LWRA President’s Message – Week of 9/11/23

Greetings LWRA members,

As we remember 9-11 and those that lost their lives or endured even on going illness,  Emergency Communications had a place in this event. Thank You to those who served, prepared to protect, protected or provided service.

One of those who contributed was a friend, co- worker, and local HAM. She passed away in July of this year. Beth served as a Lieutenant with Polk County’s Fire Rescue and along with “Mo Green” AG4LT’s wife. They were members of the PCFR Honor Guard. Beth and a few other members of the Guard attended over 100 funerals for the fallen NYFD/and associated departments in New York after the disaster. Giving solace and comfort to families and co- workers; they provided a service that was much in need due to the stress and limited availability of the NYFD’s Guard.  This selfless act took great toll on these visiting Guards. That many funerals can cause lifelong stress! I would like to offer my thanks to those from our area who served in New York,  DC and across the country from the Pennsylvania attack. 73 to Beth Haley KI4CRJ (Salute, Chief 10 (Ret) Mike Lunsford, Special Operations Polk County Honor Guard).

On to the events!

The LWRA monthly meeting’s ‘hands on’ meeting. This month we have been suggested by several members to do a review or update or how to use computer CPS (computer program software) We have several updates such as the new W4VCO/WC4PEM DMR repeater now in Indian Lake Estates (400’) and linked to the other two DMR repeaters located in Polk City (300’) and Ft Meade-Welcome (400’) these are on the Interstate 2 C Bridge.  If you have a DMR radio, BRING it we can SHOW you how to enter new information into that radio. Note: if you radio is specific and uncommonly used in this area, please email me to assure we have your software available jml610@comcast.net . The other item of interest is a new software for TYT UV380 and UV 390. This upgrade allows for more menu selections and a larger contact database (500,000). We will demonstrate how to convert one of these radios at the meeting.  The third aspect of hands on will be fine tuning your Pi-star hot spot.  If you are proficient in any of these topics, we would love to have you assist us. Join us at 7PM at the LWFD Station 1- 253 West Central Ave. on the 14th this Thursday!!! A reminder I cannot program Motorola DMR radios. The more common flavors we can assist with will be:  TYT MD380 TYT UV380 -390 and Radioditty RTS 3,  TYT 9600, Connect Systems 800D  , Connect Systems CS750,  HD1 Radioditty, Some Yaesu Fusion radios, and Some Icom radios (DSTAR).

If you have a specific need email me before Wednesday. Jml610@comcast.net

This is to teach you how to program your own radio, we will assist, time permitting.  If you do not need this information PLEASE PLEASE come anyway your expertise in other areas may be beneficial to other HAMS, and we just plain want to see ya, so come on out and fellowship!

Net Control this week will be NI4S Rick at 7:30 PM on the 442.425MHz machine +5  with 127.3 CTCSS ( TX and RX) this will be the second week of the Vertex repeater testing, HOHN W4JFS did not damage it last week, though a valiant effort made with 26 check-ins and 12 on the Round Table.  The net starts at 7:30PM Tuesday evening.

Finally, our QRP folks have done it again, we will be at Fort Meade again this month at the park by the Peace River.  www.lwra.us/qrp for the flyer and talk in. This month the tailgate tech theme is Fusion and Wires X. This is in conjunction with the new Fusion repeater as well as other ways to access. We will have a Wires node in operation at the event and I will be out of state trying to make contact back with the folks at the QRP.

I hope to ‘see ya on the air’ and at the Thursday meeting for the LWRA!

73 de Mike KB4FHP