--- WGD Announces Radio Scouting Initiative
--- WGD Jamboree on the Air Challenge Announced
--- Houston Area Middle School Receives ARRL ETP Station Grant
--- ARRL Approved for 2012 Campaign!
--- Austin Summerfest 2012
--- ARRL President Attends Ham Holiday
--- Texas QSO Party Begins September 29th
--- ARRL Plans Centennial Celebration in Hartford in 2014
--- Planned ARRL Events for K5RAV and N5AUS
--- Upcoming Hamfests/Conventions
News from David Woolweaver, K5RAV, West Gulf Division Director
--- WGD Announces Radio Scouting Initiative
HamCom 2012 in Plano was the official kick-off for the newly created
West Gulf Division Radio Scouting organization when David Woolweaver,
K5RAV, WGD Division Director announced the appointment of Frank Krizan,
KR1ZAN, as the Assistant Division Director for Radio Scouting.
Simultaneously, Assistant Section Managers for Radio Scouting were
appointed for the four Sections in the West Gulf Division. The ASMs
are representing NTX, Richard M. Phillips, Sr., KB5YBQ; representing
OK, Mark Hamblin, AE5MH; representing STX, Hal Miles, AD5L and
representing WTX, Leland Fellows, N5DGH.
Position Descriptions for these new positions and contact information
are available in the EDUCATION/SCOUTING section of the West Gulf
Division web site: http://arrlwgd.org/education/
short-term goals are to encourage conducting Radio Merit Badge classes
at all Section, State and Division conventions and to increase
participation in Jamboree on the Air. Long-term goals are to implement
Radio Scouting Committees in each of the 24 Councils in the West Gulf
Division.
If you’re a Scout or Scouter who is interested in amateur radio,
please make yourself known to the Assistant Section Manager for your
ARRL Section. Keep your ASM informed of your plans and activities.
--- WGD Jamboree on the Air Challenge Announced
In an effort to encourage more stations to participate in the annual
scouting Jamboree on the Air (JOTA), the West Gulf Division has
established the “West Gulf Division Jamboree on the Air
Challenge”.
The “Challenge” was suggested by the West Gulf Division Director,
K5RAV, at the 2012 HamCom Convention in Plano, TX. The purpose is to
get more stations on the air during JOTA, which is always the third
full weekend of October, to allow scouts to find out about amateur
radio and talk with other scouts via amateur radio.
2012 marks the 55th anniversary of JOTA. Over 500,000 Scouts take part
in JOTA around the world. The USA has always had a significant number
of stations participating, but poor propagation on the HF bands has
often made it difficult for groups with scouts to easily locate other
stations desiring to participate in JOTA.
Jamboree on the Air is not a contest. It’s not a matter of who can
make the greatest number of contacts during the weekend, but rather to
give scouts exposure to amateur radio and the chance to talk with other
scouts over the air. For most scouts, this will be their first
opportunity to talk with someone using Ham Radio.
The West Gulf Division consists of 24 BSA Councils. The
“Challenge” for 2012 is to have at least one formal JOTA station
setup in each of the West Gulf Councils. Think of it as “Field Day
in October”. It’s a great way for clubs, teams and individuals to
setup in the field and operate. Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy
Scouting, is attributed to have said “Scouting is a game with a
purpose.” We can think of the WGD Challenge as “Operating with a
purpose;” the purpose being to expose scouts to amateur radio via
Jamboree on the Air.
Internet links to Jamboree on the Air resources and recommendations for
the WGD JOTA Challenge are available on the West Gulf Division’s web
site under the EDUCATION tab, specifically
http://arrlwgd.org/education/
Take some time to review the details about JOTA. Learn how to operate
JOTA and review the Recommendations for the Challenge. Then, discuss
with your club or, better, get a group together to operate. Individual
operation is one form of operation; however, team or Club operation in
the outdoors is the primary emphasis.
Notify your local BSA Council of your plans and ask the Council to
promote your operation. The best person to contact at local Councils
is the staff member responsible for STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics). Need help? – Contact your Section’s
Assistant Section Manager for Radio Scouting. The list of these ASMs
is available on the West Gulf Division’s Scouting web page.
And, don’t forget to register your planned operation and file your
post-JOTA report with the BSA and ARRL.
(Submitted by Frank Krizan, KR1ZAN, AD Radio Scouting)
--- Houston Area Middle School Receives ARRL ETP Station Grant
The Thornton Middle School Wireless Technology Club (KF5NZD) is a
recipient of a 2012 ARRL Education Technology Program (ETP) station
grant.
Through the grant program, the school club has received a Yaesu FT897
all band/all mode radio, a Power Werx 30 amp power supply, a Butternut
HF9V vertical antenna, 300 feet of LMR400 coax, and 10 - PL239
connectors.
Tom Maxwell (AE5QB), the club sponsor and 7th grade math teacher, says,
“We are very excited about this opportunity. Having a high quality
station available to our students will provide them with the
opportunity to experience the same thrill of amateur radio that all
hams have experienced at one time or another. My goal is to engage
students in hands-on technology and to plant the seed of amateur radio
in as many young people as possible. We are very grateful to the ARRL
for sponsoring this program and to the many individual and corporate
contributors who make these grants possible. Look for our students on
the air during the upcoming School Club Roundup in October.”
Thornton Middle School is part of the Cypress Fairbanks Independent
School District. The school is located in Katy, TX, west of Houston,
TX. The school club is sponsored and supported by the Katy Amateur
Radio Society (KARS), Katy, TX. KARS members provide much appreciated
technical and educational support to the school amateur radio program.
The school club is in need of financial support. All donations are
very welcome and appreciated. Please contact Tom Maxwell at
THOMAS.MAXWELL@cfisd.net.
(Submitted by Tom Maxwell, AE5QB)
--- ARRL Approved for 2012 Campaign!
At the encouragement of Director Woolweaver eleven years ago, the ARRL
has been participating in the Combined Federal Campaign. The US Office
of Personnel Management has designated the ARRL (participant # 10099) to
participate in this program. This annual campaign for federal government
civilian employees, US Postal Service workers and members of the
military has generated more than $201,981 for ARRL programs since it
first became an option for giving by federal employees to the League.
The CFC provides an easy way to support ARRL’s effort to represent
its members and all radio amateurs.
Similar to the United Way, the CFC encourages individuals to pledge by
payroll deduction to non-profit organizations of their choice. Payroll
deduction through the CFC is an easy way for participants to support
ARRL over and above their annual membership. Such contributions support
programs that are not funded by member dues, enriching ARRL’s ability
to serve its members and all of Amateur Radio.
The ARRL encourages eligible radio amateurs to consider the ARRL when
designating campaign recipient organizations. Those wishing to select
the ARRL to receive all or part of their payroll deductions should
designate organization 10099 when completing their CFC donor forms.
IMPORTANT NOTE: To ensure proper acknowledgement of the CFC
contribution, a copy of the donor form should be completed to advise
the CFC to release donor information to ARRL. Local CFC offices do not
provide the ARRL with the names of individual donors unless the donor
indicates permission on the donor form. On the CFC pledge form, donors
may indicate that their contribution should be designated for Diamond
Club contributions or any one of the ARRL Funds—the ARRL Spectrum
Defense Fund, the ARRL Education & Technology Program, the Historic
Preservation Fund, the Lab Fund, the W1AW Endowment Fund or as an
unrestricted contribution. A copy of the completed pledge form should
be sent to the ARRL Development Office by email to mmacdonald@arrl.org,
by fax to ARRL Development Office at 860-594-0397 or by mail to 225 Main
Street, Newington CT 06111-1494.
--- Austin Summerfest 2012
Special thanks to the Austin Summerfest Committee people and others
that worked so hard to make this another successful ARRL Texas State
Convention. These are the folks that do the advance planning, organize
the necessary volunteer workers and materials to make it all come
together and make it an enjoyable experience for all.
Hospitality Room: The Schmidt Family: Darlene WD5DAR, Jeff N5MNW, Lori
KM5MQ and their volunteer helpers. Ballroom Swapfest & Dealers Area
Kees Talen K5BCQ and Marty Porter ex N5SXV; The Motorcycle Special
Events Team of Texas (M-SET) that furnishes Ballroom Security
Convention; Registration volunteers Paul KK5LZ and Peggy KC5JNW
Daniels; Audio/Visual Services volunteer Don Weiss K9UI, William
Pittman KC5NKE, Roger Wines W5WIA and Pete Borchardt W5PKR; Crafts &
Skills Session volunteers Sandy Talen and Irene Beattie KA5DYF; Austin
Summerfest Webmaster, Jim Kinter K5KTF; Registration Volunteers
Organizer, Skip Glueck, K5ZUA; Convention Badge Printing, Jim Seippel
N5SHK; Mailing List Manager Jon Penner N5MHI and finally the ARRL VEC
Exam Team: Larry Gunter WB5BEK, Liaison – whose team examined 23
candidates and produced 8 Technician Class, 5 General Class and 4 Extra
Class licensees.
Our convention registrations this year were up by 20 percent!
Considering the state of the economy, the price of gasoline, the
continuing Texas drought situation and other negative factors, we are
thankful that so many of you took the time and trouble to join us again
here in Austin for the ARRL State Convention and the Summer Meeting of
the Texas VHF-FM Society. Your support helps to insure that we can
continue to hold an Austin Summerfest convention each summer in future
years.
The ARRL forum was standing room only to hear our guest speaker Ward
Silver, N0AX, Lead Editor of the ARRL Handbook and Antenna Book.
Director Woolweaver discussed current issues including the upcoming
Texas Legislative session where the WGD will be aggressively pursuing
Amateur Radio initiatives. He also awarded Assistant Director Walt
Dubose, K5YFW the WGD Assistant Director Award for his service. The
Temple ARC also presented Director Woolweaver with a generous $1,000
donation to the ARRL Spectrum Defense Fund, bringing their
contributions up to a total of $6,000 in the past few years.
Austin Summerfest extends a special thank you to all conventioneers
that stayed at the Marriott Hotel or the SpringHill Suites and giving
us the room-nights necessary to keep our hotel meeting room and
ballroom rental expenses to a minimum. Yours is a significant
contribution to the ongoing success of Austin Summerfest and it is very
much appreciated. Please remember this next year. Mark us down on your
calendar for August 2nd and 3rd, 2013.
(Contributed by Joe Makeever, W5HS, Chairman, Austin Summerfest
Organizing Committee)
--- ARRL President Attends Ham Holiday
In its’ 39th year, Ham Holiday is the premier amateur radio gathering
in Oklahoma. Held annually in late July, Ham Holiday draws over
800-1000 amateur radio operators from across Oklahoma, as well as
Texas, Kansas and Arkansas. Ham Holiday is held in late July at the
Biltmore Conference Center in Oklahoma City.
This year, Ham Holiday scored several ‘firsts’…
…First visit to Ham Holiday by a current American Radio Relay League
president, Kay Craigie, N3KN (it was also her first visit to
Oklahoma);
…First years to use online pre-registration for admission, tables,
and Friday evening banquet;
…and, first year to offer the Radio and Robotics Merit Badge training
for Boy Scouts in the Oklahoma City area.
President Craigie’s visit was orchestrated Director Woolweaver,
K5RAV. David is a frequent visitor to Oklahoma amateur radio events
and made it a priority to arrange the visit.
After Kay’s arrival on Thursday, July 26th, she had dinner with
several leading members of the Oklahoma City amateur radio community
hosted by Tim Duffy, K3LR.
On Friday, July 27th, Kay and David were treated to a ‘whirl-wind’
tour of Oklahoma City escorted by Thomas Webb, WA9AFM, Oklahoma
Assistant Section Manager. The first stop was the Oklahoma City
National Memorial. Stacey Weddington, Director of Development for
the National Memorial, took the group on a guided tour of the Memorial
grounds. Kay was introduced to the various areas and displays at the
Memorial which recall the events of the Murrah Federal Building bombing
on April 19, 1995.
From the Memorial, Kay joined members of the Oklahoma City amateur
radio community for lunch and discussion. Lunch was followed by a tour
of International Crystal conducted by Darrell Brehm, WA3OPY, who is
IC’s Engineering Manager.
On Friday evening, Kay was guest of honor at the second Annual Ham
Holliday Banquet hosted by David Duskin, NE5S. Kay was the featured
speaker and made remarks on how the hobby of amateur had impacted her
life and the lives of others.
Over 90 members of the Oklahoma amateur radio community were present at
the banquet. Bill Wilburn, N5NUK, President of the Central Oklahoma
Radio Amateurs, presented Kay with copies of “In Their Name” and
“Oklahoma City, Land Run To Statehood” to commemorate her visit.
On Saturday, Kay was present at the ARRL booth in the vendor/flea
market area meeting and speaking with Ham Holiday attendees. The
“President’s Forum” saw a large gathering of over 80 radio
operators. After brief remarks, Kay opened the floor to a productive
question/answer session.
At the same time Kay was meeting with the amateur radio community,
another ‘first for Ham Holiday’ was unfolding, the Radio and
Robotics Merit Badge training sessions.
This was the first year for Boy Scout merit badge training. The
instructors were Bill Underwood, KE5FRH and Joe Sieber, KE5MGP for
Robotics; Gary Way, AE5OF, Brad Snider, AF5BL, David Snider, KF5GKG,
and James Lytle, K5NIC for Radio.
Original estimates had around 20-30 Scouts attending; the total number
was 117 with 42 pursuing the Radio Merit Badge and 75 for Robotics!
This required some last minute revisions to our seminar room
assignments; what a pleasant problem! Several of the Scouts in the
Radio Merit Badge group expressed interest in continuing on for their
amateur radio license.
(Contributed by Thomas Webb, WA9AFM/5)
--- Texas QSO Party Begins September 29th
The Texas QSO party is sponsored each year by the Northwest Amateur
Radio Society to encourage contacts between Texas amateur radio
operators and amateur radio operators throughout the world. This event
is also an excellent opportunity for county hunters to add to their
list of Texas counties worked. Operating times for the 2012 contest
are from 1400Z on Saturday, September 29 to 0200Z on Sunday, September
30. Stations may work the entire contest period.
One of the planning goals each year is to have operators in each of the
254 counties in Texas. This is the best - and in fact it may be the only
- opportunity to make contact with operators in some Texas counties. For
more information on operator density in Texas, see the Where are all the
Hams website.
TQP mobile operators, be careful and have a good time. Fixed station
operators, get on the air and look for the mobiles! Regardless of how
you like to participate, get on the air, make some contacts, and have
fun! For all of the information and rules on the Texas QSO Party visit
their website at http://txqp.net.
--- ARRL Plans Centennial Celebration in Hartford in 2014
The ARRL has announced plans to hold its National Centennial Convention
in Hartford, Connecticut on July 17-20, 2014. The Convention will mark
100 years of the ARRL’s founding in Hartford. ARRL President Kay
Craigie, N3KN, has also announced a theme for ARRL’s Centennial year:
Advancing the Art and Science of Radio -- since 1914.
In May 1914, Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW -- a leading inventor and
industrialist in Hartford, Connecticut -- founded the American Radio
Relay League, together with Clarence Tuska, 1WD, the secretary of The
Radio Club of Hartford. Today, the ARRL serves more than 158,000
members, mostly licensed radio amateurs, in the US and around the
world.
The decision to hold the ARRL Centennial Convention in Hartford was
made by the ARRL Board of Directors at its July 2012 meeting. The
organization’s headquarters has been maintained in the Hartford area
since its founding. ARRL’s present headquarters is located on Main
Street in Newington, Connecticut, a suburb of Hartford, and is visited
by nearly 2000 groups and individuals each year. The site has been home
to The Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station, W1AW, since 1938.
As a member of the Centennial Planning Committee, Director Woolweaver
notes that many activities are being planned for this once in a
lifetime event which will have all of the trademark elements of a
proper convention including presentations, forums, exhibits, vendors,
demonstrations, flea market, activities for youth and a banquet. In
addition, there will be some very special centennial-themed activities,
including tours of ARRL Headquarters and W1AW, guest presenters, some
surprises and lots of celebrating.
The area boasts dozens of attractions and activities making Connecticut
a great destination for members who plan to attend the convention with
their family and friends. Nearby attractions include the Connecticut
Science Center, the Mark Twain House, the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
the Wadsworth Atheneum and Six Flags New England. Hartford is served by
an international airport (Hartford/Springfield BDL), and is conveniently
located between Boston and New York City. Hartford’s centrally located
Union Station is serviced by Amtrak and major bus companies.
Look for more details to come in future Division newsletters!
--- Planned ARRL Events for K5RAV and N5AUS
Director Woolweaver, K5RAV and Vice Director Stratton, N5AUS are
planning to attend the following upcoming events:
K5RAV ---ARRL Executive Committee Meeting, September 29, Denver, CO
---ARRL 2012 National Convention, Oct 12,13,14, Santa Clara, CA
---Texoma Hamarama, October 26 and 27, Ardmore, OK
---14th Annual Coastal Bend Hamfest, Nov 3rd, Corpus Christi, TX
N5AUS ---Belton HamEXPO, October 6th, Belton, TX
ARRL Convention and Hamfest events are a great place to visit with the
Division and Section Leadership! Each event will also include an ARRL
forum where you can receive additional insight into Division and
Section matters.
At anytime that you have a concern or just want to say hello, contact
Director Woolweaver at K5RAV@arrl.org. Visit our website at
www.arrlwgd.org; follow us on Twitter at ARRL_WGD or on Facebook at
ARRL West Gulf Division.
-- Upcoming Hamfests and Conventions
10/06/2012 | HamEXPO!
Location: Belton, TX
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Temple Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.beltonhamexpo.org
10/20/2012 | Lufkin Hamfest 2012
Location: Lufkin, TX
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Deep East Texas & Nacogdoches ARCs
Website: http://www.lufkinhamfest.com
10/26/2012 | Texoma Hamarama
Location: Ardmore, OK
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Texoma Hamarama Association Inc.
Website: http://texomahamarama.org
11/03/2012 | Enid Hamfest
Location: Enid, OK
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Enid Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.enidarc.org/
11/10/2012 | NCTECH 2012
Location: Azle, TX
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Tri-County Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.wc5c.org
01/12/2013 | 2013 Amateur Radio Fiesta
Location: Schertz, TX
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: San Antonio Radio Club
Website: http://w5sc.org
01/18/2013 | North Texas Section Convention (Cowtown Hamfest)
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Type: ARRL Convention
Sponsor: Lockheed Martin Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.cowtownhamfest.com
------------------------------
ARRL West Gulf Division
Director: David A Woolweaver, K5RAV
k5rav@arrl.org
------------------------------
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