MODUL ATOR
FORT MYERS AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
FOUNDED 1957 www.FMARC.net
DECEMBER 2020
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Robert Griffin - KJ4WPVI hope everyone will have a good Thanksgiving this year. Yes, it will be very different. We have to be able to adjust to this "new normal" for now. Part of that adjustment means we will not be having our traditional FMARC in-person
Installation Dinner in December.
We will follow common sense, the CDC health guidelines and the science this year. There are several reasons why we can not have this dinner. They can be summed up in four words.... “It is not safe”.
The country is out of control with infections and deaths. The risk for all of us to be confined in small space is just too great. There will be no vaccine available until late 2nd quarter or 3rd quarter of 2021. I know that most of our club members are in a vulnerable age group and many have health issues that makes them "high risk". Frankly there might even be a liability issue for the Club if it sponsored such an event. The simply negatives outweigh the positives. As an alternative we will hold a special Installation Zoom meeting in December. At that meeting we will officially install the new Board of Directors based on the vote at the November meeting. In addition, that meeting will also be the time that the club hands out Awards to members who have made special contributions during the year. Additionally, the Ham of the Year award will be announced. That meeting will take place at 7:00 PM on Tuesday December 15. Details will follow in an email. Finally, I would like to thank everyone for their support of the leadership team this year. It has not been an easy time. I look forward to 2021 as we adapt, and find ways to be of service to the Club and Lee County.
73 - Robert
The regular general monthly
meeting of FMARC will take
place on Zoom. Members will
receive an email invitation prior
to the November 24th session.
There will no in-person meeting
at the EOC in November.
November FMARC Meeting
via Video
1 3-5 6 7-8 9-10 13 15 19-26 30 Contents President's Message SWFL Traffic Net Report ElectionsParks On The Air SWFL Tech Net
Installation/Awards Zoom Meeting Thank you Stella!
Minutes Calendar
License Testing
Results of November 12 Exam Session
Thomas Bakke KO4JBR New Technician Frederick Elkins KN4YYB Upgrade to General
Larry Stiles reports the November test session went well. The results were uploaded thorough the Laurel VE system quickly. The new license was posted at 8:10PM. The FCC licenses and the
upgrade were official before most folks got home.
VEs taking part in this month's session were Bob Pantazes W2ARP, Greg Barr K9YF, Thom Street N5KFR, Jon Scharbrough AA4JS, and Larry Stiles WF4LS, The session was held at Friendship
Grace Brethren Church thanks to Pastor Rich Schnieders KR4PI. Richard Bruder
KO4JBQ New Technician
The date of the next License Test session is set for December 10. All candidates taking tests are required to pre-register. The number of candidates taking the test is limited and the session fills quickly. No walk-ins will
We start this month by offering congratulations to Robert Ficarelli KM4OWA for making the ARRL Public Service Honor Roll for the first time. Robert has been extremely busy sending traffic to Texas and North Carolina, and his efforts have been rewarded. Congratulations Robert!
Next, we bid farewell to one of our most active traffic handlers, Gray Moffett KC3DWY. Gray has left Cape Coral and moved to Ocala. We will miss his traffic handling skills on the net, but wish him and his family the best in their next chapter. Keep in touch, Gray (by radiogram!)
Hot off the presses! The decision has been made to make the 146.685 repeater (recommended channel 22) the permanent primary home of the SWFTN. The 145.170 (channel 20) will be the back-up. After consultation with Steve Smith and reviewing the ARES frequency plan, we have decided this is the best compromise for wide coverage while cooperating with our ARES team.
In the following pages, we get back to basics with a primer on the radiogram format. We might have been considering another session of our NTS Training class earlier this year, but COVID-19 has taken care of that. So we’ll roll out a few slides to refresh everyone’s skills.
Until next month, keep the traffic moving!
Dave W2PAX SWFTN Manager David KN4JAG SWFTN Asst. Manager swftn@fmarc.net https://fmarc.net/swftn
Southwest Florida Traffic Net Update
SAR
OCT
W2PAX 327 KR4ST 85 KM4OWA 84 K4FHR 58 W2ARP 29 KN4JAG 25 W4CMH 23 KE4CB 21 W9GPI 15 KR4PI 14 KC3DWY 14 NK4AA 10 N5KFR 7 KJ4WPV 2PSHR
OCT
W2PAX 115 W4CMH 114 KM4OWA 71MONTHLY NET
STATISTICS
OCT
QNI 487 QTC 194 QND 1173 SESSIONS 27* SAR = Station Activity Report
* PSHR = Public Service Honor Roll ( In points )
* QNI = Total Check-Ins QTC = Total Messages QND = Total Time (in minutes)
Radiogram Refresher
This month’s Southwest Florida Traffic Net column includes a reminder of just how easy composing a radiogram is. The following slides are from our NTS training classes and courtesy of John Wells’ W4CMH excellent slide show. If you need help preparing your radiogram, please email us atswftn@fmarc.net.
Preamble:Message number, precedence, HX (optional handling code), station of origin, check (text word count), place of origin, time filed (optional), and date.
Addressee:Name, call sign (if a ham),
full street address, city, 2-letter state abbreviation, zip code (very important) & telephone (be sure to include area code). An email address may be included as well.
This Radio Message was received at: Station identification and location.
Text:25 words maximum, 5 per line; Use the word “xray” for a break in thought and “query” for a
question mark (?). Last word in salutation (e.g., “73”, “Love”, etc.)
Signature:(Write-in above REC’D block) Name & call sign of person who wrote the message – include full phone number if not a Ham or if new to NTS.
REC’D & SENT:Record the names and call sign of the person you rec’d the message from and/or sent/ forwarded the message to, along with the date & time (EST/EDT or Z).
Number
Assigned by the message originator No standard way of numbering
messages
Consecutive (1, 2, 3..., starting over at the new year or monthly) Order by month & number (507 = 7th
you originated in May;
11244 = 244th message you originated in November
Precedence(Emergency, P, W, or R)
Emergency (life or death urgency in a declared emergency) always spelled out P = Priority (official traffic in a declared emergency)
W = Health & Welfare (used only in a declared emergency) R = Routine (everything else – most frequently used)
(Optional) HX or Handling Code– A, B, C, D, E, F or G
A-Collect landline delivery authorized within ___ miles of addressee or unlimited if blank (A150 = collect call authorized w/in 150 miles; A = collect call authorized regardless of miles) B-Cancel message if not delivered within ___ hours of filing time & service originating station (B72 = cancel if not delivered within 72 hrs and send message to originator to notify them) C-Confirmation of delivery requested by originating station
Radiogram Refresher
D-Report your identity & time/date rec’d message plus time/date delivered or sent to another E-Delivering station to get reply from addressee and send to originator as a new message F-Hold delivery until ___ (numbered day of month) – great for birthday or anniversary messages
(F14 = deliver on 14thof the month; F1 = deliver on the 1stof month after date filed)
G-Delivery by mail or toll call not required, service originating station (often ignored).
Station of Origin:Call sign of station who put the message into NTS format
Check:The word count in body text only (do not count the address or signature); precede with “ARL” if any of the ARL numbered texts are used (e.g., ARL 7).
Place of Origin:The city & state where the message was written.
(Optional) Time Filed:This is not used much... 24-hr format & time zone. Use only when time sensitive.
Date:Month (non-numeric – abbreviated) & day number message was created e.g., Sep 21).
To: Name, call sign (if going to a ham), street address or P.O. Box, city, state (abbreviated) & zip code. Note: Digital and packet NTS messages are routed via zip code.
Telephone Number: Be sure to include the area code and double-check the number!!!
This Radio Message was received at: Your station identification, date received, and your location. More received-from detail will go in the “REC’D” block after body text and signature. This block is really only used if message is physically left at a location.
Text:25 words maximum, 5 per line; Use “xray” for a change in subject and “query” for a question mark (?). There is no punctuation such as ., ?, :, !, etc. in the text.
Signature:There is no “Signature” field, just write-in below text; Name & call sign of author – include phone number if not a ham or if not known on an NTS net.
REC’D:Call sign from whom you received the message and date & time of receipt. Time may be either your local time (EST/EDT) or Zulu time. Make sure date agrees with time (Zulu is 5 hours ahead of EST – can cause date to roll forward).
SENT:Call sign you sent or passed the message to, or to whom you delivered it, with date & time. Also good to note delivery method for your own reference (i.e., via phone or left on Tom’s voicemail). Always leave your call back number if message was left on voicemail!
Election Time !!
This is the "Election Season". It is time for the FMARC membership to cast their ballots for the Leadership Team that will take the club through 2021. The election will take place during the
November 24th regular meeting of the club. It will be a bit different this year because that meeting will be held on "Zoom".
Earlier, a Nominating Committee was created in accordance with the club's bylaws. The committee, chaired by Steve Smith W9GPI and including members Rick Lawrence W4RIC and Jon Scharbrough AA4JS, came up with a slate of nominations. Those nominations were presented to the club at the October general meeting. The slate is:
President: Steve Clayton K4SJC Vice-President: Jeff Kennedy NK4AA
Secretary: Artis Kitchens N3XGL Treasurer: Leo Windler KN4UKX
Director: Rich Schnieders KR4PI (Beginning a two-year Term)
In addition to these individuals, members may present "nominations from the floor" during the November meeting. If there is a contested race, voting for that position will be by ballot in a
method that is described that evening. If there are no contested races, the election chairman will entertain a motion to accept the slate as presented by acclamation. In order to vote, you must be a member in good standing and present during the Zoom meeting.
The new board will take office in December, during a special "Installation and Awards" Zoom meeting. That meeting will be in place of the annual installation dinner. Also during the December meeting, the club will announce the recipient of the FMARC "Ham of the Year". Final nominations for that honor are due by the end of the November General Meeting on the 24th.
Parks On The Air
By Bob Lewis N8GU
Parks on the Air, or POTA, is a great way to spend some time outside and exercise your "Field Day" skills. POTA should not be confused with the contest "XX" State Parks on the Air (like Florida State Parks on the Air). POTA is not a contest and therefore any bands and any modes, including the WARC bands, can be used. SSB, CW, PSK31, and weak signal digital modes like FT8 are very popular modes for POTA activations. It is one of the fastest
growing ham radio activities for folks who like to go portable. It gets people out in the fresh air and play radio. Each POTA activation is like an individual Field Day.
There are two ways to participate... as an activator and as a hunter. So far I've done about half a dozen parks as an activator and hundreds as a hunter. Certificates of different levels of
achievement are available for download on the POTA website. As of this writing, I have not activated any parks in Florida
because I am not there yet. I live some of the year in Ohio, I know there are a dozen qualified parks within a 45 minute drive of the Fort Myers area. I plan to start doing activations in December. An activation can only occur when the park is open.
A bit of background ... POTA was formally started in 2017. It evolved from the one time ARRL event called NPOTA - National Parks on the Air. You can glean all the mechanisms of the program by visiting their website https://parksontheair.com/faq/.
A basic requirement is that the park has to be a National park, a State Park, or a Provincial Park (POTA is growing as an international entity) in order to qualify as a park. City and local parks do not count. Before an activation the activator does a little research such as to looking at a map to determine the boundaries of a park. One operator, unfortunately, did not do his homework and actually set up his station across the street from the park boundary. His QSOs did not count towards qualified POTA contacts.
Although many hams just show up at a park to operate, I am a little more proactive. If all I was going to do was to pull into a park parking lot and sit in my vehicle and operate using my car antenna, then I guess it would be ok to just show up. In my case I am pulling out my Buddipole antenna on its 32 foot mast and feeding it to my Elecraft K3 or KX3 set up on a table. If allowed, I also use my small Honda generator for power. Obviously, my setup is not inconspicuous. For that reason, I contact the park manager or
administrator before leaving for the park to make sure it is okay to operate in the fashion I want to do. I send them pictures of the setup so they know exactly what I will be doing. So far I have not been denied the opportunity to set up a station. Some parks, however, do not allow for generators so that is when I use my KX3. Some folks who just show up without doing what I do risk getting shut down when a park ranger shows up and says that they can't do radio there.
It is also important that the park managers understand that this is not a group activity, otherwise they might say that a permit is required. I've done activations with one to two additional folks with no issues. It is also frowned upon to hand out brochures because parks have no solicitation rules. If a visitor asks for
Bob Lewis N8GU
information I pull out an information sheet for them, but I do not just put them out for display. Some activators put out an official POTA banner or flag. I do neither. I try not to call too much attention to myself lest the park ranger thinks I am soliciting. I also like to activate lighthouses, particularly for the National and International Lighthouse Lightship weekends in August. I try to find a lighthouse that is within a State or National park. This past summer I activated the Point Iroquois Lighthouse in the Hiawatha National Park in UP Michigan and also the Whitefish Point Lighthouse in the State park in the UP of Michigan. Those are my favorite activations.
What I would like to do with FMARC is to get a core group of interested folks who might want to go to different parks to activate and share the experience. I would limit each outing to no more than three total people showing up at an activation in a specific park. Certainly any members of FMARC could go out and activate on their own as well. We could set up an internal "competition" of park activations and perhaps give out an FMARC Activation or Hunter's Award for a given season. Although going out as an individual is ok, I enjoy sharing the experience. I also appreciate the help setting up the station and taking it down. I generally spend 4 to 6 hours at an activation.
I already have a list of two other FMARC individuals interested in activations. I will be working with them to schedule some activations. If you have an interest in joining in the fun or just want more information about POTA, please contact me at n8gu@arrl.net. Also, there is a POTA Facebook page that has numerous pictures of POTA activations. Take a look at https://www.facebook.com/groups/parksontheair.
Whitefish Point Lighthouse, Paradise Michigan in 2020
Left and Right Set up at Point
Iroquois Lighthouse,
Brimley MI in 2020
FMARC member Ian Hickin KO4EFS recently sought and gained club leadership support for a new weekly net. Dubbed the Southwest Florida Tech Net, Ian plans to use both RF and the internet to discuss and solve technical problems for the area's Hams. Recently Ian agreed to answer some questions about the new Tech Net for The Modulator.
Editor: Describe how this net is different from other nets FMARC currently sponsors.
Ian: This Net is a Hybrid between the Radio Net and the Interactive Online Experience. My Goal is to provide information to participants in a way that it will be useful. Any time a Photo, Link, Text, or a File is mentioned, it is pasted into the Live Screen by ANY Of The Participants. Then each participant can see it and copy the
information directly to their computer. The Net is also Broadcast on the Internet so Hams outside the repeaters reach can still listen and participate online. I am also using a different format. We will take check-ins and find out what you're working on and then we will take topics one by one allowing participants to go directly and work it out directly. We will not hold traditional rounds. We will go by Topics / Interests, allowing those with input to chime in. If you have no input you can just listen in the background. Why did you think it was important to start this net?
This has two answers...
First, I had a hard time getting started in Ham Radio. I am a rapid starter and learn very fast. I found it difficult to find people and resources to help me figure out what I was doing wrong in
many cases. I find Ham Radio to be very compartmentalized with a Ham knowing everything about one thing and nothing about something else. I also find that many Hams are not willing to step back and take us under their wing. It was hard and this net would have helped me greatly.
Second, I check in and participate on 40+ nets a week. I have studied how they work and the differences between them. I have been fascinated by how much good information is passed along on these nets...especially nets where a "Question of the Day" or Technical Topics spark amazing Tech Talk. I am always
disappointed when they reach the end. I sometimes feel empty like there was so much more that could have been explored. Many nets are restricted to how many rounds they have or how long they should take. I want a net where there is no time limit, where people feel
comfortable to discuss everything no matter how minor it is, and where people can come and go and not worry about missing check ins or rounds. What topics are you hoping for discussion on the net?
Ununs to Satellite Passes.... Yagis to Solar Cycles... Finals to Hairpin Turns.... Everything Ham! I really want to cover as much of the Technical Side as possible. Anything Technical in the Ham Radio Field is Fair Game!
Can folks without computers take part in the net?
Yes. We will still give out all the relevant information on the Radio Net! The entire verbal conversation will be by radio! Then when the
mobile or portable listener gets to a computer, they can see what was pasted in. Net screens will be archived for later reference as well. No
stopping on the road to write down a link or directions...Now it is all waiting in one place when you arrive at the shack.
Who is your target audience for the net? Everyone.... This net is for all Amateur Radio Operators. Newbie to Elmers. Padawan learners to Jedi Knights. Cadets to Admirals.
Everyone!! I am really hoping to get some really knowledgeable Hams on each week as our
Technical Specialists. I am Net Control, but I am new myself and am really looking forward to the knowledge these folks will bring.
Day, time and repeater for the net?
Friday 11/06/2020 at 8:00pm - On the 146.685 Repeater (-) 136.5 PL - Or Listen Live at
www.SWFLTech.Net.
How about a bit of background on you? I am a Retired Fire Chief that has had a love for radio and communications my entire life. I spent much of my career working in the
communications aspects of the Fire Service and Emergency Management. I tried several times in the 90s to pass the CW Portion of the Amateur Radio Test and was not successful. (I now have a strange hate for Morse Code, LOL) I was made aware that this requirement no longer existed and I got my license 2 weeks later. I had my shack delivered that same week and I became good
friends with my Amazon driver over the next 3 months!
For work, I am a radio broadcaster, producing The Drive with Trey Radel on 92.5 FOX News. We are on weekdays from 5pm to 7pm.
I have fallen in love with Amateur Radio. Just ask my wife! LOL. She says we are running an aluminum farm! When the antennas grow up, I move them to the back! I can't get enough of this! She says it has cured my MidLife Crisis... whatever that means.
Anything else that you think might be interesting?
I have had an interesting life. I was also a
Paranormal Researcher that specialized in contact with Intelligences Beyond. I produced and hosted a show called Saturday Night Paranormal on the Internet. We would take the viewers on location to haunted spots and broadcast the goings on in each room on a Multi-Screen Viewer. It was great and lasted 4 years. We produced 206
episodes. I was also an Auxiliary Law
Enforcement Officer and have run several Non-for-profits. I am currently a Web Designer, Podcast Producer, Voiceover Talent, and Radio Commercial Producer.
Again, you can listen and join the net on Fridays at 8:00PM on the 146.685 repeater. Thank you Ian!
Ian K04EFS in his
shack waiting to get
on another Net
FMARC Ham Of The Year Nominations
The deadline for nominations for the Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club Ham of the Year is now. In order for nominees to be considered for the 2020 award, the nomination form must be completed and delivered to the HOTY chairman by November 30th. Brian Darley, KM4YHZ last year's HOTY recipient is the chair of this year's nomination committee. Brian needs your nomination by the deadline for consideration.
The nomination form, on the next page of The Modulator, has all the information you need. Past recipients are listed. They can not be given the award again. Make certain you do not accidentally nominate someone who is not eligible. The selection will be made by the available former winners. It will be formally announced in December.
If you have any questions about the process please contact Brian directly at km4yhz@gmail.com. Remember, the deadline is November 30.
HamClock Success
Last month The Modulator published an article about RaspberryPi and creating a HamClock for your shack. The idea was to introduce the RaspberryPi, a small single board computer, to club members by demonstrating a fun and functional use. It turns out that there are at least two more club members using RaspberryPi for their shacks.
Rich Schnieders K4RPI is a longtime user and has found numerous applications for the little device. He runs a HamClock on a small display on his desk in his shack.
Tom Muye AC4TM, tackled the HamClock project as a newcomer to Raspberry Pi. After a bit of coaching, Tom was successful in getting the RaspberryPi software running and a HamClock image running on a 7" display. "It is really an amazing addition to the shack that is incredibly versatile and useful," Tom said.
Bob Pantazes W2ARP decided to build one for himself and after a couple of tries he got it working.
Check out all the Ham and non-ham related projects that are available at www.raspberrypi.org.
KR4PI's Hamclock in Operation
KR4PI's Hamclock from Behind showing the Raspberry Pi Operation
W2ARP Shows his Hamclock
AC4TM's Hamclock in Operation - Note the VOACAP Information
FORT MYERS AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
“HAM OF THE YEAR AWARD”
2020
Please fill out the form below and nominate your choice for HAM OF THE YEAR 2020 !!!
The winner will be chosen from these nominations by a committee composed of past
recipients, and the award will be presented at the annual Installation of Officers and
Awards Dinner in December.
SEND YOUR SELECTION TO:
Brian Darley -
km4yhz@gmail.com
Or you may send it to the club’s PO box 061183, Fort Myers, FL 33906
I, (your name or callsign) ________________________________________________________, Nominate (the Ham you are nominating name and callsign) _____________________________________________ for the HAM OF THE YEAR AWARD 2020 because (please use additional paper if needed)
________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________
W4MPV ‘82 K4OVC ‘83 KF4JA ‘84 NN4DF ‘85 WD9AEP ‘86 K9ALX ‘87 N4PSV ‘88 WA4EIC ‘89 K4FQU ‘90 AC4VW ‘91 KC4GOA ‘92 KI4ZW ‘93 K3KT ‘94 WA4DQE ‘95 KQ4TR ‘96 N8EL ‘97 W3JI ‘98 WB8REJ ‘99 KA4FZI ‘00 KA4YHP ‘01 KC4UCN ‘02 W4PPG ‘03 W4LWZ ‘04 W4KET ‘05 WG4K ‘06 KF4PHB ‘07 WB2FAU ‘08 KI4GED ‘09 N3NAI ‘10 KJ4OYP ‘11 AC4TM ‘12 KI4JFN ‘12 WX4L ‘13 W1RP ‘14 NT4TS ‘15 W9GPI ‘16 WF4LS ‘17 KJ4MUY ‘18 KM4YHZ ‘19
As the most recent recipient Brian Darley KM4YHZ will be collecting the nominations this year. He will represent as the chairman with as many of the earlier recipients who wish to be on as the rest of the committee. Callsigns in Italics are silent keys. Nominees should be chosen on the merits of the individual with regard to their
contribution to amateur radio, FMARC and the community. Since this is a one-time award, no past recipient can be considered. The deadline for nominations is November 30, 2020, the last Monday of the month.
FMARC Installation and Awards Meeting
A special event will be held in December. Normally the installation of club officers and the annual awards program takes place at a special dinner during the month. This year, because of the COVID restrictions, FMARC leadership decided to hold a special "on line" meeting instead of gathering in person.
On Tuesday December 15, a special “Zoom” session will be held. The event will start with the installation of the officers of the club, that are elected during the November balloting. The new leadership team will take over the reins of the club at that time.
Following that program, FMARC will present a number of awards to members for their contributions during the prior year. Central to that ceremony is the naming of the club’s Ham Of The Year. Brian Darley KM4YHZ, last year’s Ham of the Year recipient has chaired the group of prior winners who were responsible for choosing this year’s winner. That selection will be unveiled publicly for the first time during the special meeting.
Following that ceremony, other awards will be given out for some significant and some dubious accomplishments.
The installation and awards meeting is scheduled for 7:00 PM, on Tuesday December 15. Details on the Zoom meeting log in will be emailed to all club members just prior to the meeting. Please join your fellow FMARC members in celebrating our hobby.
New Members of FMARC
George Kern W2GFK - Cape Coral
Robert Murdoch KO4HFC - Cape Coral
Richard Kee N0OHP - Fort Myers
Daniel Hays KD0FZF - Fort Myers
Kevin Derheimer W4KMD - Fort Myers
KN4CPA Works Buffalo Soldiers
Making those "unexpected contacts" is one of the great things about our amateur radio hobby. FMARC member Bob Meier KN4CPA was working FT8 this summer when he stumbled on a special
event commemoration. Bob worked W5W on 15 meters in July, and then looked up the call on line. He found it was a special event to honor the
Buffalo Soldiers, a group of African American troops who served in the
American West during the Civil War. Bob's investigation located D-Star contact information. He was also successful in working the organizers via voice. Bob's
experience is a reminder to us all, that as we flipped across the spectrum and make contacts, sometimes it is fun to stop, and look a little harder. Thanks for sharing Bob...
FMARC Decals Available
A limited number of FMARC decals are available for members to purchase. The decals are $5.00 each. You can order them by
sending an email to Bob Pantazes W2ARP and he will explain the process and answer any other questions. Bob can be reached at w2arp@arrl.net. Bob will take the orders and payment. He will then arrange to get the decals delivered. Support FMARC!
Special Events Chair
Stepping Down
The individual responsible for coordinating and planning for many of the special events that the club takes is relinquishing that position. Stella Gurka WB2FAU told a recent board meeting that she wished to "retire" from her role of planning and organizing one of the club's most ambitious special events each year. Stella said she wanted to find someone to take over the execution ofFMARC's annual commemoration of the World War II training of gunners at the Buckingham Air Field.
Stella has been involved heavily with the three day Buckingham event. Couple with her support at the Edison estate for an earlier special event with the club, she has almost 30 years of
championing these efforts. In announcing her retirement, Stella said "It is time for someone else to take over this job." She quickly added that she would help the new leader in anyway she could. Brian Darley KM4YHZ, who is involved with several club efforts, said he would be honored to takeover the responsibilities. Both Stella and Brian said they were pleased that the tradition of the Buckingham event would continue.
While Stella has stepped down from the top spot on that club special event, she plans to remain active for the time being with organizing and recruiting for the FMARC Monday Night Meeting on the air. "My biggest role there is to make sure we have a Net Control and that they have the proper script for operation.
Club President Robert Griffin said, "The club owes a huge congratulations to Stella for her leadership in the projects for so many years. But he said he was happy that it would continue under Brian.
Thank you Stella !!
Stella working with other club members at the 2019 Buckingham
event located at Lee County Mosquito Control
Dues Due
It is that time of year. Your annual dues for the Ft. Myers Amateur Radio Club are due. The club counts on your membership payment to fund some of the many projects it undertakes.
The cost of a single year individual membership is just $20.00. A family membership costs just $25.00 and permits all members of your family living at the same address to join at the reduced rate. FMARC Membership Chair Bob Pantazes W2ARP urges all members to take a few moments now and pay their 2021
assessment. "Its really simple to do, " Bob said. Dues must be paid by January 1, 2021 in order to remain a member in "good standing". The dues can be paid via check or on line.
Bob also requested that anyone renewing to complete the form forund on the FMARC website. Bob said, "If you choose to pay by check, please complete the online application/information update". You can find the document at https://fmarc.net/ membership-application/. Bob added, "The purpose of completing the document is to make sure your information is up to date in the club's records. We want to make sure your email and phone number are current". He said folks should complete the form even if nothing has changed.
At the same web location, renewals can be processed. Simply complete the application/information update on line and submit. You will then be taken to a payment page where you can pay your dues by credit card or PayPal. You can also download the application at that location. If you do that, please complete it and mail it with your check to the following:
FMARC P. O. Box 061183 Fort Myers, FL 33906
The New "Q" Codes
Thanks for sharing Dave Penezic WG4K. We will be looking forward to hearing you use
of these during the morning net.
Candid Zoom Shots
A couple of candid screen shots from recent Zoom meetings. Above, Joe apparently
lost a bet with his hatter. Below, Brian demonstrates the "floating head"....similar
Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club, Inc.
Minutes of the October 27, 2020 - General Meeting
Please note: Due to COVID-19, this meeting was a virtual meeting. The meeting was held on line using Zoom.
President Robert Griffin called the meeting to order at 1900 hours with the Pledge of Allegiance. Rich Schnieders KR4PI gave the invocation.
Board Members Present:President Robert Griffin; KJ4WPV; Vice President Bill Warren WB2IWC; Secretary Artis Kitchens N3XGL; Treasurer Leo Windler KN4UKX; Past President Robert Ficarelli KM4OWA; Director Jeff
Kennedy NK4AA: Director Dave Sheppard W2PAX.
Zoom Meeting Host:Don Domina KC0DE. There were a total of 46 people in attendance. President Griffin noted the online Ham Expo is scheduled for March of 2021. He has heard reports that there will be 100 vendors and the experience will be more advanced than the previous one. He also said Winter Field Day is coming up in January on the 30th and 31st.
Care List: – Bud Ronalds K4WCR is still in rehab. Rick Lawrence’s W4RIC wife is in the hospital.
President Griffin asked for a motion to approved the minutes as printed in the Modulator. The motion ot accept was made Robert Ficarelli
KM4OWA and seconded by Joe Ryan N3NAI. The motion carried.
Officer's Reports
President: President Griffin said the response from his email regarding volunteers for the various chairs needed for the Virtual Hamfest was
disappointing. He said he had not heard from any volunteers. As a result, he decided to stop any work on a virtual Hamfest. There will be no Hamfest in 2021. The President added the club will try to use the technology for other things. He urged members to "stay tuned".
Vice President:Bill Warren said he was happy that the club might be able to meet in person sometime after the first of the year. He also said he was sad to hear that the Hamfest was cancelled.
Secretary: Artis Kitchens told the meeting he thought it would be strange for FMARC not to be holding a Hamfest. He added he is hopeful that by 2022 the club will be in a position to hold an inperson event.
Treasurer: Leo Windler presented the Treasurer's report (copy included in minutes). Total balance of $15,858.96.
A motion to accept report was made by Jon Scharbrough AA4JS and seconded byBill Day KN4RML. The motion carried.
Past President: Robert Ficarelli said he was anxious to get back to inperson meetings. He said he missed the donuts.
Director: Jeff Kennedy said he was disappointed to hear about the cancellation of the Hamfest, but he added it was good to hear about the possibility of getting back into the EOC. Jeff mention he work in the healthcare field. From his point he can see the number of COVID cases is rising. He also noted that many snowbirds are heading into the area and they are coming from areas with high numbers of cases. He finished by saying that living in Florida we are lucky to be able to hold events outside.
Director: – Dave Sheppard mentioned the JOTA event and said it was great. He added members need to remember that we can get together in certain venues. Dave urged members to recall that we are still radio operators, so we can get on our radios and still operate! In closing, Dave mention the CQ worldwide DX contest. He said it was the first HF contest that he had participated in for quite some time and that he had a great time. Dave said he was sorry to see the Hamfest put off.
President Griffin said he had asked Tom Muye AC4TM to be the Chairman of the Awards
Committee. Those award are normally given out at the Installation Dinner.
ARES/Education/Nominations: Steve Smith W9GPI told members that hurricanes are always on his mind. The very fact that we have had a new hurricane reminds everyone that the end has not yet arrived. In regards to Education Steve said he had the opportunity to see what some other clubs are doing with respect to Education on ZOOM. He said some of their efforts are pretty successful so he might consider doing if for FMARC. He added that if we get back in the EOC, he will schedule inperson classes. For the Nominating Committee Steve said in addition to himself members were Jon Scharbrough AA4JS and Rick Lawrence W4RIC. Steve said the group had solicited
nominations from club members and that a few had been received. Steve said they spoke with the existing officers to see if they would stay for
another term. Almost everyone said that they would, if no one else stepped forward. The committee interviewed potential candidates and then also went back to the existing officers that were willing to stay. He then displayed a list of nominating committee recommendations. They are:
• President: Steve Clayton K4SJC • Vice-President: Jeff Kennedy NK4AA • Secretary: Artis Kitchens N3XGL • Treasurer: Leo Windler KN4UKX • Director: Rich Schnieders KR4PI
o Beginning 2 year term
Director Dave Sheppard is currently serving a two year term in that role. Steve said each person on the list has agreed to serve the club if elected. The election will occur at the November General meeting. Nominations for the FMARC leadership may also come from the floor. At that meeting. If there are any contested races, then an election will be held for the contested offices. If there are no nominations from the floor, then the members will be asked to declare the slate elected by unanimous consent.
Jon Scharbrough AA4JS noted the by-laws call for secret ballots. He wondered how that would be done. There was a discussion about the process. First noted was that members had to be present in order to vote. Steve said we have a month to work out the election process on Zoom. President Griffin thanked Steve and the committee for their work.
Modulator: Don Domina KC0DE said he was happy to say that a few members are building RaspberryPi “Ham Clocks” that had been outlined in the recent Modulator.
Property/Field Day: Joe Ryan N3NAI noted the results from the 2020 Field Day should be posted in QST magazine next month. He is looking forward to seeing the final results since individuals sent their own logs in.
Joe asked Jon Scharbrough AA4JS if he had contacted the parks department about securing the
Winter Field Day site for 2021. Jon replied that he would be doing that during the week.
Joe reminded folks that this week the swap shop will be 11:00 until about 1:00. He said the club had some freebie’s. He said he had a bunch of mag mount CB antennas that can be trimmed down to 10 meters. Joe added he also has heavy
transformer power supply. He said there are 8 or 10 large caps in it but that it has no designation. It just has to be picked up.
Joe explained a $20 payment that had been
received. Joe said he and Brian Darley KM4YHZ did a quick clean-up at the swap shop last
weekend. He said they were focused on clearing the aisles and around the doors. Joe asked Joe Garcia N2OIB when he planned to pick up a tower he had purchased. Joe said he would try by the November Swap Shop.
Joe said he has for better cable than LMR-240. He asked for permission to find a bargain on 9913 or LMR-400 Flex. Permission was granted for LMR-400. Joe said he hoped to sell if for about $0.75 a foot.
Joe said turnout for the Swap Shop is usually 10-12 people. He said donations from SKs resulted in a lot of items being brought in. Joe urged that a reminder be put in the next Modulator that yearly dues are payable after November 1.
Finally Joe told Robert Pantazes W2ARP that the club has a 440 repeater that needs to be checked out.
Monday Night Net/Special Events: Stella Gurka WB2FAU said she had net control stations lined up for the rest of the year and January 2021. She asked for volunteers for the remaining 2021 months.
Stella confirmed to the meeting that she had stepped down from Chair of Special Events. She said the folks at Buckingham know the club is doing the event as long as COVID does not interrupt it. She said Joe Ryan knows that
equipment is needed. Stella said many people have congratulated our club on what we do and how we work together. Finally she asked about Installation
and Awards dinner.
PIO: John Wells W4CMH said there was little going on the PIO front. He noted there were many moves and cancellations in the region.
Programs/ARISS/JOTA: Brian Darley KM4YHZ talked about programs noting that nothing had been set up but that he would have Bob Lewis N8GU, to be our first guest speaker. He will talk about Parks on the Air. Brian said he would then try to get the Ft Myers Police
Department to put on their Active Shooter Program.
For ARISS Brian said he had not seen anything new except that the down-link frequency was changed to a UHF frequency.
For JOTA he said the event went very well as far as contacts that we did make. Tom Provanzano KM4LPW, got most of the contacts and there was a DX via Satellite to Venezuela. The Scouts will be getting QSL cards to the contacts. Finally he thanked the members who came to support the effort.
Technical: Bob Pantazes W2ARP noted Steve Smith ran a test of the restart of the .165 machine to determine coverage. Steve advised the footprint was "fantastic". Bob said the thing we have off the air now is the 220 repeater. He added he was told that the stockade tower was not available. The plan is to find another location on a building rooftop. It will remain off the air until it can be relocated.
License Testing: Larry Stiles WF4LS noted for the October session there were four candidates. One that passed the Tech exam, one upgraded to General, one upgraded to Extra, One individual did not pass an exam.
Larry also said he had found a provision for casting secret ballots on Zoom.
SWFTN: Dave Sheppard W2PAX requested that anyone who handled traffic to submit an SAR for
the month. He said we need to report our activity to the ARRL. That is how we get the recognition. He added if any are looking for any NTS training they should check YouTube and type
"arrlnorthtexas" in the search bar.
New Business
Brian Darley KM4YHZ offered to take over the Special Events planning following the retirement of Stella Gurka WB2FAU. In order to do that, he would need to relinquish is role of finding speakers for meeting. Stella told the group she was very pleased that Brian had decided to take on Special Events and pledged to assist him. The board agreed with his plan.
Brian also noted that Bob Lewis N8GU is planning to undertake some Parks on the Air activations. President Griffin said he had some final words. He thanked the club for the chance to lead them this year. He noted it had been a stressful and difficult
year and that he had not been able to do all that he wanted to do. He thanked the board for their support and said he was pleased with the slate of officers brought forward by the nominating
committee. He pledged to do all he could to insure a smooth transition to 2021.
That is all I have to say.
A motion was made by Bill Day KN4RML and seconded by Dave Sheppard W2PAX to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:00PM. Can I have a Motion to close this meeting? Motion to close meeting by KN4RML, seconded by W2PAX, Carried
Respectfully Submitted, Artis Kitchens, Secretary
Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club, Inc.
Minutes of the November 10, 2020 Board of Directors Meeting
Please note: Due to COVID-19, this meeting was a virtual meeting. The meeting was held on line using Zoom.
Meeting called to order: Vice President Bill Warren called the meeting to order at 7:00PM (1900 Hours) and led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. President Robert Griffin was out of town and was not certain he had a good internet connection so he asked the Vice President to chair the meeting. Rich Schnieders KR4PI gave the Invocation.
Board Members Present: President Robert
Griffin, Vice President Bill Warren, Secretary Artis Kitchens, Treasurer Leo Windler, Director, Jeff Kennedy, Past President Robert Ficarelli
Zoom Host:Rich Schnieders KR4PI. Total of 27
in attendance.
New Guests: None
The Vice President noted the QSO/Expo Virtual Hamfest for 2021 is scheduled for March 13-14, 2021. He also made note of the planned Hamfest in Plant City, Florida at the Strawberry Fair Grounds. The dates are December 11-12, 2020. The Vice President also mentioned the upcoming
Winter Field Day event for FMARC members. It will be held on January 30-31. Jon Scharbrough AA4JS said it will be at the same location as last year, the North Ft Myers Park and Recreation Area,2000 North Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers.
Care List:– Vice President Warren said Bud
Ronalds K4WCR was doing much better. He added Bud would be leaving the area in mid December. He sold his home and furniture. Bud has already joined a ham club in his new location.
Silent Keys: None
Approval of Minutes: A motion was made to
approve the Board minutes as printed in the Modulator by Robert Ficarelli and seconded by Dave Sheppard. The motion carried.
Officer's Reports
President: President Robert Griffin was located
in NE Kansas. He noted it was cold in Kansas and he was wearing a flannel shirt because of the weather.
Vice President: Bill Warren offered his thanks
to all for allowing him to be the vice president for this year. He said he really enjoyed it and he learned a lot. He added he got to meet a lot of
people. He also said he could not wait to get back to in person meetings again. He concluded his remarks by thanking everyone again for permitting him to serve.
Secretary:Artis Kitchens also thanked the
membership for allowing him to serve in his post, adding in jest that he was not really sure if he was thankful or not. Artis pledged that would do his part to make sure to club moves on and continues to be the club that it has grown to be.
Treasurer: Leo Windler presented the financial
report for the club. A motion to approve the report was made by Robert Ficarelli and seconded by Dave Sheppard. The motion passed.
Past President: Robert Ficarelli urged members
to continue what they were doing in making the club great.
Director: Jeff Kennedy looked back on his two
years as a director and recalls that he was "poked in the ribs" at that time by Steve Smith W9GPI and urged to run.
Jeff noted he checked his calendar and the
information on the Tampa Bay Hamfest is correct. He said he was planning on attending with John Wells W4CMH. It is an ARRL State convention. Jeff noted the coming Saturday was a Red Cross WinLink drill. Also in December there is a Skywarn Day. Finally he said he agreed with others who feel FMARC is a great club.
Director: Dave Sheppard noted the area made it
through the wet and windy week end with
hurricane Eta. He also wanted to thank everyone for letting him be your director this past year and that he was looking forward to continuing for next year. Finally he said he too missed in person meetings.
Committee Reports
ID Cards/Trailer/Zoom: Tom Muye AC4TM noted the trailer had not moved and there have been no activity with ID Cards. He said he will be making the cards for the new members.
Tom advised those in attendance that he was going to test the Polling function on Zoom to be used in the event of the need for a ballot vote during the elections at the end of the month. Tom had a test mock poll put up and Rich Schnieders KR4PI noted 14% of the respondents decided they did not want dessert. Tom will continue to work on the polling function.
ARES®/Education: Steve Smith W9GPI talked
about the Red Cross holding a WinLink exercise for the amateur operators, ARES members and anyone that has Winlink capabilities. Steve said he would send a note out in advance of the drill. He is hoping for a good showing from Southwest Florida.
For Education Steve said he had nothing new to report.
In regards to ARES, Steve said the region dodged another bullet with Eta and he added he did feel sorry for folks in other areas where the storms go this year.
Modulator: Don Domina KCØDE advised of the
closing date for the next edition of the Modulator. He also requested that a date be set for the Installation/Awards Zoom meeting in December so it could be mentioned in the Modulator. He suggested Tuesday December 15. President Robert Griffin said he had no issue with the proposal and it was agreed to set the date as suggested. There were no objections, so the date was accepted.
Field Day/Property: Joe Ryan N3NAI Joe noted
he expected the results of Field Day 2020 to be in the December QST. He said he was interested in how they were able to combine the results from the hams who worked from their homes.
Saturday November 14 from 11:00AM until 1:00PM at 5820 Poetry Lane in North Ft Myers. Joe said he had looked for a deal on coax but he had not been able to find a good price. He will continue to try to find LMR 400 or 9913.
Joe noted that he will be paying the annual bill for liability insurance. He advised the Treasurer the amount would be $300. He said it is a good price for the amount of coverage.
Joe wrapped up by saying he had begun sorting out the Swap Shop and as the weather gets a bit cooler, more can be done.
Membership: Bob Pantazes W2ARP presented a
slate of new members to be voted on by the board. A motion to accept the slate was made by Dave Sheppard and seconded by Jeff Kennedy. The motion carried.
Special Events/Monday Night Net: Stella Gurka
WB2FAU said she would be meeting with Brian Darley KM4YHZ who is taking over the Special Events Chair. She asked the board where she should list Special Events in the Monday Night Net protocol. Jon Scharbrough AA4JS suggested the Special Events and ARISS/Speakers be combined under Brian Darley until Brian is able to find someone to chair the Speaker responsibilities. Stella said he was going to stress again, the need for clarity in the checkins to the net. She said the proper way to check in is to wait for a break and say "Net Control", then release the key. If nothing is heard, proceed with the words "This is" and give your call phonetically. Stella noted the "This is" will help with the first couple of call sign
characters being cut off because of people who do not wait for the repeater to key.
Finally, she thanked Steve Smith W9GPI for helping with getting volunteers to take the Monday Night Net for 2021. The only month that still needs a volunteer Net Control is September. Anyone interested should contact Stella.. PIO: No report.
Mentor: No report.
Programs/ARISS: Brian Darley KM4YHZ said there was noting new on ARISS except to those listening should keep and eye on the downlink. With respect to programs, Brian said Bob Lewis N9GU will be our first program once we are back to in person meetings. He added that when in person sessions started again he will talk with Fort Myers P.D. for their active shooter program. Brian said the Buckingham event will be coming up so he will meet with Stella to get all the details. He said he would also see about getting the website updated.
Finally he talked with Jon Scharbrough AA4JS about a special event station that Jon had heard about. Jon said members of the club he heard were working the special event from their homes. He thought it was a good idea. He said there might be some conflict since it was a week before Winter Field Day.
Technical: Bob Pantazes W2ARP said he had
talked with Brian Darley KM4YHZ about getting the 220 repeater on the tower at the CenturyLink Building in Downtown Fort Myers. Brian said the tower is 271 feet high and is currently at max capacity. However there are unused antennas on the tower so if a tower crew put our antenna up and took others down, the capacity issue would not be a problem. He is continuing to see if he can gain permission as ARES to have the repeater installed. He will avise.
President Griffin asked how many people were using the 220 before it was taken off the air. The response was about a dozen and that some had volunteered to assist with the cost. Dave Penezic WG4K noted there used to be a lot of inter-mod with the radios in that area. It was agreed that it would be looked into. Bob said there is only one other UHF on the tower and if there is a problem, a PL tone could be used.
Spectrum analyzer could be used to see it there might be a problem. Finally it was advised that the county owns the antenna but they have no problem with our continued use.
License Testing: Larry Stiles WF4LS said the
next session was the following Thursday. He said he had 4 candidates for the session.
SWFTN: Dave Sheppard W2PAX congratulated
Robert Ficarelli KM4OWA for making the ARRL Public Service Honor Roll for the first time last month with seventy one points.
Vests/Shirts: Rich Schnieders KR4PI. President
Griffin suggested that some photos be put on the web site showing what can be done. Robert Ficarelli noted the club also has decals for $5.00 each available.
Old Business New Business
Brian Darley KM4YHZ said he was planning on holding a Zoom meeting with the group choosing the Ham of the Year award. He said he planned to make copies of the submittals so they could be reviewed by the committee.
Vice President Bill Warren inquired about the net Technical net. Steve Smith W9GPI noted that when viewing on line, there is a scroll bar on the right side of the screen. Jeff Kennedy NK4AA noted there is also a YouTube channel for it and that may draw hams from outside of SWFL. He said the production quality of the net was great. The net is Friday night at 8:00PM on the 685 repeater.
Dave Sheppard W2PAX noted the board needed to formally review the proposed budget for 2021. Leo Windler KN4UKX presented the proposed budget as outlined by the budget committee. There were a couple of questions. The budget will be formally voted on at the next general meeting to conform with the by-laws. A copy of the budget is included with the minutes.
Adjournment
A motion to adjourn was made by Jeff Kennedy and seconded by Dave Sheppard. The motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 20:10 Hours (1 hour 10 minutes)
Respectfully Submitted, Artis Kitchens, Secretary
FORT MYERS AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
MISSION STATEMENT
The Mission of the Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club, Inc. (FMARC) is to train and assist Ham Radio Operators to carry on the tradition of amateur radio; and, members of FMARC are dedicated to providing education to the general public about the history, operation, functions and benefits of the Amateur Radio Service.
PURPOSE
The Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club, Inc. was formed to provide members the pleasure and benefits of the association of persons commonly interested in Amateur Radio.
OBJECTIVES
• To facilitate the exchange of information • To promote knowledge of electronics and amateur radio
• To promote good radio operating practices • To further the art of Amateur Radio
• To sponsor and promote activities relating to amateur radio
• To render public service during emergencies. • To participate in appropriate community activities. President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Director Director Past President Robert Griffin Bill Warren Artis Kitchens Leo Windler Jeff Kennedy Dave Sheppard Robert Ficarelli KJ4WPV WB2IWC N3XGL KN4UKX NK4AA W2PAX KM4OWA 2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARES Club Chaplin Education Elmer Field Day Hamfest Chair Membership Modulator Editor Net Manager PIO Program Projects Property Control Social Special Events Swap Shop Technical Trailer VE Team Lead Webmaster Winter Field Day W4LX Trustee Stephen Smith Rich Schnieders Stephen Smith Robert LaRue Joseph Ryan Vacant Bob Pantazes Don Domina Stella Gurka John Wells Brian Darley Tom Muye Joseph Ryan Brittany McDonnell Brian Darley Charles Istenes Robert Pantazes Tom Muye Larry Stiles Tim Bennett Jon Scharbrough Tom Muye W9GPI KR4PI W9GPI KK4SER N3NAI W2ARP KCøDE WB2FAU W4CMH KM4YHZ AC4TM N3NAI KJ4OYP KM4YHZ KI4GED W2ARP AC4TM WF4LS KJ4MUY AA4JS AC4TM COMMITTEE CHAIRS
MODULATOR
The Modulator is published by the Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club, Inc. to inform our members of Club Events and educational or training opportunities.
Members of FMARC are invited to submit articles for the Modulator.
Submissions of articles or advertisements for the Modulator must be made not later than the 15th of each month.
Questions or comments can be e-mailed to: Modulator@fmarc.net
Show ‘MODULATOR’ as the Subject Or send by postal mail to:
FMARC Attn: Modulator Editor
P.O. Box 061183
NOW AT THE SWAP SHOP
Questions? Contact Joe Ryan: n3nai@hotmail.com
Now At the Swap Shop
Yaesu FT1900 Like new in Box $75 Power Supplies from 3A to 23A and many in
between
Coax RG 58 $0.20 per foot RG 8 $0.30 per foot - almost gone LMR 240 equivalent, White $0.35 per foot Some RG 6, and RG 59 at various prices and
various lengths but cheap.
Non FMARC members add $0.05 per foot Various TV and Audio items
Fairly new Icom HT - $75
VX5 HT $65, VX7 $75 (both 6m, UHF, VHF)
Kenwood Dual Band HT $65 Large 10/11M Vertical base antenna
All kinds of parts,supplies and nuts and bolts screws etc. - Very Reasonable
Various CBs, Handhelds and Mobiles - $5 to $15 Fairly New Rotor and Controller - $200 Folded Dipole 440 commercial heavy duty Antennas $100 section can be configured into 16
Element or 8 Element
Some 4.5 ft 450 commercial antennas $35.00 AND MANY PARTS ALL OVER
STOP AND BROWSE THE SHACK Open 2nd and Last Saturday 11AM to 1PM Come out and see what the Swap Shop has, and
remember you can sell at the Swap Shop - No charge for tailgating.
FMARC Swap Shop Waterway Park 5820 Poetry Ln North Fort Myers, FL
The Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club, Inc. is a US 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Membership consists of both Federal Communication Commission (FCC) and
Internationally-licensed amateur radio operators who volunteer themselves, their communications experience and equipment in support of emergency and
community services.
Our club meets once a month at the Lee County Emergency Operations Center, 2675 Ortiz Avenue, Fort Myers, FL 33905. We hold our General meeting on the last Tuesday of every month at
7:00 pm.
Friends, interested persons and Hams from all over meet for reports from committee chairpersons, announcements of present and future activity, old business
issues, any new business for the club, and a program after the meeting.
From Phyllisan West KA4FZI who has moved into assisted living
Ten-Tec Jupiter - checked out $500 Desktop SWR Meter - $25 Alinco 110 2M mobile - $40 Tested on locate repeater during nets Ten-Tec Amp untested - It needs a 100amp
power supply
Yaesu FTDX 1200 and Complete Station Set Up for Sale
Fired up only three times. Like brand new and has original box. Also, included is the LDG YT1200 Auto Tuner. Power supply included as well as a Comet CHV-5X antenna, new in the box. The only thing you need (besides your license) is the space to set it up and some coax. $1,750.00 price is firm.
If you are a member of the Fort Myers Amatuer Radio Club make a donation of $100 to the club and the set up is yours for $1,600.00. Contact Jeff, KD0UHL. 239-478-2682 orjrcoz@yahoo.com.
VOLUNTEER EXAMINERS
Conduct Exams for new Amateur Radio Licenses and License Upgrades on the 2nd Thursday of the month. 6:30 pm at the Lee County EOC. More information is available on the Club’s Web Site: www.fmarc.net, under the “License & Education” tab.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
The 2nd Tuesday of each month at the Lee County Emergency Operations Center, 2675 Ortiz Avenue, Ft Myers FL at 7:00 PM. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss plans and issues for the club, as well as go over new business, old business and pending items. All members are encouraged to attend.ARES
® Our ARES Group meets at 7pm on the third Tuesday of each month (except November & December) at the Lee County Emergency Operations Center, 2675 Ortiz Avenue, Ft Myers FL
For Info on ARES in Lee County, please contact:
Steve Smith (W9GPI) ARES Emergency Coordinator (920) 251-6249 or W9GPI@arrl.net
www.aresraces-leecountyfl.org
SWAP SHOP
A gathering of Hams and friends is heldon the 2nd & Last Saturdays at 11:00 AM at the clubhouse in Waterway Park located at 5820 Poetry Lane, North Fort Myers. Sell, swap and bargain for ham radio gear.
GENERAL MEETING & PROGRAM
The LAST Tuesday of each month. Members, friends, and interested persons meet at the Lee County Emergency Operations Center, 2675 Ortiz Avenue, Ft Myers FL, at 7:00 PM for reports from all committee chairpersons, announcements of present and future activity, old business issues, any new business for the club, and a program or presentation.The Club’s Web Site is http://www.FMARC.net FMARC Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/
fmarc/
FMARC Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/pg/FMARCFort-
Myers-Amateur-Radio-Club-Inc-1509463055951816
FMARC Hamfest Website http:// swflhamfest.info/ Loggerhead Net 146.790 on Sunday 7:30pm Windmill Net 28.475 USB on Sunday 9:00pm Southwest Florida Traffic Net
146.685 Mon-Sat 10:00am
Catholic Charities Net 2nd Monday
at 11:00 am FMARC Club Net
146.685 on Monday 7:00pm The Newbie Net 146.820 - Monday Approx. 7:45pm SWFL Tech Net 146.685 Friday 8:00pm ARES®NET 146.685 Wed 7:00pm No-Name Net 224.52 MHz Suspended Yaesu Fusion Net
(DN Mode) On the 444.675 and 444.750 Linked Repeaters Wednesday, 8:00 pm. The DMR Net KF5IW Repeater, Talk Group Local 2, 1st Thursday, 7:00pm.
The D-Star Net 443.450 Repeater Thursday (except 1st) 7:00pm.
Cape Coral Gabfest 146.490 simplex, Thursday, 8:00pm
SOME LOCAL NETS
IMPORTANT NOTE: BECAUSE OF COVID-19 MOST IN PERSON MEETINGS ARE CANCELED. PLEASE REVIEW THE CALENDAR AND EMAILS TO SEE IF THE EVENT IS
Decem
ber
20
20
Su nd a y Mo nd a y Tu e sd a y We d ne sd a y Th ur sd a y Fr id a y Sa tu rd a y1
SW FT N 10: 00am2
SW FT N 10: 00am ARES Ne t 7p m 220 N E T 7: 30pm FUS IO N Ne t 8: 00pm3
SW FT N 10: 00am D MR Ne t 7 pm LDS Ne t 7 :3 0p m CC Ga bf es t 8 pm4
SW FT N 10: 00am Te ch Ne t 8 :0 0pm5
SW FT N 10: 00am Wi n L in k E xe rc is e 7: 00 A M – 8: 00P M Lo gg er he ad Ne t 7: 30pm nd m ill N et 9 pm7
SW FT N 10: 00am FM ARC Ne t 7: 00 p m Ne wb ie Ne t F ol lo ws af ter FM A R C N et8
SW FT N 10: 00am FM ARC Bo ar d Me et in g Lo ca ti on On Z oo m 7: 00 pm9
SW FT N 10: 00am ARES Ne t 7pm 220 N E T 7: 30pm FUS IO N Ne t 8: 00pm10
SW FT N 10: 00am Li ce n se Te st in g D -St ar Ne t 7 pm LDS Ne t 7 :3 0p m CC Ga bf es t 8 pm11
SW FT N 10: 00am Te ch Ne t 8 :0 0p m12
SW FT N 10: 00am Wi n L in k E xe rc is e 7: 00 A M – 8: 00P M Sw ap Shop 11 :00 AM Lo gg er he ad Ne t 7: 30pm nd m ill N et 9 pm14
SW FT N 10: 00am FM ARC Ne t 7: 00 p m Ne wb ie Ne t F ol lo ws af ter FM A R C N et15
SW FT N 10: 00am H am of t he Y ear and F M A R C In sta lla tio n & Awa rd s M ee ti n g 7: 00pm Z oom16
SW FT N 10: 00am ARES Ne t 7p m 220 N E T 7: 30pm FUS IO N Ne t 8: 00pm17
SW FT N 10: 00am D -St ar Ne t 7 pm LDS Ne t 7 :3 0p m CC Ga bf es t 8 pm18
SW FT N 10: 00am Te ch Ne t 8 :0 0p m19
SW FT N 10: 00am Wi n L in k E xe rc is e 7: 00 A M – 8: 00P M Lo gg er he ad Ne t 7: 30pm nd m ill N et 9 pm21
SW FT N 10: 00am FM ARC Ne t 7: 00 p m Ne wb ie Ne t F ol lo ws af ter FM A R C N et22
SW FT N 10: 00am23
SW FT N 10: 00am ARES Ne t 7p m 220 N E T 7: 30pm FUS IO N Ne t 8: 00pm24
SW FT N 10: 00am D -St ar Ne t 7 pm LDS Ne t 7 :3 0p m CC Ga bf es t 8 pm25
SW FT N 10: 00am26
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SW FT N 10: 00am FM ARC Ne t 7: 00 p m Ne wb ie Ne t F ol lo ws af ter FM A R C N et29
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SW FT N 10: 00am ARES Ne t 7p m 220 N E T 7: 30pm FUS IO N Ne t 8: 00pm31
SW FT N 10: 00am D -St ar Ne t 7 pm LDS Ne t 7 :3 0p m CC Ga bf es t 8 pm IM P O R T A N T NOT E : AL L M E E T INGS ARE S UBJ E CT T O CHANGE DUE T O COV ID -19. PLEA SE C O N FI R M TH E STA TU S O F A M EETI N G O R EVEN T B EFO R E A TTEN D IN G CH RI S TM AS DAY CH RI S TM AS EVE