LWRA Ham Bytes – Week of 3/23/26

Wonderful day to play radio, Starting off with w VHF UHF band opening! Reports of some DX going on so, if you can play a little radio this morning. Now down to business.

I would like to let you ALL know that we have a great club! Many of you are involved in the community in other ways that make us proud of all you do! In particular last week the LWRA had three members receive awards for their continued and varied volunteer time to their county.

Dan Haslam W5DBH, besides being your VP, and maintaining our repeaters, was recognized by the county for his contribution to both HAM and GMRS in the emergency communications arena. Dan’s selfless devotion to keeping our radios operating and he provides a well-range GMRS repeater to the greater NE county to provide radio service to the growing population. Congratulations Dan on your award.

Jim Carlin, N4JPC LWRA member and this week’s Net Control operator, was recieved an award for his volunteer work in the community as well as other aspects of the county. He is incredibly involved in the CERT program in his community where he lives. Jim’s involvement promotes the need and practical function of CERT as well as his involvement in ARES Polk. As an Assistant continues to provide leadership for our ARES team. Congratulations to Jim on his commitment to our radio community!

Tom LaFlam recognized for his volunteering with PCFR in the Auxiliary. Tom for YEARS has been just more than CAMP SUN N FUN camp master. He also volunteered there as a part of the Emergency Response Team. This multi-agency unified command provides LE, Medical and crowd safety for the second largest air show in the US. This team operates for almost two weeks leading up to and during the event. Tom is a primary medical response lead that averages almost 100 medical calls each year during SNF. This team operates 24 hours a day. Tom also coordinates Camp SNF where the Command Operations are housed. If you did not know he also custom draws the map for the entire SNF area including parking lots to facilitate accurate and precise response for both team and out of area responses. Congratulations Tom!

The great thing is that the award they received may not have been directly for their HAM radio, however, I know that all three of the gentlemen use and promote HAM radio in the areas they were recognized for as well as this club in their other endeavors.

These are examples of community involvement. Others of you, in fact the greater number of you, have or continue to support our community, state and even country. The myriads of organizations, causes and interest absolutely amaze me. I am so glad to call you my friends and co-workers in this hobby. Thank You all for what you do!

We will enjoy the net this week by the award-winning Jim, N4JPC, on the LWRA UHF machine 442.425Mhz +5MHz with 127.3 on both tx and rx. This is a dual mode repeater for analog and AMS Fusion. The net is conducted in the analog mode starting at 730PM followed by the ‘round table’ on the LWRA repeater. Net starts at 730 PM Tuesday followed by the round table net.

QRP- The March QRP will be at Lake Shipp Park in Winter Haven on the 28th. We will have a tech theme of VARAC will NOT have lunch on site afterwards so here’s your opportunity to check out some of the local foods in Winter Haven like Andy’s Igloo or Pebbles BBQ in Auburndale, two of the restaurants in Polk that are over 60 years old.

Come out and learn, set up a station or just visit.

The tech theme will be VarAC . Additional information can be found on the www.lwra.us/qrp website. Talk in will be the WC4PEM repeater system or the Polk County GMRS Bartow repeater.
Please come out to support our great QRP team.

We still net a few net controllers for our GMRS associated nets. Third or fourth week on Bartow and W5DBH’s repeater in Haines City.

Dan’s W5DBH Haines City Net on Fridays 462.55 127.3 he needs subs and controllers for his 7 PM Friday net.
I need a third- or fourth-week controller for the Polk GMRS net for Tuesday at 7PM each week. 462.725 141.3. Also, standby subs for all three nets would be great. Let me know about any 863-412-2467.

Thanks, Russ, for the celestial updates. Great net reminders on SIGNAL each day… a wonderful tool!
Net information on the next page

If you are NOT on SIGNAL and want info email me jml610@comcast.net

One last thing.

One last thing.

Check out WINLINK Monday with Gary today, you can find more information on the Polk ARES web site.
Also, Winlink WED is another opportunity.

73 and I hope to ‘see ya on the air.’

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