LARC Leadership Update

As many of you may know, Geoff Schuck, WA4MMO, our LARC President, is once again in the hospital. Buddy Morgan and Jim Stewart have visited with him. Geoff is doing okay, and tests are currently being performed. As of this writing, there is no discharge date.

Due to this situation and recent health concerns, Geoff has made the difficult decision to step down as President of LARC, effective immediately. His focus now needs to be on his recovery, and we fully support him in that decision. We wish Geoff a speedy recovery and a safe return home. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

In accordance with the LARC Bylaws (Article III, Section 2), the Vice President will assume the office of President. The resulting Vice President vacancy will be filled by the Board of Directors. Buddy Morgan, WB4OMG, will assume the role of President and will serve the remainder of Geoff’s 2026 term.

The Board of Directors will meet on Monday, May 4th to begin the process of selecting a new Vice President. We will provide updates as they become available.

Don’t forget that our next LARC meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 11th.

Tailgate Time!

The April LARC meeting should be a real treat–especially if you’re looking to add to (or reduce!) the gear in your ham shack.

Tablegate is when we keep the business meeting short… and then let the wheeling and dealing begin! There will be tables full of ham gear that fellow members are ready to sell.

Just a quick word of warning:

DON’T BUY FROM THIS GUY!!

Seriously… you probably want something that’s clean and actually works! 😄

What Will Be Available?

Here’s a preview of some of the items expected at this year’s Tablegate:

Buddy Morgan, WB4OMG

Buddy will have items from the N4HCZ estate available. Everything is “best offer”–or even “take it away”–but please leave a small donation for the club. QR codes will be available so you can donate easily with your phone.

Items include:

  • Antenna switches
  • Antenna tuner(s)
  • Simpson 260 VOM
  • FRS radios
  • Sander
  • Drill motor
  • Arrow staple gun (with case)
  • Tape measure
  • Weller soldering gun
  • Soldering irons
  • …and more as Buddy gets things ready!

Fred Delaney, K1DU

Fred will have the following items for sale:

  • LDG Z11Pro2 Antenna Tuner — $150
  • Tigertronics sound card interface (Yaesu & Kenwood 6-pin cable) — $75
  • Yaesu FT-891 — $500

Fred says all prices are firm, and all equipment is in mint condition.

Russ Delaney, N4RTD

Russ will have a full table of items, including:

  • Anytone AT-D878UV Plus (with spare 3100 mAh battery) — $100
  • Icom IC-F9011B VHF FM/P25 HT (with spare battery) — $40
  • JBL Clip 3 Bluetooth (or wired) speaker — $5 each
  • Comet CSB-790A dual-band mobile antenna (UHF connector) — $10
  • SEC-1223 power supply (23 amp) — $25
  • Diamond MX-72N duplexer — $10
  • Kenwood NX-200 (VHF only / FM / NXDN, with charger & extra battery) — $50

And there will be a LOT more!

Event Details

📅 Monday, April 13th

🕖 Meeting starts at 7:00 PM

📍 Parkview Baptist Church

📝 Free ham testing at 5:30 PM

“One ham’s surplus is another ham’s next great contact!”

Kathleen Area Historical Society Festival

Fred, K1DU, could really use your help! The annual Festival is happening this Saturday, April 4th, at the Kathleen Area Historical Society on N. Campbell Road in Kathleen. The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., but Fred needs a bit of time before then to get the antennas all set up. So, if you could be there after 7 a.m., that would be fantastic. It’s a chance to run a special event station, have some fun, and show people what Ham Radio is all about.

LARC Sale! 💰

As you know, LARC has received recent silent-key donations. Buddy, WB4OMG has looked it over and verified every item. He is bringing some of it to our meeting on Monday, March 9th. Some of what will show up this time has value. Here’s what should be there.

  • Radio Shack HTX-10 FM/SSB 25W 10M Transceiver New condition, in the original box, checked out – it works. $100 minimum donation
  • Simpson 260 VOM Needs batteries and test leads. Works. Still supported by Simpson. $260 new. $190 on Ebay. $40 minimum donation
  • Yaesu Antenna Tuner and Wattmeter. Works like new. $40 minimum donation

Other equipment, available, no minimum donation:

  • 19″ VGA Monitors (several)
  • Computer Monitor Wall Mount
  • Yaesu Phone Patch and Speaker
  • Antenna Switch (at least two)
  • Line Voltage Monitor
  • Signal Injector/Traceer
  • Speakers – All Check good (numerous)
  • Field Strength Meter
  • FRS Radio pair, in a case (They work)
  • Headphones – several
  • Hand Drill
  • Level
  • Variac
  • Sander
  • Arrow Staple Gun
  • Tape Measure
  • Tripplett 630 VOM

Everything is provided as-is.
No warranty. Please support your club by taking some of this equipment and leaving a donation.

CORES, not Coors

The next meeting of the Lakeland Amateur Radio Club will be Monday, March 9th at 7:00 PM. When we say CORES, we mean the FCC system, not a cold Coors beer!

CORES stands for the FCC’s COmmission REgistration System. This is the system we all must use to:

  • Apply for a new amateur radio license
  • Change callsigns
  • Update license information (such as your address)
  • Request vanity callsigns
  • Pay any associated FCC fees

And who better to explain it all than Russ Delaney, N4RTD?

We’ll also discuss several upcoming club events:

  • Festival at the Kathleen Area Historical Society
    Fred, K1DU, needs volunteers to help on Saturday, April 4th from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM    *
  • Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In
    Coming up in *mid-April* — Geoff, WA4MMO will have more details
  • ARRL Field Day — Late June
    We are currently looking for a *Field Day Coordinator

As usual, ham testing will begin at 5:30 PM.

We hope to see you Monday, March 9th at Parkview Baptist Church, across from Lakeland Regional Health.

In the Spring, a Young Ham’s Fancy Lightly Turns to Thoughts of CONTESTING!

It’s time for the next LARC meeting! We’ll meet on Monday evening, February 9th at 7:00 p.m.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, we find ourselves right in the heart of contesting season. With that in mind, Buddy Morgan, WB4OMG, has put together a program focused on CW contesting. Buddy will also share information about the Florida QSO Party, coming up on the weekend of April 25th and 26th.

That event is still a couple of months away, but it’s our chance to be “the hunted” instead of just another hunter — a great way to represent Florida and LARC on the air.

As usual, if you would like to earn your first amateur radio license or upgrade the one you already have, ham testing begins at 5:30 p.m.

Russ, N4RTD, coordinates testing for the club. Thanks, Russ!

Both the meeting and testing will be held at our usual location:

Parkview Baptist Church, directly across from LRH.

More Upcoming Events

Orlando HamCation takes place the weekend of February 13–15. If you don’t already have a ticket, admission is $25 at the door. This is a huge hamfest — the second largest in the country — and you can easily spend hours just wandering the flea market.

For more information, visit hamcation.com.

Fred, K1DU, is organizing an operating event at the Kathleen Historical Society on Saturday, April 4th, during one of their festivals. This is always a fun outreach opportunity. Operating runs from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., but Fred is looking for help around sunup to get antennas in the air and equipment set up. In the past, this event has been a great way to introduce local visitors to amateur radio.

See you at the meeting!****

Robert Griggs, N4HCZ — Silent Key

It is with sadness that we report the passing of Bob Griggs, N4HCZ, on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.

Bob was an exceptional CW operator and a familiar presence at LARC Field Day operations. He often helped kick off Field Day by ensuring LARC earned its solar power bonus points, and many will remember seeing him operating from the front porch of the Kathleen Historical Society facility when we operated there. See above.

Before his passing, Bob generously donated his entire ham shack to the club to help support LARC financially. This donation includes not only his radios, but also his test equipment. Members interested in purchasing any of this equipment may contact Geoff, WA4MMO, or Buddy, WB4OMG.

Burial will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery on Wednesday, February 4th at 2:00 p.m.

This will be a burial only; no service is planned.

It’s 2026! Time to Push the Transmit Button on a New Year 🎙️

Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Now it’s time to get back into the swing of things and kick off a brand-new year of ham radio fun.

The next meeting of the Lakeland Amateur Radio Club will be held Monday evening, January 12th at 7:00 PM at Parkview Baptist Church, located right across the street from Lakeland Regional Health.

📡 License Testing Returns

We’re also resuming our monthly license testing. If you’re interested in getting your first license or upgrading your current one, testing begins at 5:30 PM.

Best of all–testing is FREE! So really… what do you have to lose?

🎤 Guest Speaker: Emergency Communications

We have a great guest speaker lined up for January:

Paul Womble, K4FB

Paul is an avid QRP CW operator and enjoys Parks on the Air (POTA) both as a Hunter and an Activator. In his day job, Paul serves as the Emergency Management Director for Polk County.

Paul will be speaking to us about emergency communications–a timely and important topic as hurricane season will be here before we know it. Being prepared matters, and amateur radio continues to play a vital role when it’s needed most.

We hope to see you Monday night as we start 2026 strong!

It’s Christmastime! Let’s Celebrate!

It’s time once again to enjoy the holiday season and the great friendships that make LARC such a special place. December is also when we look back on the highlights of 2025 and celebrate another fantastic year in amateur radio.

And of course… dinner is served!

Dave Z, KI4WPX, has us covered with an amazing holiday menu:

  • Brisket
  • BBQ Chicken
  • Potato Salad
  • Cole Slaw
  • Baked Beans
  • Mac & Cheese
  • Tea (several varieties)
  • Cakes & Desserts

🍽️ YUM! 🍽️

As with last year, adults are $10 each, and children 12 & under are $5. Everyone is welcome–bring your family, invite a friend! This is a great opportunity to introduce someone to ham radio.

We will start the meeting early, as we have done in years past.

➡️ Be there at 6:00 pm (not 7:00 pm).

Also note that there will be no VE testing this month, but sessions resume at the January 2026 meeting.

Fred, K1DU, will also present the 2025 Field Day results–and LARC did very well!

Make sure you bring some cans of food for VISTE. They are in-need of this right now. Let’s help them out!

In Other News…

At our November meeting, we held elections for the 2026 LARC Officers and Board of Directors. Two key roles–President and Treasurer–were open at the time. Those positions have now been filled! Thank you to everyone who stepped up to serve.

Your 2026 LARC Officers

  • President: Geoff Schuck, WA4MMO (moving up from VP)
  • Vice President: Buddy Morgan, WB4OMG
  • Secretary: Eleanor Marshall, KK4VCN (unchanged)
  • Treasurer: Lydia Morgan, KF4TPW

🎄Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 🥳

We look forward to celebrating with you at the December meeting!