Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Happy Birthday KF5RRG

Good-morning to all,

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up. Justin (KB7CSW)few local hams, and I (KB0MMRwill be celebrating or supporting a young lady (YL) KF5RRG (Kelsee) for her 17th birthday party on 3 Nov 2012 using HF. She will be attempting to contact all 50 states and anyone else that would like to wish her a Happy Birthday or just wanting to say hello. The only gotcha is that she is looking for a QSL card made out on Saturday that says "Happy Birthday Kelsee".

Kelsee just recently upgraded to General and will be attempting her Extra ticket this Friday. This event has been in the works for several weeks and she will attempt to contact all 50 states through out the day with her callsign.  She will be using a ICOM 718 at a 1000 watts with two beams (20 meter and 17 meter) and 5BTV vertical at her house. Her QRZ page will have more information later this week on the details of you HF birthday party.

I would love for you that has a callsign to be her first contact for your states. This event is going to happen during November Sweepstakes contest. If you know other hams in different states please pass this email on to them so this will be a successfully World Wide HF Birthday Party for her.

FYI she is an experienced HF operator on phone, the callsigns she has operated under are WW2SUB and K5USA. She has logged over 500 contacts under these call signs. This wil be here first time using her newly upgraded callsign on HF.

Thank-you
Frank Salas - KB0MMR


Did you work her?  How was her signal?


Monday, October 29, 2012

Local clubs join forces to support Oklahoma Health


Saturday October 20, 2012 the Pottawattamie County Amateur Radio Club (PCARC) and the South Eastern Oklahoma Amateur Radio Emergency Services (SEOKARES) joined together to exercise emergency radio communications. 

Friday afternoon a western shelter provided by Oklahoma State Department of Health was deployed and setup and temporary antennas were installed. Total time to get up and on the air was about four hours.

In times of disasters often  Amateur radio has been the only communication in and out of the effected zone for hours, days and sometimes weeks. This is why we exercise and work to make things work better and faster.  If we can provide that emergency communication for the first responders and emergency officials then we are doing our part.

On Saturday we had five radio stations up and running. The communication ranged from local contacts to, Ecuador, Ontario Canada, and Los Angeles, Germany and many others.

There were also people dropping in from local Boy Scout Troops and Venture Crews to Participate in Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) and to learn about amateur radio.

We wish to thank all who helped make this a successful event, the Pottawattamie County Health Department, Wesley United Methodist church, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, and all the SEOKARES and PCARC members who donated their time and talents.

Persons interested in joining the Pottawatomie County Amateur Radio Club (PCARC) or the South Eastern Oklahoma Amateur Radio Emergency Services (SEOKARES),  meetings are on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at the Shawnee/Pottawatomie County Emergency Operations Center in the basement of Shawnee City Hall at 6 pm (SEOKARES) and 7 pm (PCARC) If interested in becoming an Amateur Radio Operator (HAM) call (405)275-3478.  The club also has a Net on the Shawnee Repeater at 147.390 MHz pl-tone 131.8 at 8:30 pm on every Tuesday.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

News from @K5RAV

West Gulf Division October 2012 Newsletter

    ---    Take the Challenge – Show a Scout “Ham Radio”
    ---    ARRL Foundation Scholarship Season
    ---    Oklahoma University School Club Gears Up for SCR
    ---    Collin County Clubs Team Up for Sci-Tech Installation
    ---    MARS Announces Changes
    ---    WGD Recognizes New ARRL Life Members
    ---    Epi Camacho, KF5EUB Appointed as AD of Club Activities
    ---    Viking ARC Participates in Ships Weekend
    ---    Planned ARRL Events for K5RAV and N5AUS
    ---    Upcoming Hamfests/Conventions


News from David Woolweaver, K5RAV, West Gulf Division Director

--- Take the Challenge – Show a Scout “Ham Radio”


Jamboree on the Air (JOTA), the world’s largest gathering of scouts
and scouters, will take place next weekend, October 20-21. It’s
estimated more than 750,000 scouts will get on the air at some time
during the weekend and experience amateur radio, perhaps for the first
time.

West Gulf Division has issued a challenge to individuals, clubs and
other groups to set up a Field Day type station in each of the 24 BSA
Councils in the Division and to invite local scouts to visit and try
their hand at communicating.  For details, visit the Division’s
“Radio Scouting” page at http://arrlwgd.org/education/scouting/
Links to useful sites, such as the ARRL, BSA and others, will help you
learn about JOTA and how to set up and operate a station.

Operation from your home QTH will be helpful, too. Scouts need someone
to talk with, and, propagation may not always favor another scout
station. If your son or daughter is involved in scouting, help them get
on the air, and, perhaps, invite others from their scout unit to join
them.

Please register your planned operation so that you can be notified of
any last minute updates or changes.  You’ll find the information on
the West Gulf Division Radio Scouting page. Then, after JOTA, please
submit a report to the BSA and ARRL and send an email to the West Gulf
Division Radio Scouting Assistant Director, Frank Krizan, KR1ZAN, to
get your colorful certificate.

Plans for several major operations in all Sections of the West Gulf
Division have been progressing nicely.  Many of these are now
registered on the BSA JOTA web site.  You may check there for a list of
any local operations that you might want to volunteer for.

--- ARRL Foundation Scholarship Season

The ARRL Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications for the
2012/13 scholarship season.  Each year the ARRL Foundation awards more
than 70 scholarships that have been funded entirely by the generosity
of radio amateurs and friends, to young hams that are pursuing higher
education. The awards range from $500 to $5000.

All applicants must submit a full application and transcript to be
considered (other rules may apply to specific scholarships).  The
application period for all ARRL Foundation Scholarship opened October 1
each year and closes promptly on February 1, 2013.  Awards are usually
announced to the winners by letter in mid-May.   Applicants should
review the scholarship descriptions as some awards have specific
geographic criteria or requirements as to course of study.

Governed by a nine member volunteer Board of Directors, the ARRL
Foundation is devoted to providing valuable programs to serve the
Amateur Radio community.  To learn more about the ARRL Foundation or
its scholarship program please visit their website at
http://www.arrl.org/the-arrl-foundation-overview.

--- Oklahoma University School Club Gears Up for SCR

Thanks to the efforts of Oklahoma Student Amateur Radio Club President
and NTX ASM Megan McClellan, K5MEM, OU students are preparing to
participate in the School Roundup Contest.

To encourage participation and educate more of the University community
on the benefits of Amateur Radio, the OU Daily did a wonderful article
in the school newspaper.    Read the complete article here.

http://www.oudaily.com/news/2012/oct/02/radiogroup/

At the University of Oklahoma, students are striving to increase the
use of amateur radio among college-aged students.  The Oklahoma Student
Amateur Radio Club offers licensing for those who wish to get licensed
and a general meeting place for those new to the hobby and for those
who have loved it for years.  The club meets once a month with their
next meeting on October 23rd at 7pm in the National Weather Center in
Norman, Ok.

They can be found at www.w5tc.org or on Facebook at

https://www.facebook.com/OklahomaStudentAmateurRadioClub.

(Submitted by Megan McClellan, K5MEM)

--- Collin County Clubs Team Up for Sci-Tech Installation

Great things have been happening in Frisco with the McKinney Amateur
Radio Club and Plano Amateur Radio Klub teaming up to install a new
station at the Sci-Tech Discovery Center
(http://www.mindstretchingfun.org/) in Frisco, TX.  Generous donations
from David, K5RA and Diana Brandenburg of the Brandenburg Life
Foundation and the Goldblatt Family Trust, enabled them to build a new
Amateur Radio station and complete commercial grade weather station
were installed, just in time for School Roundup and JOTA.

Read the full story on how this all came together on the WGD website!


http://arrlwgd.org/2012/10/17/collin-county-clubs-team-up-for-sci-tech-installation

--- MARS Announces Changes

The new Chief Army MARS (CAM), Steven Kelinefelter, has shifted the
emphasis for Army MARS to support DOD missions.  For this reason the
public guidance has stressed using military standard waveforms to
increase the interoperability with military radios.  These modes are
new to Army MARS.

The previous CAM, Stu Carter, chose to emphasize interoperability with
the amateur radio community and stressed WINLINK as vehicle to
accomplish this task.  He also stressed the relationships with the
state and local emergency management community.

Chief Kleinefelter, in a message to the membership, stated that there
are two types of missions, one supporting a DOD mission and the other
in support of emergency management agencies.  The tools that will be
used to accomplish these missions may be different.   As of now, all
tools like WINLINK and other amateur waveforms are authorized to be
used in the MARS program.

To date, no discussion has taken place as of yet as to how these
missions will be prioritized or which will take precedence when
competing requests for MARS resources are received.

This information is available at:
http://www.netcom.army.mil/mars/cam/index.aspx

(Submitted by, Dave Martin K5YFO)

--- WGD Recognizes New ARRL Life Members

The West Gulf Division Leadership wants to recognize and thank the
following people for their commitment to the ARRL, by becoming Life
Members.

Jonathan Brandenburg, KF5IDY
Eduardo Cantu Leal, XE2LTH
Thomas F. Devlin, AE5TD
Brian Gnad, KB5TSI
Kevin R. Grantham, N5KRG
Frank  Graves, KF5ISD
Wade T. Graves, KF5AUD
Cecil G. Harper, W5CQG
James D. Heye, K5WLQ
Edward  Hoffer, N5ECH
Gary E. Lewis, WG5L
Joseph W. Long, NØOEG
Jason D. MacDonald, NV5DS
Guadalupe P. Macias, KD5JJB
Earl J. May, WDØGSV
Vaughn E. Mc Cauley, K5VMC
Charles V. Mc Kinnis, KB5ZWC
Maxwell G. Moon, K5EIE
Kenneth E. Nichols, KD3VK
Jim C. Pope, N5JCP
Philip B. Robinson, KB5ASY
Joseph J. Sauer, KD5JSD
B.B. Stanfield, KC5PIY
Richard K. Yoo, N5YOO

ARRL Life Members receive QST for life, a life member card, a wall
plaque, a Life Member pin and window decals.  If you would like to
consider your membership options, please visit
https://www.arrl.org/membership-levels to review all of the levels of
ARRL membership.  Payment plans are available for those who wish to
consider Life Membership.


--- Epi Camacho, KF5EUB Appointed as AD of Club Activities

Director Woolweaver announces the appointment of Epitacio Camacho,
KF5EUB as the new Assistant Director for Club Activities.  Epi will be
working with all of the Section Club Coordinators and the clubs
themselves to insure that the ARRL club database information is updated
and current.  It is imperative that this information stays current so
that Affiliations are maintained and clubs can be assured timely
communication from their SM’s, Division Leadership and from HQ.  Epi,
working with Director Woolweaver and the Section Managers, will also be
available to assist the Section Club Coordinators with any issues that
they might have in resolving club issues.

Epi has been a licensed operator since July, 2010 and has been
dedicated to learning more about Amateur Radio.  His roots began on CB
airwaves but he wanted more from the experience.   When he took one of
his CB radios in for repair, the service tech suggested that he
consider moving into Amateur Radio and “leave the chicken band
behind.”  Epi picked up a study guide and was licensed within a week.


He has met a lot of great people in the community and he looks forward
to meeting more and to making more friends.  Epi and his wife, Jennifer
KF5IOU live in Dallas with their 5-year old daughter Louisa.

--- Viking ARC Participates in Ships Weekend

Fifteen students from the Viking ARC climbed aboard the USS Batfish in
Muskogee, OK for Museum Ships weekend, helping to secure over 3,000
contacts between the ships station WW2SUB and their host the USS
Oklahoma Memorial ARC, WW2OK station.  Television station KJRH in Tulsa
did a great story featuring students, Kelsee KF5RRG and Trevor KF5RRH
who were tearing up the bands while on the submarine.  Watch the full
news clip at
http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/teens-participate-in-nationwide-ham-radio-event.



--- Planned ARRL Events for K5RAV and N5AUS

Director Woolweaver, K5RAV and Vice Director Stratton, N5AUS are
planning to attend the following upcoming events:

K5RAV
--- Texoma Hamarama, Oct 26-27, Ardmore, OK
---14th Annual Coastal Bend Hamfest, Nov 3, Corpus Christi, TX

N5AUS
---Texoma Hamarama, Oct 26-27, Ardmore, OK

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

10/20/2012 | 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 Associaton 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/enidhamfest

11/03/2012 | 14th Annual Coastal Bend Hamfest
Location:  Corpus Christi, TX
Type:  ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor:  South Texas Amateur Radio Club
Website:  http://www.n5crp.org/hamfest.htm

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

Thursday, October 11, 2012

TSARG HAM FEST

The Tri-State Amateur Radio Group will be hosting a Ham Fest on Feb 2, 2013 between 8 and 2. 

We will be holding it at the Mooreland Community Center. More information to follow. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to call Melissa Wilkerson @ (580) 334-6201.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Just days left to pre-register for Texoma Hamarama 2012


Pre-registration Prize - Kenwood TM-281A 2 Meter Mobile
                     Note: You DO NOT have to be present to win the Pre-registration prize
You will also have a shot at the Grand Prize - Icom IC-718 HF Transceiver   

Don't forget the Scholarship prize Tickets for a chance at one of two Dual Band Talkies.
    Scholarship Prizes - 1st Place Wouxun KG-UVD1P Dual Band Talkie.
                                     2nd Place Baofeng UV-E5 Dual band Talkie
                     Note: You DO NOT have to be present to win Grand Prize, Pre-registration or Scholarship prizes!!!!!!

Other prizes to be given out at Texoma Hamarama 2012
Hourly Prizes - (4) Ambient Wireless Weather Stations
                         (4) Baofeng UV-E5 Dual band Hand Held Transceivers
                         (6) $50.00 "Hamarama Bucks" Certificates (to be spent with any vendor at Hamarama)
Ladies Grand Prize - HDTV Television 
Kid's grand Prize - Portable DVD Player

Just "Click" on the link below and select "Registration" page. 
You can register online with PayPal or print the Texoma Hamarama Flyer and register by mail.

Link to Texoma Hamarama web page    http://www.texomahamarama.org/

Monday, October 8, 2012

How was YOUR Simulated Emergency Test?

Here's a report from WX5MOR in Moore, OK and WX5ASA in Altus.  What was your SET activity this year?

I operated at Moore EOC via both our permanent radios/antennas, and also a go-kit radio with a portable J-pole on a short mast behind our building and was able to contact all parties OK via the exercise repeater.  Also contacted Norman, RMACC, and Newcastle on direct as well as telephone contact with Moore Medical Center ER.

Gayland Kitch   WX5MOR  OCEM  COML
Director of Emergency Management & Communications
The City of Moore, Oklahoma

Dale Town, N5VX, described the WX5ASA operation as:

Successful. We had 7 check-ins. No traffic. We passed along our info via HF at the prescribed time. All was done from the EOC.


Here's some pictures from the Moore Emergency Operations Center.

WX5MOR
Briefcase radio setup




Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Southern OK Club sets class

The Arbuckle Technology Society will be conducting a Technician Level Licensing Class.

When: The course will be conducted on Thursday evenings from 6pm to 9pm from October 4th to November 29th (except for Oct 18th and Nov 22nd for holidays).

Where: University Center of Southern Oklahoma (formerly known as the Ardmore Higher Education Center), 611 Veterans Blvd, Ardmore, OK 580-223-1441

Cost: $30.00 for the book and $15.00 for the Licensing Exam

To Register contact Georganne Westfall at (580) 220-2854

For more information contact:
David Bond - Cell/Text: (817) 368-5548 david@bondoil.com
Don Loving – Cell: (580) 221-1894 wallcloud2002@yahoo.com
Roland Stolfa – Cell/Text: (580) 222-8814 rstolfa@yahoo.com


Monday, October 1, 2012

Need help with your radio?

Oklahoma City Auto-Patch Association is sponsoring another HAM Aide training day on 6 Oct 2012. This event
is open to all amateur radio operators, but it is geared towards the "new"
hams to assist them in getting on the air. We will provide information on
basic antenna building, installing a PL-259 or PowerPole connector,
operating amateur radio equipment (digital and phone modes), program or help
you program you HT, and whatever else we can do to assist you.



Bring you "treasures" to display, sell, or trade at the "tail-gate" party to
be held in the parking lot.



Please see the attached flyer for details.



We look forward to seeing you there.





73, Dave (NE5S)