to transmit. Please listen to my directions. Details: Date - TBD Time - TBD Band - TBD How to find me - I will find a clear frequency and call CQ. Go to the Reverse Beacon Network and search for my call sign AB8DF. That will tell you what frequency I am on. Tune your station to that frequency and if you hear me give me a call. If there is a QSO in progress, please wait for a break in the action. Then send your callsign. If I hear you, I will invite you to join the QSO and start a round-table QSO. Reply to this email if you have questions. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW POOR CW IS Ed AB8DF
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?? MTR 4Bv2 & ZM-2 For Sale
LNR Precision MTR4B-v2 QRP 4-band Transceiver $350 Emtech Z-Match ZM2 antenna tuner - Factory assembled. BNC connectors $90 Both are in great condition, used only indoors, and not used much. Non-smoking and clean environment. Send me a PM if you are interested. Cash. Local pickup only. Near Pasadena, CA. 73, Jay W6CJ
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FDIM, Banquet & Prizes
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Good day, I am hoping to attend the FDIM event for the first time. While reviewing the information on the website, I couldn¡¯t find details on whether you need to be present at the banquet to participate in the prize draw or if only banquet attendees are eligible. Additionally, if not attending the banquet, would it be possible to join after the meal for the rest of the program? Thanks. Eric - VE3DN/VA3AMX VA3AMX@...
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MI QRP Weekly Zoom Chat
We had nine folks join the MI QRP Zoom Chat on 27 February. Please join us Thursday March 06 (and every Thursday) at 4PM Eastern for the Michigan QRP Club weekly QRP Chat where the main topics will be QRP and other ham interests. New hams are encouraged to participate and ask questions. It's fun, it's easy, and it's free. You only need a computer, a smart phone, or a tablet that can connect to the Internet. OR if you can't be close to any of those you can join by audio with any standard phone. Just follow the directions below. No software needs be loaded or installed. Anyone can join and non members are welcome. Details are here: https://www.miqrp.net/zoom The topic for Thursday, 06 March will be AN OPEN FOURM. Pete WK8S Ed AB8DF Ernie W3ETE Casey KC9IH Larry AC8YE Dave N8SBE Frank KB4VU Stuart M0SGV Dick W4PID Dick, W4PID is new to the chat. He has some QRP Labs kits and wanted to know how to repair and replace surface mount parts. We talked about heat guns and using Chip Quik. https://www.chipquik.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=210001 Pete likes to use the Flux gel and Dave likes his desoldering Hako gun. Ed showed some slides he put together asking the question: SHOULD MY SHACK COMPUTER BE A RASPBERRY PI? Ernie asked if Ed had an old windows machine? He installed linux on an old computer. There is a suite of linux ham software available. Dave said that there is a Linux hams shack podcast. There are no good contesting SW for Linux. SD cards wear out. Dave having problems getting 5G working on his older PI. He also uses a newer a mini PC with w11 under $200. Uses an Android table for POTA logging. Larry says that the PI 5 can use an off board storage dive / SSD to get around the SD card limitation. MS is dropping support for Windows 10 in October. He does POTA off his pickup tuck tailgate. Frank has built a couple QRP Labs kits and wanted to know about the QMX+. It has a little more room than a QMX mini. Older RPIs may not be fast enough for digital. Has a Sidecar. The agenda for the 06 March QRP Chat: Pete to do a short introduction and acknowledge any new folks to the Zoom chat. Next week will be an Open Forum. During the open forum anyone can take the floor. We will go one by one until all have had a chance to have the floor. Files, pictures and presentations can be shared if you have any. Please try to stay muted when someone has the floor. Thanks Ed AB8DF
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On 2/24/25 I had a CW practice / rag chew session on 20 meters. I worked five stations: Date / TimeCallBndFrequencyModePowerRecSntSPC#NameComments2/24/2025 15:56W2YRL2014.044CW75579559VAJeffK3 at 75 watts 100 ft sloper doublet2/24/2025 15:38WD4EX2014.044CW75549559GAValK3 at 75 watts 100 ft sloper doublet2/24/2025 15:17W1PID2014.044CW75599599NHJIMK3 at 75 watts 100 sloper doublet2/24/2025 14:19KF4UKK2014.044CW90579579VAPeteK3 90 watts 100 ft slpoer doublet2/24/2025 14:08N7YTF2014.044CW100599559UTScottK3 at 90 watts 100 ft sloper doublet Conditions were good. SSN = 186, SFI = 210, A = 7, K = 3. I will be doing another CW on the air practice session Tuesday 25 February. Anyone is welcome. This practice is intended for operators who are new to CW or they need some practice. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW POOR YOUR CW IS. Mistakes are OK. Poor fists are OK. Slow speed is OK. Really slow speed is OK. This practice is meant for you to improve your CW. I will do my best to adjust to your skill level. Operate at any power level. If several stations show up, I will operate as a round-table control station. I will do it as a round-table so everyone gets a chance to transmit. Please listen to my directions. Details: Date - Tuesday 25 February Time - 9:00 AM Eastern Time / 14:00 UTC Band - 20 Meters How to find me - I will find a clear frequency and call CQ. Go to the Reverse Beacon Network and search for my call sign AB8DF. That will tell you what frequency I am on. Tune your station to that frequency and if you hear me give me a call. If there is a QSO in progress, please wait for a break in the action. Then send your callsign. If I hear you, I will invite you to join the QSO and start a round-table QSO. Reply to this email if you have questions. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW POOR CW IS Ed AB8DF
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AZ ScQRPions Meeting is this Saturday, March 1, at Fast Eddies Diner on Bell rd &31st ave.
Good stuff in the wind for the AZ ScQRPions Club. Details at the meeting. Old founder and member Returns to the group and the air. Hopefully he will attend the meeting. So Ill sneek out of work for a bit and Ill be there. Bring your appetite and ??? ever for show and tell. stories, ideas, Hope to C U There. 72, 73 Mike Baker K7DD
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On 2/20/25 I had a CW practice / rag chew session on 40 meters. I worked three stations: Date / TimeCallBndFrequencyModePowerRecSntNameSPC#Comments2/20/2025 23:33N8NHT407.038CW40579449HayesTNK3 at 40 watts 100 ft sloped doublet2/20/2025 23:13W3APA407.038CW40599579TonyPAK3 at 40 watts 100 ft sloped doublet2/20/2025 22:51NG4S407.038CW50229449TomSCK3 at 50 watts 100 ft slopping doublet Conditions were noisy at the start but improved dramatically when it got dark. SSN = 119, SFI = 184, A = 7, K = 0. I will be doing another CW on the air practice session Monday 24 February. Anyone is welcome. This practice is intended for operators who are new to CW or they need some practice. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW POOR YOUR CW IS. Mistakes are OK. Poor fists are OK. Slow speed is OK. Really slow speed is OK. This practice is meant for you to improve your CW. I will do my best to adjust to your skill level. Operate at any power level. If several stations show up, I will operate as a round-table control station. I will do it as a round-table so everyone gets a chance to transmit. Please listen to my directions. Details: Time - 9:00 AM Eastern Time / 14:00 UTC Band - 20 Meters How to find me - I will find a clear frequency and call CQ. Go to the Reverse Beacon Network and search for my call sign AB8DF. That will tell you what frequency I am on. Tune your station to that frequency and if you hear me give me a call. If there is a QSO in progress, please wait for a break in the action. Then send your callsign. If I hear you, I will invite you to join the QSO and start a round-table QSO. Reply to this email if you have questions. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW POOR CW IS Ed AB8DF
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We had twelve folks join the MI QRP Zoom Chat on 20 February. Please join us Thursday February 27 (and every Thursday) at 4PM Eastern for the Michigan QRP Club weekly QRP Chat where the main topics will be QRP and other ham interests. New hams are encouraged to participate and ask questions. It's fun, it's easy, and it's free. You only need a computer, a smart phone, or a tablet that can connect to the Internet. OR if you can't be close to any of those you can join by audio with any standard phone. Just follow the directions below. No software needs be loaded or installed. Anyone can join and non members are welcome. Details are here: https://www.miqrp.net/zoom The topic for Thursday, 27 February will be Ed AB8DF leading a discussion on using a Raspberry Pi as a shack computer. Pete WK8S Ed AB8DF Ernie W3ETE Tony W8CDC Stan WB8QJZ Casey KC9IH Larry AC8YE Dave N8SBE John M7FZC Stuart M0SGV Yvon AE7YD Jerry KI4IO Stuart M0SGV lead a discussion of a prisoner of war radio. It is in a military canteen. He had some slides. To hide it they hung it in the latrines and on beds. Stuart saw a presentation at FDIM back in the day. Bought the valve / tube at that very Hamvention. Getting the canteen and various parts was part of the build challenge. He looked on eBay for a canteen with out much luck. Then at a swap meet in San Diego he found one for $15.00. It was not aluminum. It was stainless steel and stamped 1945 not 1942/1943. He did not have any bamboo to wind the coils. He would like to see an original but not sure if any exists. Cloth covered wire is still available for vintage car restoration sites. Had a video of the radio in operation. The powered it with a home brew power supply using back to back transformers to get the HV. Where did they get the high impedance phone and other parts at a prisoner of war camp? Jerry is new to the chat. He is an avid QRPer. He has lots of home brew qrp rigs. Jerry is in VA. Pete needs some cloth covered wire and wants to know from Tony where he can get it. Pete is restoring an old regenerative receiver. Jerry¡¯s dad made a Knight Space Spanner radio back in the day. Ernie put an antenna together for his KH1 from what K6ARK talked about at FDIM last year. It is a Rybakov antenna with a fishing pole. Just too cold to play with it outside. https://ve3gam.webqth.com/am-work/rybakov/rybakov.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlv6JYFxN9g Pete had a Chameleon antenna which came with the wrong parts. He ordered it from DX Engineering. Chameleon Antenna replaced the parts and he was very impressed with their service and support. Next weeks topic: Ed will lead a discussion asking the question: Should I move to a Raspberry Pi as my shack computer? The agenda for the February 27 QRP Chat: Pete to do a short introduction and acknowledge any new folks to the Zoom chat. Ed will lead a discussion asking the question; Should I move to a Raspberry Pi as my shack computer? After the discussion on the Raspberry Pi has completed, there will be an open forum. During the open forum anyone can take the floor. We will go one by one until all have had a chance to have the floor. Files, pictures and presentations can be shared if you have any. Please try to stay muted when someone has the floor. Thanks Ed AB8DF
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For little reason other than I just finished building the 41dB Step RF Attenuator from Pacific Antenna and having recently acquired a TinySA from R&L Electronics, I tested my Michigan Mighty Mite for harmonics. I connected everything up and then selected harmonics from the TinySA menu. Suffice to say that the MMM is rich in harmonic content: This is no surprise since there is no output filtering. That first harmonic is only 7.1 dBc below fundamental. I even swung my receiver over to 14.19 MHz and couldn't tell any difference between that signal strength and the signal on 7.03 MHz. Thus, the MMM is quite capable of cross-band contacts! I do wonder, though, if my WW2 FT-243 is partially responsible for the harmonic situation. Anyway, it's amazing what can be seen nowadays with a $70 analyzer and a $25 step attenuator. These are fun times for tinkerers like me! FWIW: TinySA: https://www2.randl.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=147 Attenuator: https://www.qrpkits.com/attenuator.html 73, Brian -- Brian R. Page, N4TRB http://n4trb.com/ https://www.inventingtheairplane.com/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@page_brian +1.678.427.1719
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I will be doing another CW on the air practice session Thursday, February 20 at 6:00 PM Eastern Time, 23:00 UTC. Anyone is welcome. This practice is intended for operators who are new to CW or they need some practice. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW POOR YOUR CW IS. Mistakes are OK. Poor fists are OK. Slow speed is OK. Really slow speed is OK. This practice is meant for you to improve your CW using long, on the air QSOs. I will do my best to adjust to your skill level. Operate at any power level. If several stations show up, I will operate as a round-table control station. I will do it as a round-table so everyone gets a chance to transmit. Please listen to my directions. Details: Date - Thursday, February 20 Time - 6:00 PM Eastern Time, 23:00 UTC Band - 40 meters How to find me - I will find a clear frequency and call CQ. Go to the Reverse Beacon Network and search for my call sign AB8DF. That will tell you what frequency I am on. Tune your station to that frequency and if you hear me give me a call. If there is a QSO in progress, please wait for a break in the action. Then send your callsign. If I hear you, I will invite you to join the QSO and start a round-table QSO. Reply to this email if you have questions. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW POOR CW IS Ed AB8DF_._,_._,_
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I've accepted the challenge. Here's my contribution to the MMM Revival. I'm not sure if this falls into the cute or the ugly category & glad it doesn't matter. But that heat sink is definitely cute. And the WW2 vintage FT-243 crystal is likely unique. With 12 volts it's giving 0.4 watts. I am very curious as to how that will compare with the dozens, maybe hundreds, of MMM rigs that show up at FDIM for the revival. I'll bring a few QSL cards in the hope of making some MMM to MMM contacts. This was fun. 73, Brian -- Brian R. Page, N4TRB http://n4trb.com/ https://www.inventingtheairplane.com/ Threads: @page_brian@... +1.678.427.1719
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Last year at FDIM I went to the bar at the hotel to get supper. There was only one waitress on duty, and after a 30 or more minute wait, I left for MacDonalds. There must be other places nearby. Does anyone have a suggestion? -- Ron KA3PSO
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Flying Pigs Walk for the Bacon Sprint This week!
Walk for the Bacon is a slow code sprint, speed limit is 13WPM max. Please QRS if asked. 20m WFTB runs on the third Wednesday and Thursday of every month. The Wednesday night sprint begins at 00:00Z Wednesday evening for 1 hour from 00:00Z to 01:00Z, then it continues Thursday night from 02:00Z to 03:00Z. All logging is done on the autologger. Evening of Wednesday February 19th at 00:00Z to 01:00Z on 20m 14061 Khz to 14065 Khz. Evening of Thursday February 20th at 02:00Z to 03:00Z on 20m 14061 Khz to 14065 Khz. WFTB Autologger is at: https://qrpcontest.com/pigwalk20/ de KB9BVN Brian FP -57 -- 72 de KB9BVN
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Speaking of the MMM
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I would like to do an article on the Michigan Mity Mite for the QRP Quarterly, but unfortunately I will not be able to attend FDIM. So, could you guys send me pictures of the MMM's that were there, and who their builder is? I can include those in the article. Thanks! de KB9BVN Brian Murrey -- 72 de KB9BVN
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What is the Michigan Mighty Mite revival?
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I did not get the January issue of QQ. Could someone post the details of the Michigan Mighty Mite revival at Dayton? Thanks, Doug, KI6DS
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FDIM Update
I have updated the registration list as of 2/15/25. Also we need to remind everyone that the block of rooms we had reserved for FDIM have sold out. If you want to stay at the Fairborn Holdiay Inn (FDIM Central) you can call them periodically and see if they have had any cancellations. Also a reminder, if you are participating in the TTL Transmitter Challenge, and need a kit, contact Rex Harper on the https://qrpme.com website to get yours ordered. While there, be sure to check out all the cool kits Rex has available now. FDIM is T minus 90 days and counting down! Many thanks to our prize sponsors! Also while at FDIM, why not take a few pictures and write a few lines about your experience and send it off to Mike Malone KD5KXF so he can include your write up in the July QRP Quarterly? Send articles to: editor@... 73 de KB9BVN Brian Murrey QRP ARCI Volunteer -- 72 de KB9BVN
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FDIM Hotel Rooms are Sold Out
Forward from David Cripe NM0S, President QRP-ARCI Just received word from the Holiday Inn that our block of rooms has sold out. We recommend that anyone wishing to stay at the Holiday in for FDIM to check with them periodically in the chance there may be a cancellation that might free up a room. David W. Cripe, NM0S NM0S Electronics https://sites.google.com/nm0s.com/home/ -- 72 de KB9BVN
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