*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*

Please find the link to the CARS Membership Application 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

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

We have learned a lot about operating JS8 on the CARS 6-meter nets, which are held on the first and third Thursdays each month. We can send text messages to a cell phone. We can post our location on the aprs map. Some can even send emails using the "collective hive". During the last net, we practiced using the very powerful "RELAY" feature. It might be a good idea to confirm the JS8 Software setup that many are using. Note, these posts should not be about radio settings, computer settings, or sound cards issues. Rather they should focus on the JS8 software. I will post a screenshot on the next post to kick off the review. -- Doug KM4LKC Having fun promoting amateur radio technology

UPCOMING CLUB EVENTS: Join us at Perkins Restaurant in Port Charlotte for lunch every Friday at 11:00 am. Directions to Perkins are located here ( https://goo.gl/maps/UjTRAZpmUnyDHquM7 ) * *CARS VHF Simplex Challenge on Saturday, May 21st from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm ( https://cars-fl.groups.io/g/main/message/2069 )* * CARS 6-Meter Net - Thursday, June 2nd at 7:00 pm on 50.200 USB * Club Meeting on Thursday, June 9th at 7:00 pm * CARS 6-Meter Net - Thursday, June 16th at 7:00 pm on 50.200 USB * *Summer Field Day on June 25th and 26th. Learn more here ( https://cars-fl.groups.io/g/main/message/2108 )*. -- Doug KM4LKC Having fun promoting amateur radio technology

*Fellow CARS members,* We are just under two months away from *Field Day (June 25-26)* , and it's time to start organizing and planning another successful Field Event. We will be holding a Task Organization and Site Survey meeting at the operating site *May 14th @ 1100 hrs,* located at *29075 Riverview Ln Punta Gorda. We have some exciting improvements for Field Day this year!* 1. An *Air Conditioned Clubhouse! * 2. An open space for Antennas 3. An Air Conditioned Clubhouse! 4. A Resonate Monopole Vertical Antenna to go with our Beam/Fan Dipole 5. An Air Conditioned Clubhouse! 6. A new Bandpass Filter system that allows stations to safely and effectively share the Beam. 7. An Air Conditioned Clubhouse! 8. Three (3) operating stations sharing more powerful antennas with reduced or eliminated interference. and An Air Conditioned Clubhouse! *It all adds up to more fun for more Members. So please join us in planning and executing our Best Field Day yet!* 73 Dennis W6BFK