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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Being on time for meetings has many benefits, especially in the Ham Radio world. Arriving early at the club meetings allows you the privilege of getting some of the fresh coffee. You can choose from the whole pieces of brownies or cookies and not the crumbs. Hams love everything that is free. You</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>r</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> club may have weekly breakfasts that afford the early bird the best seating and the first coffee. You also can be the first to ask, where is Bob or Bill or anyone else that is usually there but running late. You do not run the risk of playful ridicule or the brunt of Ham jokes about being the last one at the table. You also do not have to have everyone move over a bit to accommodate the 11<sup>th</sup> person at the 10 person table. The advantages of being early abound.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Today, 8 June 2017, was the regularly scheduled meeting of EPARS, ( East Pasco Amateur Radio Society ) in Dade City. I arrived at the Dade City police department at 7:25AM to pick up the key to the Naomi Jones Pyracantha Park recreational building. The meetings are held in that facility which is located on the site of a World War II German prisoner of war camp. ( a bit of trivia ) Duane, N4WDH, President of EPARS, was at the park when I arrived at 7:35am to prepare for an 8am meeting. See, I was on time, ahead of time. Not a problem. The tables were set, the chairs arranged, and the donuts displayed for all to admire and attack. See hams like free stuff. Everyone arrived on time. After the meeting a group always heads to Smitty’s Restaurant in Dade City for breakfast, but not me today. I was going to Wauchula for a luncheon and meeting and wanted to be on time. I made sure to announce my absence from the breakfast, again, not wanting to be late. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>I set out for Wauchula and more specifically Paul’s Kitchen. That was to be the location of the WCF Section ARES luncheon. The time was set for 11am and run to 12:30pm. After lunch was set to be the WCF Section ARES Meeting – SUMMER 2017 at the Hardee County EOC in Wauchula. I was not going to be late for either one of those, especially lunch, and I was not late. I got there early but more on that in a bit. The radio coverage for that area is pretty good if you familiarize yourself with the machines that are available. The NI4CE group has great coverage and when you get closer to Wauchula you have the N4EMH machine in Wauchula. There are others and a check of the Repeater Book app will give you many to choose from. I heard Skip, W1MIV, throw out his call on the N4EMH machine and I came back to him. He was at the Walmart in Wauchula. I explained that I was coming into Wauchula to go to the luncheon and then to the EOC for the WCF Section AREA meeting. Any good conversation on a repeater is almost always heard by others and some never join in. Luck was with us and Darrell Davis, KT4WX, the WCF Section Manager, was quick to join in. Darrell was also quick to point out that I was indeed ahead of time for the meeting and that he would not be leaving to attend for another month. Second Saturday of the month IN JULY… Hmmmm… this is the second Saturday in June but I didn’t arrive late. It was a couple of minutes before 11am as I pulled into Paul’s Kitchen parking lot. I was already down here and was not going to pass up a chance to eat there. The food in good and reasonably priced. The portions are big and if you go away hungry it is your own fault. I will eat there again as I really enjoyed the food. As a matter of fact I am going to eat there on the 8<sup>th</sup> of July 2017 which is the second Saturday in July. It is also the day of the WCF ARES luncheon and the WCF Section ARES meeting. I believe that Darrell will be announcing a WCF Section Board meeting for that day also. More to come on that so watch the section news at: <a href="http://arrlwcf.org/">http://arrlwcf.org/</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>I think that we can all look back on our Ham Radio lives and see a few of these types of days. I am getting older and my 52 years in Ham Radio have left me with more than just a few of these events and they seem to be more frequent now. Remember to laugh at the little things as they will surely occur sooner or later. Also, if you are not a member of a club here in WCF Section then consider at least visiting a few, join in a morning coffee group, and enjoy the conversation. There are some very interesting people in Ham Radio that you should take the time to meet. You may be the one that everyone else is wanting to meet. Support the ARRL WCF Section and remember to check the section news at <a href="http://arrlwcf.org">http://arrlwcf.org</a> . </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Rich Kennedy - N4ESS<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>ARRL WCF Section<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Affiliated Clubs Coordinator<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Public Information Coordinator<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Email: <a href="mailto:n4ess@tampabay.rr.com">n4ess@tampabay.rr.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Cell: 813-240-5614<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>