WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #8

THE WCF EXPERIMENTER – SPRING 2016 – ISSUE HAS JUST BEEN PUBLISHED

The Spring 2016 edition of THE WCF EXPERIMENTER, the Official Technical Newsletter of the ARRL West Central Florida Section has just been published.  You may download the Spring 2016 edition at http://arrlwcf.org/download/wcfexperimenter/WCFExperimenter_2Q2016.pdf.  For all past issues of THE WCF EXPERIMENTER since its reboot a few years ago you may go to http://arrlwcf.org/home/the-wcf-experimenter-technical-newsletter/.

This issue is one of the largest issues published recently thanks to the contribution of some articles by amateur radio operators who reside in the West Central Florida Section.  Geoff Haines N1GY, our Technical Coordinator for the West Central Florida Section is the editor of THE WCF EXPERIMENTER.  The next issue will be the SUMMER 2016 so now is the time to get busy writing an article for the next issue if you have a project or idea you would like to write about.  Send any submissions for THE WCF EXPERIMENTER to Geoff Haines N1GY at n1gy@arrl.net.

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WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #7

THE 2016 ARRL AND TAPR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE COMING TO THE WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA SECTION

The 35th Annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference will be held in the West Central Florida Section, in downtown St. Petersburg, at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront.  The date will be Friday September 16, 2016 through Sunday September 18, 2016.  The ARRL West Central Florida Section is this year’s local co-host for the conference.

St. Petersburg Hilton Bayfront - St. Petersburg, FL

The ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference is an international forum for radio amateurs to meet, publish their work, and present new ideas and techniques. Presenters and attendees will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about recent hardware and software advances, theories, experimental results, and practical applications.  Topics include any area of digital communications in amateur radio technology, which continues to grow every year.

For more information including conference registration and hotel information, please go the http://www.tapr.org/dcc.  Check back there often as information for the current conference will be posted as the time for the conference draws closer.

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WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #6

THE WCF PRESSER ISSUE #14 FEBRUARY 2016 IS NOW PUBLISHED

The WCF PRESSER Issue #14 for February 2016, 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 in PDF format go to http://arrlwcf.org/home/the-wcf-section-presser-arrl-west-central-florida-section-news/

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WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #5

EVELYN GAUZENS W4WYR, ARRL HONORARY VICE PRESIDENT AND FORMER SOUTHEASTERN DIVISION VICE DIRECTOR SK

Evelyn Gauzens W4WYR, of Dunedin, FL (Pinellas County) became a Silent Key on Sunday January 31, 2016.  Gauzens would have turned 87 this week.  According to her son Alan Gauzens WA4ATF, per statements that he issued on the ARRL Information Net, Evelyn had fallen on January 1 and was recovering from the subsequent surgery following that fall.

An ARRL Life Member, Gauzens served as the Southeastern Division Vice Director for more than 20 years. The ARRL Board of Directors elected her as an Honorary Vice President in 2002. She may be best known in the wider Amateur Radio community for having co-founded the Miami Tropical Hamboree and chairing it for 45 years.

Darrell Davis KT4WX, Section Manager, said the following concerning W4WYR, “Evelyn was an inspiration to me many years back and continued to be an inspiration to me to never give up and keep going.”  The West Central Florida Section would like to extend its condolences to the Gauzens family on the passing of W4WYR and she will be missed by all.

For more information see the ARRL News release at http://www.arrl.org/news/long-time-arrl-vice-director-honorary-vice-president-evelyn-gauzens-w4wyr-sk

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WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #4

2ND ANNUAL WCF TECHNICAL CONFERENCE SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER – ED HARE W1RFI, ARRL LAB MANAGER.

Our special guest speaker for the 2nd Annual West Central Florida Section Technical Conference, which will be held on Saturday February 27, 2016, will be Ed Hare W1RFI, Lab Manager, of the ARRL Laboratory.

After an industry career in product testing, Hare came to work at ARRL HQ in 1986. He started as ARRL’s “Product Review” test engineer, moved on to becoming ARRL’s “RFI guru” (notice his call!) and he now holds the position of Laboratory Manager. Over the years he has written quite a number of RFI articles, ranging from articles for QST and the “ARRL Handbook” to articles about the practical aspects of RFI that have appeared in professional trade journals. He is also one of the editors and authors of the ARRL “RFI Book” and the author of the ARRL’s book on RF exposure, “RF Exposure and You.” His personal operating interest is QRP CW, where Ed’s motto is, “Five Watts is a Lot of Power!” He is presently doing work on HF using 10 milliwatts, reporting 30 states worked, all in the ARRL CW Sweepstakes.

You will not want to miss hearing Hare doing the following programs:  (1) The ARRL Lab: Trials, Tribulations and (Tall?) Tales and (2) Antenna Modeling and Propagation Prediction.

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WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #3

SARASOTA COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS WORK WITH MULTIPLE AGENCIES TO TEST PREPAREDNESS AND INTER-AGENCY CAPABILITY DURING WILDFIRE EXERCISE

OnIMG_3158 January 16, 2016 amateur radio operators from Sarasota County and the surrounding area tested their preparedness and inter- agency capability during a wild fire exercise in Sarasota County. This exercise took place on a large parcel of public land owned by Sarasota County located near the Carlton Reserve. During the exercise, amateur radio operators from various radio clubs in Sarasota and the Sarasota County Auxiliary Communications Service worked with multiple agencies including the Sarasota K9 Search & Rescue Team, Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, Sarasota County Emergency Management, Sarasota County Cattlemen’s Association, the Florida Forest Service, the American Red Cross, and the National Weather Service in Ruskin.

IMG_3166This exercise tested the capabilities and preparedness of the amateur radio operators in Sarasota County and the surrounding area and how they were able to integrate with other agencies during a disaster situation. Amateur radio operators operated not only from the field, but also from the American Red Cross, the Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center, and the National Weather Service in Ruskin. Other amateurs filled various support roles while operating from their homes.

 

In addition to testing inter-agency operability, this exercise offered local amateur radio operators the opportunity to test their own capability while operating from a remote area. Radio operators exercised their ability to provide their own power, antennas, and portable radio set-ups in order to establish and maintain communications throughout the scenario. Various frequencies and local repeaters were used during the exercise, including Sarasota Emergency Radio Club repeaters (145.130 and 147.390 MHz)  and the NI4CE repeater system.

The exercise proved to be a great success and many of the outside agencies were impressed by what the amateur radio operators had to offer. Using only whatever they brought with them, the amateur radio operators were able to effectively maintain communications throughout the exercise. For the ham radio operators involved in the exercise, “Amateur radio, when all else fails” was more than just a slogan. This exercise proved that they could effectively establish emergency communications without the use of traditional telephone, internet, or other infrastructure which might be compromised or otherwise unavailable during a wildfire situation.

Photos courtesy of George Wagner K5KG

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The Rise of SoundCloud

Over the past decade, we have witnessed a remarkable shift in the way people consume and share music. Traditional radio, once a staple in every household, is gradually fading into obscurity. In its place, a new era of music streaming services has emerged, with SoundCloud leading the way.

The Decline of Radio

Long gone are the days when families would gather around the radio, eagerly tuning in to catch the latest hits or listen to their favorite shows. With the advent of the internet and the rise of social media, the popularity of traditional radio has waned significantly. Younger generations, in particular, are turning to more personalized and interactive platforms for their music needs.

Radio stations, once the go-to source for discovering new music, are struggling to compete with the vast music libraries and algorithm-based recommendations offered by streaming platforms like SoundCloud. With on-demand access to millions of songs from all genres and the ability to follow and interact with their favorite artists, users are flocking to these platforms in droves.

The Ascent of SoundCloud

SoundCloud, a music sharing platform launched in 2007, has been steadily gaining popularity and is now considered one of the go-to destinations for aspiring musicians, independent artists, and music enthusiasts. What sets SoundCloud apart is its focus on user-generated content, allowing artists to directly upload and share their tracks with the world.

SoundCloud provides a unique opportunity for emerging artists as the new soundcloud services from the The Marketing Heaven help them showcase their talent, bypassing the traditional gatekeepers of the music industry. It has become a breeding ground for new and innovative sounds, fostering a vibrant community of musicians and music lovers alike.

Recently, SoundCloud has further solidified its position as a frontrunner in the music streaming industry with new services from The Marketing Heaven, a renowned digital marketing agency. These services provide artists with valuable tools and strategies to promote their music, expand their reach, and build a loyal fanbase.

With The Marketing Heaven’s expertise, SoundCloud aims to revolutionize the way artists connect with their audience. By leveraging the power of social media marketing, targeted advertising, and data-driven insights, these new services empower artists to gain exposure and grow their careers in ways that were previously unimaginable.

The Future of Music Consumption

As SoundCloud continues to ascend, it raises intriguing questions about the future of music consumption. Will traditional radio become a thing of the past, relegated to nostalgic memories? Or will it find a way to adapt and coexist alongside the streaming giants?

One thing is certain: the landscape of music is evolving, and SoundCloud is at the forefront of this revolution. With its commitment to fostering emerging talent and innovative approach to music sharing, it is reshaping the industry and providing a platform where artists and fans can connect on a deeper level.

As we bid farewell to the radio era, we welcome the dawn of a new musical age, powered by the creativity and diversity that SoundCloud and similar platforms have to offer. With new services from The Marketing Heaven, the future looks brighter than ever for aspiring artists and music enthusiasts.

WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #2

HOUSE BILL 1301, THE AMATEUR RADIO PARITY ACT OF 2015 BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE 1/12/16

URGENT:  The House Energy & Commerce Committee plans a hearing on bills including HR 1301 next Tuesday January 12, 2016. Representative Gus Bilirakis R-12th-FL, whose district covers most of Pasco County and part of Pinellas County and Representative Kathy Castor D-14th-FL, whose district covers much of Hillsborough County, are the only Florida Representatives on the House Energy & Commerce Committee and both have districts in the West Central Florida Section.

If Representative Biliraks or Representative Castor is your representative please call or email them today or tomorrow and urge them to support the Amateur Radio Parity Act tomorrow in this committee.  Urge them to remember that essentially homeowners just cannot be told “NO” by the Home Owners Associations.  They must be given some kind of accommodation, which they currently do not have.

Representative Bilirakis’ contact information can be found at https://bilirakis.house.gov/ and Representative Castor’s contact information can be found at https://castor.house.gov/

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WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #1

THE WCF PRESSER ISSUE #13 JANUARY 2016 IS NOW PUBLISHED

The WCF PRESSER Issue #13 for January 2016, 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 in PDF format go to http://arrlwcf.org/home/the-wcf-section-presser-arrl-west-central-florida-section-news/

Note: WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE numbers start over with the beginning of each calendar year, in similar fashion to ARRL bulletins.

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WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #70

PINELLAS COUNTY ARES AND ACS HOST RECORD SETTING SKYWARN CLASS

Private Citizens, ham radio operators and CERT team members gathered last Tuesday night at the new Pinellas County EOC for a SKYWARN training class. The class was hosted by the Pinellas County ACS/ARES unit, along with their sponsoring agency Pinellas Co. Emergency Management.

SkywarnTraining121515_WX4DANThe class had 100 attendees, and was taught by Dan Noah, the NOAA Warning coordination meteorologist at the Ruskin, FL national weather service office. The class was welcomed to the new Pinellas County EOC by Emergency Manager Sally Bishop, who said in part, “This effort on the part of our ACS group netted the largest Spotter training class that Ruskin National Weather Service has ever had.  We are grateful for the community service provided by the Spotters as it is a vital piece of the process that takes place between the Weather Service and Emergency Management to ensure the community is warned and as ready as possible for weather events.”

SkywarnTraining121515_Panoramic

Clayton Parrott, KJ4RUS, Pinellas County ARES/ACS Radio Officer and Emergency Coordinator said, “We are helping our citizens become more aware of weather related events such as Tornados, Lightning, and now the threat of El Nino by providing them the tools such as this SKYWARN training. In doing this we help those to be better prepared for severe weather related events in their communities”

Thanks to Kevin Poorman KV4CT, ARRL Public Information Officer, for the information and photos for this press release.

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WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #69

POLK COUNTY ARES EMERGENCY COORDINATOR RETIRES, NEW EMERGENCY COORDINATOR APPOINTED.

Robin Retzloff AF1RE will be retiring as Emergency Coordinator for Polk County ARES on December 31, 2015.  Retzloff served five years as Emergency Coordinator for Polk County ARES.  Mike Green AG4LT, Assistant Emergency Coordinator for Shelter Operations, will succeed Retzloff as the new Emergency Coordinator effective on January 1, 2016.  Green has been a licensed radio amateur for several years, has extensive experience in public service as a Polk County Deputy Sheriff, a Polk County Volunteer Firefighter, and is also currently a volunteer for the American Red Cross Polk County Chapter.

RobinAF1RE_EC

Robin Retzloff AF1RE

MikeAG4LT_EC

Mike Green AG4LT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ARRL West Central Florida Section would like to thank Robin for his five years of service to Polk County ARES and the West Central Florida Section and wishes to welcome Mike as the new Emergency Coordinator for Polk County ARES.

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