FORMER SECTION EMERGENCY COORDINATOR BEN HENLEY KI4IGX IS A SILENT KEY

Ben Henley KI4IGX, who was the Section Emergency Coordinator for the ARRL West Central Florida Section from 2015-2020 became a Silent Key on Wednesday July 20, 2022, after a protracted battle with congestive heart failure and ischemia, and had been awaiting a heart transplant for several years.  Henley was 52 years old.

Henley obtained his Technician class amateur radio license in 2004 an upgraded to General class in 2016.  It was Henley’s experience in emergency management and commercial two way radio that led him to become a licensed amateur radio operator.  Henley was instrumental in helping to foster a working partnership between Highland County Emergency Management and Highlands County ARES, and providing them with logistical support to help carry out their mission.  Henley was also instrumental in helping to foster the concept of the three ARRL Florida Section ARES programs as being partners working together with the State EOC as one organization during emergency situations.

Henley in his professional career was in information technology, first at a local hospital in Highlands County, then a firefighter with the Highlands County Fire Department, and then as Emergency Management Coordinator with Highlands County Emergency Management.  During his tenure with Highlands County Emergency Management, Henley was the 911 coordinator for a number of years, provided information technology support, commercial two way radio support, and had considerable input into the design of the current Highlands County Emergency Operations Center.

At press time, there was no information available on a memorial service.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

SECTION ARES CANCELLATION DUE TO SECTION ARES LUNCHEON AND MEETING

The ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES and Information Net scheduled for Saturday July 23, 2022 on 3940 KHz at 0730 or immediately following the Florida Phone Traffic Net is cancelled to facilitate the Summer 2022 ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES Luncheon and ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES Meeting being held on the same date. The ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES and Information Net on 3940 KHz will resume normal operation on Saturday July 30, 2022.

The Summer 2022 ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES Luncheon will be held at the Sebring Diner in south Sebring at 1100 EDT, and ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES Meeting will be held at the Highlands County Emergency Operation Center in south Sebring. For detailed meeting information, including links to maps and other meeting information, go to the ARRL West Central Florida Section website at http://arrlwcf.org.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

SECTION NET CANCELLATIONS FOR THE INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND

In observance of Independence Day, the West Central Florida Section ARES and Information Net scheduled for Saturday July 2, 2022 at 0730 or immediately following the Florida Phone Traffic Net on 3940 KHz will be cancelled.  This net will resume normal operation on Saturday July 9, 2022.

In observance of Independence Day, the West Central Florida Section ARES and Information Net scheduled for Monday July 4, 2022 at 1930 on the NI4CE Repeater System will be cancelled.  This net will resume normal operation on Monday July 11, 2022.

The Eagle Net and the West Central Florida Section Technical Net will operate as scheduled throughout this period.  The ARRL West Central Florida Section wishes everyone a Happy Independence Day and weekend.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

 

THE 22ND ARRL WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA CARAVAN RIDES ONCE AGAIN

In keeping with tradition, the ARRL West Central Florida Section Field Day Caravan will once again take to the roads of the ARRL West Central Florida Section on Saturday June 25, 2022 to visit ARRL Field Day sites in the ARRL West Central Florida Section.  The members of this year’s caravan are Mike Douglas W4MDD, Section Manager, and Jimmy Russ AB4KA, Assistant Section Manager.

For information on the ARRL West Central Florida Section Field Day Caravan, including a tentative travel itinerary, APRS tracking information, and information on how to format and to send an NTS radiogram to our Section Manager or Section Emergency Coordinator you may visit the ARRL West Central Florida Section Field Day Caravan webpage at http://arrlwcf.org/wcf-special-events/west-central-florida-section-field-day-caravan/.  The webpage also includes a sample radiogram to use to help one format their own NTS radiogram to the Section Manager or the Section Emergency Coordinator.  Just a reminder, this radiogram must be sent during the Field Day period, not before or afterward.

The ARRL West Central Florida Section wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable Field Day weekend.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

SPECIAL EAGLE NET SESSION PLANNED FOR FIELD DAY 2022

Once again the Eagle Net, the NTS traffic net for the ARRL West Central Florida Section, which normally meets daily at 2030 hours, is planning for a special Field Day session which will begin at 2000 hours on Saturday June 25, 2022 to accommodate Field Day generated traffic.

Dave Rockwell W4PXE, Net Manager of the Eagle Net had the following statement concerning this session, “On Saturday, June 25, 2022, the West Central Florida National Traffic (EAGLE) Net will once again operate an extended net to support clubs and individuals wishing to send formal traffic to the Section Manager and Section Emergency Coordinator.  Also, we will support traffic leaving the section. Dave, W4PXE, will be the Alternate Net Control for the session. Bring your traffic!!”

END OF PRESS RELEASE

GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS PROCLAIMS AMATEUR RADIO WEEK IN FLORIDA FOR 2022

On Friday June 17, 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a proclamation declaring the week of Monday June 20, 2022 through Sunday June 26, 2022 to be Amateur Radio Week in State of Florida.

Governor DeSantis acknowledged in his proclamation that amateur radio has been around for over a century, helps to build new relationships and friendships, and that amateur radio has provided many hours of service over many decades for which they are not compensated to the State of Florida and other organizations.

For the PDF that contains the text of the full proclamation please go to http://arrlwcf.org/download/wcfgeneral/StateOfFlorida_AmateurRadioWeek2022.pdf.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

WOODY FURMAN KJ4KSG IS A SILENT KEY

On Thursday June 9, 2022, Lemuel “Woody” Furman KJ4KSG, of Bradenton became a Silent Key.  Furman was 61 years old.  Furman had served as one of the first Assistant Net Managers of the Eagle Net, and was the 2017 recipient of the Ellen White W1YL award.  Furman was also active with the Sarasota Agricultural Recovery Group (SARG).

Darrell Davis KT4WX, Assistant Section Manager for the ARRL West Central Florida Section made the following comments about Furman’s passing, “Woody was a true southern gentlemen, that was always trying to help others as well as being a good family man.  Woody will be missed by all who knew him.”

At press time, there was not any information available concerning a memorial service or internment.

END OF PRESS RELEASE

POTENTIAL TROPICAL CYCLONE #1 – 2000 EDT – 6/04/22

At 800 PM EDT (0000 UTC), the disturbance was centered near latitude 28.3 North, longitude 78.9 West. The system is moving toward the northeast near 18 mph (30 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue through tonight. A turn toward the east-northeast with an additional increase in forward speed is expected on Sunday, followed by a turn toward the east Monday night. On the forecast track, the disturbance is expected to move farther away from the
east coast of Florida and over the southwestern Atlantic north of the Bahamas tonight, and move near or to the north of Bermuda on Monday.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 45 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts. The disturbance is expected to become a tropical or subtropical storm tonight or Sunday, and some strengthening is possible through Monday.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…high…90 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days… high…90 percent.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 210 miles (335 km) to the east of the center. A weather station at Settlement Point on Grand Bahama Island recently reported a wind gust of 36 mph (57 km/h).

The estimated minimum central pressure based on surface observations is 999 mb (29.50 inches).

COASTAL WATCHES/WARNINGS AND FORECAST CONE FOR STORM CENTER

SUMMARY OF 0800 PM EDT…0000 UTC…INFORMATION

LOCATION…28.3N 78.9W
ABOUT 105 MI…185 KM NE OF FORT PIERCE FLORIDA
ABOUT 885 MI…1425 KM WSW OF BERMUDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…45 MPH…75 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NE OR 50 DEGREES AT 18 MPH…30 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…999 MB…29.50 INCHES

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT…

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR…
* NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR…
* BERMUDA

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

The following excerpt is from the Forecast Discussion issued at 1700 EDT today:

“Radar data and surface observations indicate that the circulation of the disturbance has become a little better defined since the last advisory, although the central area still consists of an area of multiple vorticity maxima extending from near Lake Okeechobee east-northeastward into the Atlantic. While the current structure still does not justify an upgrade to a tropical storm, the easternmost of these centers is near the main convective area, and if this continues the system could become a tropical storm in the next 6-12 hours. An earlier Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter mission reported a large area of 50-kt winds at 3000 ft, and believable SFMR surface wind estimates of 35-40 kt. Based on these data, the initial intensity is increased to 40 kt.

The initial motion is 050/16, and some of this is due to the ongoing re-formations of the center. The track guidance remains in good agreement that a general northeastward motion should continue through Sunday, followed by an east-northeastward to eastward motion Monday and Tuesday. On the forecast track, the system will move away from Florida tonight, and then pass north of Bermuda on Monday on its way into the central Atlantic.

Water vapor and air mass imagery show a mid- to upper-level trough over the southeastern United States and the eastern Gulf of Mexico. While this trough continues to aid strong westerly shear over the disturbance, the interaction between this trough and the disturbance is forecast to lead to a better-defined circulation
during the next 12-24 h, which should allow the disturbance to become a tropical storm and strengthen a little. The long-term forecast for the system has gotten murkier. After about 60-72 h, several of the global models essentially split the system in two, with a center that forms in the northern part of the circulation merging with a frontal system to become an extratropical low, while the rest of the system turns more southward and slows down well to
the east of Bermuda. Given the uncertainty, there will be no changes at this time from the previous forecast of extratropical transition and the associated track forecast. However, there is now an alternate scenario that may require changes to the track and intensity forecasts in later advisories.”

SITUATION AND ACTIONS:

All watches and warnings for the ARRL West Central Florida Section were dropped this morning and for the rest of the State of Florida this afternoon.

To our knowledge, there had not been any requests for services from any of the ARES groups in the ten counties in the ARRL West Central Florida Section.

Note:  The Section ARES Alert Level simply reflects the activation status of local ARES groups in the ARRL West Central Florida Section.  Each ARES groups activates at the request of their served agencies and or in accordance with their local ARES plan.

All ARES, ACS, and CERT personnel are encouraged to continue to check each advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center in Miami and the Tropical Weather Outlook issued four times daily by the National Hurricane Center.

LATEST NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER INFORMATION:

Public Advisories: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT1+shtml/022334.shtml?

Forecast Advisory: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCMAT1+shtml/022052.shtml

Forecast Discussion:  https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT1+shtml/022057.shtml

Latest NWS Rusking Hurricane Local Statement:  https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/WTUS82-KTBW.shtml

CONCLUSION

This will be the last WCF SECTION SPECIAL BULLETIN on Potential Tropical Cyclone #1.

POTENTIAL TROPICAL CYCLONE #1 – 2000 EDT – 6/03/22

At 1700 EDT, the National Hurricane Center continues to issue advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone #1.  As of 2000 EDT, Potential Tropical Cyclone #1 does not meet the criteria of being a tropical cyclone, due to lack of circulation around a low level center.

If and when this system becomes a Tropical Storm, it will be named Tropical Storm Alex and will be the first tropical storm of the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season.  However this year is not unique, as in several years in the recent past, we have often seen a Tropical Depression and or a Tropical Storm form either right before or just right after the beginning of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.  The Atlantic Hurricane Season began yesterday on June 1st and will run through November 30th.

At 700 PM CDT (0000 UTC), the disturbance was centered near latitude 23.3 North, longitude 85.0 West. The system is moving toward the northeast near 7 mph (11 km/h), and a northeastward motion with an increase in forward speed is expected during the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the system should move across the southern and central portions of the Florida Peninsula on Saturday, and then over the southwestern Atlantic north of the northwestern Bahamas late Saturday through Sunday.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts. The system is expected to develop a well-defined center and become a tropical storm later tonight or early Saturday, and some slight strengthening is possible while it approaches Florida. Additional strengthening is possible after the system moves east of Florida over the western Atlantic Saturday night and Sunday.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…high…90 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days…high …90 percent.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km) to the east of the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1003 mb (29.62 inches).

COASTAL WATCHES/WARNINGS AND FORECAST CONE FOR STORM CENTER

SUMMARY OF 0800 PM EDT…0000 UTC…INFORMATION

LOCATION…23.3N 85.0W
ABOUT 95 MI…155 KM N OF THE WESTERN TIP OF CUBA
ABOUT 300 MI…480 KM SW OF FT. MYERS FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…40 MPH…65 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NE OR 40 DEGREES AT 7 MPH…11 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1003 MB…29.62 INCHES

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR…
* FLORIDA KEYS INCLUDING THE DRY TORTUGAS
* FLORIDA BAY
* WEST COAST OF FLORIDA SOUTH OF THE MIDDLE OF LONGBOAT KEY TO CARD SOUND BRIDGE
* EAST COAST OF FLORIDA SOUTH OF THE VOLUSIA/BREVARD COUNTY LINE TO CARD SOUND BRIDGE
* LAKE OKEECHOBEE
* CUBAN PROVINCES OF PINAR DEL RIO…ARTEMISA…LA HABANA…AND MAYABEQUE
* NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR…
* CUBAN PROVINCES OF MATANZAS AND THE ISLE OF YOUTH

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

The following excerpt is from the Forecast Discussion issued at 1700 EDT today:

“Satellite imagery and reports from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that the disturbance has not become better organized since the last advisory. What is passing for the center is an elongated trough extending from the northeastern Yucatan peninsula to near 25N 84W with several embedded vorticity maxima, and the center position for this advisory is a mean position along this trough. The aircraft did not find any tropical-storm-force winds during its mission. However, Doppler wind data from the Key West WSR-88D radar suggests 35-kt winds are occurring in the convective cluster near western Cuba about 150 n mi east of the center. Based on this, the system has not developed the structure of a tropical cyclone and remains a 35-kt potential tropical cyclone. It should be noted that the initial 34-kt wind radii are a little deceiving, as those winds are only occurring over a small area well east of the center.

While the initial motion is still somewhat uncertain, it appears to be a little faster toward the northeast at 040/6 kt. There is no change in the track forecast philosophy from the last advisory. The disturbance is now encountering the southern edge of the mid-latitude westerlies, and the guidance is in good agreement that it should move at a faster forward speed toward the northeast during the next 48-72 h. Based on this, the forecast track continues to bring the system across the southern or central Florida Peninsula on Saturday. After 48-72 h, the system should move east-northeastward across the western Atlantic. The track guidance remains in good agreement with this scenario, and the new forecast track is little changed from the previous forecast. It is still possible that there could be erratic motion due to center re-formation caused by convective bursts.

Strong southwesterly vertical shear is forecast to continue until the system reaches the Florida Peninsula. However, it remains likely that convective bursts near the center will create enough organized convection and improved circulation for the system to become a tropical storm in the next 12-24 h. This could also cause slight strengthening before the system reaches Florida. A little more strengthening is again forecast over the Atlantic, due primarily to interaction with a mid-latitude trough. This interaction will eventually lead to extratropical transition, which is forecast to be complete at about 96 h. The new intensity forecast again has only minor tweaks from the previous forecast.

The main impact from this system continues to be widespread heavy rain that is expected to spread over portions of western Cuba, the southern Florida Peninsula, the Florida Keys, and the northwestern Bahamas during the next couple of days.”

SITUATION AND ACTIONS:

At the present time the following counties or portions of counties have a Tropical Storm Warning in effect:  Charlotte, Desoto, Hardee, Highlands, Inland Manatee, Polk, and Sarasota Counties.

At the present time there is a Flood Watch in effect for Charlotte, Desoto, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee, Polk, and Sarasota Counties through Saturday evening.

At the present time, there have not been any requests for services from any of the ARES groups in the ten counties in the ARRL West Central Florida Section.

Note:  The Section ARES Alert Level simply reflects the activation status of local ARES groups in the ARRL West Central Florida Section.  Each ARES groups activates at the request of their served agencies and or in accordance with their local ARES plan.

All ARES, ACS, and CERT personnel are encouraged to check their equipment, supplies, and complete any necessary personal preparations.  All ARES, ACS, and CERT personnel are encouraged to continue to check each advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center in Miami and any advisories or Hurricane Local Statements issued by the National Weather Service Office in Ruskin.

LATEST NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER INFORMATION:

Public Advisories: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT1+shtml/022334.shtml?

Forecast Advisory: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCMAT1+shtml/022052.shtml

Forecast Discussion:  https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT1+shtml/022057.shtml

Latest NWS Rusking Hurricane Local Statement:  https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/WTUS82-KTBW.shtml

CONCLUSION

The next WCF SECTION SPECIAL BULLETIN on Potential Tropical Cyclone #1 will be issued following the 1700 EDT advisory unless conditions warrant an earlier issuance.