Welcome to the SERC Front page Archive

This page contains some archival information that was top news at one time.

Poster Link

The 2022 SERC Hamfest
WAS a GREAT success!
THANKS to everyone who participated

FC 2022 Logo

Click for more Information

A great Event

2022 ARRL Field Day at the Sarasota Red Cross

Everyone had a great time.
We had 16 operators getting a shot at the madness we call amateur bands

SNN Video about our Field Day ( LINK )

Scores are posted below.

Soapbox: No one expected the crowds on 20 and 40 Meters at the start. It was multiple stations on the same frequency. Madness. Things got a bit more workable later in the day. Sunday was a surprise, lots of fresh 1d etc. stations and they kept coming. Usually FD is lay back on Sunday and shutting down early, not this year… nice.

What we did:

  • Operated into the wee hours of the morning then restarted Sunday AM..
  • 3 HF radios inside Redcom Radio Room.
    • 80, 40, 20, 15, SSB and CW contacts.
  • Digital HF station.
    • ft4, ft8
  • a VHF/UHF FM station:
    • Simplex on 146.550 MHz and 445.550 MHz
  • a GOTA station.
  • 12 QSOs by KO4MRI
  • Somehow the log was crossed with the digital log and only 12 QSOs could be found accredited to Tom. Good effort, next year we will do better
  • Satellite QSO, @ ~ 1 AM!
  • Satellite demo

Final Tally

Preliminary Total Score: 2,896

Bonus Points:
Bonus Points
100% emergency power 400
Media publicity 100
Public location 100
Public information table 100
Formal message to ARRL SM/SEC 100
W1AW Field Day message 100
Formal messages handled (10 x 10, max of 100) 100
Natural power QSOs completed 100
Site visit by invited elected official 100
Site visit by invited served agency 100
Educational activity 100
Social media 100
Satellite QSO 100
Entry submitted via web 50
Total bonus points 1,650
Score Summary – Cabrillo log/dupe sheet file: N4SER.log
CW Digital Phone Total
Total QSOs 83 161 135
Total Points 166 322 135 623 Claimed Score = (QSO points x power mult) = 1,246
Band/Mode QSO Breakdown:
CW Digital Phone
Band QSOs Pwr(W) QSOs Pwr(W) QSOs Pwr(W)
160m
80m 5 100
40m 15 100 29 40 48 100
20m 37 100 105 40 34 100
15m 26 100 27 40 8 100
10m
6m
2m 24 50
222
432 8 35
Other
Satellite 1 5
GOTA 12 100
Total 83 161 135
GOTA Station: GOTA Coach – Double Bonus Points
Name Call QSOs Bonus Points
Tom Chillemi KO4MRI 12 0

Happy Retirement

Megarie van Sickel the Red Cross Executive Director for the Southwest Chapter retired at the end of June. SERC sent her a card with a gift certificate for the Chart House. Megarie’s thank you note is attached. (click it to enlarge) We wish Megarie all the best.

Our new Executive Director is Chris Purnell. Please be sure to say hello if you see her in the building. ( Link to the Regional Leadership Team)

Sarasota Amateur Radio Association

The Sarasota Amateur Radio Association (SARA) and the Sarasota Emergency Radio Club (SERC) on October 15, 2020, entered into negotiations to merge the two clubs into one club. Both clubs share many of the same members. The two clubs felt that consolidating each club’s efforts into one unified organization brings strength and continuity to the local amateur radio community.

SARA was formed in 1962 from a group of amateur radio operators looking for technical information of its members for the ever-growing hobby of amateur radio and to share this information with each other to further their knowledge.

SERC was formed in 1976 and was the first organization to put an amateur radio repeater on the air in Sarasota County. It has overtime expanded with multiple repeaters in the Sarasota and Venice Communities.

The merger will be complete and take effect January 1, 2021. SERC members look forward to warmly welcoming the SARA members into our organization. The January 4th SERC meeting will vote in two new board members from SARA to help provide an even stronger and unified direction going forward. We are extremely excited about this merger and welcome the many talented hams from SARA to be members of the SERC family.

Click on the SARA logo for a tribute page.

Pictures
Memories by N4HDH

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO ACTIVATE K4WCF SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS FOR 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE WCF SECTION.

What?

The WCF Section is holding the K4WCF Section 20th Anniversary Operating Event to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the ARRL West Central Florida Section.  As part of this celebration, K4WCF, the callsign of the West Central Florida Section, will be activated in each of the ten West Central Florida Section counties on weekends throughout 2020.  This is very similar to the K4WCF operation was done in January of 2000 when the West Central Florida Section commenced operation. This will not be a contest, but simply an operating event to celebrate the anniversary of the ARRL West Central Florida Section.

When?

SRQARES will be activating K4WCF this weekend, Saturday and Sunday Jan 25th and 26th from 8AM to 8PM each day. To see a list of available time slots and sign up click here and fill in your information next to one of the empty time slots. Please don’t forget to save and close the window so the shared document can update.

Who? 

Any licensed ham radio operator located in Sarasota County – including Technician licensees – is eligible to sign up to operate the K4WCF Special Event Station, you must be willing to keep a log of those who check in during your shift and submit your paper or electronic logs (.adif, .csv, or Cabrillo formats are acceptable).

Exchange: Station Callsign, Signal Report, County (or ARRL Section if outside WCF)

Where?

You can operate from any station that is located in Sarasota County – whether that be an HT, a go box, a Field Day location, a mobile station, a club station, or your home station – as long as your signal originates in Sarasota County you are good to go.

Why?

If a station works a K4WCF station activation in all ten counties in 2020, that station is eligible to receive a “K4WCF Clean Sweep” certificate as a PDF via email.  Please help put Sarasota County on the map by volunteering for an hour or two as a control operator so stations seeking a clean sweep have the opportunity to be in our log.

Complete Rules and Event Details Here: 

https://arrlwcf.org/wcf-special-events/k4wcf-20th-anniversary-operating-event-2020/

Signup to Be A Control Operator: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rMjisdHKjaEY9Jc_sO-eFdqfXoh86530KDYeP-piGqQ/edit#gid=0 

2018 ACS Communications:

Normal Ops 205 Blue Skies 08.13.18

ICS-205 Emergency Ops DARK SKIES 6.01.18

Shelters 2018

Please Monitor SAR 1, 2, 5 or 6 for EmComm traffic

 

ARRL Field Day 2018

Call Sign: N4SER
Operators* : WB9AYD, W2DEN, KG7KIQ, N2ROM, N2RDX, W3ATR, KJ4SV, KM4PZK

Exchange : 5F WCF

Stations:

Redcom: Kenwood TS-940, Flex 6500 3 element 4 band beam, 8 band vertical

Portable: N4LPK, W2DEN, WB9AYD

Software : N1MM Logger+

Score by band / QSO

Band Mode QSOs Pts
3.5 CW 7 14
7 CW 23 46
7 LSB 8 8
7 PSK31 7 14
14 CW 56 112
14 PSK31 32 64
14 USB 24 24
21 CW 29 58
21 PSK31 7 14
21 USB 4 4
Total 197 359

Bonus Points:

Description Points
Public Location 100
NTS message to ARRL SM/SEC 100
Formal NTS messages handled – No.=10 100
Submitted via the Web 50
Total Bonus Points 350

Score Summary:

CW Digital Phone Total
Total QSOs 115 47 35
Total Points 230 94 35 359 Claimed Score = 718

* from N1MM log.

Donations: $4,796

Matching: $4,790

Total: $9,586

THANK YOU



This Page is an archive of ‘old’ front page stuff…..   Link back to Home Page


Field Day 2017

Everyone had a BLAST

PHOTOS

Claimed Score:

QSO points: 1264

(632 points times 2 power multiplier)

Bonus points: 1550

TOTAL 2814

**

Operating Summary

Exchange: 4F WCF

Band Mode QSOs Pts Pt/Q
3.5 CW 68 136 2
7 CW 22 44 2
7 LSB 2 2 1
14 CW 122 244 2
14 PSK31 67 134 2
14 USB 56 56 1
50 CW 1 2 2
50 RTTY 1 2 2
50 USB 9 9 1
222 FM 1 1 1
1240 FM 2 2 1
Total Both 351 632 1.8

Operators:

W2DEN, WB9AYD,  N9US, W3ATR, W8XG, KN4DXT, WB3EMQ, KM4BHF, K4JBV

**

Bonus Points (1550)

Thanks to all who worked on these… while score is not important, bonus points have been a long standing tradition in field day and they help get more hams involved with the process. Here’s what we are claiming (points):

7.3.1 Emergency Power Bonus: The Red Cross generator was tested on Saturday afternoon. (400)

7.3.2 Media Publicity to Suncoast News Network (100)

7.3.3 Public Location: Sarasota Red Cross, 2100 Cantu Ct., , Sarasota, FL 34232 Map (100)

7.3.4 Public Information Table (100)

7.3.5 Message to Section Manager (100)

7.3.6 Message Handling: 12 sent (100)

7.3.8 All of N9US’ QSOs were battery powered charged via solar array on 80M and 40M CW. (100)

7.3.9 W1AW Bulletin (20M 6/25 @ 12:00PM MFSK16) (100)

7.3.10 Educational Activity: Saturday ~ 3 PM WB9AYD demonstrated JT-65 using a remote link to the Sarasota Power Squadron. (100)

7.3.11 Site Visitation by an elected government official: Todd Underhill ( Link) visited the N4SER site on Saturday afternoon. (100)

7.3.12. Site Visitation by a representative of an agency: Anne Miller Assistant Emergency Operations Director visited the N4SER site on Saturday afternoon. (100)

7.3.14 Web Submission this e-mail supports the web submission (50)

7.3.16 Social Media N4SER, Sarasota Emergency Radio Club Face Book ( Link) (100)

**

Supporting Cast: N2RDX, KC2MHO, KI4RMC, KK6KQZ, KJ4SV, KN4BAR

Thanks for your help


Thank you and let the giving begin!

The Giving Partner of The Community Foundation of Sarasota County

has approved the Sarasota Emergency Radio Club’s profile,

which is now available for viewing and contributing donations at:

http://thegivingpartner.guidestar.org/nonprofit.aspx?orgId=1117058

Enjoy reading through this easy-to-navigate site describing our history and our goals with letters of support from The American Red Cross Executive Director, Megarie van Sickle and SERC President Bill Franklin. Thank you both for speaking with your heart in support of our mission.

A ‘DONATE NOW’ button in the upper right corner encourages potential donors to pledge their support. Donors are able to chose from the Needs list or contribute monetary donations using their credit card.

Club members are encouraged to submit ideas for consideration to be included on the Needs page as spots become available. There are currently five items that are viewable, as that is a maximum number of items that the profile allows. We will rotate the list regularly for good exposure. Throughout the profile there are references explaining SERC’s role in local Emergency Communications, different methods and modes used and how they work, and how donations from the community can make a difference.

In the event that a potential donor would like a more in-depth look into the dynamics of our club, it would be important for any of our members to be able to explain the various methods, modes and practices of amateur radio used in our community. This is an invitation to our membership to participate in strengthening the culture of the Sarasota Emergency Radio Club from a passive, ready-to-serve organization into a strong, connected, enthusiastic group of hams who continue to learn, advance and serve our community. Thank you for your support!

Micky Taylor KM4BHF
SERC Grant Committee Chair

 


SERC Fund Raiser

!! Thanks Thanks  Thanks  Thanks  Thanks !!

We did it ….. $2200 raised

$2195.40 Spent

$4.60 will be the start of our next fund.

UPDATE:

The top of the  line Pactor Modem; P4dragon DR-7800 and two SignaLinks for the SERC/ARC radio room have been ordered. 

The Pactor modem will be connected to the Icom 746 Pro ( ($1985.50)  )

The SignaLinks to a Kenwood HF and to a V/UHF radio ($209.90)

The modem will be used during emergencies to  provide reliable, high speed, digital HF communications outside of the affected area. While the PACTOR-4 protocol is not yet FCC approved this modem can handle PACTOR-2 and -3. Its -4 capabilities will have us ready when the FCC rubber-stamps that protocol.

PACTOR is the primary mode used by the Winlink HF network. Should local communications be shut down SERC will maintain the ability to communicate via PACTOR / Winlink with the rest of the world. 

The modem will be connected to an HF radio in the Red Cross Radio Room and be part of the Sarasota Digital Network that has been under development.

Thanks: W2DEN / N2RDX, AJ4FW, W8XG, N4LPK, KJ4SV, KI4EFJ, KB2ICN, WB9AYD, W4VIN / KA4BOB, KE8B, K4JBV, W3ATR, KG4ZOW, K4FLV, KE8B, SDN Team, SERC, A Friend of the SDN, SDG, Deer Prairie II Crew, SERC Members, A very generous 3/7 lunch crew

Next?

We are pricing and configuring the Pactor 4 modem, need the right wires etc. Should be ~$2000. Left overs will go toward Signalink interfaces and beyond.

The ‘cookie’ jar will remain a fixture. We could use a nice dual band u/vhf radio.

73 SDG


Wetjen

The Wetjen Radio room at the EOC

Ron Wetjen WD4AHZ SK

We are sorry to announce the passing of Ron on 5/9/16.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.

Ron touched the lives of most hams in the Sarasota area with his dedication to emergency communication.

RIP Ron, you will long be remembered.


WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #20

SARASOTA COUNTY EMERGENCY COORDINATOR RETIRES

NEW EMERGENCY COORDINATOR APPOINTED

Read the entire press release ( Link )

Local News:

Brent Parker W8XG has accepted the position of Deputy Radio Officer for the ACS and Assistant Emergency Coordinator (AEC) for Sarasota County ARES

Congratulations Brent!


the Isles CERT Team ready for action

Isles-CERT-2016

Kevin Kuhl KM4RET, Guy Spencer KT4GUY, Ann Spencer KM4REW, Stan Robinson W9SMR

This photo shows the newly licensed Amateur Radio Operators now in the Isles. Congratulations to Kevin, Guy and Ann on studying for and passing the examinations to obtain their licenses recently. Stan has been licensed since 1958 and provided a helping hand to the new “Hams”.
 
Guy, Ann and Stan provided critical communications from the Isles CERT Drill to the Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during the recent simulated tornado drill. They relayed messages to and from the EOC to practice procedures that will be used in a real emergency situation. This would be very important if existing land-line or cell phone services were interrupted during a severe storm, for instance.
 
The Isles will now have year-round Amateur Radio communications capability in case of a real emergency.


WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #3

SARASOTA COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS WORK WITH MULTIPLE AGENCIES TO TEST PREPAREDNESS AND INTER-AGENCY CAPABILITY DURING WILDFIRE EXERCISE

(Link to press release)

*****************************************************************

N4SER APRS iGate

An experimental N4SER APRS iGate has been set up at the Red Cross building in Sarasota.

Frequency: 144.390 MHz

This is an APRS internet gateway only. It does NOT digipeat.

It will beacon every 30 minutes.

Thanks to Doug KI4RHU for donating Windows 7 for tis application

Comments to SERC@N4ser.org are welcome.

*****************************************************************

WinLink Technical SeminarNewWL2KLogoSharpShort_0_0

WinLink Diagram

Click to View

There was a lot of interest shown by everyone who attended the WinLink Technical Seminar before the March 2016 meeting.

For soundcard (Signalink) installation: AGW Express — Read the Guides, watch the videos

Any questions contact Den W2DEN (AT) comcast,net


Tour de Cure

TourdeCure2016Thanks to all who participated, great job!

The APRS positioning was a BIG help, Very successful.

A big THANKS to Bill (k4FLV) for a superb job organizing the event


Sarasota Half Marathon (Link)Sarasota Half Marathon

GREAT JOB BY ALL

Over 3,000 runners and everything went perfectly.

Good organization by Laura

Doug was stellar on net control

Thanks to everyone who made this a perfect ham radio day!


Sarasota County Drill: Hurricane BuckHurricane Flags

Sarasota EOC will be conducting a hurricane drill on May 20th.

This will include both voice and digital amateur radio communications;

VOICE: Controlled net on SAR-1 (146.730 repeat). All are welcome to check in.

DIGITAL: A digital (peer to peer Winlink packet) net will be conducted during the morning of the drill. The digital net will be supervised via a voice control net on 145.050 MHz simplex. Please follow net control’s instructions. All stations with Winlink capability are welcome to check in.

PRACTICE: A practice digital net will be conducted on Tuesday May 17 starting at 1 PM. Control will be via a voice net on 145.050 MHz simplex. All Winlink capable stations are welcome. Please follow net control’s instructions.

NOTE: Please turn off all beacons for the practice and drill.


De Soto National Memorial ( Link )

National Parks On The Air ( Link )

Activation

A group of local hams put De Soto National Memorial, NM05 on 3/19/2016 burning up the ions on 40 & 20m SSB before being rained out.

More pics ( here )

From the left:

George K5KG, Bob KJ4SV, John KM4EJE, Bill K4FLV, Jack K1KNQ (standing),
Ed K8DSS, Steve (standing in yellow – no call,  Ed’s bro-in-law visiting from MI)


2M / 70 cm Antennas for sale

Sorry we are sold out

Rick, AJ4FW, is constructing a number of dual band J-Poles similar to the Arrow OSJ J-Pole (Link).

Lots of information available here: Link

These will be available for $25 each, half the cost of the Arrow antenna.


Wetjen

Ron Wetjen Honored

The Emergency Management staff has named the Comm Room at the new EOC as the “Wetjen Radio Room”, as you can see in the attached picture. This is in recognition of Ron’s continuous dedication and service to Sarasota County. This is the 30th anniversary of Ron’s initial involvement with Emergency Management.

Join me in congratulating Ron on this milestone and his recognition by Sarasota County.

Ed Gansen
K8DSS


APRS:

Tour de CureAmerican Diabetes Assoc

THANKS to ALL VOLUNTEERS

Outstanding Job!

Watch this video:

The Sarasota Emergency Radio Club supports the Tour de Cure


Sarasota Half Marathon 

FANTASTIC JOB BY ALL

THANKS

2015 Half Marathon

 

Whiskey Key 2015_11

 Whiskey Island Dxpedition

February 28, 2015

Pictures

( Here )


SERC Needs a TNC

Do you have an old PK-88, KPC-3 or perhaps a MFJ-1270 in your junk box?

Want to put it to good use?

Donate it to SERC

We need a TNC to put our digi-peater back on line.

Contact Den:  SERC@N4SER.org


You missed SOTA ?

Check out George’s, N2SQ, great writeup in our Elmer section (link)

‘Be Ready Florida’ free workshops’

MAKE MITIGATION HAPPEN!’ How to prepare your home for hurricanes.

Visit their site for more information and to register:  http://www.bereadyflorida.org/ 

There is lots of additional information on this site… worth taking a look at!


 

*********************************************************************
***  Field 2014 Day Wrap Up ***

The Sarasota Emergency Radio Club had a great Field Day:
2014 Field Day

  • 3 Stations on the air (2 SSB, 1 CW) using the club’s beam and windom along with a couple of portable antennas in the parking lot.
  • Some non-hams, hopefully soon to be, got to experience amateur radio first hand and left smiling.
  • We rekindled the ham flame in a few ‘inactive’ hams, hopefully they will continue to enjoy the hobby.
  • Everyone had a great time…
  • Our final score….   were we supposed to keep score?

…. bottom line: we met our primary objective, we had fun.

…       Hope to See you Next year       …


 

Open House / Elmer Day 

and the
Florida QSO Party Band QSOs Points Multpliers
7 8 16 1
14 272 544 38
21 19 36 8
OPS: K4JBV  K9RWH  KK4WBU  KK4ZYE  W2DEN  W2RWH  W3DJM 28 4 8 2
Non-Ham: Micky Taylor Totals 303 604 49

Logger: N2RDX

Score 29,596

were a huge success. Everyone had a great time! 

Pictures  <<<<<<< Click

Thanks to our volunteers:

Rich K9RWH Radio Room / Fl QSO Party
Dave W3DJM Radio Room / Fl QSO Party
Gil AK4YH CW Demonstration Station
Stan W9SMR PSK Demonstration Station
Net N2RDX Public Relations
Bill K4JBV Repeaters, etc.
Bill & Friends K4FLV Emergency Communications
George W4SMA SOTA Station Demo

 Rotor is fixed!
Thanks to Bill, Bill, Rich, Net and Den the SERC Rotor at the Red Cross building is fully functional

Skywarnskywarnicon

Some of you may remember when SERC was an active Skywarn Club (www. skywarn.com), it was a few years ago. There is interest in once again participating in Skywarn. The West Central Florida Group (NI4CE) has the Skywarn nets well covered but there are few, if any, trained Skywarn volunteers in our area.

… SERC would like to sponsor a Skywarn Class sometime in the next year. You must be trained in order to participate!

If anyone would like to volunteer to set up the class with NOAA please contact Al (KI4YEH) or drop an e-mail to SERC@N4SER.org


A nice write up in the Florida’s West Coast Region Red Cross July Newsletter   on our Field Day operations:

Ham Radio Club Works out of Sarasotacropped-cropped-SERC_Banner.png

Office for Radio Field Day

The American Red Cross can turn to our amateur radio operators
if we lose communications in our area after a storm. The Sarasota Emergency Radio Club worked out of the Sarasota office to participate in the annual 24 hour Amateur Radio Field Day training. The event involves more than 35,000 certified operators in the US and Canada.
The group was busy logging contacts with other operators throughout the field day. Other local radio groups were set up at different locations in our area. In addition to being vital in emergency situations, users also enjoy the recreational aspect of radio.


FIELD Day 2013 Report:

This was the best field Day I  have yet to attend at the Red Cross Building.

We operated 2F WCF with a GOTA station. Modes: CW, SSB, PSK and RTTY. Good fun!

Final score: 1,910 … Good job to all who participated!

2013_Field_Day_Logo_333_X_220

Picture have been posted: Field Day 2013 Aalbum

Operators:

Bill Martin K4JBV SSB
Ken Wisell K1KEN SSB
Rich Hillyer K9RWH SSB GOTA
David Merullo W3DJM SSB DIGITAL GOTA
Den Spiess W2DEN CW
Net Spiess N2RDX Logger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SNN 6 showed up and over the weekend the following video aired about once an hour: