Welcome to Fort Pierce Amateur Radio Club
Our Repeater Tower at WQCS Radio Station
Our Repeater Tower
At WQCS Radio Station
Important Reminders and Events

FORT PIERCE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
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FOR WEEKLY NET INFO PLEASE CLICK OUR EVENTS TAB ABOVE OR SCROLL DOWN THIS PAGE TO WEEKLY NETS. 

hurricane
HURRICANE CONDITIONS - WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9TH, 2024.
UPDATE: Milton CAT 5 - This hurricane is currently a CAT5 storm with winds near 180mph. It may reduce in intensity some (CAT3) before making landfall on Florida's west coast near Tampa. The exact landfall is unknown at this time. Until the hurricane makes landfall, you should still prepare for strong tropical force or greater winds, flooding rain and the possibility of tornados. Your preparations should be completed by Tuesday, October 8th.

Know your evacuation zone:  If St Lucie County orders evacuations, the following website will help you determine your evacuation zone.  Go
here and enter your address.

St Lucie County ARES Net tomorrow, Tuesday, October 8 at 7:30 pm on the 147.240 repeater.

The purpose of this net will be to update information and confirm the status of ARES members during Hurricane Milton. We will also develop a net schedule to follow during this event.

The following recommendations are as follows:
1.Have all your storm preparations in place.
2.Test your radio equipment to determine if you can operate successfully on low power in the event that you must rely on batteries to operate.
3.Continue to monitor your weather resources as well as both SARNET and the W4SLC 147.240 repeater. Confirm that you can operate on our simplex frequencies if necessary.

Stay prepared and stay safe,
Paul Horner, W4ISZ, Emergency Coordinator, St. Lucie County ARES


SOUTH FLORIDA ARES & DISTRICT WIDE COMMUNICATIONS
Florida Statewide Amateur Radio Network (SARNET)
. Sebastian: 444.375, tone 107.2 (Analog)
. Stuart: 444.150, tone 107.2 (Analog)

Florida DMR Talk Groups
. SE Florida DMR Group 31124
. SFL Wide Central Communications DMR Point and Group 31127
. FL ARES for Tactical DMR Communications. The Ft Pierce ARC DMR (RX 444.800 TX 449.800 CC1) and the Port St
  Lucie DMR (RX 444.000 TX 449.000 CC1) can be used.

Other Regional DMR Talk Groups
. US Hurricane Net: 3199
. Gulf Coast DMR: 31011


HF ARES Net:
. Southern Florida ARES Net: Monday - Saturday 7:45am EST. 3.940kHz (SFAN is a Southern Florida ARES Net for both EmCOMM Net Traffic and Traffic Handling Net.)

Hurricane Watch Net (when activated)

. 14.325 MHz (USB) by day
.  7.268 MHz (LSB) by night.


                                                                 *   *   *   *   *

HAMS IN ACTION: There are YouTube channels about the efforts of hams in support of Hurricane Helene search and rescue and cleanup activities in Florida, Georgia, North & South Carolina and Tennessee. NOTE:  There are multiple YouTube feeds from various days.
 
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UPDATE:  FPARC MEETING IS CANCELLED DUE TO HURRICANE MILTON
The next FPARC meeting is Wednesday, Ocober 9th, 2024 at Indian River State College, 3209 Virginia Ave, Ft. Pierce, Classroom Building "R", Room 124.

The meeting starts at 7:00 PM. (Please note new meeting time.) All area hams and interested parties are welcome and invited to attend.  Club members may get together for diner before the meeting at 6:15pm. Please inquire at our weekly club nets to see who plans to be there. 

Rag Chew/Traders (analog) Net: 8 pm Tuesdays on our 147.345(+), tone 107.2. Weekly Net Controls are: 1st week - Barry AL7LJ,  2nd week - NEED VOLUNTEER,  3rd week - Jon Hall KN4QQF, &  4th week - Pete KD4SPW. If the month has a 5th week - Dave KG4ORQ
Reach net by  ECHOLINK:  W4AKH-R node:2004
Also on the Web site  WebApp.Echolink.org  (use EDGE browser on phone or pc)
  
*   *   *   *   *
ST LUCIE COUNTY ARES MONTHLY NET
The St. Lucie County ARES monthly net will take place on WEDNESDAY, November 6th at 7:30 pm. This net will take place on the County/W4SLC repeater (147.240) which requires a tone of 107.2 for access.

You DO NOT need to be a member of St. Lucie County ARES to participate in this net and it serves as an excellent opportunity to check both the performance and reliability of your 2 meter communications equipment prior to needing it in an emergency. ARES members are strongly encouraged to participate on a regular basis.

SLC ARES Winlink Wednesday
Every Wednesday, please check-in anytime with a Winlink Form (any mode: Telnet, Packet, Vara HF, Vara FM, etc.) with the "Form of the Week".  For this week, please complete the Winlink Check In General Form. All Winlink messages should be sent to the tactical address SLCEOC-2 or W4ISZ.

If you are new to Winlink
Start by downloading the latest version of Winlink Express from: https://downloads.winlink.org/User%20Programs/
Winlink Setup Info and Account Log In can be found here: https://www.winlink.org/user

Hope to hear you on the air Wednesday.
73,
Paul Horner, W4ISZ
Emergency Coordinator
St. Lucie County ARES      


HF and DX Group Breakfast - Bruce, W8HW's talk about Upcoming Solar Conditions and Propagation is located in the Documents tab on the left.

Treasure Coast Ham News
The Treasure Coast Ham News website is now active. A newsletter archive is available on their website HERE. Click Ham Newsletters at the top of the page. The newsletters are removed from the FPARC website and will be shortly from the PSLARA website. The publishers gratefully thank the FPARC & PSLARA clubs and Plum Systems for allowing them to house the newsletters.  In the future newsletter publication announcements will direct you to their new website HERE.

Treasure Coast Ham News (TCHN) is not affiliated with any amateur radio club. It is free and published quarterly for the benefit of all hams and interested parties.  If you would like to be included in their email newsletter list, please send an email to:  tchamnews@gmail.comTCHN is always looking for articles of interest.  If you or your club have items please email them to the publishers at the address above.

Latest LoTW Update from the ARRL:
Please see the Treasure Coast Ham News Fall edition for in-depth information about the ARRL website outage and ransomware attack.

UPCOMING Events

VE LICENSE EXAM SESSION SCHEDULE - Our last exam session for 2024 will be November 9th.  If you need an exam before then, there are opportunities. The Melbourne Hamfest is October 12, 2024. Also Vero Beach ARC and Martin County ARA schedule exams. Please contact them for dates and times.

Please note: Federal Registration Number - All candidates are reminded that a Federal Registration Number (FRN) is required in order to take an exam. Social Security numbers are no longer accepted. Instructions for obtaining an FRN are available on the FCC web site, www.fcc.gov.

Candidates looking to upgrade their license - You are reminded to bring along a copy of your current license. The VE team must submit the copy with the exam paperwork.

Candidates with an expired license - To be awarded credit for a past license, you must provide the VE team with proof of your previous license. The proof you provide will be forwarded with your exam paperwork to the VEC administrator for processing.


 
SPECIAL NOTICE
FPARC plans to hold officers and directors elections in 2024. The club needs members to step up and volunteer to serve on the FPARC board to support the club, please contact: Pete, Secretary at KD4SPW@aol.com for more information.

TO ALL FPARC MEMBERS
This is your club.  We can not exist without your participation.  Attending meetings, serving as an officer or director, participating in weekly nets, and being a part of club activities are critical. As we move forward to get the club back on track we need your active support and paying of yearly dues.
 
PLEASE SEE OUR EVENTS CALENDAR FOR MORE TREASURE COAST EVENTS.
Club Meeting  ALSO SEE EVENTS LINK AT TOP OF PAGE
The FPARC meets the 2nd Wednesday of the month (Dates to be announced)  at Indian River State College, 3209 Virginia Ave, Ft. Pierce, Classroom Building "R", Room 124.
The meeting starts at 7:00 PM. (earlier time) All area hams and interested parties are welcome and invited to attend. 
Club members may get together for diner before the meeting at 6:15pm. Please inquire at our weekly club nets to see who plans to be there.

 
<<< ARES INFO * SEE ARES GROUP MENU ON LEFT, THIS PAGE AND EVENTS CALENDAR
 
Weekly Nets
Rag Chew/Traders (analog) Net: 8 pm Tuesdays on our 147.345(+), tone 107.2. Weekly Net Controls are: 1st week - Barry AL7LJ,  2nd week - NEED VOLUNTEER,  3rd week - Jon Hall KN4QQF, &  4th week - Pete KD4SPW. If the month has a 5th week - Dave KG4ORQ
When using ECHOLINK:  W4AKH-R node:2004
Also Web site  WebApp.Echolink.org  (use EDGE browser on phone or pc)


D-Star Net: Tuesdays at 8:30p.m. (immediately following the Rag Chew/Traders Net) on our W4AKH 444.500 +5 Port B repeater, link to Reflector 78C.

DMR Net: Tuesdays at 9:00pm on DMR 31123.  Contact
Kevin, W4KKW

Suggested Etiquette for Radio and Echolink is to wait 3 seconds before talking to give others a chance to break in.

Membership, Dues and Donations *  SEE TOP MENU ITEM ON LEFT
Individual Member Dues are $25 per year. Family Membership Dues are $30 per year.
($5 of your dues goes to WQCS and IRSC)
If paying by check please write your callsign on the check.

**NEW CLUB Mailing Address To:

Fort Pierce Amateur Radio Club
c/o Peter Amar, Secretary
1046 Trinidad Ave.  Ft. Pierce, FL 34982

You can also bring a check or cash to a membership meeting.


Pay by credit card is also available. Click here Pay Dues Here via PayPal

If you need a Membership Application Form   for mail in - please go here:  Membership Application

FPARC NEWS ITEMS: (please click the Events tab at the top of the page for current events)

Treasure Coast Ham News - 1st Quarter 2024 Issue
The Treasure Coast Ham News Winter 2023/2024 issue is here.
Treasure Coast Ham News (TCHN) is not affilicated with any amateur radio club. It is free and published quarterly for the benefit of all area hams and interested parties.  If you would like to be included in their email newsletter list, please send an email to:  tchamnews@gmail.comTCHN is always looking for articles of interest.  If you or your club have an item please email the publishers at the address above.

Amateur Radio Exam Opportunities
There are multiple opportunities available to take amateur radio exams.

The
Port St. Lucie Amateur Radio Association offers testing 4 times per year. Additional exam sessions may be available on a case by case basis. Exams are given at the Indian River State College, Pruitt Campus, Veteran's Resource Center, 500 NW California Blvd, PSL. For more information please contact - Robert Brown, AI4RB, VEC at  brownpsl@comcast.net 

The Vero Beach Amateur Radio Club offers testing on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:30 PM,, Indian River County Emergency Operations Center. For more information please contact Bud at WA4ASJ@arrl.net.


ST. LUCIE COUNTY ARES * << SEE ARES GROUP MENU LINK ON LEFT
St. Lucie County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) needs volunteer emergency communicators. You do not have to be skilled in emergency communications to belong, only an interest in serving the public and county in times of emergency. Training is available. Please contact Paul, ARES Emergency Coordinator at W4ISZ@outlook.com.

WINLINK VARA FM FOR RADIO MESSAGING - VHF & HF
VARA FM is a very fast mode for WinLink messaging. ARES organzations use this software application for sending and receiving messages.or
St. Lucie County ARES has a weekly WINLINK Wednesday practice session. (Please contact Paul, W4ISZ at w4isz@outlook.com for details.

If you are unfamiliar with VARA FM you can practice by sending an Ecomm Practice Message using the following: (Winlink Net info:  
https://W4AKH.NET/)

TO:  W4AKH
SUBJECT LINE:  FL WL NET, FIRSTNAME, CITY, ST (2 CHARACTERS), MODE(VARA FM,PACKET, HF, TELNET ANY MODE)

Connection Info:
Winlink RMS VHF station W4SLC-10 Packet 145.530 or VARA FM 144.990 at St. Lucie County EOC for radio email.
Also KG4ORQ-10 144.990 VARA FM  in Vero Beach, K2JJK-10 144.990 VARA FM at Vero Beach EOC
Note: You can also use W4AKH-2 for a via Digipeater for Packet.   For VARA FM you can digipeat any station.

John KK4SHF has offered to help get you up to speed.
KK4SHF's NET CHECK-IN APPLICATION
John, KK4SHF has provided the club a logging application to use for our nets. By going to Logger.PlumTX.com, activity in real time can be watched. The logger includes check-in, mapping and archiving.

HAMFEST VIRTUAL TICKETING
John, KK4SHF has written a computer application to use at hamfests for attendee ticketing.
Check out
PLUMTX.COM if interested.
 
 
 
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