Please find the listing of our local area nets. There are more than 100 ways to get on the radio. There is a pdf file as well as a sortable spreadsheet. The spreadsheet can be sorted by date and time, band, mode, and more. Thank you to everyone who helped put this listing together. Enjoy! The Net Listings were updated to reflect a couple of recent changes as of 04/28/2020. -- Doug KM4LKC Having fun promoting amateur radio technology

Please find the link to the CARS Membership Application for 2021 to join or to renew your membership. Thank you for your support! *Link to the Membership Application is here ( http://carsfl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-CARS-dues-for-calendar-year-2021-.pdf )*. -- Doug KM4LKC

*New Hams - A guide to getting started in amateur radio* Getting started with your 2-meter handheld. You have your new handheld radio. Now it's time to get your radio programmed and get on the air. Randy Hall, K7AGE, has a few short videos to help you get started. *How to get started on Ham Radio 2 Meter FM, Part 1 - Repeater basics ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmOfkdhJL1U ) * *How to get started on Ham Radio 2 Meter FM, Part 2 - Operating your handheld ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrRLBPhwaus ) How to get started on Ham Radio 2 Meter FM, Part 3 - Programming your handheld ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1PtDM3lI3Q ) * -- Doug KM4LKC Having fun promoting amateur radio technology

I participate in the Lee county winklink training session run by Steve, W9GPI. Steve does a great job encouraging us to learn the many facets of the winlink program. Are you wondering just what is winlink? Winlink is...a worldwide radio email service that uses radio pathways where the internet is not present and is capable of operating completely without the internet--automatically--using smart-network radio relays. Winlink provides its user's email with attachments, position reporting, weather, and information bulletins, and is well-known for its role in interoperable emergency and disaster relief communications. To begin with, there is no need to get the radio involved. We'll save that for another time. First, let's get the program up and running and get comfortable with sending and receiving messages using the internet function of the program. Take these three simple steps to get started. 1) Watch the following short video -- *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO730gfzYko* 2) Download the winlink express software -- *https://downloads.winlink.org/User%20Programs/Winlink_Express_install_1-5-25-0.zip ( https://downloads.winlink.org/User%20Programs/Winlink_Express_install_1-5-34-0.zip )* 3) Setup your winlink account. - Using Winlink Express, follow the account creation instructions presented by the program. Winlink Express makes the process easy. For more information (and there is a lot of it), see *https://winlink.org/ Doug KM4LKC*

UPCOMING CLUB EVENTS: Join us at Perkins Restaurant in Port Charlotte for lunch every Friday at 11:00 am. Directions to Perkins located here ( https://goo.gl/maps/UjTRAZpmUnyDHquM7 ) *Also, join us weekly beginning August 18th at 5:00 pm for our CW Skills Building Course. Directions to CW Course located here ( https://www.google.com/maps/place/American+Legion+Post+110/@26.9839912,-82.0958446,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x82acd18025b77f7b!8m2!3d26.983991!4d-82.0958431 )* * CARS 6-Meter Net - Thursday, September 16th at 7:00 pm on 50.200 USB. * CARS 6-Meter Net - Thursday, October 7th at 7:00 pm on 50.200 USB. * Club Meeting on Thursday, October 14th at 7:00 pm * CARS 6-Meter Net - Thursday, October 21st at 7:00 pm on 50.200 USB. -- Doug KM4LKC Having fun promoting amateur radio technology