Category: News

WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #68

News

DAVE ROCKWELL W4PXE, RETIRES AS PUBLIC INFORMATION COORDINATOR, NEW SECTION PIC APPOINTED

On January 11, 2016 Dave Rockwell W4PXE, will retire as the West Central Florida Section Public Information Coordinator (PIC).  West Central Florida Section Manager Darrell Davis KT4WX, has appointed Ken Treffinger K4RSQ, to assume the responsibilities of the ARRL Public Information Coordinator position. Ken is an ARRL Public Information Officer (PIO) and has gained previous public relations experience from his years of public service.  Dave and Ken have already begun working together in order to create a smooth transition in January. The ARRL West Central Florida Section wishes to recognize Dave for his years of service to the Section, and thank him for serving as the Public Information Coordinator.

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Dave Rockwell W4PXE

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Ken Treffinger K4RSQ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rockwell will continue service with his other ARRL station appointments as an ARRL Net Manager for the Eagle Net, the NTS traffic net for the West Central Florida Section, an ARRL Official Relay Station, and an ARRL Technical Specialist.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #67

News

SECTION NET CANCELLATIONS FOR THE DECEMBER HOLIDAYS

The following statements were issued by Darrell Davis KT4WX, Section Manager, Ben Henley KI4IGX, Section Emergency Coordinator, Geoff Haines N1GY, Technical Coordinator, and Neil Lauritsen W4NHF, Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator and HF Net Manager on net cancellations for the month of December:

 
The Section ARES and Information Net on Monday at 1930 on the NI4CE Repeater System: The sessions scheduled for Monday December 21, 2015 and Monday December 28, 2015 will be cancelled in observance of the Christmas and New Years holidays. The Section ARES and Information Net will resume normal operation on Monday January 4th, 2016.
 
The Section Technical Net on Thursday at 2100 on the NI4CE Repeater System: The sessions scheduled for Thursday December 24th and Thursday December 31st, will be cancelled in observance of the Christmas and New Years holidays. The Section Technical Net will resume normal operation on Thursday January 7th, 2016.
Holidays often involve the need to cancel or reschedule appointments, as it is a special time to prioritize spending quality moments with family. Ensuring that children are happy and excited for their Christmas gifts, such as baby girl clothes, is a significant part of creating the festive atmosphere and fostering happiness during this time of the year. It’s an opportunity to create lasting memories and cherish the time spent together as a family.
 
The Section ARES and Information Net on Saturday at 0830 on 3913 KHz: The sessions scheduled for Saturday December 26, 2015 and Saturday January 2, 2016 will be cancelled in observance of the Christmas and New Years Holidays. The Section ARES and Information Net will resume normal operation on Saturday January 9, 2016.
 
This will allow everyone the opportunity to spend time with family and friends during the holidays.
 

END OF PRESS RELEASE

WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #66

News

THE WCF PRESSER ISSUE #12 DECEMBER 2015 IS NOW PUBLISHED

The WCF PRESSER Issue #12 for December 2015 has just been published here on the Section website, the ARRL website, and to the ARRL Section Email List for those who are ARRL members and are signed up for Section/Division news.

For the PDF version of this newsletter and past issues go to http://arrlwcf.org/home/the-wcf-section-presser-arrl-west-central-florida-section-news/  Starting with this issue, the PDF version will contain any associated media (pictures, sound, video, etc.)

The following are headlines from Issue #12 of THE WCF PRESSER:

  • ARRL WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA SECTION CONVENTION TO BE HELD AT THE 40TH ANNUAL TAMPA BAY HAMFEST:
  • 2016 ARRL NATIONAL CONVENTION COMING TO ORLANDO HAMCATION THIS HAMFEST SEASON.
  • 2ND ANNUAL WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA SECTION TECHNICAL CONFERENCE – HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY EOC:
  • ARRL NATIONAL PARKS ON THE AIR COMING TO A NATIONAL PARK NEAR YOU.
  • UPCOMING HAMFESTS IN THE SECTION:
  • THE 2015 HURRICANE SEASON IS HISTORY. PREPARE FOR THE WINTER STORM SEASON:
  • CHECK OUT THE SECTION WEBSITE – http://www.arrlwcf.org:
  • THE SECTION ARES AND INFORMATION NET COMPILING AN NCS ROSTER:
  • AMATEUR RADIO PARITY ACT OF 2015 COMPANION BILL (S 1685) PASSED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE. UP TO 114 COSPONSORS OF THE HOUSE BILL (HR-1301):
  • HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:
  • SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGERS REPORT FOR OCTOBER 2015 By Doug Williams N2DW – Section Traffic Manager:
  • SECTION ARES REPORT FOR OCTOBER 2015 By Randy Payne K4EZM – Assistant Section Manager:
  • HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL. REMEMBER WHAT IS IMPORTANT:
  • SECTION MANAGERS CONTACT INFORMATION AND CONCLUSION:

END OF PRESS RELEASE

WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #65

News

NEW WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA SECTION NATIONAL PARKS ON THE AIR WEBPAGE

The West Central Florida Section website has added a new webpage devoted to National Parks On The Air 2016 operations that will take place here in the West Central Florida Section in 2016.  On this page you will find information on how to get started if you, a group, or a local club or even a DX association would like to operate.

 

The link to that website will be http://arrlwcf.org/wcf-special-events/npota-wcf/.

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There is only one National Park Admin istrative unit located in the West Central Florida Section.  It is the Desoto National Memorial and it is located just northwest of Bradenton along the shore of the Manatee River.  The street address is 8300 De Soto Memorial Highway, Bradenton, FL 34209.

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END OF PRESS RELEASE

 

WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #64

News

SECTION TECHNICAL NET TO BE CANCELLED ON 11/26/15

The following statement was issued by Geoff Haines N1GY, Technical Coodinator:  In observance of Thanksgiving, the West Central Florida Technical Net scheduled for November 26, 2016 will be cancelled.  The West Central Florida Technical Net will resume on Thursday December 3, 2015.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #63

News

NEXT ANNUAL WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA SECTION TECHNICAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULED

The time, date, and venue for the 2nd Annual ARRL West Central Florida Section Technical Conference has been set. The 2nd Annual West Central Florida Section Technical Conference will be held on Saturday February 27th from 0900 (9:00 A.M.) until 1700 (5:00 P.M.) at the Hillsborough County Emergency Operations Center located at 2711 E. Hanna Av. In Tampa.

You may checkout the most up to date Technical Conference information on the West Central Florida Section Technical Conference page at http://arrlwcf.org/wcf-special-events/wcftechconference/. More information will be posted as the conference date draws closer. Registration is now open and if you are planning on attending or wish to be presenter at the conference please fill out the online registration form at

We are also calling for anyone who wishes to be a presenter at our conference please fill out the online registration as soon as possible. That way work can begin work on the speakers schedule. Many of our presenters from the first conference have expressed a desire to return in 2016, but we still have room open for new presenters as well.

We will have a special guest speaker once again from the ARRL Lab at ARRL headquarters. That information will be revealed as soon as it is verified by ARRL headquarters. Make plans to attend.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #62

News

SECTION MANAGER GOES BACK TO SCHOOL, VISITS ARRL HEADQUARTERS FOR WORKSHOP

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On Thursday September 17th Darrell Davis KT4WX, went to ARRL Headquarters in Newington, CT for a Section Managers workshop that all new Section Managers are required to attend following their election or appointment. Davis attended the Section Managers workshop on Friday September 18 through Sunday morning September 20th, which included many good presentations about the programs of the ARRL, a very nice tour of ARRL Headquarters, and time to operate from W1AW. Davis attended the workshop with eighteen other recently elected or appointed Section Managers, including the Steve Szabo WB4OMM, Northern Florida Section Manager and Jeff Beals WA4AW, Southern Florida Section Manager.

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Davis said, ” I would like to thank Steve Ewald WV1X, his staff, and all the staff at ARRL Headquarters for all the work they did in providing this conference for all the new Section Managers who attended”.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #61

News

THE AMATEUR RADIO PARITY ACT PASSED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON 11/18/15

On Wednesday November 18th, Senate Bill 1685 (the Amateur Radio Parity Act in the Senate) was passed by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.  Both Florida Senators are on the committee.  Senator Marco Rubio was not present for the vote and Senator Bill Nelson voted AGAINST the bill.  The only other no vote on the committee against the bill was from the Senator from Hawaii on the committee.  Listed below are Senator Nelson’s comments as taken from a transcript provided by an ARRL member from the Southern Florida Section:

“While I have great respect for Senators Blumenthal and Wicker, I must
oppose this bill today.  Amateur radio plays an important role in enhancing public safety communication, and I encourage communities to work with amateur radio
operators to find ways to further these services.  This bill before us, though, would effectively repeal parts of millions of private contracts and agreements relied upon by homeowners around the country.  This committee would be overriding guidelines that were established – and agreed to – by residents of a community when they voluntarily choose to live in that community. This is a step too far.”

Doug Rehman K4AC, ARRL Southeastern Division Director, when sharing the above listed information on the ARRL Members Only email list concluded with the following:

“If you live in Florida, you might want to POLITELY advise Senator
Nelson of your disappointment with both his vote and his statement and
urge him to reconsider his position.  We still have a long battle in both the House and Senate. If you haven’t already contacted your Representative and Senators to ask for their support of the Amateur Radio Parity Act, please do so immediately.”

Thanks to Doug Rehman K4AC, ARRL Southeastern Division Director for the information used in this WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE.

For more information on how to contact our two Florida Senators, please see WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #57 at http://arrlwcf.org/news/2015/11/16/wcf-section-press-release-57/

END OF PRESS RELEASE

WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #60

News

MIKE GRUBER W1MG FROM ARRL LAB TO BE AT THE TAMPA BAY HAMFEST IN DECEMBER

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Mike Gruber W1MG, the Electromagnetic Compatibility Specialist from the ARRL Laboratory will be our special guest speaker at the Tampa Bay Hamfest on Saturday December 12th. The Tampa Bay Hamfest is the annual host for the ARRL West Central Florida Section Convention.  Gruber will be doing a forum at the Tampa Bay Hamfest and will be at the ARRL Forum as well.

Gruber is the ARRL liaison to the FCC cooperative agreement on power line noise and his areas of expertise include: Locating Power Line Noise, RFI Abatement, and Antique Radio

END OF PRESS RELEASE

WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #59

News

SECTION MANAGER VISITS TARCFEST, LAMBIEFEST, AND PASCO COUNTY HAMFESTS IN SEPTEMBER

On Saturday August 22nd, Darrell Davis KT4WX, Section Manager, attended and help to facilitate the ARRL table at the August edition of the TARCFest, at the Tampa Amateur Radio Club clubhouse in north Tampa and the last one in 2015. Steve Elliott KS4WA, DXCC Card Checker, and Carl Zelich AA4MI, Assistant Director ARRL Southeastern Division, assisted Davis with the ARRL table. Zelich was collecting signatures for the Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 and Elliott was available to check any QSL cards for DXCC credit.

 

On Saturday September 12th, Darrell Davis KT4WX attended and facilitated the ARRL table at the 8th Annual Lambiefest at the Tropical Gulf Acres Clubhouse just south of Punta Gorda. The hamfest was well attended and had sold out all their tables inside the clubhouse and the tailgating area was almost completely filled. A good time was had by most that attended, except for a few that got their vehicles stuck trying to leave at the end of the Lambiefest following an approximate ½ hour downpour near the end of the Lambiefest. The downpour worsened the soil saturation from all the rain in July and August.

 

On Saturday September 26th, Darrell Davis KT4WX attended and facilitated the ARRL table at the Pasco County Hamfest which was held on the grounds of the Gunn Highway Flea Market in Odessa. Gary Mentro N3OS helped Davis with the ARRL table, while promoting Pasco County ARES.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

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