[SHARCbits] Tampa Bay Hamfest Forums

[Dave Haney]

Hello to all the amateur radio clubs in West Central Florida,

My name is Bill Williams, AG4QX, and I am the forums chairman for the 32nd 
version of the Tampa Bay Hamfest and ARRL West Central Florida Section 
Convention in the Manatee Convention Center on Dec 1 & 2.  I am writing to 
remind you of the hamfest but more than that, to introduce you to the forums 
that will be available.  I have the current schedule printed at the end of 
this email and a little blurb on each follows.

If this goes to a club official I ask you to please send it out on your club 
reflector, your email list or however you communicate with your members, 
thanks.

On Saturday:

AMSAT, MARS and the Florida Repeater Council will all have meeting, all 
being open to all interested parties.

The Florida Repeater Council Contesting Symposium!  They will discuss 
Contesting with the following scheduled presentations:

- Field Day On A Budget - the W1HR/4 expeditions
- A trip to PJ2T - Not Your Father's DXPEdition by Ron Harps - K8NZ
- Lightning Protection and Grounding by George Wagner K5KG (aka E51MMM if he 
gets back in time)
- HI3A - The FCG DXpedition for CQ-WW-CW - 2007 by Dan Street K1TO
- Contesting Basics - How to compete in NAQP - by Lu Romero W4LT
- possibly 2 other Presentations, Pictures, Sounds, and possibly... PIZZA!

The ARRL West Central Florida Section forum will have representatives from 
both the Division and Headquarters in attendance in addition to our Section 
Officials.  Visit and meet your elected officials.  Ask questions and hear 
the latest from Headquarters.

Speaking of ARRL Headquarters, Katie Breen, W1KRB, the League Membership 
Manger will give her Tour of Headquarters presentation which proved to be 
very popular at the National Convention in Huntsville.  Katie will also be 
in the ARRL forum later in the day.

D-Star will have an open house room all day.  Greg Sarrett, our newly 
elected Division Director and past Alabama Section Manager will give his 
Intro to D-Star forum in the morning.  Then from 2 to 3 in the afternoon 
there will be an Advanced D-Star forum.  The room will be open the rest of 
the day for demonstrations, questions and answers, and just sitting around 
and talking D-Star.  Curious, have a general question or maybe you need some 
specific help on D-Star.  Or maybe you have some knowledge to share with 
others!  This is the place to be!

Another all day will be the DXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checking.  Drop off your 
cards and have them checked while you attend a forum, visit your favorite 
commercial vendor or stroll the tailgate area.

And yet another all day event, VE Exams are available all day except two 
half hour breaks.  Come on in and upgrade or bring your spouse or child in 
for his/her Technician license.

ARRL ARECC Exams will also be given in  the afternoon.

Public Information Officer Forum for anyone interested in publicizing out 
favorite hobby, "Publicity Boot Camp - Back to the Basics" with Sherri 
Brower, W4STB

Intro to Digital for all those who have heard of digital modes but want to 
know a little more and see a demo before jumping on the bandwagon.

QSL/LoTW is just the right place to learn all about QSLing, why, how, who 
and anything else you can ask.  Learn all about setting up and using Log 
Book of The World.

We have a Youth Forum for the young who want to learn more about amateur 
radio.

Also offered is the YL Forum for all the YLs and XYLs.  I am not allowed to 
know what goes on in there but they seem to have a good time!


On Sunday:

The D-Star open house room may be operating depending on the interest shown 
on Saturday.  Go by and check it out.

Geoff Haines, the Section Technical wizard and published homebrew tinker 
will give his Homebrew Forum, always interesting and informative.

DXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checking will be offered all day again.

VE Exams will be available all day on a reserved basis only , no walk-ins.

On Sunday afternoon both Basic and Advanced Skywarn classes are offered. 
Come in and get certified or renew your existing certification.

Go to the FGCARC website http://www.fgcarc.org/  for the latest schedule and 
all the other information about the hamfest.  Check posted schedules when 
you get to the Convention Center since things can change up to the last 
minute.  I will be announcing the forums on the PA system also.

Oh, one more item.  We can use some volunteers to help with the hamfest. 
Mostly sitting at the doors and checking tickets.  Volunteer at registration 
at the rear of the main hall next to the doors going out to the tailgate 
area.


Bill Williams
AG4QX
Forums Chairman
Tampa Bay Hamfest
forums at fgcarc.org



SATURDAY DECEMBER 1, 2007

START
TIMETERRA CEIALONGBOAT
KEY PALMA SOLA NORTHPALMA SOLA SOUTHANNA MARIA NORTHANNA MARIA SOUTH
8
8:30
9  D-Star  IntroDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams
9:30  D-Star  IntroDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE ExamsYL Forum
10 Fl Contest GroupD-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE ExamsYL 
Forum
10:30AMSATFl Contest GroupD-Star
Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams
11AMSATFl Contest GroupD-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card check PIO
11:30AMSATFl Contest GroupD-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE 
ExamsPIO
12 HQ Tour
Katie BreenD-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams
12:30 HQ Tour
Katie BreenD-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams
1QSL/LoTWWCF SectionD-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams
1:30QSL/LoTWWCF SectionD-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams
2MARSARECC
ExamsAdvanced D-Star  DXCC/WAS/ VUCC card check Intro to Digital
2:30MARSARECC
ExamsAdvanced D-Star DXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE ExamsIntro to Digital
3MARSFla Repeater
CouncilD-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams
3:30 Fla Repeater
CouncilD-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE ExamsYouth Forum
4 Fla Repeater
CouncilD-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE ExamsYouth Forum
4:30 Fla Repeater
CouncilD-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams





SUNDAY December 2, 2007
START
TIMEPALMA SOLA NORTHPALMA SOLA SOUTHANNA MARIA NORTHANNA MARIA SOUTH
9:00D-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams by reservation only
9:30D-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams by reservation only
10D-Star  Open houseDXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams by reservation only
10:30 DXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams by reservation onlyGeoff Haines Tech 
homebrew forum
11 DXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams by reservation onlyGeoff Haines Tech 
homebrew forum
11:30 DXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams by reservation only
12 DXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams by reservation onlyBasic Skywarn
12:30 DXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams by reservation onlyBasic Skywarn
1 DXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams by reservation onlyAdvanced Skywarn
1:30 DXCC/WAS/ VUCC card checkVE Exams by reservation onlyAdvanced Skywarn





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