Upcoming Events

Club POTA – Koreshan State Park (US-3633) – January 4th – 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

This weekend is also the ARRL RTTY Contest and FMARC participants may work the contest and also submit contacts to the POTA.  If you plan on participating in this contest, please be sure to check the contest rules.

Everyone is welcomed to come join us!  Never tried POTA?  A new Ham Radio Operator?  No problem!  There are experienced people participating who will be happy to show you the ropes.

• Call sign for all participants:  W4LX

• County:  Lee

• Grid:  EL96

• Park:  US-3633

We will not be able to operate in areas C, D, E or F due to another event, but there is plenty of room in A and some folks will be in the campground (area B).

We will be operating from 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. but please feel free to come and go as you like.

Please respond to pota@fmarc.net if you are interested or if you have any questions.

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Second Annual VHF/UHF FMARC Contest – Friday, January 3rd 7:00 p.m. – Sunday, January 5 at 7:00 p.m.

Introducing the Second Annual FMARC VHF/UHF contest – 2m/1.25m/70cm!  Great for Hams of all levels and experience.  Learn and/or practice how to navigate and communicate through repeaters and via simplex.  This is also a wonderful preparation for the ARRL VHF/UHF contest that takes place two weeks later.

For more information, download all the details:  Click Here

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New Ham Workshop 2 – VHF/UHF Radios and Repeaters
Saturday, February 15th – 9:00 a.m.

Tice Firehouse (Club station location)
Training Room
9351 Workmen Way
Fort Myers, FL

Alan Schwartz, K2AWS, has put together a program for new and seasoned hams that discusses the basic information needed to operate VHF/UHF radios AND everything you need to know about repeaters.
John Beattie – N4YE, chairperson of the New Ham Committee who will also be participating.

For planning purposes, please RSVP to education@fmarc.net

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Winter Field Day

January 25th and 26th, 2025

North Fort Myers Community Park Pavilion

Expanded Hours:  11:00 a.m. Saturday to 4:59 p.m. Sunday

There are some significant changes to the rules this year – Please see the Modulator for a summary and the Winter Field Day website (click here) for more detail.

For more information, please contact Co-Chairs:

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Previous Events

Club POTA – Lovers Key State Park (US-1900) – November 18th – 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

This is a beautiful Park right along the shore.  There are picnic tables spread throughout the park with lots of other locations where you can set up your station.  If you are new to the hobby, new to portable operations, or new to POTA, come and join the fun!  There are experienced Hams ready to share their stations and to show you the ropes.  We even have a POTA enthusiast who will have a variety of antennas to share (to use or to learn about).  

• Talk-in frequency:  146.520

• Call sign for all participants:  W4LX

• County:  Lee

• Grid:  EL96

• Park:  US-1900

We will be operating from 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. but please feel free to come and go as you like.

Please respond to pota@fmarc.net if you are interested or if you have any questions.

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Ham Invigoration Session
November 16th, 2024
9:00 – 12:00 noon

Location:  At the Club Station within the Tice Fire Station – 9351 Workmen Way, Fort Myers, FL 33905

This session is for newly licensed Ham Radio Operators to interact in a no-pressure environment with experts and Elmers on a variety of topics.  As a participant, you have an opportunity to influence the agenda when you register by providing areas of interest.  These topics can be new to you or aspects of the hobby that you want to know more about.  To register, please click here.

For any questions, please email johnb.n4ye@gmail.com

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Club POTA at Babcock-Webb Wildlife Management Area (US-6291) – October 19th – 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

This is a large park with plenty of space to find a great spot to operate!  We will be using the Club Call Sign, W4LX, so all levels of Ham Radio Operators can participate.  If you are new to POTA, portable operations, would like some assistance getting started, or want to come see what all the excitement is about, please let us know when you sign-up.  If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please email pota@fmarc.net.

This is a POTA Support Your Parks Weekend!

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Club POTA at Collier Seminole State Park (US-1847) – September 23rd from 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

POTA is a great opportunity for new hams to get on the air with a mentor.  We will be using the club call sign, W4LX, so all levels of operators can participate!

This location has 2 Pavilions, restrooms, plenty of parking and very Ham Radio friendly Rangers.

With only 2 pavilions the POTA team will bring one 12’ x 12’ pop-up but please plan on bringing some shade if you can.

Bring Lunch and a chair and join us around 12 noon at one of the Pavilions.

For planning purposes please RSVP to pota@fmarc.net

DMR Code Plug Workshop – August 24th – 9:00 a.m. – 12 Noon

Location:  At the Club Station within the Tice Fire Station – 9351 Workmen Way, Fort Myers, FL 33905

This Workshop will include how to write code plugs. For those participants with Anytone 878s or MD380’s, we should be able to directly assist you with loading a code plug to your radio.

For planning purposes, please RSVP attending to: clubstation@fmarc.net

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Basic Skywarn Course – August 17th –
12 Noon

The course will take about 2 hours and will be taught by a Meteorologist from the NWS office in Ruskin, FL.

Location:  Lee County Emergency Operations Center

2675 Ortiz Avenue, Fort Myers, FL  33905

Program begins at noon – Doors open at 11:30

Course Description :

Basics of thunderstorm development

Fundamentals of storm structure

Identifying potential severe weather features

Information to report

How to report information

Basic severe weather safety

Please see the Modulator for registration information.

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International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend and Club POTA Activation
August 18th – 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

To celebrate the amateur radio International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend, we will be having a POTA activation at the Boca Grande/Gasparilla State Park (US-1874) which is also the location of their lighthouse (USA-910). The date is Saturday, August 18 from 8:00 am ending 1:00pm. Participants may come and go at any time. We have been granted a permit from the Park Service so we can park right at the base of the Lighthouse.  If anyone is interested in participating in this activity, please email to: pota@fmarc.net

For more information on the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse “On the Air” Click Here

For more information on the Gasparilla Island State Park:  Click Here

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RTTY Workshop Followed by the NAQP RTTY Contest – July 20th – 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Location: Club Station at the Tice Firehouse, 9351 Workmen Way, Fort Myers, FL 33905

The workshop begins at 1:00pm and the NAQP RTTY contest will run from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. For those who can’t make the 1:00 p.m. Workshop, join us anytime during the contest period and “learn on the fly.”

It’s too hot and steamy outside so join us in splendid air conditioning and have fun playing radio.

For planning purposes, please let us know if you will be attending this session.  Please email: clubstation@fmarc.net

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ARRL 2024 Field Day – “Hot Wash” – July 2nd – 7:00 p.m.

Please join our Co-Chairpersons for a “Hot Wash” review of the 2024 Field Day event.  We will discuss what went well AND more importantly, where we can do better.

This will be a Zoom only event – Please see the Modulator for Zoom Information

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Cape Coral Hurricane Preparedness Expo – June 15th 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

To view pictures from this event: Click Here

Event Information

German American Social Club of Cape Coral

2101 SW Pine Island Road
Cape Coral, FL 33991

LeeARES will join over 20 organizations in this event that will highlight how we can prepare ourselves for the 2024 Hurricane Season.  We will talk with attendees about the critical role Amateur Radio Operators play during emergencies and will have equipment to conduct demonstrations.

The German American Social Club of Cape Coral is located at:

2101 SW Pine Island Road
Cape Coral, FL 33991

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National Train Day Special Event Station  May 11th 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Railroad Museum of South Florida at Lakes Regional Park

National Train Day commemorates the driving of the Golden Spike which completed the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S.

FMARC will have Special Event Stations set up at the Railroad Museum where we will be showcasing Morse Code which was a critical part in railroad communications as well as other modes of radio communication.  The FMARC and LeeARES will both be participating to present amateur radio, to solicit new members to the hobby, and to showcase that critical role amateur radio operators play in emergency communications.

Lakes Park is located at:

7330 Gladiolus Drive
Fort Myers, FL 33908
Google Map/Direction

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FL QSO Party – Club Station at Tice Firehouse – April 27th Noon – 6:00 p.m.

IT’S A PARTY AND FMARC MEMBERS ARE INVITED: The Florida QSO Party…

Tours of the club station begin at 11am.

FMARC members and guests are invited to participate in the Florida QSO Party at the Club Station in the Tice Fire Station (9351 Workmen Way). One station will be for SSB and the other CW. All FCC license classes can participate!!!

Please RSVP your desired one hour time slot to: contesting@fmarc.net 

Members are also encouraged to participate from your own home stations: https://floridaqsoparty.org/rules/

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Lakes Regional Park – 40th Birthday and Earth Day Celebration

April 20th 9 a.m. – Noon

FMARC and LeeARES will be participating in this event to celebrate Earth Day and to acknowledge 40 years of Lakes Park and its natural environment. Our primary purpose will be to present amateur radio and to solicit new members to the hobby, to the FMARC, and to ARES.

We will have an orange box and personal go kits on display. We will also be operating on 2M demonstrating both Winlink and voice.  This will be a Winlink P2P drill for any ARES members who attend.

Lakes Regional Park is located at:

7330 Gladiolus Drive
Fort Myers, FL 33908
Google Map/Direction

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