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News last updated: Mon, April 13, 2009 at 5:06 PM ET
Surf to www.sflarrl.org to view section data and recent e-mail news. Take a look at the site and if information about your county is missing ask your EC or Club President to send the information to Jeremy.
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Please check the affiliated club listing and update the contact name, phone number, e-mail and web site address. You won't get new club members is your club can't be contacted and the meeting sites can't be located. Also, be sure to appoint a publicity chairperson in order to have local media outlets contacted for meeting dates and club events.
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Displays for public events: The ARRL Web page has a new on-line page that enables someone to
conveniently place an order (using credit card) for event and exhibit kit materials. The direct Web page link is http://www.arrl.org/brochures/. I visited the site and completed an order for a full exhibit kit with 2 large and 3 small brochure holders, brochures, and 75 extra of each the following: ARES, When All Else Fails, We Do That, and Hello. Total cost was for shipping to my zip code -- about $25. This is certainly less than ordering each brochure separately and less than the cost of the just the holders from your local office supply store. Take a look and have your club PIO order a kit and extra brochures for the club. These will make your public displays look more professional.
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HDTV
For those participating in the DTV campaign, here is a handy reference for address specific probability of receiving DTV signals:
http://www.tvfool.com/
You may find this useful to distribute to all of your folks who are dealing with your communities in helping folks with HD TV reception. It was written by Carl Sundberg N4ATC Chief Engineer for KMTR the NBC affiliate in Eugene Oregon. Feel free to distribute and use. Carl said you can even remove his name if needed. This is also an excellent piece as far as describing reflected signals on FM VHF/UHF.
Understanding Digital Television Reception Problems
Carl Sundberg -- KMTR TV Engineer
Without question, it's easier to receive the old analog TV channels than the new DTV channels. The reason is very easy to understand. If you are listening to drum beat where there is a very loud echo, you can count the beats easily as long as the beat is very slow. As the drum beats speed up, it gets harder and harder to tell if you are hearing the primary beat or the echo and at some point, that echo makes it impossible to be able to count the actual beats.
Analog TV had one primary signal that locked up the entire receiver. That signal pulsed at 60 times a second. The new digital signal has 8 beats that pulse at a total rate of over 19 million times a second. Because television signals can't be heard by our ears, we don't realize that television signals can have echoes just like sound. With an old television signal, we could see those echoes. They appeared as a secondary image that made the picture look like there were ghosts in the background of all images. Because the main signal that caused the receiver to work was at a rate of only 60 times a second, most TV receivers could lock up to that slow rate signal even when there was an echo present. Like you, listening to a slowly beating drum, the receiver could readily properly figure out what was the main beat it needed to use.
Since TV signals can literally bounce off of everything, signal echoes are everywhere. You can not eliminate them completely. Like a person listening to a drum beat where echoes can be heard, you can reduce the number of echoes by making your ears more directional by cupping the palm of your hand over your ear. If you use a funnel to listen through, you can really make your hearing very directional. We utilize this concept to make microphones more directional. Microphones used to record orchestras are usually very long tubes with the pickup element in the end of the tube.
Since your new digital TV or converter box is trying to receive multiple pulses that are cycling at an extremely fast rate, it gets very important for your antenna to be like the orchestra tube microphone. It needs to be pointed at the strongest signal and it needs to eliminate as much echo as possible. The traditional rabbit ear and loop antenna is a little more like a human ear. They pick up signals that come from all directions. If you use one of these devices with an amplifier, you not only amplify the signal, but the echoes as well. So, amplified antennas of this design can actually make it harder for your digital TV to work in cities where there are strong signals.
There are some set top antennas that are more directional than rabbit ear type antennas. These antenna types not only pick up the signals better in one direction, they also block some of the echoes that are coming from behind it. These are designed to work with UHF channels 14 through 65. When the digital channels everyone is using switch to some VHF (channel 2 through 13) and some UHF, these channels will require a different type of antenna. Directional antennas will be important for the VHF channels, but they suffer less from echoes than the higher UHF channels because their wave length is longer and it takes bigger objects for their signals to bounce and make an echo.
Signals can be blocked by anything. Some objects block signals better than others. Metal objects and hills block signals very well, but you can even see a change in signal when a person walks by an antenna. For this reason, to get the best and most steady signal, an outside antenna, at least 15 feet from the ground is the best kind of antenna. By being at least 15 feet above the ground, you will be reducing echoes that come from passing cars and trucks. Another reason outside antenna's work best is because they have more room to be larger. To make an antenna very directional, the pickup elements need proper spacing. This spacing takes length.
Don't be surprised if an outside antenna works best when you point it in a direction away from a station. Many antenna installers will tell you they have pointed antennas at metal roof tops or water towers to get the best signal. If you have a hill in the way, sometimes you can find a metal roof top on a hilltop house that will make a good signal reflector for that hard to find, clean, echo free signal. Below is a picture that shows how multiple signals can cause a receiver to have pick-up problems.
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Hamfests and Free Fleas--
Any hamfest, no matter what size may request ARRL sanctioning. Please see: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/hamfests/rules.html for hamfest and convention rules
See:
http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/checkers.html for the list of ARRL awards checkers. If you wish to have an awards checker at your hamfest these arrangements must be made by the hamfest committee and the cards checker.
4/18/09 and 11/21/09 Flamingo Net / UMARC Free Flea Coral Gables http://www.FlamingoNet.8m.net
4/25/09 - Cy Harris Memorial Free Flea, Broward Amateur Radio Club Oakland Park http://www.eagle3.net/barc
8/8/09 - Fort Pierce Amateur Radio Club, Fort Pierce http://www.qsl.net/w4akh
10/10-11/09 - Platinum Coast Amateur Radio Society, Melbourne http://www.pcars.org
"A great hamfest is usually one that you find something you wanted or something you thought you would never see," says Bill, W2CQ.
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS REQUESTS
The MS-150 bike tour to Key Largo is coming up on May 2nd and 3rd. Planning has just started so I don't know what changes will be made until I get the info, but please if any are interested please contact me via e-mail for now. _Darka50@aol.com_ (mailto:Darka50@aol.com)and remember first come, first served for positions if you request them. I'll place positions as soon as I get them. The info I will need from all you will be phone number, times you will be available, and time you need to leave as well as if you are able to travel to another rest stop or position after you finish your first -- thanks in advance. de Matthew P. Ginn, KG4LGO
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Amateur Radio at the South Florida Fair
This year, the amateur radio exhibit at the fair had over 500 square feet of space devoted to the promotion of many aspects of the hobby. We demonstrated HF and VHF/UHF radio, APRS, Satellite, Amateur TV (ATV), digital modes (RTTY and PSK31), and CW. The ARRL's "Amateur Radio Today", "Hello-Radio", and "At Any Moment" videos were shown continuously over the fair's 17 days in January.
Started in 1980 when Emanuel (Manny) Papandreas, W4SS, formed the Palm Beach Amateur Radio Council. Manny, a long time Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC), formed the Council to help organize and coordinate the many public service events sponsored by a number of amateur radio clubs in Palm Beach County, Florida. Since then, the Council has promoted amateur radio at the fair every January. Today, the Council consists of 10 local clubs and organizations. Manny's call, W4SS, is used by the Council in his memory.
Eighteen hams from the Boca Raton ARA, Palm Beach Chapter QCWA, Palm Beach Packet Group, Palms West ARC, West Palm Beach ARC and Palm Beach County ARES® volunteered over 800 man-hours of time helping the public better understand amateur radio. Banners from Council clubs, the ARRL Southern Florida Section, and ARES® were on display. In addition, ARRL new ham literature, ARES® literature, and Council club meeting and activity information was made available to fair goers.
This year, a digital television (DTV) transition display drew much attention as people wanted to know about the upcoming conversion. In addition, the West Palm Beach Amateur Radio Club held an evening presentation about the DTV conversion and the event was promoted at the fair.
As Palm Beach County is celebrating their 100th anniversary, another display at the fair showed the history of amateur radio in Palm Beach County with newspaper clippings, photos, and hamfest programs dating back to the 1940's. There was also a display showing the Council's activities during the previous year.
During the fair, contacts were made using phone, CW, RTTY, and PSK31 around the country and around the world using a modest G5RV Jr. antenna. This year's log stared with a 20-meter QSO with W1AW. For two weeks, the local Palm Beach County ARES® / RACES Emergency Training Net was conducted from the South Florida Fair with a greater than normal number of check-ins.
Special thanks to the following hams who each put in over 80 hours at the South Florida Fair this year: Jeff Beals, WA4AW; Hugh Connolly, AG4HC; Louise Connolly, KI4LNN; David Fowler, K4DLF; Peter Harding, KA2TPK; Myra Kitchen, K3PGH; Betty Peace, KE4BFC; Walter Peace, WD4IUD
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CLUBS
Florida East Coast DX Club (FECDXC) www.freewebs.com/fecdx
FLORIDA KEYS ARC http://www.qsl.net/kb4gcz/
FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIV ARC http://www.k4fau.org
BOCA RATON AMATEUR RADIO ASSOC http://www.brara.org
PALM BEACH COUNTY ARES, INC http://www.pbcares.org
Web site has listing of nets and upcoming meetings
BIG LAKE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
LISATS
COCOA AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY http://www.cocoaars.org
INDIAN RIVER ARC http://irarc.ham-radio-op.net
Calendar lists programs for upcoming meeting and site has nice photo gallery.
WYNMOOR RADIO CLUB
HOLLYWOOD ARC http://www.geocities.com/WB4TON/HARC.html
NORTH DADE REPEATER ASSN
BROWARD ARC http://www.eagle3.net/barc
SOUTH FLORIDA DX ASSN http://www.qsl.net/k4fk/
Listing of meeting dates, nets, and lots of useful information about DXing.
PALMETTO ARC OF BROWARD COUNTY, INC. http://www.palmettoarc.org/
Information about meetings, club activities, and ARES meetings on the main page. Other pages have many useful links.
FORT MYERS ARC http://www.fmarc.net
GULF COAST AREA REPEATER CLUB
FORT PIERCE RADIO CLUBhttp://www.qsl.net/w4akh
C3I AMATEUR RADIO GROUP http://www.ac4xq.net
JUPITER TEQUESTA REPEATER GROUP INC http://www.jtrg.org
Activities calendar on home page and a nice photo album.
KEY WEST ARC INC
Lighthouse Amateur Radio Alliance (LARA) http://www.k4lra.org
LEHIGH PSK31 CLUB
K2UGH KILOWATT CLUB
PALMS WEST AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, INC www.palmswestradio.org
Club and other local radio activities listed. There is a nice photo gallery.
PALM BEACH AMATEUR RADIO COUNCIL (Club Council) www.palmbeachradioclubs.org
MAJOR ARMSTRONG FM ASSOCIATION http://www.freewebs.com/mafma
Learn a lot of radio history at this site.
PLATINUM COAST ARS http://pcars.org
Lots of information about local and state ham radio activities and lots of photos.
FLORIDA WEAK SIGNAL SOCIETY http://www.flwss.net
This site lives up to the comment - Promoting Weak Signal Operating on VHF, UHF, and Microwaves in the Southeast
DADE RADIO CLUB OF MIAMI INC http://www.daderadioclub.org
AMERICA RADIO CLUB, INC. http://www.qsl.net/americaradioclub
CENTRO LA SALLE RADIO CLUB
NORTH BREVARD AMATEUR RADIO CLUB http://www.northbrevardarc.org
ARA OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, INC. http://www.araswf.org
All local meetings are posted and there's a nice archive of club newsletters. Check the newsletters when you have some time - there are many informative articles in these publications
GULFCOAST AMATEUR SOCIETY
OKEECHOBEE ARC, INC. http://www.k4oke.com
HARRIS INTERSIL ARC
MOTOROLA ARC
WR4AYC REPEATER GROUP
GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION INC http:// www.w4bug.org
Informative page of club activities.
PORT ST LUCIE ARA http://www.pslhams.com
MARTIN COUNTY ARES/RACES, INC http://www.wx4mc.org
Live local scanner on this site.
MARTIN COUNTY ARA (MCARA) http://www.mcaraweb.com
there's a lot of news and links on this site
TITUSVILLE ARC
VERO BEACH AMATEUR RADIO CLUB http://www.vbarc.net
ST LUCIE REPEATER ASSN INC
WEST PALM BEACH ARC, INC http://www.wpbarc.org
VA MEDICAL CENTER RADIO CLUB
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Note: If your club is not getting recognition in the monthly news, either in the e-mail short summary or on the web news page, step up to the plate and ask your newsletter editor or PIO to send the news to me and to our Affiliated Club Coordinator - Jeff Beals, WA4AW. No newsletter or Public Info Officer/Publicity Chairperson? Volunteer to do the job or share the job with another club member. It is YOUR club.
Please include us on your newsletter e mail or snail mail lists. We obtain most of our info for ARRL Section and national news from these club publications.
Should you have any questions on how to update your club information at ARRL, please let Jeff know. E-mail wa4aw@arrl.net
Only affiliated clubs and ARES groups or national amateur service groups will be given space in the "Club News". The only exception that will be made is Field Day since this is an event to promote amateur radio emergency communications.
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SILENT KEYS
Alfred Zetekoff, W4AL Boca Raton Jan. 4, 2009 Retired FCC NYC Field Office Engineer.
Broward County - KD4THM, Jim Seier
Sid Goldstein, KF4AO a member of the Wynmoor Amateur Radio Club.
Indian River County - W2JLO, Bert Lawton
Miami-Dade County - James Pilafian, KE4KX
Martin County - W6TB, James Patteson of Palm City
Treasure Coast - Ladd "Laddie" Sajor, W2KGV of St Lucie County. Ladd was a member of most local clubs and Skywarn and was often heard on local repeaters and seen at Field Day. Most can still hear him introduce himself with his phoenetics: Willing 2 Kiss Girls Vigororously.
Brevard - Bob Lewis, W3IGE on March 31. Bob was a member of BEARS, the BEARS CAT team, IRARC, and Army MARS.
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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?
Need to know who your ARES® Emergency Coordinator is? When the traffic nets are held? Hamfests throughout the area? How to complete the Public Service Honor Roll (PSHR) report? Go to: www.sflarrl.org
Need traffic handling procedures? Need information about ARES® and RACES functions? Can't find information on your individual traffic count for your Station Activity Report? Go to: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/pscm/index.html
I will be happy to mail traffic handling information to anyone interested...
Just ask. de KA4FZI@ AOL.COM
SFAN (Saturday at 8AM local, 3.940MHz ), Net Manager is Thom, N5KFR.
All ECs are encouraged to check into these nets or send an OES representative if you cannot join the net. All ARES members are welcome to join the nets.
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If your weekly net and local repeater has IRLP or Echolink check-in available please let Karen K8KB, Phylisan KA4FZI and I know. Also advise the ARES EC in your county and the neighboring counties. This information could be useful during disasters.
If you are going out of town for more than a few days when the season is quiet or more than 48 hours with a system beginning, please notify your local EC. Time is of the essence when a phone tree is activated or when members are phoned after they do not check into a resource net. And, especially if you can't deploy to a shelter or to another area, please offer your time to phone members, enter logs into a database, provide route directions, or other at-home activities. Everyone can do something.
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Check into a net - better to learn how now than during a disaster!
FMSN (FL Medium Speed CW Net) 3.651 Daily 6:30 PM
QFN (All FL CW Traffic Net) 3.547 Daily 7:00 PM, 10:00 PM
FAST (FL Amateur Sideband Traffic Net) 3.940 Daily 6:00 PM
FMTN (FL Midday Traffic Net 7.242 Daily 12:00 Noon
FPTN (Friendly Phone Traffic Net -- FL AL GA) 3.940 Daily 7:55 AM
NFAN (North FL ARES Net) 3.950 M-S 9:00 AM
NFPN (North FL Phone Net) 3.950 Daily 5:30 PM Winter 6:30 PM Summer
SFAN (South FL ARES Net) 3.940 Sat 8:00 AM
TPTN (Tropical Phone Traffic Net) 3.940 Daily 5:00 PM
SEFTN (Southeast FL Traffic Net) (2 meter) 146.790- Daily 6:00 PM
SWFTN (Southwest FL Traffic Net) (2 meter) 146.685 M-S 10:00 AM
http://wx4j.com -- A great place to check for other ARES/NTS info
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Does your club have a Publicity Chairperson? Is there a Public Information Officer for your ARES group? Are these people actively promoting amateur radio on an ongoing basis and are they known at the EOC by the county or city PIO? For more information read the e-magazine Contact, at www.arrl.org/pio
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Say Hello to your world with Amateur Radio. Stay on the air, talk up ham radio, support your local club and emergency communications group.
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Responsibility for content of all posted material above rests
exclusively with the item author. ARRL staff assumes no responsibility
for errors, omissions, and accuracy of items appearing on this page. All
questions and comments should be directed to the item author.
