2024 ARRL Field Day is June 22-23
Quiet Waters Park
401 S Powerline Rd,
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
ARRL Field Day is the most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada.
Field Day is ham radio’s open house. Every June, more than 40,000 hams throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate ham radio’s science, skill and service to our communities and our nation.
2024 ARRL Field Day Theme: Be Radio Active
The theme for 2024 ARRL Field Day is “Be Radio Active.” The event will run on June 22 – 23, and it will be one-part contest, one-part emergency communications exercise, and one-part open house — and a great time. The theme encourages radio amateurs to take advantage of the peak of Solar Cycle 25, which we are nearing. Activity this year is likely to be extremely high thanks to favorable solar conditions. The upper HF bands, such as 15 and 10 meters, should benefit most from the Cycle’s peak.
There are resources available already for clubs and individuals to make their Field Day plans. ARRL will publish more information and tools so that hams can make the most of the event as it draws near. Amateurs interested in learning more are invited to join the Field Day Facebook group to connect with others who are planning for the big weekend.
Find links to all of the resources on the ARRL Field Day web page at www.arrl.org/field-day.
Vista View Park
4001 SW 142nd Ave, Davie, FL 33330, USA
Come one, come all, to see what Ham Helpers has received in donated radio equipment. The Free Flea will take place at 2725 NE 14 Ave. Wilton Manors, 33334 from 8 am to 2 pm on Saturday, April 13, 2024.
It is open to all hams, family and friends. Free tailgating.
There will be an ICOM IC-7610 for auction with a starting bid of $750.00. The winning bid will be announced Saturday at 2 pm. Contact information : kennyh4600@gmail.com (ke4nc).
You must come and see what Kenny has scooped up in his trips around Florida. We will see you there!
Submitted by Melanie Fernandez KJ4VCT
Jan 23, 2024. Joe McGee on Winter Field Day 2024
Feb 27, 2024 Robert Molleda, NWS, on Space Weather
March 26, 2024 Robert Molleda, NWS Hurricane Prep
April 23. 2024 Jeff Stahl K4BH, Digital Mode
May 28, 2024 Rick Rosen K1DS, Satellite Communications
June 25, 2024 Dave Howard, Candidate for Sheriff Broward County
July 23, 2024 TBA
Aug 27, 2024 TBA
Sept 24, 2024 TBA
Oct 22, 2024 TBA
Nov 26, 2024 Elections, TBA Speaker
Many of you do not know what goes on in planning a Field Day so I thought I would review some of the processes of this past Winter Field Day.
When someone volunteers to head up the committee, in this case Joe McGee NX4T, they map out what they would like to see happen. Joe wanted to see as many different hams as well as club members attend the Field Day and have a good experience. He first thought of how to bring that about and came up with an idea to reach out by Post Cards to hams all over the Broward County area. Normally we had only used the emails we have in our database in the past. The Board agreed to support the project and Joe went to work designing the post cards with the help of Tom Savoca K9TJS, our PIO and webmaster over the December break period. After the design was complete it was sent off to the printer and when they were received by Joe, he went busily to work hand addressing the Post cards using the info from the FCC database for all the general and extra license holders in Broward County. He addressed some 400 cards and since he had not included call signs on them and the general thought was that it would be a better way to bring attention to the cards, a great friend to the club and most gregarious member, Aurora Figueiredo WD4AGF, then took the cards and added all of the call signs to them and sorted them by zip code for easy mailing. I then took all to the post office and put them in the mail.
Of course, although the hopes were that people would RSVP for food prep purposes, we did not get any and thought perhaps the Post cards may not yield any results. On WFD, we found that we got a 3% response in attendees and the visiting hams were delighted to be invited and meet our worker bees for the club. Some had issues with their antennas and other things in their shack but they were introduced to Jeff Stahl K4BH, Ricky Eaton KD4HGR, Tom McClain N3HPR, and Joe McGee NX4T to discuss the issues and get better ideas and the promise of future help with the problems.
It was wonderful to have satisfied people in our midst and we felt the Post Card effort was not in vain.
Joe McGee NX4T also felt that it was of the utmost importance for all visiting hams get a chance on the air during a Field Day so Joe again enlisted the able aid of Tom Savoca K9TJS to write a program where people could register for a time slot on the air of their choosing in half hour increments. This would, one, insure everyone got a chance to get on the air when convenient for them and two, the radio would be busy all day and night long. Thanks to these two gentlemen, who worked all through the Christmas holidays on the program project, its objective was met. Someone was on the radio at all times supporting the club by operating. We had over 15 different operators as opposed to the usual 3 or 5 we normally had on the radio. Some were first time operators and were given a chance to get their feet wet on the air. The GCARA Board were all happy with the result of the efforts of Joe and Tom and the support staff at the WFD. It was a first and it won’t be the last!
Now, if this intrigues you, we would like to invite your participation in the summer ARRL FIELD DAY. With the new ideas Joe spawned for inviting and operating, we managed to gather 54 visitors, all of whom were treated to a good time. The opportunities to shine are endless and Joe has more fun up his sleeve for the summer, as a consultant, to the contest. I admire his enthusiasm and genuine desire to mentor hams. He works with many newbies or shut ins who need help with equipment or whatever. He is one of the most socially active hams among us and I am so pleased he serves as a director in the club. I am also pleased with the hard work and creative designs of Tom Savoca KJ9TJS who saw these 2 involved projects through all of the time constraints and effort it took with such positive feedback and energy. Gentlemen, GCARA thanks you.
……….and that’s the rest of the story!
Submitted by Melanie Fernandez KJ4VCT
Our March meeting will again be presented by Robert Molleda of the NWS in Miami, this time on the Hurricane Season and storm preparedness. We invite all hams to come and learn about this season’s forecasts and how we can protect ourselves and others for it. We would greatly appreciate seeing many volunteers gear up to man the shelters this year. It is a great way to use your amateur RADIO license. See you there!
Topic: GCARA GENERAL MEETING
Time: Mar 26, 2024 06:30 PM
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Saturday morning ” ham” breakfast.
From 7 to 9 AM interested Hams meet since 1994 at JJs Cafe for breakfast.
Everyone is welcome to join.
JJs Cafe
6051 NW 31st Ave,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
http://jjcafefood.com/
Rick has been a ham for over 60 yrs and will be our quest speaker
Click to download and print the PDF version NOTE: Meeting minutes are posted online as a draft for review until approved at the following meeting. Corrections can be sent to the Secretary, currently rickiwitte4@gmail.com.
Board-Meeting-Minutes-2024-04-21
David Howard will be discussing Emergency Communications and the value of the volunteers in the ham radio community.
David believes that real public safety involves building trust with the communities they serve, understanding their unique needs, and working neighborhood-by-neighborhood to prevent crimes BEFORE they happen.
He’s running for Broward County Sheriff to make every community in Broward County safer. As Broward County Sheriff, he’ll take on the mess in Broward County and build a safer county, one where our Sheriff actually works to make sure kids are safe in their own yards, our seniors feel safe in their homes again, while we reduce violent crime and gang activity.
CQ, CQ, CQ! Calling all Parrots & Ham Radio Enthusiast’s!
2 meter Fox Hunt and HF Radio Station Setup for Contacts
Date: Saturday, April 20th
Time: 10 am to 4:00 pm
Location: Markham Park
Markham Park
& BBQ Picnic
16001 W State Road 84
Sunrise, FL 33326
Click Here: Directions
Lunch: RSVP
Please RSVP TODAY! Click Here: Event RSVP
Join us! Event Highlights:
Fox Hunt & Stations setup for contacts
All you need is your:
Fox Hunting
Dual band 2m/70cm HT
If you wish to setup your station to make contacts
- Radio
- Antenna, coax
- Chair
- Power Supply
- Small table
- Other essentials you may need to set your your station
We will have tents for shaded space for everyone to be comfortable.
Click here for Details and Lunch RSVP: https://parrotarc.org/parrot-events/
Get ready to find the FOX and connect with fellow Radio Enthusiasts!
Everyone is welcome!
Please RSVP if you would like to have lunch so we bring enough food for all of us who wish to eat.
See you at Markham Park on Saturday, April 20th, from 10 am to 4:00 pm.
The Parrots
fly far and high!
When all else fails we’re still talking!
About our guest speaker:
Our guest speaker in August 27, 2024 will be Ian Barton (VK5AIB). Ian has been licensed since July 1977 and over the years has had an interest in
RTTY including “Glass RTTY” & Packet radio. In 1992 he ceased all operations upon moving location to a much smaller block which couldn’t
accommodate his previous 50ft free standing tower and antennas. Back in about April 2023 he recommenced operations after chatting with Henry
Seidner about FT8 and the ICOM IC-7300 but this time with a Cushcraft R8 vertical antenna rather than the HyGain TH3 he had in his previous days.
Due to “domestic pressure”(!!!) it was important to Ian that he be able to bring his antenna to ground quickly and by himself in the event of
inclement weather so Ian will demonstrate to us the approach he has taken to bringing this about. He will also share information about operating
amateur radio “down under”.
Speaker info submitted by Henry Seidner WA2ROA Boca Raton ARA Vice President
Click here to download and print the PDF version NOTE: Meeting minutes are posted online as a draft for review until approved at the following meeting. Corrections can be sent to the Secretary, currently rickiwitte4@gmail.com.
General-Meeting-Minutes-2024-03-26
We are honored to announce the 85th Anniversary of the WPBARG club in West Palm Beach.
They will hold a celebration on Saturday, April 27th, 2024 at the STEM Center of the COX Science Center located at 4881 Dreher Trail, WPB 33485 from 10 AM to 2 PM. All hams are invited to join them and a lunch will be available 12-1PM plus the multiple food trucks that will be available.
In celebration of the special event, NWS meteorologist will be there speaking about the Hurricane Season and staying safe in 2024. Many contacts will be made on the Remote Stations.
More info: https://wpbarg.com/2024/03/26/wpbarg-85th-anniversary-event/
Submitted by Melanie Fernandez KJ4VCT
Yes, ham radio, also known as amateur radio, is still a popular hobby around the world. There are over 750,000 licensed hams in the United States and over 3 million around the world.
Here are some of the reasons why ham radio is still relevant:
- Communication: Hams can communicate with each other locally, regionally, and even internationally without relying on cell towers or internet access. This can be especially useful in emergencies when traditional communication methods are down [10].
- Technology and experimentation: Ham radio allows people to experiment with different radio technologies and communication modes. Hams can build their own radios, antennas, and other equipment [9].
- Community: Ham radio offers a sense of community and camaraderie. Hams can connect with other people who share their interests and learn from each other [10].
- Public service: Ham radio operators often volunteer their time and skills to provide emergency communication during disasters. They can also be found assisting with public service events such as marathons and bike races [9].
If you are interested in getting started with ham radio, you will need to obtain a license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States. There are different license levels available, each with its own requirements. You can find more information about ham radio licensing on the FCC website [10]. There are also many resources available online and in libraries to help you learn more about ham radio.
- Amateur radio provides a way for people to communicate worldwide using various communication modes like voice, Morse code, and digital modes, without relying on the internet or cell phone networks. 1345
- There are over 600,000 amateur radio operators in the United States and over 2 million worldwide. The hobby continues to attract new participants, with a 1% annual growth rate in the US. 14
- Amateur radio operators can obtain different license classes from the FCC, which grant them access to different frequency bands and communication privileges. This allows them to experiment with electronics, build their own equipment, and participate in activities like contests and emergency communications. 135
- While amateur radio was once seen as an “old man’s hobby”, it has gained renewed popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as people had more time to explore the hobby. The growth of digital communication modes has also breathed new life into amateur radio. 5
- Amateur radio remains relevant as it teaches valuable skills in electronics, radio operation, and communication that are applicable to various industries. It also serves an important role in providing emergency communication when other systems fail. 134
In summary, the search results indicate that amateur or “ham” radio is still a thriving hobby with a sizable and growing community of enthusiasts worldwide. It continues to offer unique communication capabilities and opportunities for experimentation and skill development.
here are the key benefits of getting a ham radio (amateur radio) license:
- Ham radio is still a popular and growing hobby, with over 2 million amateur radio operators worldwide and a 1% annual growth rate in the US. 145
- Getting a ham radio license allows you to legally operate and experiment with radio communication equipment, which can be a fun and rewarding hobby. 145
- Studying for the ham radio license exam teaches valuable technical skills in areas like radio theory, electronics, electrical circuits, and radio wave propagation. This knowledge can be applicable to various industries. 34
- Ham radio provides a way to communicate worldwide using various modes like voice, Morse code, and digital, without relying on the internet or cell networks. This can be useful for emergency communication. 135
- Ham radio helps bridge generational gaps, as the hobby appeals to people of all ages and allows for connections across international boundaries. 4
- Obtaining a ham radio license can boost your self-confidence, as you accomplish the goal of passing the exam and gain competence in operating radio equipment. 4
- There are many local ham radio clubs that offer free classes to help people study for and obtain their licenses, providing a social community aspect. 3
In summary, the search results indicate that getting a ham radio license provides a fun, educational, and community-oriented hobby that teaches valuable technical skills and can be useful for emergency communication.