Don’t miss our next Lakeland Amateur Radio Club monthly meeting, coming up Monday evening, October 12th, at Parkview Baptist Church. As usual, Ham Radio License Testing begins at 5:30 pm, with the club meeting getting underway at 7:00 pm.

Remember our July meeting? We heard a firsthand report from one of our club members who attended the Ham Radio International Expo in Friedrichshafen, Germany. That’s the biggest hamfest in Europe!

Well, this month we’re heading to the other side of the world!

Russ Delaney, N4RTD, recently made the trip to Japan, where he attended the 2026 Tokyo Ham Fair, the largest hamfest in Asia!

Organized by the Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL), the Tokyo Ham Fair is also a major showcase for amateur radio manufacturers. Both Icom and Yaesu frequently use the event to make big announcements and unveil exciting new products. This year was no exception!

Russ will be sharing plenty of pictures, stories, and highlights from his trip to Japan. Whether you’re interested in the latest amateur radio technology or just curious about what a hamfest looks like on the other side of the planet, this should be a fascinating presentation.

You won’t want to miss this one!

In Other LARC News…

Please Keep Buddy & Lydia in Your Thoughts and Prayers

We have some concerning news about our LARC President, Buddy Morgan, WB4OMG.

This past week, Buddy was rushed to the hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery for a brain bleed. The good news is that Buddy is resting comfortably and, thankfully, did not suffer a stroke.

Understandably, Buddy and his wife, Lydia, KF4TPW, who serves as our LARC Treasurer, will not be attending Monday night’s meeting. If you have club dues you’d like to pay, please see Mike Shreve, N6MRS. Mike will be happy to accept your payment and make sure it gets to Lydia. Our Vice President, Glenn Sims, KO4MDY, will conduct Monday night’s meeting in Buddy’s absence.

Again, please keep Buddy and Lydia in your thoughts and prayers. We’re looking forward to seeing Buddy back with us!

LARC Elections Are Coming!

Next month, LARC will hold our annual elections for club officers and the Board of Directors.

Have you ever thought about getting more involved in helping our club?

Well, here’s your opportunity!

We’re always looking for members willing to step up, share their ideas, and help keep LARC moving forward. Whether you’ve been a member for years or you’re relatively new to the club, your participation can make a difference.

If you’re interested in serving, now is the time to throw your hat into the ring! Contact Steve Bratton, KQ4DRX, to learn more about the available positions and how to become a candidate.

See You Monday Night!

We’ve got an interesting presentation lined up, plenty of club business to discuss, and another opportunity to get together with fellow amateur radio enthusiasts.

We look forward to seeing you Monday evening, October 12th, at Parkview Baptist Church!

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Do you see yourself in this picture?

NO? Well, that needs to change, because LARC needs you!

The LARC Nominations Committee is putting together the ballot for our November elections, and we’re looking for a few more club members who would like to get involved as an officer or member of the Board of Directors.

According to Steve Bratton, KQ4DRX, the committee already has a good list of candidates, but we still need a candidate for President and another member or two willing to serve. We’d especially love to see more YLs and younger members get involved and bring some additional ideas and perspectives to the club.

Never served on the LARC Board before? That’s OK! If you care about the club and have ideas about where we should go in the future, this might be your chance to get involved.

Interested? That’s the spirit!

Contact Steve Bratton, KQ4DRX, to find out more:

kq4drx@yahoo.com

Elections are coming up in November, so now is the time to throw your hat–or maybe your callsign–into the ring!

The September LARC meeting is set for Monday evening, September 14th at 7:00pm.

For this month, our VP Glenn, KO4MDY, is presenting on Meshtastic. What is it? How does it work. What can you do with it? How active is it in our area? Find out Monday evening!

As always, if you are interested in upgrading your ham license, be at the Parkview Baptist Church at 5:30pm and Russ, N4RTD and his team will be ready with free ham exams. If you know of anyone interested in getting licensed, this is the time & place to be to get that first ham callsign.

In other LARC News:

It’s time to think about our 2027 club Officers and Board of Directors. If you are interested in putting your name in the hat for any position, our current club president, Buddy, WB4OMG, will be organizing an election committee because elections are coming up in November. The club needs people like you to make a difference!

Mark your Calendar & Get Ready to PICNIC! The LARC Spring Picnic is set for Saturday, March 13, 1027. We will be back at Colt Creek State Park’s Blue Heron Pavilion. This spot is perfect with screened in picnic tables, power to run our rigs and a field next door for vertical antennas. This is still months off, but we wanted you to know about it now so you can reserve the day and plan on having some fun! More on this as we get closer to March.

We’ve had the passing of some area hams that has resulted in the donation of some really nice ham gear to the club. We want this equipment to find a new home so it will stay on the air. Buddy, WB4OMG, will have some of the equipment at the September meeting for you to see and purchase.

Club Owned:

• Yaesu FT 450 Radio
• Kenwood TS 450 Radio
• Yaesu FL 2100B Power Amplifier
• IC 2200 2M FM Radio
• Kenwood TM 261 2M FM Radio
• Yaesu FT 897 HF/VHF/UHF Radio

Not Club owned:

• Yaesu FT 857
  FT 817 with a bad microphone

If you are interested in any of this, see or email Buddy.

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The August LARC club meeting is coming up on Monday evening, August 10. As usual, ham radio testing will begin at 5:30 p.m., with the meeting starting at 7:00 p.m.

This month, we have something especially interesting planned. Mike Lunsford, KB4FHP, will present “Is That Really HAM?” He will take us through terms, phrases, and names that we associate with amateur radio–but are they really ours? This promises to be a fun evening. We hope to see you there!

In Other Club News

Buddy has some equipment available–particularly transceivers in prime condition with lots of extras–that was donated to the club. If you are interested in learning more, contact Buddy Morgan, WB4OMG. We may have more on this by next month.

Parkview Baptist Church, where we hold our monthly club meetings, is making some security-related changes that will affect us. Beginning soon, the door we use to enter the building will remain locked at all times. Someone will be stationed inside to let you in. If you don’t see anyone, a doorbell will be available for you to ring to get someone’s attention. This is being done for our safety and to help ensure that church property remains secure. These changes may not be in place for our August meeting, but they will be before the September meeting. Please keep this in mind as you approach the door. The staff at Parkview appreciate our cooperation as they implement these new security measures.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead to September, Glenn Sims, KO4MDY, is planning a presentation about Meshtastic. Mike Shreve, N6MRS, also has a history-related program planned for later in the year, possibly in October.

The time is also quickly approaching for us to identify candidates for the 2027 Board of Directors and club officer positions so that we can vote in November. If you are interested, you are encouraged to run. The club needs people like you!

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Summer is usually a time when clubs slow down and everyone takes a well-earned break. Not this year!

The July Lakeland Amateur Radio Club meeting is shaping up to be one you won’t want to miss. We’ll have a complete recap of Field Day 2026, a firsthand look at Europe’s largest amateur radio show from Buddy Morgan, WB4OMG, welcome our new Vice President, Glenn Sims, KO4MDY, and discuss an important change to the club’s email reflector.

Mark your calendar now for Monday evening, July 13th, at Parkview Baptist Church across from Lakeland Regional Health. Ham Testing begins at 5:30 PM, and the meeting starts at 7:00 PM.

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Field Day 2026: A Great Weekend for LARC

Our first Field Day at the Tom Davis Educational Center on the Sun ‘n Fun campus is now in the books, and by all accounts, it was a tremendous success.

A new location always brings new challenges, but thanks to the hard work of our volunteers, operators, and setup crews, everything came together for a very successful weekend.

Here are the preliminary contact totals:

Mode	Count
Phone	169
Digital	110
CW	99
Total3	378

Those numbers are only part of the story.

At the July meeting, Russ Delaney, N4RTD, will give us the complete Field Day wrap-up, including scoring, highlights, lessons learned, and plenty of stories from the weekend. If you participated–or even if you didn’t–you’ll want to hear how everything came together during LARC’s first Field Day at Sun ‘n Fun.

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Buddy Morgan Visits Europe’s Largest Hamfest

While many of us were making contacts during Field Day weekend, Buddy Morgan, WB4OMG, was halfway around the world attending the Ham Radio International Expo in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

Although it isn’t the largest amateur radio gathering in the world, it is the largest in Europe, drawing thousands of amateur radio operators from across the globe each year.

Buddy has returned with plenty of photographs, stories, and observations from the show, along with pictures from several side trips into Italy.

Be sure to attend the July meeting for his presentation–you may leave with a few ideas for your own shack!

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Welcome Our New Vice President

Please join us in welcoming Glenn Sims, KO4MDY, as the Lakeland Amateur Radio Club’s new Vice President.

Earlier this year, Geoff Schuck, WA4MMO, stepped down as Club President due to health concerns. Buddy Morgan, WB4OMG, assumed the role of President, leaving the Vice President’s position vacant.

At the July 6th meeting of the LARC Board of Directors, Glenn was appointed to serve as Vice President for the remainder of the 2026 term.

Glenn enjoys working amateur radio satellites and chasing DX from his Icom IC-7300 station. When he isn’t on the amateur bands, you’ll probably hear him on the commercial bands instead! Glenn is on the air at 97-Country WPCV here in Polk County and, through the magic of voice tracking, is also heard daily on WOKO in Burlington, Vermont. He also serves as IT Manager for WPCV, WONN, and WLKF.

Be sure to introduce yourself and congratulate Glenn when you see him at the July meeting.

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Important: Our LARC CQ Email Reflector Is Moving

If you receive club announcements through the LARC CQ email reflector, you’ll need to make one important change this month.

According to Mike Oliver, KT2T, our current web host will discontinue support for the existing email reflector on July 21, 2026. Fortunately, Mike has already set up a replacement using groups.io.

Making the move now will ensure you continue receiving club announcements, meeting notices, and other important club information without interruption.

Getting started is easy:

1. Create a free account at https://groups.io/register (if you don’t already have one).
2. Visit https://groups.io/g/lakelandarc.
3. Click Join Group.

That’s it!

Once you’ve joined, club messages will once again arrive directly in your email inbox. You can also install the groups.io app on your Apple or Android device if you’d like to read messages there instead.

Thanks to Mike for making the transition as painless as possible.

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Join Us July 13th!

The July Lakeland Amateur Radio Club meeting will be held on Monday, July 13th, at Parkview Baptist Church, across from Lakeland Regional Health.

• Ham Testing: 5:30 PM
• Meeting: 7:00 PM

Whether you’re interested in hearing the complete Field Day report, seeing Buddy’s adventures in Germany and Italy, welcoming Glenn to his new role, or simply catching up with fellow club members, July’s meeting promises to have something for everyone.

We look forward to seeing you Monday evening!

Every June, a young ham's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of… FIELD DAY!

It’s that time again! This year, ARRL Field Day is the weekend of June 27th and 28th, and LARC is gearing up for it. There are some changes from years past, starting with the location:

Tom Davis Education Center
Sun ‘N Fun Campus
4590 Rocky Road Lakeland, FL 33811

One significant change this year is that LARC currently has no Field Day Coordinator. So, we are looking for someone to step up and take the reins. If you’ve ever wanted to play a bigger part in one of amateur radio’s biggest annual events, this is your chance! Many details — including who will be operating each station — are still to be worked out, and your leadership could make all the difference.

Russ, N4RTD, will be handling setup on Friday (6/26) and takedown on Sunday (6/28). This year, Russ will also be representing LARC and the West Central Florida Section, traveling with the ARRL West Central Florida Section Manager to visit Field Day sites across the section — a great honor for our club!

There’s a lot to discuss, so make sure you’re at the next LARC Club Meeting on Monday, June 8th. Ham testing begins at 5:30 PM, with the meeting at 7:00 PM. We hope to see you there!

In Other Club News

Dreamhost, our web hosting provider for lakelandarc.org, is discontinuing our CQ mailing list very soon. Mike, KT2T, who handles our club’s tech needs, is working on a replacement. Stay tuned for more details at the meeting.

Mark your calendar for Monday evening, May 11th, for the next meeting of the Lakeland Amateur Radio Club!

We’ll gather at Parkview Baptist Church near Lakeland Regional Health hospital, with FREE ham radio testing beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting starting at 7:00 p.m.

This month, Buddy Morgan, WB4OMG, will present a program on antennas. Rumor has it he may even build one right there during the meeting!

Field Day is also coming up next month, and LARC is already making plans. Jim Stewart, W4XDS, will be coordinating our efforts this year, and we’ll hear more details during the meeting. Field Day is always one of the highlights of the ham radio year, and this year should be no exception.

In other news, Geoff Schuck, WA4MMO, is now home from the hospital and doing better, though he still has a long road to recovery ahead. Please continue to keep Geoff and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

73 and we’ll see you Monday!

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.

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! 😄

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What Will Be Available?

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

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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!

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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.

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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

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And there will be a LOT more!

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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!”

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Saturday, April 4th asa a big day at the Kathleen Area Historical Society. LARC was there and had a station and info to anyone interested in Ham Radio. Here’s how it looked.