LWRA Ham Bytes – Week of 8/11/25

Good Monday,

Well, this is MEETING WEEK. We have our LWRA meeting and this our classroom style meeting where the majority of the time is dedicated to the topic of Ham/radio education. This Thursday 08/14/2025 at Lake Wales Fire Station 1 ,253 West Central Ave Lake Wales (app ¾ mile east of US27 and Central Ave.)
Our topic this month is something several folks suggested. I approached the resident expert, and he was unavailable. Soo, he produced the program for me, and I will attempt to present it and not do any unnecessary harm to Russ N4RTD the producer.

As many of you know Russ daily, early each morning, gives a detailed prognostication of how the solar weather will influence radio propagation, particularly for HF, but can influence other radio aspects. Regardless of technician, general, advanced, or extra, and even our GMRS, folks this will clarify some of those elements. It also will make studying for license advancement make a little more sense. I will do my utmost best to relay the great program Russ has provided. So, join us in person or by Google Meets for the program.

Android Play Store link – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.tachyon&hl=en_US&gl=US&pli=1

Apple iPhone and iPad app link – https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-meet/id1096918571

Windows or Mac computers can use a browser and open the meeting link.
https://meet.google.com/mhb-ukfz-upi

For example, here is his post for this morning.

Russ Delaney

Good morning, Folks!
The Sunspot Number has risen to 157.
The Solar Flux has risen to 153.
Space weather for the next 24 hours is predicted to be minor.
Chance of flares today: 55% FOR m-Class, 10% for x-Class

Thank You Russ for your diligence in putting this out EVERY day even when he’s on a vacation! I as well as many other looks forward to every day.

QRP- As you know we talk this time of year about relaying or passing traffic into the Emergency Operations Center during activated events such as hurricanes. This now includes the GMRS community. Several CERT groups are culminating information that needs to be relayed and are using GMRS and/or HAM radio. The net we started 1 year and 5 months ago has become a HUGE success. I never anticipated a weekly average of 32-36 check ins. They have become adept at using the net check in format and ‘Now for the Rest of the Story” as my hero Paul Harvey used to say. Our QRP this month (last Saturday will be at Mary Holland Park Bartow. From there we will disseminate scripted notifications back to the EOC, which will be manned by dual license individuals to take that information and acknowledge the sending station, as it would be in an actual activation. WE NEED YOU HELP. I bet you have never sent information to the EOC as a HAM or GMRS, so this is a remarkable opportunity to PRACTICE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS. After all, this really is why we say we got into the hobby. ‘I just want to be able to get a hold of someone in case other systems are out.’ Whether you label that ‘Prepper, Emergency Communicator, even Skywarn weather reporting, any other adjective, you want to be able to get help when you need it. Here is your chance to PRACTICE.

As always you can set up HF, 2M,70 CM and more. A regular QRP but this time with real time drill quality response to emergency comms. Come out to the park and we will give you a card with the scenario. You can use any of the approved comms into the EOC which will be on the scenario information. More to come as we plan. PLEASE come out and join us. We will provide you with a real hot dog and bun just for coming sponsored by ‘Big Dogs on the Porch’.

Thanks to Russ, Christine, John S. for working to make this happen

Allen, please announce this on your GMRS net Tuesday or give me time at the beginning of the net.
Bring your drink because it is still summertime in Florida. You do NOT have to be a member or ARES, LWRA or the GMRS community to observe and/or participate.
www.lwra.us/qrp for the flyer and information

Don’t forget the nets: We need ya! Summertime our numbers dip a little so join us if you can. Grant will be our fill in net controller this week. He always does a great job so join us on Tuesday!

Check out W4JFS’ ‘flavor of the day’ (what repeater we are highlighting that day) on Signal Chat.
Don’t forget WINLINK Monday: We need you here too!

Thanks, Russ, for the celestial updates.

Net information on the next page

Don’t forget use LWRA Signal Club & Swap group to find or create great deals on this medium. One average item only stays active for a few days before they are sold.

*A reminder our friends at LARC next month will have their table gate sale. You can find great deals on used HAM equipment so join the friends at LARC on August 11th at 7PM Parkview Baptist Church, 509 Parkview Place Lakeland 33805 (this is just east of Lakeland Health) (fka Lakeland Regional) off of Lakeland Hills Blvd. if you need additional let me know.

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