Forums Presentations and Demonstrations – Southwest Florida Regional Hamfest

We have an extensive slate of informative and instructive sessions planned where subject matter experts will share a variety of items of interest to Ham Radio Operators. These will include presentations, discussions, demonstrations, and Elmering.

This schedule is tentative and will continue to evolve.

Friday, January 10th

Time	Title	Description	Presenter	Location
12:30 p.m.	Low Earth Orbit Satellites	Overview and then Demo at 1:15 in the Demo area*	Bob Lewis	Classroom A
1:30 p.m.	What is Amateur Radio Emergency Services?		LeeARES	Classroom A
3:00 p.m.	Learn about the FMARC – Parks on the Air and Winter Field Day			Classroom A
4:00 p.m.	Amateur Radio and the International Space Station		Brian Darley	Classroom A

1:15 p.m.	Low Earth Orbit Satellite Communi-cations	Overview in Classroom A at 12:30 and then demo at 1:15	Bob Lewis	Demo Area*
2:00 p.m.	Antenna Orientation and Propagation		TBD	Demo Area*
3:00 p.m.	Vendor’s Choice	TBD – Opportunity for vendor to demo product(s)		Demo Area*

*Please note, the demonstrations will be conducted outside near the Tailgate Area and next to the Club Trailer and Food Truck(s).

Saturday, January 11th

Time	Title	Description	Presenter	Location
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m	License Testing		VE Testing Team	Classroom C

9:00 a.m.	DMR Radio Protocols for Code Plug Writing		Bob Lewis	Classroom A
10:00 a.m.	ARRL Meeting		Steve Clayton	Classroom A
11:00 a.m.	DMR Code Plug Writing Hands-On Workshop	Please bring your DMR radios, programming cable, and laptops with the CPS.	TBD	Classroom A
12:00 p.m.	Ham Radio Apps and Programs	Popular Ham Radio Apps and Software	Multiple Presenters	Classroom A

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.	VE Exit Interviews		VE Testing Team	Classroom B
12:00 p.m.	New Ham Orientation	You’ve passed your exam, now what?	John Beattie	Classroom B
1:00 p.m.	RT Systems Software		RT Systems	Classroom B

10:00 a.m.	Vendor’s Choice	Opportunity for Vendor to demo product(s)		Demo Area*
1:00 p.m.	Low Earth Orbit Satellite Communi-cations	Overiew and then demo. The SO-50 pass begins at 1:34 p.m.	Bob Lewis	Demo Area*

11:30 a.m.	DX Engineering – Products		Tim Duffy	Room TBD

Please note, the demonstrations will be conducted outside near the Tailgate Area and next to the Club Trailer and Food Truck(s).

*************************************

Free Radio Programming

Location: Main Hall

Bring your VHF/UHF radio and have it programmed with all the LeeARES(r) Standard Frequency List. This includes a standard set of repeaters and simplex frequencies recommended by the Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club and the LeeARES(r) organization. For a PDF of the standard frequency list, click here.

These are the radios that can be programmed but others may also be accommodated.

Yaesu
FT 2DR
FT 60
FTM-100
FTM-400
FT 857
FT 897 & 897D
FT 2800
FT 3200
FT 8800
VX6 R/E
VX8 & 8D

Alico
DR 135
DR 135 DX
DR 135 CB

Lexien
W898 & 898S

Kenwood
TM 71
TM 271
TM 281

DMR
MD 380
MD 390
GD 77
CS 800
TEKK 30

Baofeng
UV5R
GT3TP-MK3

ICOM
IC 7000
ID 51A, 51E

Presenters and Subject Matter Experts

Dr. Bob Lewis, N8GU, recent 2024 President of the Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club, is an ARRL registered license instructor. He has made educational presentations around the country at various hamfests and other venues. His teaching style is focused on the practical operating aspects of amateur radio inclusive of portable antennas, CW, digital HF modes, contesting, and understanding how to operate an HF radio. As a volunteer educator of Buddipole portable antenna products, he was also a beta tester for their successful Buddihex antenna. “Being an Elmer is my greatest joy of amateur radio.”

*************************************

John Beattie was first licensed in 1984 ultimately holding an Advanced class license with the call sign N9FCA. After retiring from a career in corporate finance in Wisconsin and relocating to Florida, he resumed participation in amateur radio. He now holds an Extra class license with the call sign N4YE. He operates an ICom 7300 radio at 100 watts feeding two homebrew fan dipoles in the attic covering six through forty meters. His primary area of interest is DX via SSB and FT4/8. He is a member of the Fort Meyers Amateur Radio Club, the Amateur Radio Association of Southwest Florida, and the Amateur Radio Relay League. He also participates in the Amateur Radio Emergency Services for Collier County.

*************************************

Tim, K3LR, has been an active amateur radio operator for over 52 years. He has hosted over 175 different ham radio operators from around the world as part of the K3LR Multi-operator Mult-transmitter radio sport contest efforts since 1992. Tim has held many leadership positions such as: moderator of the Hamvention Antenna forum for 40 years, chairman of Contest University (15 years), chairman of the Top Band Dinner – as well as co-coordinator of the Contest Super Suite (37 years), founded and is the moderator of the popular RFI Reflector (RFI@contesting.com) since 1999, serves on the WRTC2026 Advisory Board, serves on the board of directors of the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation (WWROF), is the Chairman and President Emeritus of the Radio Club of America (RCA), a multiyear President of the Mercer County Amateur Radio Club (W3LIF/W3JTV) and is the Vice President of the North Coast Contesters. Tim has won many honors such as: the ARRL Atlantic Division Technical Achievement award in 1998, the CQ Contest Hall of Fame in 2006, the prestigious Barry Goldwater Amateur Radio service 2010 , the YASME Excellence award in 2016, and the Hamvention Amateur of the Year in 2015 by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association. Tim is the Chief Executive Officer of DX Engineering.