[InHam] W9IMS U.S. Grand Prix Special Event

[David Spoelstra]

Lap Two for W9IMS: U.S. Grand Prix Marks Another Special Event in the Indy
Triple Crown

Though the track and the transmitters have barely cooled following the 88th
Indianapolis 500, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Amateur Radio Club
(IMSARC) will stage its second special event in two months, this one
commemorating the upcoming U.S. Grand Prix (www.usgpindy.com).

America's only Formula One race will take place June 20, 2004 on Indy's
legendary 2½-mile oval-the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
(www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com). To honor the occasion, the IMSARC-the
first-ever official amateur radio club of the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway-will operate W9IMS through race day.

The IMSARC intends to equal or exceed the success of its Indy 500 special
event operation, which raced to nearly 3,000 QSOs (despite frequent S9 line
noise (which we are getting fixed!) and severe thunderstorms-which spawned
tornadoes-on the final day).

>From June 12 through June 20, stations that work W9IMS (or log W9IMS, in the
case of SWLs) will receive an official Indianapolis Motor Speedway QSL
card-the second in the three-card series for 2004. (The third card will be
offered to stations that work W9IMS during its next special event,
celebrating the Brickyard 400 (NASCAR) race on August 8, 2004; that
operation will take to the airwaves July 31.)

Better yet, any station that takes the "checkered flag" by working W9IMS
during each of the three Triple Crown special event operations will qualify
for a colorful certificate. These special events will occur annually, and
any combination of years will be valid as long as all three operations are
worked (or logged).

Look for W9IMS on June 12, 13, 19, and 20 from 1500Z to 0300Z.  We will also
be on the air as much as possible during the week.  We will be on or near
the following frequencies: 1840, 3840, 7240, 14070 PSK31, 14240, 21340,
28340, 50140, 144.240 SSB, and 146.52 Simplex FM. Watch for packet spots -
online at DX Summit http://oh2aq.kolumbus.com/dxs/ .

For an official W9IMS Indianapolis Motor Speedway QSL card commemorating the
U.S. Grand Prix, send an SASE (#9 or #10 Business Envelope - the QSL card
will be 3.5 inches by 5.5 inches) to: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Amateur
Radio Club, P.O. Box 18495, Indianapolis, IN 46218-0495, USA. Stations
outside the United States may QSL via the bureau.

For further information, lookup W9IMS on www.qrz.com. Please direct any
questions to David Spoelstra, N9KT (e-mail: n9kt at arrl.net).