Winter Field Day 2025 – January 25-26

Posted on By Michael M
Activities

South Florida is the best location for Winter Field Day!

Winter Field Day is quickly approaching. This is going to be an outstanding event! We have tents, tables, chairs, generators, lighting, all the necessary radio equipment, and an amazing location. Additionally, we will have personnel supplies, including a motorhome for operators to rest and nap! We have secured Phipps Park from the city of West Palm Beach and we will set up our antennas on top of a hill, while our stations will be at the base. The location is outstanding and beautiful!

Never been to a Field Day or not familiar with it? Don’t worry! This is a great time to get started and we will help you with that. Don’t have your license yet? No problem! In addition to our operator radios, we have a station set up for first timers. With supervision – which we will provide – you will be able to work the radio. One of our operators will be right next to you, assisting you with making contacts with others hundreds and even thousands of miles away. 

We work with today’s youth, so if you have an interest in STEM, you don’t want to miss this event. If you’re a minor, you will need to have a parent or guardian with you. 

As with everything we do, it’s SFL… Safety, Fun, Learn. 

Phipps Park – 4715 S Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach, FL 33405

For more information and map of the location, click here – https://wpbarg.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=2347

If you’re a member of WPBARG, click here – https://wpbarg.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=707

Note: Our monthly meeting, and the first meeting of the year, will be January 22nd, 7:00 pm, at the Cox Science Center. In addition to discussing Winter Field Day, Richie has put together another fantastic presentation. This one is all fun! It’s a music video of our year in review. 

Saturday in The Park – December 28

Posted on By Michael M
Activities

December is the only month we do not hold a meeting, but we still hold our Saturday in the Park event, which, this December, will be on the 28th.  

This is where we get together for laughs and fun, while we play radio. Come join us!

Set-up starts at 10:00 a.m. Some folks like to get there a little earlier.

Directions can be found here – Saturday in The Park & Directions – WPBARG Forums

In Google maps, just type in: WPBARG Saturday in the Park.

As always, everyone is invited… members, non-members, participants and observers, come one, come all! Come out and meet us!

We Will Be Testing Saturday, December 7

Posted on By Michael M
Testing

Now is the opportunity to sit for your technician or upgrade your current license.

We are accredited to administer all elements of the FCC Amateur Radio exams, and we do so every OTHER month, on the first Saturday of the month, at the Cox Science Center in West Palm Beach.

Testing begins at 10:00 a.m. When you get to the front door let them know you are here for the amateur radio exam and they will get you to our room. Below is an ARRL link on what to bring Saturday.

What to Bring – Click here

Any questions, register and post on our forms here – Click here
Walk-ins are welcome.

Contact us directly here – Click here

Cox Science Center
4801 Dreher Trail N, West Palm Beach, FL 33405

Saturday in the Park – November 23

Posted on By Michael M
Activities

Due to Thanksgiving, we move our November meeting back one week. As Saturday in the Park always follows our Wednesday meeting, on November 23rd, we will be having our monthly “Saturday in the Park.” 

This is where we get together for laughs and fun, while we play radio. Come join us!

Set-up starts at 10:00 a.m. Some folks like to get there a little earlier.

Directions can be found here – Saturday in The Park & Directions – WPBARG Forums

As always, everyone is invited… members, non-members, participants and observers, come one, come all!

Elections and More

Posted on By Michael M
Announcements

Tonight was our last meeting of the year.

We had our elections and I would like to take a moment to thank everyone who made this a successful and fun year. From the leadership, to the members who rolled up their sleeves and got engaged during this past year, it’s a privilege for me to work with so many talented and hard working people. I am constantly inspired. And for those who, for various reasons, may be unable to join us in these activities, you are appreciated. It is your dues that help make so much of what we do possible. 

After two years of faithful and hardworking service as Secretary, Chair of Field Day (which, alone, was a monumental task), and previous Chair of Youth Outreach, Randy will be enjoying a much deserved break. He will still be here, engaged, and helping others as they transition into his previous roles. Thank you, Randy, for your leadership, dedication, and work ethic. 

Here is the leadership for 2025:

Executive Officers
President – Michael (K1WX)
Vice President – Marcos (KK4OPI)
Secretary – Richie (KQ4LOQ)
Treasurer – Chris (AJ1Q)

Board of Directors
Chairman – Michael (K1WX)
Vice Chairman – Marcos (KK4OPI)
Secretary – Richie (KQ4LOQ)
Treasurer – Chris (AJ1Q)
Director – Jeff (KM4UBL)
Director – Jo (N2QFT)
Director – Richard (AF4RS)

Save the date –  Our holiday party is December 11th at 1830 hrs. We will be sending out more information on that.

In addition to installing our officers at our January meeting, we will be doing a year review, celebrating everything that we accomplished in 2024. It has been quite a year!

Monthly Meeting – November 20, 2024

Posted on By Michael M
Meetings

This month, our monthly meeting will NOT be held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Due to Thanksgiving, in November, we move the meeting back a week. Our monthly meeting this month will be held on November 20 at 7:00 p.m. We will also be moving back our Saturday in the Park to November 23rd.

We will be holding our elections, so there may not be time for a presentation, but maybe we can get a short one in there if time permits.

This month is the last meeting of the year. December is our Holiday Party – December 11 at 6:30. Due to its success, we will be having it at the same place we did last year. More information to follow.

As always, we welcome everyone to our meetings and activities, members and non-members, whether licensed or not!

Location:
Cox Science Center and Aquarium
4801 Dreher Trail North, West Palm Beach, FL 33405
https://www.coxsciencecenter.org

Join us in our Forums here – https://wpbarg.com/phpbb/

Monthly Meeting – October 23

Posted on By Michael M
Meetings

Our monthly meeting, held on the fourth Wednesday of the month, is Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at 7:00 p.m.

We will be finalizing our plans for the picnic and Saturday in the Park, and discussing more ideas for the coming season, including our Holiday Party which is now just 2 months away!

Richie C will be giving a presentation on an overview of Baluns, Ununs, and Chokes, including what they are and when to use them. That should be interesting, and I am looking forward to it!

On October 26, we will be kicking off the new season with a picnic and our Saturday in the Park that starts up again the Saturday following our monthly meetings. See here – https://wpbarg.com/2024/10/09/wpbarg-family-picnic-october-26/

As always, we welcome everyone to our meetings and activities, members and non-members, whether licensed or not!

Location:
Cox Science Center and Aquarium
4801 Dreher Trail North, West Palm Beach, FL 33405
https://www.coxsciencecenter.org

Join us in our Forums here – https://wpbarg.com/phpbb/

WPBARG Family Picnic – October 26

Posted on By Michael M
Activities

As the dog days of summer are behind us, the cooler weather approaches and we will be kickoffing our Saturday in the Park by hosting a picnic with it.

Do you have portable gear? Bring it! It’s a picnic and a Run What You Brung, Saturday in the Park!

In addition to the picnic, we’re going to have some portable fun. Don’t have any portable gear? No problem… we share! Come on out, have some fun, and maybe get some ideas if you’re thinking of building your own go box, or share your ideas with others who may be considering building theirs.

This is where we get together for laughs and fun, while we play radio. Come join us!

We will also be hosting an equipment sale, and the deals will be made!

Set-up starts at 10:00 a.m. and usually wraps up by 2:00. Some folks like to get there a little earlier.

Directions can be found here – Saturday in The Park & Directions – WPBARG Forums

As always, everyone is invited… members, non-members, participants and observers, come one, come all!

Jamboree On The Air 2024

Posted on By Michael M
Activities

The third full weekend in October is Jamboree on The Air. This year, JOTA is October 18-20. The Gulfstream Council is looking for volunteers to come to Camp Tanah Keeta to set up radio stations and help get scouts on the air. More information available at https://www.gulfstreamcouncil.org/JOTA204. If you are interested in volunteering, you will need to complete the Youth Protection Training at scouting.org

If you are not available to go to the park physically, please consider getting on the air and making contact with some scouts. The Leader’s Guide has a list of suggested frequencies for JOTA activity

We Will Be Testing Saturday, October 5

Posted on By Michael M
Testing

Now is the opportunity to sit for your technician or upgrade your current license.

We are accredited to administer all elements of the FCC Amateur Radio exams, and we do so every OTHER month, on the first Saturday of the month, at the Cox Science Center in West Palm Beach.

Testing begins at 10:00 a.m. When you get to the front door let them know you are here for the amateur radio exam and they will get you to our room. Below is an ARRL link on what to bring Saturday.

What to Bring – Click here

Any questions, register and post on our forms here – Click here
Walk-ins are welcome.

Contact us directly here – Click here

Cox Science Center
4801 Dreher Trail N, West Palm Beach, FL 33405