CQ, CQ, CQ Calling all hams!

I hope that everyone is doing well as we continue our year in Amateur radio. We have much to be grateful for and we are counting our blessings daily.

We started our social foray with our quarterly dinner at Wing’s Plus on June 5th, 2021 and it was a successful meeting of the minds. We celebrated getting back to normal after the pandemic with 30+ hams. We met some newcomers to the club and were grateful to introduce Ben N7BBE and Barry Ko4FBU and John ?. Welcome to Steve KO4QYU and Kevin W1OM to the GCARA family. If you are new to the club, we welcome you and invite you to participate in our upcoming functions. All are welcome and appreciated.

We will all do Summer Field Day on June 26th and 27th from our individual shacks this year. Some people may gather in public and host their fellow hams at their homes. The pandemic was ongoing so we were unable to utilize our normal spot at Quiet Waters Park this year. We are presently planning for the park for Winter Field Day in January of 2022.

Please join us for our meeting on Zoom on June 22, 2021. Contact me if you need the address and topic @ 954-560-3706. We are still unable to get the hospital room for the public meetings but we are checking monthly to see if our status changes. Too many of us miss our Dandee Donuts! Lol.

Special thanks to Joe McGee NX4T, Ricky Eaton KD4HGR, Eric Rodriguez, KF4LZA, Al Flapan, AF4FA, and Mike Sams who have worked tirelessly on the repeaters and the HF station. The John Knox Village Roof is being changed and has caused a lot of cut cables which had to be repaired or replaced by Ricky and Eric, so thank you very much for doing that. We are also in the process of resurrecting our ECHOLINK capability so that Ham Helper’s NET can broadcast the educational classes it produces to new hams all over S.Fl. Thank you, Dave Warner, KB4ICU, for sponsoring ham Helper’s NET and all of the work you do with Jeff Stahl, K4BH, and Carol Sjursen, KJ4AWB, of AresRaces.

I am proud of GCARA and all of the active members who either contribute funds or manpower to keep our hobby alive and flourishing. Many hands make light work and I am proud to be associated with ALL of YOU!

Thank you Jesse Shannon KJ4FKK, for all of your speaking contributions and monetary donations to the club’s efforts. It is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Dave Warner KB4ICU, for speaking to our club on occasion about your new discoveries in Ham radio. We all enjoy it and have learned a lot about our hobby.

If anyone has an interest in helping me with the SUNSHINE COMMITTEE, a committee of hams who welcome newcomers and stay in touch with those who are under the weather, please contact me at the phone number listed above. The same goes for anyone who has an interesting topic to present at the meetings. We like to keep it fresh and updated as much as possible. Thanks.

It is going to be a long, hot summer but hopefully, we can cool off with each other at all of our activities. On July 10th, 2021, one such activity is planned for us at Vista View Park, 4001 SW 142nd Ave. Davie, 33330. We will host a show and tell of our ham gear and have a picnic. The best item to be shown will be awarded a $50.00 gift certificate from Mike’s Electronics.

It is the first time in a year and one half that we will be getting together in this form. Jerry Deitsch, W4LST will head up the food committee and most likely will be our chef de jour for the burgers and dogs. Ham will also be served along with some cold sides. We are collecting $10.00 to cover the cost of food and beverages plus you may make a donation through PayPal in addition to the fee. Go to the website, w4bug.org and click on the link to obtain an invoice. Once the invoice is sent, just make your payment on Paypal to the club. There is a choice of paying at the picnic but you must RSVP on the website and choose that option so we can get a headcount.

God bless all of you and keep you happy, healthy, and prosperous in your lives. Take care.

Melanie Fernandez KJ4VCT
President

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