A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT – AUGUST 2024
CQ, CQ, CQ, calling all members of GCARA!
I hope that my note finds everyone doing well and making contacts as you wish. Our equipment is working well at this time except for our HF Remote station which for some unknown reason keeps shutting itself off intermittently and without reason we can identify yet. This weekend, Eric Rodriguez KF4LZA, and Ricky Eaton KD4HGR, will go up to the repeater room at John Knox and investigate further. More details to follow in my next communication.
I want to remind people that we are in the process of collecting the dues owed to the club for this year and greatly appreciate all of you who respond in a timely manner with payment. Dues support the club infrastructure and equipment. They are a necessary ASK of the membership.
Thank you to all who stay current and to those individuals who are busy volunteering for the many jobs in the club. Any and all support is greatly appreciated by the Board and those members who seek to have a viable club. We cannot do anything of import without the loyal support of the membership.
Recently, the “91” repeater and equipment was removed from its home and no longer provides the County EOC with communications during hurricanes and disasters. Our “61” repeater now fills that position, and it is so very important to keep it up and running. GCARA takes that responsibility very seriously and our repeater Trustee team is busy doing whatever it takes to both maintain and secure the equipment. We owe a great deal of thanks to both Ricky Eaton KD4HGR and Eric Rodriguez KF4LZA for their devotion to this cause. These two gentlemen give many hours of personal time to keep us with working equipment that is both reliable and up to date. Kindly tell them thanks should you ever see them as they are the jewels in GCARA’s crown.
We are planning for our November picnic at Vista View Park in Davie for Nov 9th. We are looking forward to seeing all of you there for some mutually beneficial fun and education as well as networking. Everyone is welcome to attend.
I have included some pictures from our recent club dinner at GG’s of New York. The food is so good and the company is stimulating. We have been able to even have some successful auctions of donated equipment to provide the club with some funding. Many thanks to Dirk Basting N4AN, our Treasurer for his generous donations of slightly used but still viable top end equipment. Eating great food served by the sweetest, waitress, “Trish the Dish”, and socializing with our Ham friends is a great way to spend a Sunday evening.
The Board is currently trying, once again, to make some arrangements to meet at Imperial Point Hospital for our monthly meetings which will be a hybrid of in person and a Zoom affair. If we can, we would like to start in September. Many members have requested this because they miss the old format of rag chewing in person and networking with their Ham friends in the club. (A few have also stated they miss the Dandee Donuts, too. Lol) Luckily, GCARA has had a wonderful memory of old meetings where we came together to learn and check on old friends in person as well as get all of the information necessary to operate a great club. Thank you to all for all of your efforts in that capacity. We welcome ALL hams to our meetings.
Hopefully, we will be seeing each other soon! God bless.
Submitted by Melanie Fernandez KJ4VCT