[South Florida DX Association] Monthly Southern Florida Section News Summary

[Bill Marx]

Hi Everyone,
>From time to time I see good comments in club newsletters that I like to
share.  Here is a recent comment from the Fort Myers ARC Modulator: When 
Hams
get together, only good things happen with long lasting friendships.  Be a
participating Ham and share your presence at meetings and on the nets.
You'll be happier for the effort -- de Darrell Phillips, N4OKS. Thanks for 
the
great words, Darrell.

Here's 3 links with useful information for every EmComm operator. Pass them 
to
others:
http://www.usraces.org/training/SimplexOPSRev11Aug06.doc
http://www.usraces.org/training/VA+RACES+Recommendations+for+Personal+Preparedness.doc
http://www.w4ava.org/races/MMauxcomm42.htm

More changes in your SFL leadership team. Hugh Connolly, AG4HC has rejoined 
us
as Assistant Section Manager for Training.  He has put together a great
PowerPoint presentation for teaching Level 1 ARECC classes and it is
available to Instructors and ECs in the SFL section only.  He is also 
working
on other presentations for our use.  After many years serving the SFL 
section
in various ways Bruce Reid, K9SHT has stepped down as ASM and DEC.  Bruce
will be devoting more time to family and personal matters and hopefully will
rejoin the team at a later time.  Thank you Bruce for all of your time,
energy, and ideas for many years.  Filling Bruce's slot as Treasure Coast 
DEC
is Steve Blary, N1XC.  Steve has been EC of Martin County for several years
and is well known in the district.  Stepping into the Martin EC position is
Russ Ackerman, AI7Q. He has been active in Martin ARES for several years,
most recently as Lt. EC.  Thank you all for stepping up to the plate!

Last month I mentioned changes in our website.  Miss Evelyn, W4WYR has 
retired
as webmaster.  She began the site years ago when there were few websites for
small groups.  I have kept her busy with news articles, changes in 
personnel,
requests for additional information and she has kept pace.  Thank you,
Evelyn.  In lieu of an Attagirl we planned a special presentation at the
recent ARES meeting, which unfortunately was changed at the last minute.  A
special Certificate of Merit has been presented to Evelyn and the photo is 
on
the section news page at www.arrl.org/sections/SFL.html

The newly designed website will be live later this week.  Visit
www.sflarrl.org and let us know what you think.  It is still a work in
progress.  We will be adding photos and bios of the section leadership team.
Also to be added is a Speakers Bureau page that will list speakers for club
meetings as well as speakers for non-ham groups.  That page needs 
volunteers.
 Send me (w4stb at arrl.net) your name and contact information if you wish to 
be
on either list and please include whether or not you want to appear on the
web or you want someone to act as an agent.  We also need someone to
volunteer to be a Speakers Agent -- someone to sort e-mail and phone 
requests
and match speakers and groups needing a speaker.

Next, let's talk about PR.  The question was raised recently about why do we
care about public relations -- we are just doing our job as emergency
communicators.  First, what is PR?  It helps establish and maintain mutual
communications, understanding, acceptance and cooperation between an
organization and its various audiences.  It's about building reputations,
developing relationships, creating a positive image and informing and
persuading people, and changing behavior.  People act on their own 
perception
of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors.  Ask 
yourself
what your neighbor, local government officials, local business leaders, your
relatives, your co-workers, fellow members of non-ham groups that you belong
to, and cashiers at the local grocery store or restaurant think about ham
radio.  If their behavior and perception is not 100% positive and accurate,
then we need to be concerned about PR.

Some simple ways to create a positive and accurate image for ham radio: Are
your club or ARES group brochures accurate and current?  Does your group 
have
and regularly use local brochures and ARRL brochures?  Are your websites up
to date -- no more than six weeks old?  Do all brochures and websites have 
the
ARES ® registered trademark notice?  Are all group meetings and test 
sessions
listed (correctly) on local community websites and with local media outlets?

REPORTS:
AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE:
Total number of ARES members: 1239, Change since last month: -64
Number of DECs/ECs reporting --11, ARES nets active: 17 Sessions 66, 6 nets
have NTS liaison.
DECs/ECs reporting: N4LEM, WA2DXQ, N5KFR, AA4BN, WA4ASJ, WA4GUK, AI7Q, 
AD4RZ,
AG4AN, KA4HLO, K4NNX
Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 24, Person hours 
143
Number of public service events this month: 3, Person hours 62
Number of emergency operations this month: 1, Person hours 1
Total number of ARES operations this month: 28, Total Person hours 206
SFL ARES Net Report --- QNI 15 QTC 1 Time 14 Min.

Comments:
The Southern Florida Section held a section wide ARES staff meeting on July
21st at the Palm Beach County EOC. There were 45 in attendance and 11 of our
14 counties were represented.  Attendees were ECs, DECs, AECs and PIOs.
Osceola County: We have been successful in establishing our relationship 
with
the Board of County Commissioners and the Emergency Operation Center. We are
conducting meetings at the EOC and started our NIMS training schedule for 
new
members. A new MOU (ILA) has been approved by the county commissioners.

SARs for July 2007: KA4FZI 386, KE4CB 57, K4FQU 48, WA4EIC 47, AA4BN 44, 
NY4E
41, KC4TM 14, W4WYR 10
================
PSHRs for July 2007: KA4FZI 120, K4FQU 110, WA4EIC 100, AA4BN 82, NY4E 57,
W4DKB 40
================
Bulletin Report from KE4UEI: Recd 21, Sent 0, Total 21
================
NET REPORTS for July 2007
NET, ABB, SESS, QNI, QTC, MGR
All Florida CW Traffic Net, QFN, 62, 546, 282, NY4E
Florida Amateur SSBTraffic Net, FAST, 31, 179, 29, K4SCL
Florida Medium Speed Net, FMSN, 30, 205, 39, AG4RJ/AB4XK
Jupiter-Tequesta Repeater Group, JTRG, 6, 104, 23, AG4BV/KF4NJB
Saint Lucie Repeater Assn, SLRA, 5, 34, 0, KE4UEI
Southeast Florida Traffic Net, SEFTN, 37, 517, 51, AG4RJ/AI4GE
Southwest Florida Traffic Net, SWFTN, 26, 270, 46, K4FQU
================
I will be happy to mail traffic handling information to anyone interested...
Just ask. KA4FZI@ AOL.COM
================
That's all for now.  Photos and updates will be done later this week on the
section news page.  Please continue to send me information about your club
and ARES activities.  Don't forget the photos.

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