Well Happy Eclipse Day! If you are an observer, it goes without saying PROTECT YOUR EYES! You were only issued one set, easy to permanently mess them up.
As a reminder the EXTRA Pool will change June 30th, so the testing for the LWRA will change after June’s testing on the first Saturday as well as LARC on the First Monday. I am unaware of other testing sites.
https://arrl.org/extra-question-pool .
Boy, we are getting closer to this month’s QRP. The flyer has been made and we are meeting at Lake Hartridge Park in Winter Haven this month. A great park, we have been there before. It should be accessible to all sections of the county. The tail gate tech theme will be GMRS, we have had such great success with the newly started net that is barely a month old. We are averaging over 30 check-ins each week. The reason to do this as a part of the TTT is to show comradery as well as education. We hopefully will see you there at the end of the month. We will definitely have more to share about this during the month. https://lwra.us/qrp
For those who ask why GMRS? Well as many of you know several of our members came from the GMRS ranks, and many more, even from our club, have joined them in this mode. The EOC and the county have added this as a viable option for many with emergency communications. Many of our gated communities and CERT teams are using this as their means of community contact for disaster communications. Several of these have even set up GMRS repeaters for the residents to use. As far as licensure currently as it stands almost 10-1 GMRS vs Ham License (2023). To illustrate, we have a great and I mean GREAT net with remarkable turnout each week. We have an average of 29.5 check-ins each week. Our informal has recorded as high as 11 (taking into consideration this is a rag chew type net measured usually by time vs check in) this net has lasted as long as 45 minutes. NOT BAD and I am VERY appreciative! The new GMRS net which was one month old last week had 43 check in to the net. SOOO, it does not take a rocket scientist to see that this group has value for recruitment into LWRA activities, membership, and mentorship.
TODAY
WINLINK Monday on Polk or Polk Schools WINLINK repeaters check it out on the https://polkares.org/WINLINK for more information
Don’t forget; This is meeting week. See you at 7PM on Thursday for the LWRA monthly meeting. Is our quarterly business meeting, I promise it will not take long, followed by a short topic of interest meeting program. LWFD 253 West Central Ave Lake Wales
Speaking of nets;
Don’t forget the nets:
Monday: We have the Hardee County ARES Net, KT4WX will be NC on the WC4PEM repeater network at 7PM https://polkares.org for frequencies and repeater locations.
WCF ARRL ARES NET with KN4WXX on the NI4CE repeater network www.ni4ce.org for frequencies and repeater locations.
Local ‘ Polie Bottom” NXDN net with Jimmy KJ4KJG as host on the W4CLL NXDN South Lakeland repeater at 8PM on 442.025 RAN 45 NXDN ICOM Or Kenwood radio required.
Tuesday Net opportunities are:
GMRS Net 462.675 141.3 +5 CTCSS 7 PM Allen aka KI4MOX is the NC
The LWRA Net will be at 730PM on the 442.425MHz repeater + 5MHz using CTCSS Tone squelch 127.3 The net controller will be NI4S Rick. He will announce the location of the informal that follows the regular net with a great topical question.
Wednesday net opportunities:
W4PSR Polk Schools Radio Society radio net. This is aa great chance to encourage youth. It is operated by youth under the supervision of Ham clubs in the schools. They operate on various modes to let students become aware of the types of systems available. We will announce the mode on our net on Tuesday as well as on Signal Chat for the LWRA. The net begins at 2:15PM each Wednesday during the regular school year.
Polk County ARES net on the WC4PEM linked repeater systems. The net begins at 7PM with WX4NEX Norm. Always a great net. More information can be found at https://polkares.org
NI4CE NXDN net on the NI4CE NXDN radio network. This net requires a NXDN radio, and more information can be found on the www.ni4ce.org/nxdn. This net is hosted by NB9X Paul and starts at 730PM.
Thursday net opportunities:
LARC Fusion with Bob on the 146.685MHz -.6 Mhz C4FM. This requires a Fusion radio to participate.
LARC Traders net at 730PM on the LARC repeater 146.685Mhz -.6 Mhz 127.3 Tone Squelch.
WCF TECH Net. Listen- Learn-Inquire and Inspire. The wealth of knowledge out there is usually only a question away. ON the NI4CE network is the TECH NET. This net allows questions to our WCF Technical Specialist on a variety of subjects and or problems. Join in at 9PM every Thursday evening. www.ni4ce.org /nets for more information and frequencies.
And of course, daily 365 days a year at 830 PM we have the Eagles Net the WCF ARRL Traffic Net on the NI4CE radio network. www.ni4ce.org for more information.
One last thing,
This week is Sun N Fun, while some will be observing the show, experimental and my favorite the military aircraft. Some will be operating on the Special Event Station at the show. We will post on signal the frequency if opportunity allows. If you are the SNF stop by and sign the log. We are just a little east of the Airplane on a Stick at near the main gate one building west of Medical Hospitality. This year we have the US AirForce THUNDERBIRDS as the feature jet show.
I look forward to seeing each of you this week at the meeting.
73 and I hope to ‘see ya on the air.’
Mike
KB4FHP