K4WCF

A Ten County Slice of Florida Paradise!

Page Last Updated: Tuesday, August 31, 2010     (All web pages are written by Microsoft Front-Page for viewing on 1024x768 screen size)

The West Central Florida Section is one of seventy-one administrative sections of the ARRL - The American Radio Relay League.   The ARRL is the National Association for Amateur Radio in the USA.

The WCF Section of the ARRL Field Organization serves amateur radio operators in ten counties in Florida:  Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota.   The WCF section includes the following cities:  Bradenton, Clearwater, Lakeland, New Port Richey, Punta Gorda, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Sebring, Tampa and Winter Haven.

This web page has information specific to the ARRL Field Services activities in West Central Florida.   

More News.........

Manatee ARC is holding Technician Amateur radio classes on two ( 2) Saturdays, September 4 and 11 starting 0830 a.m. until about 2:30 .

Start and End Dates: 09/04/2010 - 09/11/2010 Times 08:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

# of Sessions 2
Class Level: Technician

More Mores Code: no
Pre-register no

fee: for ARRL Manual $25

Pre Study no

Class Type Saturday

Exam Offered: 09/18/2010

Club Sponsor: Manatee Amateur Radio Club
Instructor: KR4WS
Contact : Roger Byron, KR4WS
Phone: (941) 538-9033
Email: kr4ws@earthlink.net

Location: Red cross Building: 2905 59th Street West, Bradenton FL

 Additional Info: Students contact KR4WS for License Manual prior class or obtain same from ARRL direct.

 No charge for the class although anticipate we'll send out for sandwich for working lunch. VE test session will be held following Saturday 9:00 a.m. at the same location - Red Cross Building.

*(Above information submitted directly by Roger Byron, KR4WS)

Manatee Amateur Radio Club (and we) made the web and the paper!

The last line of contact - Local - Bradenton.com

TNX for the above info from Geoff and Audrey, and the Field Day Team!

[LakelandARC] field day video link 

On Monday, December 14, S 1755 -- The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009 -- passed the Senate by unanimous consent; the bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. Sponsored by Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), S 1755, if passed, would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to undertake a study on emergency communications.

S 1755 points out that "There is a strong Federal interest in the effective performance of Amateur Radio Service stations, and that performance must be given -- (A) support at all levels of government; and (B) protection against unreasonable regulation and impediments to the provision of the valuable communications provided by such stations."

Members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee considered S 1755 on December 10. After it passed through Committee, it was placed on the Senate's calendar to be voted on.
"We are grateful to Committee Chairman Lieberman and Ranking Member Collins for sponsoring the bill and arranging for its swift consideration and passage by the Senate," said ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ.

Similar in language to HR 2160 (also called The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009 that was introduced this past April by Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee [D-TX-18]), S
1755 calls on DHS to undertake a study on the uses and capabilities of Amateur Radio Service communications in emergencies and disaster relief and then to submit a report to Congress no more than 180 days after the bill becomes law. The study shall:

Include a review of the importance of Amateur Radio emergency communications in furtherance of homeland security missions relating to disasters, severe weather and other threats to lives and property in the United States, as well as recommendations for enhancements in the voluntary deployment of Amateur Radio licensees in disaster and emergency communications and disaster relief efforts and improved integration of Amateur Radio operators in planning and furtherance of the Department of Homeland Security initiatives.

Identify impediments to enhanced Amateur Radio Service communications, such as the effects of unreasonable or unnecessary private land use regulations on residential antenna installations; and make recommendations regarding such impediments for consideration by other federal departments, agencies and Congress.

In conducting the study, S 1755 directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to "utilize the expertise of stakeholder entities and organizations, including the Amateur Radio, emergency response and disaster communications communities."

S 1755 makes note of the fact that Section 1 of the Joint Resolution entitled Joint Resolution to Recognize the Achievements of Radio Amateurs, and To Establish Support for Such Amateurs as National Policy -- approved October 22, 1994 (Public Law 103-408) -- included a finding that stated: "Reasonable accommodation should be made for the effective operation of Amateur Radio from residences, private vehicles and public areas, and the regulation at all levels of government should facilitate and encourage amateur radio operations as a public benefit."

The bill also pointed out that Section 1805(c) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 757(c)) directs the Regional Emergency Communications Coordinating Working Group of the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate their activities with ham and Amateur Radio operators among the 11 other emergency organizations, such as ambulance services, law enforcement and others.

"Getting a bill successfully through Congress is a formidable task -- one that is going to require the involvement of every ARRL member," said ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND. "Working with our Washington consulting firm Chwat & Co, we are laying a dynamic approach that will allow us to make our case most effectively. We have developed a strategy to maximize our impact when dealing with each member of Congress."

Since the anthrax scare that followed the 9-11 attacks, all incoming mail to Congress is delayed anywhere from four to six weeks while it is screened. This means using normal US Mail is no longer an effective method of letting Congress hear your voice. While e-mail is convenient, it is not effective, due to the large volume of e-mail that each Congressional office receives.

"To ensure that ARRL members' letters are quickly and expediently received by Congress, our strategy is to ask ARRL members send their letters directly to Chwat & Co," said Henderson. "Chwat's staff will sort the letters by Congressional district and hand-deliver them to the appropriate House offices, providing a direct point of contact with the Congressman and their staff. This personal contact gives us the chance to provide not only letters from constituents, but information from the ARRL on why this legislation is important."

The ARRL has provided a sample letter for League members to personalize and send to their Congressional representative. "Personalized letters make a better impression than a standard form letter or petition," Henderson explained. You can find the name and address for your Congressman or Congresswomen, in the US Government by using the below link:                                     

                                              U.S. Congressional Directory

Once personalized, ARRL members should send their letter to Chwat & Co using one of three methods:

•  As a signed attachment to an e-mail
•  As a signed fax to 703-684-7594
•  As a regular letter to:
  John Chwat
  Chwat & Co.
  625 Slaters Ln
  Suite 103
  Alexandria, VA 22314

If you choose to e-mail your letter, please send it as an attachment to the e-mail instead of it being the text of the e-mail. This allows the letter to be easily printed and delivered. Should you decide to draft your own letter supporting HR 2160 instead of editing the sample, Henderson asked that you please remember a couple of things:

•  Identify the bill by number and title: HR 2160 -- The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009
•  Keep the letter brief and on topic -- one page at the most
•  Ask them to consider becoming a cosponsor
•  Thank them for their consideration

 "Simple is better when making this kind of request to a representative," said Henderson. "They and their staff are looking to gauge interest and support for the Bill. A lengthy letter that strays off-topic can detract from the focus of asking for support for the legislation."

Should you decide not to send your letter to Chwat & Co but directly to your Representative, it is still important that you send a copy of your correspondence to Chwat & Co. This allows them to discuss accurately with the Congressman and their staff the amount of support for the bill in each individual district. "There is strength in numbers," Henderson added.

Besides bill sponsor Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX-18), the ARRL is fortunate to already have six additional members of Congress who have signed on as co-sponsors of HR 2160 -- Madeleine Bordallo (Guam), Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15), Zoe Lofgren (CA-16), Blaine Luetkemeyer, (MO-9) and Bennie Thompson (MS-02).

"We congratulate ARRL Division Director Jim Weaver, K8JE, and his grassroots legislative action team in Kentucky for securing the support of Representative Guthrie -- the first new co-sponsor of the bill," Henderson said. "It shows that our grassroots effort can work!"

You may be asking yourself "What should I do if my Representative has already signed on as a co-sponsor for HR 2160?" The answer is simple: Thank them for their support. If your Congressman is one of those listed as a co-sponsor, please send them a letter thanking them for their support. Use the same contact information for Chwat & Co. "It is important to convey your appreciation to your Representative when they sign on as a co-sponsor or support the bill," Henderson explained. "That simple 'thank you' may help open the door the next time their help is needed."

Once you have prepared and sent your letter supporting HR 2160, your job is not over: Feedback is an important part of the process. "What your Congressman has to say in regards to your contact can provide the ARRL with important information as we try to push our bill forward," Henderson noted. "This feedback can possibly help us identify potential new support for the bill or a weakness in the legislation we may need to address."

When you receive a response from your Congressman, please forward a copy to the Regulatory Information Office at ARRL Headquarters via e-mail or hard copy to Regulatory Information, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.

"HR 2160 presents the Amateur Radio Service with a unique opportunity -- but also carries with it the important responsibility of making your voice heard," Henderson summarized. "HR 2160 stands as the first step in trying to address the long standing problem of extending the protections afforded Amateur Radio operators under PRB-1 to deed restrictions and covenants. To be clear, passing HR 2160 is not going to achieve that goal right away. But it will help lay the ground work by assessing the impact such restrictions have on our ability to train for and respond to disasters and other emergencies."

*SPRING 2010* ISSUE OF THE WCF TS EXPERIMENTER NOW AVAILABLE  in .pdf (Click on any text to link)

"Revised" DATABASE OF THE WCF SECTION COUNTY HAM TOWER/ANTENNA RULES & REGULATIONS (05, 2010)

Page Last Updated: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 18:22:36