Category: News

THE WCF PRESSER FOR SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2025 IS NOW PUBLISHED

THE WCF PRESSER for September/October 2025, issue #67, has just been published and is now available for download from the Section website at https://arrlwcf.org/home/the-wcf-section-presser-arrl-west-central-florida-section-news/.

THE WCF PRESSER production team is composed of Darrell Davis KT4WX, Assistant Section Manager for Technology, as editor, and Russ Delaney N4RTD Assistant Section Manager for Digital Communications, as layout coordinator.  In order to continue to publish THE WCF PRESSER, content is needed.  The editors are not “mind readers” and your submissions are definitely needed.  If your amateur radio club or group is having an activity or event, write it up and send it to Darrell Davis KT4WX via email at kt4wx@arrl.net.  The submission format does not matter and the production team can work with any format.  Pictures being included is encouraged.

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JOHN CHAPUT KK4LI IS A SILENT KEY

John Chaput KK4Li, became a Silent Key on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025 after a protracted cancer battle.  Chaput was 63 years old at the time of his passing.  Chaput is survived by his wife Cyndi, twin sons Evan Hunter Chaput and Jared Sean Chaput, grandson Jackson Lee Chaput, granddaughter Kelli Jo Chaput, daughter-in-law Kayla JoAnn Chaput, sister Marie Mills-Chaput, brother-in-law John Andrew “Andy” Spires, niece Jennifer “Jen” Fairfield, and nephew Phillip “Phil” Lloyd Mills, as well as countless other family members and friends.

Chaput got into amateur radio in the 1970’s, and tinkered with amateur radio equipment from that time, and was active in amateur radio for the rest of his life.  Chaput was active in the Highlands County Amateur Radio Club and the West Central Florida Group, the owner/operators of the NI4CE Repeater System.  Chaput assisted with the maintenance of the Highlands County Amateur Radio Club repeaters.  Chaput also helped out a number of amateur radio clubs and individual amateur radio operators with tower climbing when they were in need as a service to the amateur radio community.

Chaput ran a television repair shop in Lake Placid and eventually got into the tower climbing business, mounting internet access points on towers for RV Parks, among other tower climbing.

Chaput also served as deacon for First Baptist Church of Lake Josephine and later as a leader for the youth and young adults at Leisure Lakes Baptist Church, John was an inspiration to all of those who encountered him. Never seeming to be without a smile, John could brighten any day and share the love of Jesus with any stranger without hesitation.

A celebration of life ceremony was held on Saturday August 16, 2025 in Lake Placid.  For the full text of the obituary you may go to https://www.midfloridanewspapers.com/highlands_news-sun/obituaries/john-r-chaput/article_8f2e2f2d-04ea-4405-b1a1-dfd5bd145b11.html

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CECIL FOX KF4CSM IS A SILENT KEY

Cecil Fox Jr. KF4CSM, the Assistant Emergency Coordinator of Operations for Manatee County ARES, passed away on Sunday September 14, 2025 after a battle with cancer.  Fox was 74 years old at the time of his passing.  Fox is survived by his loving wife, Melody Fox; sister, Sandra Fox; sons Charles, Eric, and daughter-in-law Lynne; son-in-law David; and cherished grandchildren Jackson, Tyler, and Haley, who added so much joy to his life.

Fox was a proud graduate of Manatee High School and furthered his education by earning an Associate of Science degree from Vincennes University. Fox was in the United States Army for 31 years, retiring as a Command Sergeant Major, and having received numerous commendation medals for various aspects of his service.  Cecil also served his community as a deputy sheriff with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office for 12 years.

A man of deep Christian faith, Fox served as a Deacon at Bible Baptist Church near Bradenton, and was actively involved in numerous ministries. He lived out the scripture, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13), in both his professional and personal life.

Visitation and a memorial service were held on Thursday 9/18/25 and Friday 9/19/25.   For the full text of the obituary you may go to https://www.brownandsonsfuneral.com/obituaries/Cecil-E-Fox-Jr?obId=45402834.  The Bradenton Times ran an article about his passing. You may read that article at https://thebradentontimes.com/stories/cecil-fox-jr,160660

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PASS THE BILL ARRL Grassroots Campaign is Underway.

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WCF SECTION ARES MEETING FALL 2025 VIDEO AND SLIDES ARE NOW AVAILABLE

ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES resumed having quarterly Section ARES meetings on Saturday September 13, 2025, and this meeting was held via Zoom.  The video and slides from the meeting are now available for viewing and download respectively.

To view the video of this meeting you may go to the ARRL West Central Florida Section YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY1BSZsG6Zw.  The main landing page for the Section YouTube channel is located at https://www.youtube.com/@arrlwcf

To download the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, you may go to the Section website ARES page located at https://arrlwcf.org/wcf-section-programs/ares/.  The slides for the meeting are located in the Section near the bottom of the page entitled, “WCF Section ARES Communications Plan and supporting documents.”

The next WCF Section ARES meeting is being planned as an in-person meeting at the Tampa Bay Hamest on Saturday December 13, 2025.

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THE WCF ARES COMMUNICATOR FOR SEPTEMBER 2025 IS PUBLISHED.

The September 2025 issue of THE ARES COMMUNICATOR, is now available for download on the new ARES COMMUNICATOR page located at https://arrlwcf.org/home/wcf-ares-communicator.  All issues will be archived on this page for current and historical reference.

Included in this issue is an another good article about “Blue Skies” and the Emergency Coordinator and Official Emergency Station reports for July 2025.

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THE WCF ARES COMMUNICATOR FOR AUGUST 2025 ISSUE IS PUBLISHED.

The June 2025 issue of THE ARES COMMUNICATOR, is now available for download on the new ARES COMMUNICATOR page located at https://arrlwcf.org/home/wcf-ares-communicator.  All issues will be archived on this page for current and historical reference.

Starting with this issue, the ARES reports and ARES Net reports that are submitted will be carried in THE WCF ARES COMMUNICATOR.  The month being reported is a couple of months behind the date of publication.  For example in the August 2025 issue are the reports submitted for the month of June 2025.

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THE WCF PRESSER FOR JULY/AUGUST 2025 IS NOW PUBLISHED

THE WCF PRESSER for July/August 2025, issue #66, has just been published and is now available for download from the Section website at https://arrlwcf.org/home/the-wcf-section-presser-arrl-west-central-florida-section-news/.

THE WCF PRESSER production team is composed of Darrell Davis KT4WX, Assistant Section Manager for Technology, as editor, and Russ Delaney N4RTD Assistant Section Manager for Digital Communications, as layout coordinator.  In order to continue to publish THE WCF PRESSER, content is needed.  The editors are not “mind readers” and your submissions are definitely needed.  If your amateur radio club or group is having an activity or event, write it up and send it to Darrell Davis KT4WX via email at kt4wx@arrl.net.  The submission format does not matter and the production team can work with any format.  Pictures being included is encouraged.

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FLORIDA TROPICAL TRAINING TRACK GIVEN VIRTUALLY BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

From Monday July 21, 2025 through Thursday July 24, 2025, the National Weather Service Office in Jacksonville, is offering a virtual training track via GoToWebinar, for anyone who wished to be better prepared for the impact of a Hurricane. The training is being conducted by National Weather Service meterologist from all over the State of Florida.  Each day will focus on a different aspect of Hurricane preparedness from season prepardeness on the first day to post storm recovery on the fourth day.

For more information on the virtual training track and or to register for the daily seminar tracks, which will be given via GoToWebinar, you may go to the following webpage:  https://www.weather.gov/jax/FloridaTropicalTrainingWeek2025.

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CHUCK JOHNSTON W4CWJ FEATURED IN SRQ MAGAZINE.

In the July 2025 issue of SRQ Magazine, a very nice article was published about Chuck Johnston W4CWJ, our Assistant Section Manager for Rural Communities.  To see the full article you may go to https://www.srqmagazine.com/articles/2217/In%20the%20Face%20of%20Disaster.

Chuck Johnston W4CWJ has had a varied career, which started with the City of Sarasota as a fire fighter, and eventually he served as Interim Director of Emergency Management for Sarasota County around 2005.  Johnston then seeing a need for emergency recovery support for agricultural communities, founded the Sarasota Agricultural Recovery Group (SARG) in 2010 and has served continuously since that time as its coordinator.  After getting his amateur radio license in 2015, integrated amateur radio in SARG.  Johnston has also planned several communications exercises, of which one of them was “High and Dry II” which took place early 2022.  “High and Dry II”, was very close to what happened during Hurricane Ian in September 2022.  Johnston led the response of SARG in the agricultural community in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in 2022.

The ARRL West Central Florida Section congratulates Chuck Johnston W4CWJ on having his service recognized in SRQ Magazine.

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