The Heart of Dixie ARS was founded in 2007, mainly as a club for fellowship and informal meetings. After the first year, some members became interested in publicizing the club in various contests throughout the year. The main contests are ARRL Field Day and the Alabama QSO Party. Several HODARS members are also members of the Alabama Contest Group.

Our latest project has been the construction of a modified W4SSY spud gun. The finished project works very well and was a great help in installing our wire antennas for the 2010 Alabama QSO Party and 2011 Field Day. John, KI4KUT, Bob, KA4PKB and Mike, KI4TWB have mastered it very well.

RTTY is used quite often by several club members. They participate in various domestic and DX RTTY contest throughout the year using the W4HOD callsign.

The W4HOD station consists of an Icom 746 Pro, Cushcraft R8, 40 meter inverted V, a G5RV and other assorted wire antennas. We use Writelog for logging and the preferred QSL route is LOTW and EQSL. We do honor hard copy QSL requests.

Note to DX stations: We understand that some DX stations might have problems using LOTW, and we do honor all hard copy QSL card requests. We do not require green stamps to return a card to you, just enclose a self addressed envelope and we will be happy to return our QSL card postage paid to you.

HEART OF DIXIE IN THE HEARTLAND

Members of W4HOD travelled to Horace, ND for the July, 2011 NAQP RTTY Contest. Bob, KA4PKB and Cheryl, AA4YL were invited to the QTH of Gene, W0ZOK. We were treated like royalty the entire stay, both by Gene and his family and their close friends, Joe, N0RF and his wife, Linda.

Our wonderful host family

L-R John, KD0GWB; Gene, W0ZOK; Ross, KD0GWC and Diane, KB0DTW

W4HOD club member, Bob, KA4PKB

W4HOD club member, Cheryl, AA4YL

Gene, W0ZOK and his good friend, Joe, N0RF in the upstairs shack

(NOTE: Gene is not about to hit Joe with the fly swat, he was after a mosquio that snuck in)

Joe, N0RF and his wife, Linda, N0LG in the basement shack

Happy hour! One of several

Joe, N0RF, Cheryl, AA4YL and Gene, W0ZOK