[South Florida DX Association] Amateur Radio Rebuttal From Albert Moreschi

[NPAlex at aol.com]

The recent Sun Sentinel article regarding the dying hobby of amateur radio  
prompted a lot of discussion on 2m in our area.  The JTRG club president  AG4BV 
was encouraged to write a rebuttal, I have included it below.  I  think it 
was well said - and an example of activity that a club can make happen  if 
motivated.
Norm W4QN
===================================================

Subject: Amateur Radio Rebuttal From Albert Moreschi


>  Dear Stephanie Horvath, It appears that Justin Hornby has not met any of  
> the members of the Jupiter-Tequesta Repeater Group and may have the  wrong 
> impression of Amateur Radio full of gray haired old people. The  
> Jupiter-Tequesta Repeater Group is currently celebrating our clubs 25th  
> anniversary which I would consider young. The average age of our group  is 
> about 42 with our youngest member of 10 and our oldest member at 90.  Our 
> group is a vibrant bunch and the clubs activities are  numerous.  From club 
> picnics to the Christmas parades in our area  our group is extremely active 
> in the hobby of talking to other Hams  around the world, supplying vital 
> information during disasters when all  other communications fail, promoting 
> Ham Radio at public events,  picking up and delivering food for needy 
> families during the Food For  Families event, picking up trash along our 
> communities roadways for the  Adopt-A-Highway program, teaching Ham Radio 
> with our classes to people  interested in getting into the hobby which 
> includes Fire Fighters, Cert  Groups, Police and just recently held a class 
> at the American Red Cross  Headquarters in Palm Beach County. Not only do 
> we conduct classes on  Ham Radio but we also conduct regularly scheduled 
> exams. So far in  2007, we have added over 100 new Hams into Ham Radio. The 
> last full  weekend in June we participated in the annual Field Day event at 
> the  Carlin Park Civic Center in Jupiter with a record turnout of well over 
>  300 participants and guests which also included State and Local Government 
 
> Officials. With the FCC's elimination of the Morse Code examinations,  Ham 
> Radio has flourished and is still continuing to grow. Some of the  members 
> of our group are even experimenting with digital communications  as well as 
> those of us who restore older ham radio equipment and  construct antennas. 
> I am proud to be a part of the Jupiter Tequesta  Repeater Group with over 
> 90 members which is still growing.  After  reading your recent article in 
> the Sun-Sentinel, I was compelled to  comment on our clubs success and 
> enthusiasm in this fun and exciting  hobby of Amateur Radio. Visit our 
> Website at www.jtrg.org
> From  the Desk of Albert Moreschi AG4BV  President of the Jupiter Tequesta  
> Repeater Group  ARRL VE Liaison   ARRL FIELD PIO  





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