LWRA Ham Bytes – Week of 2/17/25

I hope all you weary fox hunters had time to rest this weekend. We had a great time at the QRP fox hunt. We did have a good turnout for the fun and thanks to Bartow Parks for hosting us. I and KO4FRZ were the Fox Master, and I am to blame for the difficult locations. Here were the actual locations if you could not find them all. A fox was hidden at Bartow Regional Hospital rear entrance road, behind the fence. What I did not take into consideration was the fence interfered with the directional antennas, causing the fox to appear to be down the street. I was however found by W4JFS and KN4WGD Don. The other was located at the Bartow Airbase behind the county radio shop*. The other two were south one at the Peace River Boat landing, and the other (GMRS) at Heritage Park in Homeland*. (* these two sites were last minute due to circumstances at their original sites.) We also had a couple of HF stations, and probably the most important we were able to help a couple of our club members with technical information to help them on their radio adventure. Anyway, we had fun and fellowship and food.

Don’t forget the March meeting will be on Yaesu Fusion/Wires X so come by and learn about the Wires repeater (LWRA is a partner in this repeater, so treat it like you own part of it!) His imminence Russ N4RTD will skillfully lead to WIRES X, I’m excited! More to come about that.

TECHCON- The 11th annual TECHCON is this Saturday! WCF ARRL presents this event each year. The doors open at 8AM at the Polk EOC (same place ARES meets) 1890 Jim Keene Blvd., Winter Haven, Florida, 33880. The event will commence at 0900. The primary track will be available for viewing on the WCF YouTube channel and will be recorded for future viewing. Russ N4RTD will be doing his post production magic and will announce when it is ready for viewing.

Darrel KT4WX has 2 slot available for presenters so if you have something you would like to present get with him ASAP KT4WX@arrl.net

The YouTube link is https://youtube.com/channel/UCFA4-HEjr-lYMFisVG_Nk5A.
http://arrlwcf.org/wcf-special-events/wcftechconference

Great forums and speakers; multiple topics for your edification.

A reminder dues are due until March 15th. Per our bylaws dues not received by that date will remove you from the roll. We need you to please consider renewing It has, and will continue, to make this a progressive learning club with each other and new amateurs in the area our priority. We stive to make our club a fun outgoing organization that cultivates education and camaraderie. Your renewal is vital to keep our objectives moving forward. https://www.lwra.us/membership for PayPal, address or other information regarding dues.
Great news the WIRES X Fusion repeater in Bartow is now WIRES capable thanks to Russ, Richard and Robert. More to come on how to use this if you have a Yaesu Fusion Radio 145.270MHz C4FM ONLY. W4PSR Thanks Polk School Radio Society, Lakeland Amateur Radio Club, Lake Wales Repeater Association, and Polk County Emergency Management for success in this project.

Russ and others are ‘turning on room periodically to hear what WIRES does. When these rooms are on you can join in the nets, or conversations without having to open WIRES. If you can hear them, you can join in. They will turn off automatically in about an hour after activation.

Don’t forget the nets:

One last thing.

Check out the WINLINK Monday with Gary today, you can find more information on the
www.polkares.org/WINLINK

73 and I hope to ‘see ya on the air.’

Mike
KB4FHP jml610@comcast.net call 863-412-2467