[FPARC] Southern Florida Section News

[W4kkw at aol.com]

Hello everyone,

North America. National Volunteer Week this year is  April 23-29. Therefore, I
am sending a big THANK YOU to all who volunteer,  whether it be with ARES,
your local radio club, local civic group, local  government agency, animal
shelter, school, or other organization.   Without volunteers many
organizations would not be able to function.  A  special THANK YOU goes to our
ARRL appointees that are active, radio club  presidents and AECs.  Tell them
THANK YOU yourself - they do a lot of  work that you never see, you only see
the results.

Florida QSO party  is coming up on April 22 & 23. I hope to work many of you
during this  contest.  This is a good opportunity for everyone to try
contesting so  get on the air and give the county hunters and contesters  some
points.

Here is a great tool for new hams, and the rest of us.  Jeremy Briggs, K4OCD,
authored this guide for new hams. He has given us  permission to use  it.
http://www.piccentric.com/amateur/publications/practicalradioapplication4nd.pd
f

REPORTS
ARES  Members 977 Change +7 in the counties reporting
ECs reporting 9
Nets 9  Liaison 5
ECs reporting: WA4GUK, AG4AN, AD4RZ, KF4IHX, N4LEM,  AA4BN,
N5KFR, KF4MJJ & WA4ASJ
Drills, tests & training 14 Total  ARES ops  44
So FL ARES Net Report -- No report this month

SAR:  KA4FZI 504, KE4UOF 117, AI4GE 70, K4FQU 54,
WA4EIC 51, N3OZP 40, AA4BN 37,  WA2YL 34,
KG4MLC 13, W4WYR 8, K9GZT 4, K3QC 3, KI4KQQ  1
==================
PSHR: KE4UOF 130, KA4FZI 120, K4FQU 116, WA4YL  104,
WA4EIC 100, N3OZP 100, AI4GE 90, AA4BN 85, W4DKB  18
==================
NET Reports
NET ABB. SESS QNI QTC MGR
Florida  Amateur SSB Traffic Net FAST 31 280 59 KC4ZHF/K4SCL
Florida Medium Speed Net  FMSN 31 215 38 AG4RJ/AB4XK
Jupiter-Tequesta Repeater Group JTRG 4 68 19  KF4NJB
Martin County Amateur Radio Association MCARA 4 50 4 KE4UEI
Saint  Lucie Repeater Association SLRA 4 47 4 KE4UEI
Southeast Florida Traffic Net  SEFTN 62 719 92 AG4RJ/AI4GE
Southwest Florida Traffic Net SWFTN 27 404 53  K4FQU




SOAPBOX
Currently we can expect brush fires, or  tornadoes, or severe thunderstorms. 
In a few short weeks we can expect  tropical disturbances ranges from mild to
CAT #? and we need to ask  ourselves: ARE WE PREPARED?

Preparedness takes on additional meanings for  hams.  Food, batteries,
flashlights, etc that your neighbors are  gathering should be on your mind
also.  But there other things we need  to do to prepare.  First -- connectors,
emergency power sources, rigs  that are not used daily, more batteries,
portable antennas, feedline,  etc.

Second, your local ARES organization.  Are you a member of your  local ARES
organization?  Yes.  When was the last training session  or meeting you
attended?  Who is your EC? Who are the assistant  ECs?  Can't answer those
questions? You are not prepared.  Not a  member of your local ARES?  Why not? 
Active in local ARES?  If  not, why not?  Have you ever been NCS for the
weekly training net?   No weekly training net?  Offer to help organize one.

Want to be more  active in ARES?  Get out of that chair and contact your EC  -
http://www.sflarrl.org/ARES,%20SOUTH%20FLORIDA.htm -- and offer to assist.  
Your EC has volunteered for a huge job.  He/she is responsible  for
organizing, training and helping deploy responders.  This entails  phone
calls, record keeping, training plans, meeting with county and  municipal
officials, meeting with served agency officials, and long hours at  EOC during
an emergency event.  Pitch in and help out.  Organize  the phone call-up tree.
Keep a record of training completed by individual  members, teach a subject
needed by ARES members. Pick up the net control one  week a month. Offer to be
an assistant in the event that the EC is ill, at  work, or out of town when
the emergency occurs.  There are tasks you can  do without leaving the comfort
of your home.  Your EC will thank you,  your fellow hams will thank you, your
community will thank you, and Jeff  WA4AW, our Section EC and I will thank
you.

Check out the section news  at www.arrl.org/sections/SFL.html. I done several
updates  recently.

Stay safe and stay on the air.
73
Sherri,  W4STB


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ARRL  Southern Florida Section
Section Manager: Sharon T. Brower,  W4STB
w4stb at arrl.org
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