THE SPARK GAP

A monthly publication of the Meridian Amateur Radio Club July 2026

 

 

 Bible Verse

John 8:36 --- You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (NCB)

 

President's Report

Greetings fellow HAMS

Special thanks and appreciation to all who helped with a successful 2026 Field Day. We have another special event coming up August 29th. This event will be VJ Day and can be done at home stations. Please check with Larry Anderson for details and what you can do to help. We will probable discuss it further at the coming meeting.

Our next meeting will be on the second Saturday, July the 11th, so people can observe the holiday. I hope you all will travel safely and I look forward to seeing you again. God bless!

73's
Wayne Myhre. KC5HPU

 

 

Next MARC Business Meeting

IMPORTANT NOTE: MEETING TIME AND LOCATION

The next business meeting will be held at Suqualena Volunteer Fire Department, 10432 Highway 494 (just off of Hwy 19 - north of Meridian) from 9am until... on Saturday July 11th.

 

 

ARRL Field Day 2026

Field Day 2026 Recap: Testing Skills, Building Community

On June 27–28, the Meridian Amateur Radio Club and the Chickasawhay Repeater Group gathered at Archusa Creek Park Lodge for the annual ARRL Field Day — a 24-hour simulated emergency communication drill and community outreach event.

This year’s objectives were threefold: to test our ability to contact as many amateur radio operators across North America as possible, to demonstrate our capacity to provide critical communication services during commercial outages, and — of course — to have fun doing it. We’re proud to report that we succeeded on all counts.

Twenty-two hams and guests participated in the event, including six youth operators, running entirely off-grid using solar, generator, and battery power. Throughout the 24-hour period, we logged 357 contacts (QSOs) across 63 states and sections, plus 3 foreign countries, earning a total of 646 QSO points — with more bonus points totaling 2742 points for our official ARRL submission.

Field Day 2026 not only sharpened our emergency communication skills but also showcased the strength and resilience of our local amateur radio community. Many thanks to all who participated, those who supplied and cooked the food, and those who supported the effort.

 

 

 

W5J

The VJ Day Special Event in Commemoration of the end of WWII

The Meridian ARC will host a special event commemorating of the end of WWII 81 years ago, to be held August 29th thru September 2nd 2026. There will be beautiful commemorative picture QSL card for those who contact us. Our call sign will be W5J. The following will be the subject of the event:

Lest we ever forget!

The official end of World War II occurred on September 2nd, 1945, when Japan formally signed the instrument of surrender aboard the Iowa class Battleship, USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay 81 years ago.

Key Dates of the End of WWII

May 8th, 1945 (V-E Day): Germany signed its unconditional surrender, marking the end of the war in Europe.

August 15th, 1945: Japan announced its surrender (broadcast by Emperor Hirohito).

September 2nd, 1945: Official signing of the surrender document, on The Battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay, ending the war globally.

The event will be conducted by a special team of members from the Meridian ARC (Mississippi)

 

 

Quote of the Month

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” - Ronald Reagan

 

Have a BLESSED month!