[South Florida DX Association] News From Your Section Manager

[Bill]

Events coming up in the Southern Florida Section - A couple of hamfests
and a hurricane!

OK, now that I have your attention, the hurricane is an upcoming
Simulated Emergency Test (SET).

First, let me thank you for being an ARRL member.  Your ARRL membership
is very important.

March 12th is the next hamfest in our Section, the Palm Beach County
Ham Radio Festival.  There will be forums, card-checking, VE testing,
food, and prizes along with tailgating and several commercial venders.
Don’t miss my ARRL forum.  For more information visit:
www.palmbeachradiofest.com

March 19th is the 36th Stuart Hamfest, billed as Florida’s largest
free hamfest.  In addition to tailgating and commercial venders, there
will be RV parking, forums, VE testing, prizes, and food.  Don’t miss
my ARRL forum.  For more information visit: www.stuarthamfest.com

Mark your calendar for April 2nd.  Our Southern Florida Section will be
participating in a multi-section multi-state Simulated Emergency Test
(SET).  Along with Northern Florida, West Central Florida, and the
Georgia ARRL Sections, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®)
will be practicing emcomm skills.  We will be simulating a strong
hurricane going up just off the east coast of Florida.  Where will it
make landfall?  Only the National Weather Service who will be helping
us knows for sure!

Our Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC), Ted Huf, W4ZE is working with
the other sections’ SECs and they will finalizing plans for the SET
shortly.  This information will then be given to all Southern Florida
Section Emergency Coordinators and District Emergency Coordinators.

You do not have to be a member of ARES® to participate.  All hams are
encouraged to participate. If you are interested, contact your County
Emergency Coordinator (EC).  If you don’t know who that is, go to
http://www.sflarrl.org/section/index.htm and click on your County for
EC contact information.

Finally, you should have all received an email from Greg Sarratt,
W4OZK, our Southeastern Division Director about the threat to our 440
MHz band by HR 607 in the US House of Representatives.  If you have not
already done so, please let your US Representative know you oppose it.

The easiest way to create the letter is to go to
www.kd4pyr.net/hamletter.htm  You just put in your call and it does the
rest (fills in your address, looks up your Representative, etc.)

Signed letters can be sent by fax or postal mail.  They can also be
scanned into PDF format and e-mailed as a file attachment.
Postal mail: John Chwat, Chwat&  Co.,
Suite 103, 625
Slaters Lane,
Alexandria, VA 22314.
E-mail: john.chwat at chwatco.com.
Fax number: (703) 684-7594.

When you send your signed letter to Mr. Chwat, he will hand deliver it
to your representative for even grater impact!

Thanks for your help and support in this important effort.

73,

--------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL Southern Florida Section
Section Manager: David L Fowler, K4DLF
k4dlf at arrl.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------