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

[Bill Marx]

Hi everyone,

Here is a bit of time travel.  These are excerpts from the first section 
news
that I wrote.  It was written in October 2002 for inclusion in December QST:
This is the first, and last, Section News I will do for QST.  The Section 
News
will be removed from QST next month and most members will receive the
information electronically.  The September appointees meeting and the
Melbourne Hamfest were well attended and successful. Many clubs participated
in the Boy Scout JOTA in October. Photos from Melbourne and JOTA are on  the
section news page.  The dedicated folks of the  Hurricane Watch Net and 
W4EHW
were busy with Isidore and Lili. KU4GY reports that the Palmetto Radio Club
repeater was connected via IRLP to repeaters in Louisiana to collect reports
from stations in the affected area that do not have HF radios.  The 2002
SKYWARN Recognition Day event will be held on December 7.  Look for the NWS
offices on the air. Skywarn groups will operate at Miami and Melbourne NWS.
Martin county has been working on the new amateur station at the EOC and all
equipment should be in by year end.  The Harris/Intersil club in Brevard
participated in the GHz and Up contest and more outings are planned for the
upcoming VHF and UHF contests.  They set up on high bridges and atop the
hospital parking garage.  Collier county amateurs participated in a 9/11
memorial program with the Red Cross at Naples City Hall and the August
meeting presentation was "Intro to Disaster Services" by the Red 
Cross.  Need
new ideas for club activities? Visit the section news page where I will
feature photos and ideas from clubs in our section or visit
www.arrl.org/pio/100Ideas.ppt.  Note: the Okeechobee Hamfest is 11/30 at the
old location -- the Agricultural center.

Things change yet remain the same.  I am still writing about club activites,
ideas to help clubs and sending you the monthly traffic reports.  The news 
is
more timely when it is delivered electronically.  The Melbourne hamfest and
JOTA are two months in the past.  Martin county has moved out of the EOC 
that
I wrote about in '02, Skywarn Appreciation Day is still being held, W4EHW is
now W4NHC and it has been assisting for over 25 years, the Okeechobee 
Hamfest
is still popular and even new locations don't deter attendees.

Another thing that has not changed is the Holiday Boat Parade in Fort
Lauderdale.  The name of the parade has changed over the year but the hams
have been involved for many years.  If you want to know more read a great
article written by one of our PIOs, Carl Zettelmeyer, WA4CZ.   The article 
is
live now on the web at http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2007/12/14/2/?nc=1


December ARES report from Karen Briggs, K8KB
Total number of ARES members in counties reporting: 504. ECs reporting:
WA2DXQ, N5KFR, AA4BN, WA4ASJ
WA4GUK, AI7Q, K4FLC, AD4RZ, AG4AN, AJ4BP.  In the reporting counties there
were 14 ARES nets holding 53 sessions and 8 of the nets maintain NTS 
liaison.
Reporting counties held 39 drills, tests and training sessions and 3 public
service events.  Total volunteer person hours reported: 156.

Traffic Report from Phylisan West, KA4FZI
SFL SAR for NOV 2007: K4SCL 575, KA4FZI 459, KE4CB 126, K4FQU 82, AA4BN 53,
KC4TM 22, KI4OUD 6
============
SFL PSHR for NOV 2007: KA4FZI 120 ,K4FQU 110 ,K4SCL 100 ,KE4CB 85 ,AA4BN 81
============
Bulletin Report from David Smith KE4UEI: Recd 17, Sent 4, Total 21
============
Net Reports:
NET ABB. SESS QNI QTC MGR
All Florida CW Traffic Net QFN 60 467 301 AD4DO
Florida Amateur SSB Traffic Net FAST 30 246 67 K4SCL
Florida Medium Speed Net FMSN 30 242 65 AG4RJ/AB4XK
Jupiter-Tequesta Repeater Group JTRG 5 66 31 AG4BV/W4FK
Palm Beach County Ares Net PBCAN 8 90 28 KG4PFY
Saint Lucie Repeater Association SLRA 4 4 42 KE4UEI
Southeast Florida Traffic Net SEFTN 30 552 47 AG4RJ/AI4GE
Southwest Florida Traffic Net SWFTN 26 377 53 K4FQU

Instructions on how file your SAR and PSHR will be posted to
www.arrl.org/sections/SFL.html soon (not enough room here).

Osceola ARES EC Luis Candalerio, AG4AN has stepped aside to take care of
family matters.  We will miss his leadership.  Luis gets a big Thank You for
all of his work building the local organization over the past two years.

Section policy has been and will continue to be: if health, family or work
matters interfere with an appointee performing the duties of the appointment
he/she may step aside without hard feelings and may apply for an appointment
at a later date when the other matters are settled.

Amateur radio in Oregon received a lot of favorable press and praise from
government officials for their work during and after the recent storms. 
Why?
Because there were PIOs (Public Information Officers) working with ARES to
get the information out in real time and the PIOs were available to the
media.  Where does your ARES group stand in this area?

What's in store for 2008 for the Southern Florida section?  We will be
reviewing the volunteer appointments.  There will be several Simulated
Emergency Tests.  As always your section leadership will make as many visits
to clubs and hamfests as possible.  I have two resolutions for 2008 for my
involvement with the section: get the news posted on the web more timely and
strive to have members feel that the ARRL is a membership organization with
dues, not a subscription to QST.

Like you, I have a busy holiday season.  Check the web page frequently 
because
I will update it a little at a time.

May the remainder of this holiday season be happy and safe for you and your
family.

Very 73,
Sherri, W4STB


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