H.R. 4969 update from N3KN #ARRL #hamradio

I would like to bring you up to date on H.R. 4969, but first I want to thank you for your help and that of the members in your Sections.  If you will be doing newsletters or other communications with your members in the next few weeks, please let them know that their efforts are important and appreciated. The official list of cosponsors can be found, sorted alphabetically, at

https://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4969/cosponsors?q={%22search%22%3A[%22hr+4969%22]}&pageSort=alpha

Congress had very few days in session in September, but we added 30 co-sponsors to the official list during that time. ARRL Directors Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, and Dick Isely, W9GIG, went to Washington in September to visit Congressional offices, as did President Kay Craigie, N3KN, and General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD.  Dozens of offices were visited.  Meanwhile, in the home districts, ARRL elected officials, appointed officials, and members met with Congressmen and their staffs to urge co-sponsorship.  Members all over the country phoned local Congressional offices and sent e-mails via Congressmen’s web pages.  Members also sent postal letters via ARRL HQ, some of them generated at Amateur Radio conventions.  This all-member effort is how we went from 17 co-sponsors on August 1 to 47 on September 18.

We have e-mail and oral commitments from more than half a dozen additional Congressmen to become co-sponsors of H.R. 4969.  Members of Congress can become co-sponsors only when Congress is in session, not during a recess.  Because Congress packed up and went home to campaign on September 19, some Representatives didn’t have time to get their co-sponsorship made official before the recess.   There will be follow-up with the offices of those Congressmen to make sure their co-sponsorship shows up on the official list as soon as possible after Congress reconvenes in November.

What about ARRL members who wrote, e-mailed, and phoned their Congressmen, but the Representatives haven’t become co-sponsors?  Was this time and effort wasted?  Absolutely not.  At the very least, these Congressional offices now know that Amateur Radio exists in their districts and that Amateurs have interests which deserve notice.  A lot of politics is based on relationships.  Contacts made with members of Congress about H.R. 4969 contribute to establishing relationships that can be maintained and enhanced in the future.  Does your Congressman know how Amateur Radio makes your district a safer place to live if disasters occur?  Does your Congressman know how Amateurs in your district introduce young people to hands-on experience of how wireless communications work, laying the foundation for careers?  Realistically, we won’t get support for H.R. 4969 from every member of Congress who is contacted by Amateurs.  What we certainly can do is to build relationships that will serve our interests – and the public interest – if not right now, then in the future.

Members whose Congressmen have become co-sponsors are encouraged to thank their Representatives by phone, e-mail, or postal mail.  It’s good manners and good relationship-building strategy.  Members can also seek out opportunities during the present recess to make the case for the bill at local offices and events. In short:  Keep on!

73, Kay N3KN

Technician class offered #ARRL #HamRadio

The Mid-Del amateur radio club will be hosting a Technician class at 6:30-8:30 pm on October 6, 13, and 20. 

They will do the testing for the technician class on the 20th. They will be on Monday evenings. 

On the 27th of October they will have a advancement testing. $15 dollars for the test. 

For more information, contact W5DRO for more information.

Plano Balloon Festival Special Event - K5P #ARRL #hamradio

For the fourth consecutive year, the Plano Amateur Radio Klub (PARK) and the McKinney Amateur Radio Club (MARC) will jointly operate Amateur Radio Special Event Station K5P, at the 2014 Plano Balloon Festival, September 19-21, 2014. This is the Festival's 35th year.  

The station will be set up directly across the street from the Balloon Festival launch site and is hosted by the First United Methodist Church, 3160 E. Spring Creek Parkway in Plano, Texas. Both clubs will be actively participating in the joint effort, making contacts across the country and around the world, as well as showcasing  amateur radio to the public.

We plan to have 2 stations operating onsite from 2 PM (CDT) / 1900 UTC on Friday until 2 PM (CDT) / 1900 UTC Sunday (Operations will cease at night between 10pm-8am CDT/ 0300-1300 UTC) and we plan to operate on or near the following frequencies:

SSB:

40 meters - 7.255 +/- QRM

20 meters - 14.260+/- QRM

17 meters - 18.145+/- QRM

15 meters - 21.315 +/- QRM

Limited activity from home stations before and after the event is also possible. A special QSL card is available with SASE. Check the K5P site on qrz.com for details.

Thanks to Stan NW5Q for this report.

Locating Loved Ones #NatlPrep #ARRL #hamradio

Have you ever thought about how you will communicate with and locate your loved ones in the event of a disaster?  You never know where you will be or with whom you will be when a disaster strikes. This week, the focus for National Preparedness Month is, “How to Reconnect with Family After a Disaster.” Use this time to build a family communications plan. Your priority will be to get to a safe place, contact your loved ones and reunite with them as soon as possible. The best course of action is to have a plan for each of the common locations where you spend most of your time – home, work, gym, or place of worship. 

Below are some tips on how to get in contact with your loved ones in an emergency.

• Complete a contact card for each member of your family and have them placed in purses, wallets and book bags;
• Have a contact that does not live in your area that each family member can notify when they are safe if unable to contact family in the affected area. An out-of-area contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members;
• Remember you can use text messaging when calling does not work because phone lines commonly have network disruptions after disasters; and
• In addition to text messaging, use social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, to alert family members that you are safe. You can also use the American Red Cross’s Safe and Well program.

Check out America’s PrepareAthon! to participate in other drills and exercises with your family, and practice the communications plan you just developed

Thanks to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for this information.

Additionally, please consider amateur radio for your family.  The American Radio Relay League can help.

The Other Two-Meter band #ARRL #HamRadio

The S.W.O.T. Net (Side Winders On Two)  A two meter sideband net, held every Thursday at 8:00 PM (pre net starts around 7:30 PM) called from Northeast Oklahoma, thus the Northeast Oklahoma SideWinders On Two net, better known as SWOT.

The rotation starts off pointing south and moves clockwise .  All Stations and Operators are welcome to join in on the net.  If you happen to have a SWOT #, Give it to the net controller at the time of checking in.  It is like most non traffic nets with you making comments to the net (listeners).   The net usually last about 45 minutes on 144.250 Mhz. 

There is a Wednesday SWOT NET from the Decatur, TX area conducted by Bob, W5FKN, that follows the same operating time and procedures.  Then there is a Weak Signal net called on Monday nights by Sam, K5SW out of Muskogee, OK on the frequency of 144.190 that starts at 8:00 PM and other than the frequency it also follows the same procedures.

Thanks to Stan, W5SKS for this information.

Ham Radio Outlet coming to Texas

Ham Radio Outlet, the worlds largest Amateur Radio product and accessories

retailer, announced a new retail Super Store in Plano, TX. This new store

will include a multi-thousand foot retail floor plan, which will stock and

have on display a vast selection of amateur radio products and accessories.

Included within the facility will be a large demonstration area, which will

have many of the current amateur radio products connected to antennas for

use and display.

"We believe the Dallas / Fort Worth area has been under served for some

time," said National Sales Manager, Steve Gilmore. "With this new super

store in Plano Texas, we will have a retail and shipping facility to allow

customers in the Dallas / Fort Worth area a place to shop for amateur radio

products and accessories. This allows for our Company to better serve

surrounding areas by being able to ship products often within one (1) day

to Oklahoma, most of Texas, and parts of Kansas, Arkansas and Louisiana."

"We have a plan, we have a manager, and we have a facility. We are ready to

go," said National Operations Manager, Chuck Wyrick. "It's a big job to

open a store, but in this case, it is absolutely necessary and important to

serve Texas. Participating in amateur events, such as Hamfests, within the

Texas and Oklahoma areas will now be far easier."

"It's an exciting time for us at HRO," indicated President, Robert Ferrero.

"We are extremely proud to have the opportunity to move into Texas and

provide a place for Hams to be able to come in and shop. So much is mail

order today, however that does not provide the hands on experience. Our new

store in Plano will be a new retail model, vast in size, with significant

on-hand inventory. If our customer wants an amateur product, I expect to

have it in Plano in 2015."

Ham Radio Outlet expects the opening of its new facility at 701 E. Plano

Parkway, Suite 406, Plano, Texas 75074 in the first quarter of 2015.

HRO, Inc. (dba. Ham Radio Outlet) is a family owned business with twelve

(12 ) stores located throughout the United States as well as the largest

amateur radio E Commerce website, making it the largest Ham Radio

dealership in the world. Ham Radio Outlet is headquartered in Danville,

California and has been serving the amateur community both nationally and

internationally since 1971.

Thanks to Steve Gilmore for this report.

Who's going to the Ada Hamfest? #ARRL #hamradio

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014 at 700 N. MISSISSIPPI (THE CHICKASAW COMMUNITY CENTER)

VENDOR SET UP: 7 am to 8 am

Open to the public at 8 am until 1 pm

Military, Law Enforcement Personnel, Boy & Girl Scouts in uniform admitted free

ADMISSION $5.00 TABLES $5.00

FREE COFFEE & DONUTS

V E Testing, ARRL Forum, Free Paved Parking

TALK IN: 147.285 (+) Tone 114.8

Information: Chris Faulkner 580 332 1435 or 580 272 8982

JackSkinner 580 564 4186 or 580 564 5850

Sponsored by: The Ada Radio Club, The Durant Amateur Radio Club, The Shawnee Radio Club

Thanks to Mark, AE5MH for this information.

Classes offered for Technician and Extra Classes

WHAT

 Free Amateur Radio Classes On-Line (Tech only), and in person for ANYONE INTERESTED!

 WHEN

 Technician Class - Free amateur radio training is available this year starting Monday, September 8th, 2014 at 6 PM, one session will involve hands-on experience with radios!  All training will be delivered at the Oklahoma City Fire Training center.  In addition, the Technician training sessions will be video recorded and put up on a website for additional study – or Individual Study for those who can't attend in person!

 Extra Class - Free amateur radio training is available starting Monday, September 8th, 2014, at 6 PM.  All training will be delivered at the Oklahoma City Fire Training center.

 WHY

 There are so many reasons!  Emergency communications and public service, making new friends and learning about exciting new technologies are a few.  See more at:     http://www.arrl.org/why-i-love-it http://www.arrl.org/why-i-love-it

 COST

 The cost is $30 for a book and $15 for the licensing exam fee.

 As the start date is fast approaching, I urge you to call or email me, Paul Thompson at 405-833-2364 to let me know if you will be needing a book(s) and whether you will be a class participant, or wish to attend from the internet only.  I will need the $30 for the book at the first meetingSeptember 8th for Technician and Extra classes.  You can pay the $15 exam fee the day of the exam.

 WHERE

 Both Technician and Extra:  Class room participation is located at OKC Fire Training Center at 800 N. Portland (east side of Portland, just south of OSU-OKC parking lots).

 OR

 Technician Class will be available on-line at the Tuttle First Baptist Church web site. The web address:

 tuttlefbc.com http://tuttlefbc.com/

 When the Tuttle FBC home page comes up double click on the work "connect" in the lower left hand column and then select the church symbol that say "Find the live video stream of our service…….".

 You are now able to select the "Amateur Radio Information" icon or the radio tower labeled "Amateur Radio Class On-Line". The "Amateur Radio Information" has two videos to help explain more about the program. The "Amateur Radio Class On-Line" has the older Technician class videos (not the current question pool) posted at this time.  However, when you attend starting September 8th, at 6:00PM, we will be recording the entire session, which will then be uploaded and available for viewing after the class.  There will be no live call-in available.

 MORE INFORMATION

 The license is valid for ten years and is renewable without charge indefinitely.

 Two yahoo groups have been formed that will enable group participation in the learning process.  Also, there are a number of resources available for downloading including the weekly quizzes.  Quiz questions are pool questions that have been specially selected to enhance your likelihood of passing the exam.  Once you call and/or email me your email address, I will be sending you an invite to the appropriate yahoo!group.

 Exams will be given on the week before Thanksgiving, on November 17th (Monday) at 6:00 PM.  For those of you out of town or unable to make the first exam session, you may come to the other session the following Saturday at 12 noon.

 If you have questions, you may contact Paul Thompson at 405-833-2364.  Other instructors include: Allen Cope AE5C, Stan Bradley KS5B.

Thanks to Paul Thompson   N5PT for this report.

News from @K5RAV #ARRL #hamradio

HR4969  - the "Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014"

Attention all West Gulf Division members.  Amateur Radio needs your

help!

Time is running out on the window of opportunity to contact your

Congressman regarding HR4969.  The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014 is

the best chance to date to obtain relief from overly restrictive CC&R

regulations.  As a point of reference, the West Gulf Division has over

33,000 HOA’s and more are being created every month.

HR4969 was recently introduced into the 113th Congress by Congressman

Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) as sponsor and Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT) as

co-sponsor.  This bipartisan effort would direct the FCC to extend the

"reasonable accommodation" provisions for Amateur Radio antennas to

include all types of land-use regulation, including deed restrictions

and restrictive covenants.

For more detail go to:

http://www.arrl.org/hr-4969

Please go to the URL above and prepare a support letter for HR4969.

When addressing the letter to your Representative, make certain you

have included their name and mailing address in the header. Add your

full name, callsign, and address to the bottom of the letter, and

please make certain you have signed your letter.  Letters that have not

been signed have little benefit.

If you wish to write and sign your letter then send the signed copy to

the ARRL as an attachment (PDF or scan) to an email, please send them

to n1nd@arrl.org with the words "HR 4969 letter" in the SUBJECT field

of the email.  If you wish to mail your letter via the USPS, follow the

directions below.

To expedite delivery of your letter once you have printed it out and

signed it, you should mail your letter to:

ARRL

Attn: HR 4969 letter campaign

225 Main St

Newington, CT 06111

We are frequently asked why the ARRL asks that letters be mailed to

ARRL for delivery instead of simply mailing them directly to the

Congressional offices.  The answer is two-fold.  First, since the 9/11

attacks and subsequent security threats, all incoming mail to

Congressional offices is first diverted to a holding area outside of

Washington DC.  Once at that facility it undergoes a series of scans to

test for a variety of problems.  Only after it passes the security tests

is it forwarded on to Capitol Hill for delivery. The delay in delivery

is generally in the 5-7 week range.  By mailing the letters to the

ARRL, we are able to have the letters hand-delivered to the various

congressional offices in a timely manner.

The second reason is just as important.  When our Washington team

delivers letters to a Congressional office, it provides them an

opportunity for at least a brief face-to-face meeting with some of the

key staff members in each Congressional office they visit.  Each

in-person meeting is another opportunity for the ARRL’s story to be

told – and is another chance to answer questions that may arise.

I will personally be visiting Congressional offices on September 15, 16

and 17.  Your letter will make the impact of my visits much more

significant.  As a constituent, your comments hold great importance.

If you now live in a HOA or might, in the future, move to a HOA, this

bill holds great promise for your future ability to operate amateur

radio.  Please act today.  Log on to http://www.arrl.org/hr-4969.

Prepare your letter as per instructions on the website and mail or

E-Mail it tomorrow to the ARRL address above.

Thank you.

David

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ARRL West Gulf Division

Director: David A Woolweaver, K5RAV