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

[Bill]

Hello everyone,

Net participation has increased this month, perhaps due to hurricane season. 
Also, even though it is hot and humid, there have been several public service
events that area hams provided communications for.

It was good to see many of you at the hamfest in Fort Pierce on August 8.  I
hope everyone found a bargain to take home.
------------------
ARES Report from Karen, K8KB:
DECs/ECs reporting:  KJ4AWB, N5KFR, WA4ASJ, WA4GUK, K8KB, AD4RZ, K4DLF, W4ZE
Total number of ARES members in the 8 counties reporting: 394.   Change since
last month in these counties:   +7

9 active ARES nets held 34 sessions. 7 of theses nets have NTS liaison.
Number of drills, tests and training sessions: 24, Person hours: 253.
Number of public service events: 2, Person hours:115.
No emergency operations this month.
Total number of ARES operations: 26, Total Person hours: 368
 SFL ARES Net Report ---        QNI 27, QTC 2. Time 41 Min.

Comments:
Welcome to Carol Sjursen KJ4AWB who as of July 21 is the new Broward County
EC.
-- Broward:  Held simplex drill on the Broward County Emergency Preparedness
Net.
-- Palm Beach:  On July 12th, Palm Beach County ARES participated in the Frank
Stark Celebration Ride.  This is an annual 62 mile bike ride sponsored by the
Boca Raton Bicycle Club.   Nineteen  amateurs participated, many going from
6:00 am to after 1:00 pm
-----------------------------------
Station Activity and Net Reports:

SAR's July 2009: WA4BAM 212,KE4CB 120, WD4DNC 166, KA4FZI 166, KC4TM37,
KB9ABX 27, N8BGJ 1
=================
SFL PSHR's July 2009: KA4FZI 120 , K4DLF 110, KE4CB 105
=================
June QNI 2157,June QTC 622JULY QNI 2508 (+351) JULY QTC 737
(+115)
Please note the increase on statewide and SFL check-ins for July.
=================
NET, ABB.,SESS,QNI,QTC, QND,MGR,
All Florida CW Traffic Net, QFN, 62, 580, 375, 1107, AD4DO
Broward Co. Emer. Prep. Net, BCEPN, 5, 71, 21 157, KI4JRT
Florida Amateur SSB Traffic Net, FAST, 31, 320, 95, ----- , K4SCL
Florida Medium Speed Net, FMSN  31, 236,62, 495 AG4RJ/AB4XK
Jupiter Comm Emer Resp Team, JCERT, 7, 27, 7, 117, AG4BV/W4FK
Jupiter-Tequesta Repeater Group, JTRG, 6, 56, 15, 290, AG4BV/W4FK
Palm Beach County Ares Net, PBCAN, 8, 129, 18, 169,AG4BV
Glades County ARES Net, GCAN, 3, 27, 2, 41, N5KFR
Southeast Florida Traffic Net, SEFTN, 31, 637, 41, 1334, AG4RJ/KI4IQZ
Southwest Florida Traffic Net, SWFTN, 27, 425, 101, 1945, KE4CB/N9WS
============
Southern Florida and the statewide nets have good reason to be proud of their
traffic nets. Since I started record keeping for 4th Region (FL, NC, SC, GA,
VA) Florida has only missed 2 sessions in cycle 4 (7:45 and 9:30 PM
nightly). When you talk with your traffic net reps, please thank them and
encourage them. You might also try volunteering for a spot on the roster.
Statewide evening nets are FMSN (FL Medium Speed - CW) at 6:30 PM EDT on
3552; and QFN (CW) at 7:00 PM EDT on 3547 or the alternate 7105, and 10:00 PM
EDT on 3547. Newcomers are welcome.
73/88, Phyllisan KA4FZI
--------------------------------
     It is time for a Tea Party.  I am not talking about herbal tea and tiny
sandwiches.  I mean a Boston Tea Party that we will call a Newington Tea
Party.  Rarely do we get asked to comment as a general member and often
committees only poll a small segment of the membership.  I found a request
for comments buried in the semi-annual Committee Reports.  I was also told,
in an e-mail to section managers, of the issue by the person who asked the
committee to consider it.  Requests for comment were to be made of DXers and
digital operators. I receive e-mail from 2 digital reflectors, 2 contest
clubs and 2 DX clubs and never heard a word!
     So, go to your keyboard and weigh in on this topic: Should there be mode
awards such as PSK-31, RTTY, FSK, FM, AM, SSB in addition to CW, Phone,
Mixed, RTTY/digital for the DXCC awards?  Send your comments to your Division
Director, Greg Sarrett, W4OZK  - w4ozk at arrl.org and the SE Division DXAC
representative Bob Allphin, K4UEE - mallphin at aol.com
     For a discussion of the issue go to: 
http://www.arrl.org/announce/reports-2009/july/30_DX_Advisory_Committee.pdf
     Let's let the Board know that we have a voice and do not wish to have
decisions made without member input.
-------------
Committee reports (not printed in QST) to the Board can be found at:
http://www.arrl.org/announce/reports-2009/july/
Also not published with the committee reports is a document from the ad hoc
EmComm subcommittee concerning an ARES Advisory Committee, similar to that
proposed in Minute 27 and 43 of the BOD meeting.  Please e-mail, do not
phone, me if you would like a copy.  The Board of Director meeting minutes
are at: http://www.arrl.org/announce/board-0907/
-------------
You may have heard the commercial for batteries on the radio featuring WX4NHC.
 For more on the story visit this link:
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/08/10/11013/?nc=1:   Another great job
by the hams that volunteer at NHC.
-------------
HAMFESTS

Please keep in mind several things when you plan your hamfests, and put these
in the early planning.
        One, folks like to plan their day and quality forum presentations take
time to put together.  Please confirm your forum presenters several months in
advance and finalize your forum schedule at least one month before of your
hamfest.  Post any forum information on your flyers, in your advertising
e-mails, and on your web site as soon as you possibly can.
        Two,  If you wish to have QSL card checking for awards you must
contact the card checkers directly and ask them to be present at the hamfest.
 Do not assume they will show up and do not ask the section manager to invite
them.  And, if you have card checking put it on your flyer and web site
early.  Folks have shown up at hamfests with cards to submit for awards but
there was  no card checking advertised and no card checkers invited.  Folks
have also shown up and said they did not know that card checking would be
available since it was not advertised.  Space for the card checking needs to
be at an extension of the ARRL table(s) so that there is security for the
QSLs if the card checker needs to leave the area.

Thanks for all that you do for amateur radio.
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