April D.E.A.R.S. Club Meeting

The April D.E.A.R.S. Club Meeting and V.E. Test Session will take place on Wednesday April 11, 2018.

V.E. Test Session begins at 5:00 pm
D.E.A.R.S. Club Meeting begins at 6:00 pm

V.E. Test Session will be held at 5 pm in the Box Office Conference Room at Disney’s All Star Cast Services Building and is open to anyone who would like to obtain or upgrade their ham license. This includes all levels of licensing. You do not have to be a D.E.A.R.S Club member to attend the V.E. Test Session or the Club meeting. We invite everyone to attend.

Our guest speaker this month is Don Cwynar, KT4JF, former D.E.A.R.S. President. He will be sharing information about D.E.A.R.S. history. This should be an informative meeting so I hope to see you all there. After Don speaks, our own David Glasser, KM4UDA, has asked to address the group. You don’t want to miss this meeting!

The meeting will be held in the Players Conference Room at Disney’s All Star Resort. The room will not be available to us until 5:30 pm so please do not arrive earlier than that for the meeting. Directions to the location are as follows:

Disney’s All Star Resort Cast Services Building
1601 West Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Players Conference Room

Follow Buena Vista Drive through the light by McDonalds. Take your first right onto Showtime Drive (if you get to the Security Guard Shack, you have gone too far!). Stop at the security camera kiosk, push the button to alert security and show a photo ID (can be a drivers license) to the host or hostess via the security camera. Let them know you are there to attend the D.E.A.R.S. Club meeting. The gate to your right will open. You may park in any of the visitor (or open) parking spaces.

Enter the Cast Services Building through the covered entrance and double glass doors. Turn left and follow the hallway to the end and turn left again. The Players Conference room is on the right.

We will be monitoring the 147.300 pl103 repeater and the 442.000 D-Star repeater. If you have made it to the McDonalds at All Star and are having trouble finding us, just give a call on 146.52 simplex.

The “Chat and Chew” will be at the McDonalds located prior to the All Star entrance. Someone usually arrives between 4 and 4:30 pm.

See ya real soon!!!
Kathy Blake
K4WDW

March D.E.A.R.S. “Fun” Net

Mickey’s Radio Shack

Join us tomorrow, Wednesday evening, March 28, at 7 pm for the March D.E.A.R.S. “Fun” Net with the illustrious Captain Bruce Keller (K4BAK) at the helm as Net Control! Bruce is the reason we call our net the “Fun” Net. He makes it an exciting event you don’t want to miss.

Please join us from all over the world and check in to our net. Everyone is welcome to check in and share any traffic or announcements with us.

We will begin promptly at 7 pm Eastern Time. In the Orlando area you will find us on the D.E.A.R.S. repeater at frequency 147.300 PL 103.5.  You can also join us via EchoLink node #632802.

Settle yourself in your radio shack, grab a cup of coffee in your D.E.A.R.S. coffee mug (right handed or left handed – either way works) and check in to the net. We want to know you are listening and we can be heard.

We love to share our net with all hams no matter where you may be located. This is a way to ensure we are being heard and our repeater is working properly and ready to be used in case of an emergency situation.

Don’t miss out on your opportunity to once again be a part of the “Fun” D.E.A.R.S. Net!!

Kathy Blake  K4WDW

2018 Tour de Cure Event

2018 Tour de Cure Roster Ver3                      TourdeCure Rest Stops 2018

Come join us on Sunday, March 25 for the 2018 Tour de Cure Bicycle Event. The D.E.A.R.S. van will be located at Rest Stops 3/4 to provide any needed communications.

The bicyclists are always so appreciative of our attendance and some stop by to talk about amateur radio and look at our van.

We are to be at the location at 7:30 am and will stay until the last rider has completed his/her journey through our rest stop.

I am attaching a map to show the exact location and the roster.

If you are available any time during the day, please come show your support. This will also count toward volunteer hours.

I hope to see you all there!!

Kathy Blake / K4WDW

MARCH D.E.A.R.S. Club Meeting

The March D.E.A.R.S. Club Meeting and V.E. Test Session will take place on Wednesday, March 7, 2018.

V.E. Test Session begins at 5:00 pm
D.E.A.R.S. Club Meeting begins at 6:00 pm

V.E. Test Session will be held at 5 pm and is open to anyone who would like to obtain or upgrade their ham license. This includes all levels of licensing. You do not have to be a D.E.A.R.S Club member to attend the V.E. Test Session or the Club meeting. We invite everyone to attend.

Our guest speakers this month are Fred (AB1OC) & Anita (AB1QB) Kemmerer from New Hampshire. They are avid ham radio operators and will be sharing with us their DXpedition to Bora Bora. You don’t want to miss this presentation! Let’s show our support for ham radio by having a large attendance for this meeting.

The meeting and V.E. Test session will be held in the Players Conference Room at Disney’s All Star Resort. Directions to the location are as follows:

Disney’s All Star Resort Cast Services Building
1601 West Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Players Conference Room

Follow Buena Vista Drive through the light by McDonalds. Take your first right onto Showtime Drive (if you get to the Security Guard Shack, you have gone too far!). Stop at the security camera kiosk, push the button to alert security and show a photo ID (can be a drivers license) to the host or hostess via the security camera. Let them know you are there to attend the D.E.A.R.S. Club meeting. The gate to your right will open. You may park in any of the visitor (or open) parking spaces.

Enter the Cast Services Building through the covered entrance and double glass doors. Turn left and follow the hallway to the end and turn left again. The Players Conference room is on the right.

We will be monitoring the 147.300 pl103 repeater and the 442.000 D-Star repeater. If you have made it to the McDonalds at All Star and are having trouble finding us, just give a call on 146.52 simplex.

The “Chat and Chew” will be at the McDonalds located prior to the All Star entrance. Someone usually arrives between 4 and 4:30 pm.

See ya real soon!!!
Kathy Blake
K4WDW

 

February D.E.A.R.S. “Fun” Net

Join us Wednesday evening, February 28, at 7 pm for the February D.E.A.R.S. “Fun” Net with the illustrious Captain Bruce Keller (K4BAK) at the helm as Net Control! Bruce is the reason we call our net the “Fun” Net. He makes it an exciting event you don’t want to miss.

Please join us from all over the world and check in to our net. Everyone is welcome to check in and share any traffic or announcements with us.

We will begin promptly at 7 pm Eastern Time. In the Orlando area you will find us on the D.E.A.R.S. repeater at frequency 147.300 PL 103.5.  You can also join us via EchoLink node #632802.

Settle yourself in your radio shack, grab a cup of coffee in your D.E.A.R.S. coffee mug (right handed or left handed – either way works) and check in to the net. We want to know you are listening and we can be heard.

We love to share our net with all hams no matter where you may be located. This is a way to ensure we are being heard and our repeater is working properly and ready to be used in case of an emergency situation.

Don’t miss out on your opportunity to once again be a part of the “Fun” D.E.A.R.S. Net!!

Kathy Blake  K4WDW

February D.E.A.R.S. Meeting

The February D.E.A.R.S. Club Meeting and V.E. Test Session will take place on Wednesday, February 7, 2018.

V.E. Test Session begins at 5:00 pm
D.E.A.R.S. Club Meeting begins at 6:00 pm

V.E. Test Session will be held at 5 pm and is open to anyone who would like to obtain or upgrade their ham license. This includes all levels of licensing. You do not have to be a D.E.A.R.S Club member to attend the V.E. Test Session or the Club meeting. We invite everyone to attend.

Our guest speaker this month is Bob Inderbitzen (NQ1R), ARRL Marketing Manager. You don’t want to miss his presentation. Let’s show Bob what a fantastic Club we have by showing a large attendance for his presentation.

The meeting and V.E. Test session will be held in the Players Conference Room at Disney’s All Star Resort. Directions to the location are as follows:

Disney’s All Star Resort Cast Services Building
1601 West Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Players Conference Room

Follow Buena Vista Drive through the light by McDonalds. Take your first right onto Showtime Drive (if you get to the Security Guard Shack, you have gone too far!). Stop at the security camera kiosk, push the button to alert security and show a photo ID (can be a drivers license) to the host or hostess via the security camera. Let them know you are there to attend the D.E.A.R.S. Club meeting. The gate to your right will open. You may park in any of the visitor (or open) parking spaces.

Enter the Cast Services Building through the covered entrance and double glass doors. Turn left and follow the hallway to the end and turn left again. The Players Conference room is on the right.

We will be monitoring the 147.300 pl103 repeater and the 442.000 D-Star repeater. If you have made it to the McDonalds at All Star and are having trouble finding us, just give a call on 146.52 simplex.

The “Chat and Chew” will be at the McDonalds located prior to the All Star entrance. Someone usually arrives between 4 and 4:30 pm.

See ya real soon!!!
Kathy Blake
K4WDW

2018 Winter Field Day

Come join us TOMORROW, Saturday, January 27 for Winter Field Day!!

Come One! Come All! Join us for Winter Field Day!!!

We will be meeting at the Comm Center tomorrow, Saturday, January 27. The actual Event begins at 2 pm. We will probably begin arriving around 10 am – 12 noon. No need to arrive too early. Just enough time to set up your personal antenna and radio if you plan to do so.

You are also free to utilize the radio in the Comm Center and try out our new antenna if you would like to see how amazing this antenna works.

We do have access to Maxwell Field behind Reedy Creek Fire Station #4 across from Saratoga Springs Resort and close to Disney Springs. The physical address is 1920 East Buena Vista Drive, Orlando, Florida.

We will be grilling hamburgers and will provide buns and condiments. If you would like to bring some chips, sodas or water that would be welcomed. Or if you want to bring a side dish, feel free to do that also.

I hope to see you all there!!

Kathy Blake K4WDW

January D.E.A.R.S. “Fun” Net

It’s a New Year and time to kick it off by joining D.E.A.R.S. for our January “Fun” Net!

Please join us Wednesday, January 24th at 7 pm for the January D.E.A.R.S. “Fun” Net with the illustrious Bruce Keller at the helm as Net Control! Bruce is always delightful and makes our net “Fun”! Thank you once again, Bruce, for volunteering for Net Control. We really appreciate you!  Everyone is welcome to check in and share any traffic or announcements with us.

We will begin promptly at 7 pm Eastern Time. In the Orlando area you will find us on the D.E.A.R.S. repeater at frequency 147.300 PL 103.5.  Unfortunately, our EchoLink node is down at the moment and we apologize for the inconvenience.

Settle yourself in your radio shack, grab a cup of coffee in your D.E.A.R.S. coffee mug (right handed or left handed – either way works) and check in to the net. We want to know you are listening and we can be heard.

We love to share our net with all hams no matter where you may be located. This is a way to ensure we are being heard and our repeater is working properly and ready to be used in case of an emergency situation.

Don’t miss out on your opportunity to once again be a part of the “Fun” D.E.A.R.S. Net!!

Kathy Blake  K4WDW

D.E.A.R.S. Coffee Mug

 

January D.E.A.R.S. Club Meeting

The January D.E.A.R.S. Club Meeting and V.E. Test Session will take place on Wednesday, January 10, 2018.

V.E. Test Session begins at 5:00 pm
D.E.A.R.S. Club Meeting begins at 6:00 pm

V.E. Test Session will be held at 5 pm and is open to anyone who would like to obtain or upgrade their ham license. This includes all levels of licensing. You do not have to be a D.E.A.R.S Club member to attend the V.E. Test Session or the Club meeting. We invite everyone to attend.

This month’s meeting will take place at the Walt Disney World Emergency Operations Center.  We will be given a tour of the facility followed by the regular monthly meeting. You do not have to be a Disney cast member to attend this meeting.

Directions to the location are as follows:

WDW Emergency Operations Center
3301 Bonnet Creek Road
Orlando, FL 32836

The blue areas below are recommended parking places.

We will be monitoring the 147.300 pl103 repeater and the 442.000 D-Star repeater. If you are having trouble finding us, just give a call on 146.52 simplex.

See ya real soon!!!
Kathy Blake
K4WDW

New Years Day Fun at D.E.A.R.S. Shack

Having fun at the D.E.A.R.S. ham shack today. Kathy K4WDW and Larry K4RMM were operating the D.E.A.R.S. club amateur radio station WD4WDW at Walt Disney World. Contacts with Nambia, Barbados, Puerto Rico, Canada and several of the lower 50 states. In all, 189 QSOs logged. It was fun. Though 50’s seemed cold here, most of the country was 20’s and below except California and Arizona which were in the 70’s. Thanks to the new RadioWavz Barrett Hexbeam antenna there were 5-9’s all the way.

Found 10 meter opening as we set VOX and Mic levels. What a surprise. Though propagation charts said poor. We found 10-20 open. Most QSOs on 20 meters. To all who responded to our CQ thanks. It was a hoot!!! Happy New Year!

Kathy Blake

K4WDW