Governor declares Amateur Radio Week #ARRL #hamradio

Oklahoma City --- Amateur Radio Week in Oklahoma is June 23-28, according to Mary Fallin, Governor who proclaimed the week this week.

"Oklahoma is one of the first State's to announce the Governor's proclamation," said Kevin O'dell, N0IRW, the Section Manager of the Oklahoma Section of the American Radio Relay League.

The document can be viewed on the Section blog at http://arrlok.blogspot.com.

The ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio, represents ham radio operators both in Oklahoma and around the nation.

Are you gearing up for Field Day?

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 governor.pdf

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Living off the Grid #ARRL #hamradio

"If the United States doesn't do something to protect the grid, and soon, a terrorist or an act of nature will put an end to life as we know it."  Roscoe Bartlett R-MD

The article mentions electromagnetic pulse related to nuclear explosion.  However, EMP also comes naturally with increased solar activity, ex. solar flare.  The impacts can be devastating.

Short of living as the Amish, what preparations are you making to overcome this naturally occurring event?

Can you talk on your radio with the power off?  

Oklahoma hams help Okmulgee County Emergency Management

OKMULGEE, OK - The Okmulgee County Emergency Management has been awarded $3,670.85 in a Grant award from Operation Round Up and the ECE Foundation.  

Several area radio amateurs helped Okmulgee County Emergency Management with the planing of the grant project:  They are Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) EC for Okmulgee County Jason Dawson KF5KFB, the Regional ARES-OK leader Ben Joplin WB5VST, ARES-OK Volunteer Andrew McCullough KE5WPH, and ARES-OK SEC Mark Conklin N7XYO.

In Oklahoma most SKYWARN storm spotters report their observations via amateur radio to local emergency management. The tracking and guiding storm spotters to safe observation locations during a severe weather events can be a challenge.

In the late 1980's amateur radio developed Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS).  APRS, is a system where amateur radio operators use Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers along with their amateur radios to report their locations as they move.  APRS is one of the most useful tools available to both SKYWARN storm spotters and emergency communications. Accurate positioning information is crucial when reporting information during severe weather events or other emergencies. APRS can also aid in providing accurate location information to emergency management from a disaster scene, especially when all other "known" landmarks may have been damaged or removed.

Timothy D. Craighton, Director Okmulgee County Emergency Management holds up grant award check

To benefit the citizens of Okmulgee and our neighboring counties, OCEM plan to construct and maintain several APRS digital repeaters systems, a APRS base receiving station for OCEM's Emergency Operations Center, add APRS systems to several key OCEM vehicles, as well develop several portable APRS tracking systems.

"The support of community partners like East Central Electric Coop is critical to our efforts to service the citizens of Okmulgee County." Said Tim Craighton, Director, Okmulgee County Emergency Management. "This grant will allow OCEM to begin to make these improvements immediately."

These improved APRS systems in Okmulgee county are open to all licensed amateur radio SKYWARN storm spotters – and will be installed in locations that will be of benefit to the counties to the east, south and the west of Okmulgee county.

For more information about Amateur Radio Emergency Service, see http://www.aresok.org while http://bit.ly/1jnjJQd gives information about the Okmulgee County EMA.

Soldering PL 259 connectors #ARRL #hamradio

Ron Hughes, W5MPY mentioned this YouTube video with:

There will always be different opinions as which is the correct way to do this but this way you know the shield is soldered.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfI_fanRCq4


How do you solder?