Oklahoma Section Information #ARRL #hamradio

First, thanks to all the Oklahoma Section for the support of all the Section Leadership during the transition from Kevin, N0IRW as Section Manager to me.  It is going to be a wonderful two years that I serve you.  Thanks to Kevin for handing off thesection in so great shape.

The next hamfest is Ardmore on October 24-25.  That's just a few days away.  I have MY tickets.  How about you?  Please plan to attend the League and ARES forums.  I know Mark, N7XYO has some news for you.

Following that, November 1-2 is the Enid Hamfest.  Jim, W5JCS and Mark will both be there since I have a conflict with Homeland Security training in Oklahoma City that weekend.

Speaking of that, Mark has been putting the word out on the lists about it.  Details can also be found at http://arrlok.blogspot.com/2014/10/auxcomm-coming-to-oklahoma-arrl-hamradio.html and, as of this note, only 16 seats remain.

Please welcome Michael Dean, K5MFD to the mix.  He is the new Public Information Coordinator.  He will also be doing double duty as Legislative Liason.  He has experience working in State Government in Oklahoma and "knows his way" around the Capitol.  Thanks to Eddie, K5EMS for handling that and supporting the Cowboys too boot.

Since Captain Kirk asked Lieutenant Uhura to open hailing channels, these are the preferred methods to reaching your Section Manager.

Email is preferred.  Thanks to Dale, N5VX, Winlink is working at the Emergency Operations Center out here on telnet and RF.  The Navy MARS Winlink accounts also work.

One can usually find KC5FM on Automatic Packet Reporting System.  Messaging works good there too.  I have been known to drop in on the Tulsa area Packet net on Thursday night.  Who said packet is dead?  Drop a packet message to KC5FM and see if the forwarding processes still work and where the account resides where the message came to rest.  

Speaking of APRS, who'd like to try to start an APRS Section net?

Since there's an HF remote base out here, one can expect to hear me more frequently on the Oklahoma Phone Emergency Net and the Oklahoma Amateur Radio Emergency Services Nets on Sunday.  Check into the 7290 Traffic Net and the14300.net groups, if you want to see if someone from Oklahoma is here.  The remote uses Remote Hams software (http://www.remotehams.com).  The League leadership has been invited to use the remote to monitor HF emergency nets they just can't quite hear in Newington.

No surprise that Echolink and Internet Radio Linking Project is in use in the State.  KC5FM is usually connected to the Weather Talk Conference (7203) or IRLP 9219.  Need something from Altus?  Connect and just like on HF, one can move off to a peer-to-peer connection.

Speaking of VOIP efforts, who would like to try to start an Echolink/IRLP Section net?

Please remember Twitter (kc5fm) and Facebook (wx5em) along with https://twitter.com/arrl_OKand https://www.facebook.com/pages/ARRL-Oklahoma for the Section social media effort.  Speaking of the latter, if your club has pictures and news lets share it with the rest of the State.  I care as much about what happens in Kenton as I do in Haworth where six hams reside.  Sadly, there are zero hams in Kenton while seven call Boise City home.

Speaking of social media, http://arrlok.blogspot.com/ has been in operation for a number of months.  It's updated at least weekly with a tidbit from around the State that is also tweeted.  One can follow it on email.

There you have it!  Some plans and thanks to those who have helped and continue to help the Oklahoma Section stand tall and proud.  

73 de Lloyd, KC5FM

Northeast Hospital Tests #ARRL #hamradio

The Tulsa County ARES meeting and Hospital Net test will be on November 1. This is the twice yearly test we conduct with the hospitals and medical facilities in the county in concert with the Medical Reserve Corp and the Medical Emergency Response Center. 

Participating hospitals are equipped with a dual band transceiver and an outside antenna. We also review the procedure manual onsite to ensure it is in place and up to date. The MRC coordinator has been preparing updated manuals for every hospital to be delivered with this test. 

Local area ARES members are also encouraged to participate in the meeting even if you don't deploy to a hospital for the test. We will be discussing the Simulated Emergency Test (SET) that is set for December 13. 

If you would like to volunteer and participate in the hospital test please send an email or visit the Tulsa County ARES Facebook group. 

Thank you for supporting our community, 

Paul Teel 

ARES Emergency Coordinator, Tulsa County 

Packet Net Report #ARRL #hamradio

Each Monday night folks in Oklahoma join a packet net centered around Branson, MO.  As one can see below, there's activity from around the Nation.  For more information reach out to K.O., N0KFQ.

Connect to the PCL Packet Net in Branson, Missouri...

   For VHF Radio Users:
      Using 145.01, connect to PACNET.
      Using 145.09, connect to PACNET.

   For AXIP Network Users:
      At any AXIP or BPQ32 Packet node, look for and connect
      to PACNET.

   For Outpost or Winpack Telnet Users:
      Using TelNet, connect to n0kfq.dyndns.org Port 8010.
      When connected, enter "I" then select "PCL"

   For Internet users:
      Using your Internet Browser, connect to:
      http://n0kfq.dyndns.org:8015/Node/Terminal.html?pcl

Last night the PCL Packet Net had 10 check-ins...

Monday, October 20, 2014:

 1.  KB0WSA   Billie    Branson, Mo

 2.  KC5FM    Lloyd     Altus, Ok

 3.  WX1DER   Daryl     Little Rock, Ar

 4.  N0KFQ    K.O.      Branson, Mo

 5.  KB0SON   Roger     Austin, Mn

 6.  KB2VXA   Warren    Pt Pleasant Beach, Nj

 7.  AE5ME    Jeff      Broken Arrow, Ok

 8.  N0DST    Tom       Ft Pierce, Fl

 9.  N0FIB    Gary      Waco, Tx   (Winlink)

10.  KB0OFD   Gary      Forsyth, Mo  (P-Mail)

Discussion included "upcoming events in Oklahoma","problems with 1270-X in

Little Rock","key stuck in ignition switch","Punxatawney Phil","time change

is approaching","camshaft position sensor","writing more packet messages",

"leaves falling in Missouri","calculator fun","FLDIGI","housewarming party",

"VOIPwx net","algebraic formula for calculator fun" and "N6ILC and W0ERE".

Net lasted about an hour and 15 minutes. Really a great net.. if you missed

it, you missed a good one...

Ten years ago the PCL Packet Net had 0 check-ins...

Monday, October 18, 2004:

The BBS was down for about a week recovering from a nearby lightning strike.

The computer, monitor, keyboard, and mouse along with two tnc's and two two-

meter radios had to be replaced and all BBS software had to be re-installed

and re-started, and the Operating System was changed from DOS to Windows.

Join us in the PCL Packet Net any Monday night at 7 p.m. Central...

73,  K.O.  n0kfq

N0KFQ @ N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA

Channel Nine Tower #ARRL #hamradio

 Channel 9 antenna is being taken down, the complete tower will come down over the next couple of weeks

Thanks to Michael Dean, K5MFD for this information.

Please remember the Enid Hamfest coming soon #ARRL #hamradio

2014 ENID HAMFEST
Saturday, November 1, 2014

305 East OxfordGarfield County Fairgrounds (Hoover Building)
Doors open the general public at 8:00 a.m.
Free Parking
Free Food
Admission $2.00 (Kids 12 and under FREE)
Over 100 tables $3 for a table. Pre-order at Enidarc.org
ARRL forum

Licensing exams

Talk-In frequency 145.290(-) W5HTK

AuxComm coming to Oklahoma! #ARRL #hamradio

Oklahoma Amateur Radio Operators,

The Office of Emergency Communications/Interoperable Communications Technical Assistance Program (OEC/ICTAP) is offering Auxiliary Communications Workshop (AUXCOMM) workshop training course.

There will be NO COST to you for he workshop. The workshop will be November 1 & 2, and will be all day sessions. YOU MUST ATTEND BOTH DAYS.

The workshop will be held at the Mustang Fire Department in Mustang, OK

Prerequisites for attendance are:

-Completion of IS-100.b IS-200.b IS-700.a and IS-800.b prior to the workshop.
-An active FCC amateur radio license.
-Past experience in auxiliary emergency communications.
-A desire to work with COMLs in a NIMS/ICS environment (ARES-OK follows NIMS/ICS protocols and when deployed report to the events COML)

You are on your own for meals and lodging.

 PLEASE SEE THE ANNOUNCMENT BELOW MY SIGNATURE BLOCK AND READ THE LINK.

Enjoy the training and 73,

Mark Conklin, N7XYO

Oklahoma Section Emergency Coordinator
Amateur Radio Emergency Service
918.232.8346n7xyo@arrl.net
Follow me on Twitter @N7XYO

www.ARESOK.org

 

************ ANNOUNCEMENT ***********

The Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security has officially scheduled an Auxiliary Communications Workshop as part of the Office of Emergency Communications/Interoperable Communications Technical Assistance Program (OEC/ICTAP).  The course will take place November 1-2, 2014 and registration is now open. There are a total of 30 seats available and registration will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.  

For additional details about the class, including prerequisite information as well as registration instructions, please visit the course webpage via the link below.  Feel free to let me know if you have any questions. 

http://www.ok.gov/homeland/courses/training_event_detail.php?event_id=1011

Respectfully, 
Kayla McCleery
Interoperable Technical Assistant
Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security
405-425-7275  Office
405-425-7295  Fax
kmccleer@dps.state.ok.us

Newsletters online #ARRL #HamRadio

Did you know you can read other club newsletters online?

The South Canadian Amateur Radio Society has their newsletter here.  It is edited by Gary, WB5ULK.

If your club has an online newsletter, drop a link into the comments for others to see.

What happens when your Big Stick goes away?

End of An Era: KWTV To Take Down Historic Broadcast Tower - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |: "By the fall of 1954, we reached the widest coverage of any station in the southwest with the view from the top reaching a 60-mile horizon."

Which brings us to the question "What happens to your repeater when the Big Stick goes away?".

For example, radio operators looking for new repeater location.  That news was replicated months ago in the New Mexico section.

What are your options?

One would be more digital resources such as Echolink, IRLP, and Allstar.  Another solution would be MORE repeaters scattered about on the same frequency with different tones, ex. 146.79 in Oklahoma City and Edmond.

The cost, either way, will go up.

What are you doing today to plan for the day the Big Stick goes away?

"If you can find a better car, buy it"

Lee Iacocca said, more than once, "If you can find a better car, buy it."



Lets apply this to amateur radio for a moment.



Lets apply this to the American Radio Relay League.



Can you find a better "National Association for Amateur Radio"?



Does this other organization offer insurance for its members, representation before the Federal Communications Commission, an office in Washington, DC, friendly staff at Newington who answer phone calls and emails?



You have found a better National organization?



Do TELL!  What organization is it?



If not, then join the League.