Spark-Con

Mark your calendars for October 9th & 10th 2026 for Spark-Con 2026 at the Mathewson Exhibition Center on the Missouri State Fairgrounds.

Take time to view a few videos on YouTube from Spark-Con. In the search box type in "Spark-Con ".

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High Altitude Balloon Launch – SUCCESS!
SPARK-CON 2025 ARRL Midwest Division Convention| Missouri State Fairgrounds

Saturday morning at the ARRL Midwest Division Convention — SPARK-CON 2025 — we had an incredible high-altitude balloon launch that turned heads and sparked curiosity!
This exciting event was a collaborative effort between the Sedalia-Pettis Amateur Radio Klub, the Civil Air Patrol, and the University of Missouri S&T, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the results!
A great crowd gathered to watch the balloon setup, and many stayed to witness the awe-inspiring launch right from the fairgrounds. The balloon rose at about 1,200 ft/min, heading north-northwest before hooking southeast around 10,000 ft. As it climbed into the jet stream, we tracked it zooming along at 94 mph at around 54,000 feet — truly amazing!
Although tracking became spotty as it reached near-space altitudes, it was a thrill to follow its path live on the big screen inside our Emergency Communications Area at the Convention. Civil Air Patrol confirmed its last known location high above Missouri — near the edge of space!
The balloon eventually descended and made a graceful (if not leafy) landing in a tree deep in the Ozarks. Later that same day, its location was confirmed — and on Sunday, the recovery team successfully retrieved the entire payload, fully intact!
*** Mission: Accomplished. ***
This wouldn’t have been possible without the expert guidance and partnership of Missouri S&T — thank you for making this launch a full success!
To everyone who came out to watch, ask questions, and share in the excitement — thank you! Your enthusiasm and support made this moment special.
Stay tuned — another balloon launch is already in the works!

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We at Spark were honored to host the ARRL Midwest Convention this year. Many thanks to our vendors, presenters, and attendees who made Spark-Con 2025 a truly memorable event. We certainly can't forget about Amelia Rose Earhart who at the Friday night banquet gave a inspiring keynote address. We certainly can't forget about our amazing club members who made it possible for us to host the event. Most importantly we thank the ARRL in trusting us to host the convention. We are already brainstorming to make Spark-Con 2026 even bigger and better. We already have several vendors and presenters who are coming back for next years convention. Mark your calendar for the 2nd weekend of October 2026 for Spark-Con 2026.

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