West Texas Section News

April 26, 2013

News From Around West Texas

In the Alpine/Big Bend/Trans Pecos area, spring has come and gone several times. One day it’s hot, the next is windy and cold. More accurately perhaps, it’s windy and hot, then windy and cold! Perhaps mother nature will stabilize and be more consistent soon.

---West Texas Ham Operators participate in Texas State Parks on the Air---

April 6-7, 2013 were the dates of the Texas State Parks On The Air (TSPOTA) contest, with Ham operators state wide operating from Texas State Park(s), with contacts made to operators in other State Parks and to home or mobile stations. All indications are that the inaugural event was very popular and hopes are that the contest will be rescheduled for next year.

In an email a few days after conclusion of the contest, I asked ham operators in the West Texas Section to report a summary of their activities, where they operated from, and the number of contacts made. Below is the responses received:

Ralph Bowen (WB5AAR/Midland):

K5RZA & I operated from Monahans Sandhills State Park on Saturday and Big Spring State Park on Sunday of the event.

Dave Cochran (N5DO/Alpine & KE5OG/Alpine) operating as AD5BB, the Big Bend ARC club call:

KE5OG and I operated from the northern part of Big Bend Ranch State Park. For those of us in his part of Texas it was beautiful. Remote, isolated, not a light to be seen in most directions (to the South we could see a glow from Presidio and three towers with lights on them). The weather was warm but bearable. We had a great time.

We made a total of 322 QSOs, only 5 of which were on CW. We made 203 on 20M and 87 on 40M. Conditions did not seem the best and most of our contacts, even on 20M, were with stations in Texas or surrounding states. Almost 60% of our contacts were with three states: Texas (95), California (51), and Arizona (45). We worked 23 different state parks.

 We used an Elecraft K-3 barefoot and an all-band G5RV wire antenna up about 36 feet in the center, sloping down to about 12 feet on the ends.

 We look forward to doing it again next year.

James Smith (KC5LQA/Abilene), and John Kilgore (KJ5CQ Noland County, Sweetwater):

We setup at Lake Colorado City State Park on Saturday only. Used a Icom 706 Mkii and a 40 meter NVIS antenna at 7 ft. We didn’t keep a log for contacts, Mainly setup to try out our new stuff for field day. If I was to guess maybe 40 contacts both parks and Texas. Had a blast doing it. Will do it next year but more serious. Myself, James Smith KC5LQA and John Kilgore KJ5CQ from Nolan County. (See pictures in Media Section of ARRL West Texas webpage)
 

Chuck Dobbins (KA5PVB/Alpine):

I DID participate in the TSPOTA event from the house here and contacted 19 different State Parks and made a total of 23 QSO's. I've already sent in my entry to Houston and had a total of 46 points in the event (23 QSO's and multiplier of 2 for 10-150 watts output power). NOT a good score BUT it shows that I did participate and really worked all I could hear! Most QSO's were on 40 meters with only 4 on 20 meters logged.

Not much for you but I was there!
 

Paul Wilson (AE5OJ/El Paso), operating as W5ES, El Paso ARC club call:

I have attached a brief article about the W5ES experience with TSPOTA this year along with 3 pictures as you requested .  Please use whatever part appropriate for your West Texas newsletter.

Come and see us when you can. We’ll have a Chili Cookoff Friday night April 26.

(See pictures in Media Section of ARRL West Texas Webpage)

(The log sent with the email shows the W5ES team made 51 contacts)                        

Lewis Lehman (K5LCL/Lubbock) operating as K5LIB, the Lubbock ARC club call:

WA5VSK-Bob Boyd, KF5TXU-Vince Wilde, KC5ZRQ-John Habbinga, KE5BZS-Mike Spees, and myself K5LCL-Lewis Lehman, went to Caprock Canyons State Park and operated both days, as K5LIB, The Lubbock Amateur Radio Club. We worked 23 State Parks, including the Battleship TX.

Thanks to those who responded to my request for TSPOTA activity. I’m sure there were more operators that I did not hear from, including operators at Hueco Tanks State Historical Site, east of El Paso. I understand that State Historical sites were grouped with State Parks for the purpose of this contest. If this creates more responses, I will prepare an addendum and include the additional responses.

Having TSPOTA as a central theme made this issue of the West Texas News more interesting and easier to prepare, again thanks to those who responded.

 ---Belton HamFest and 7290 Net Picnic---

Although not technically West Texas News, I traveled to Belton for their Spring HamFest and then to the 7290 Net picnic at Taylor later the same afternoon of April 20^th.

I had not previously been to Belton, but will try to make it a regular trip. It was the best hamfest I have attended, and the only indoor tailgate event I’ve ever seen. If you can’t find what you are looking for at Belton, it probably doesn’t exist, or you don’t need it anyway! I saw Gary Chaffin W5ETJ, Hughbert Robinson KC5NPC and Tom Austin K4OTM, all from San Angelo. I’m sure there were others that I did not see.

The 7290 Picnic at Taylor was a tremendous success, and made even better by the presence of Tom W5UFO and his famous ice cream machine. I think you could say without argument from any corner that Tom was the most popular person there!

.

---Severe Weather Spotter Talk Schedule---
 

Crane Apr. 29 7:00-9:00 PM                                                        

Fort Stockton May 2 7:00-9:00 PM                                                

Kermit May 6 7:00-9:00 PM                                             

(From National Weather Services Weather Forecast Office)

---HamCom 2013 in Plano June 7^th & 8^th ---

HamCom 2013 in Plano is scheduled for June 7^th & 8^th. HamCom is the largest event of its kind in Texas, and ranks high in size nationally. It is extremely well attended, and one you should try to attend. Scouting activity at last year’s event was very strong, with over 300 scouts and their Scout Masters in attendance. Information can be found at http://www.hamcom.org.

---Section Emergency Coordinator Report---

In order to save space, the Monthly Section Emergency Report for March 2013 can be seen in its entirety by scrolling to the bottom of the West Texas Section Page. Once there, click on the link for the February SEC Report.

Fire Station - 212 W. 6th StreetNew Fire Station – 180 A StreetCommunity Center - 118 N. Poplar

Signature: Howard Collier Call sign: WB5EKW
Title: West Texas Section Emergency Coordinator
 

http://www.csvhfs.org Central States VHF Society
http://k5wph.org Sun City ARC K5WPH
http://www.w5es.org El Paso ARC W5ES
http://k5elp.com West Texas Rptr Assn, K5ELP
http://www.hamradioelpaso.com New web site in El Paso
http://www.bigbendarc.com Big Bend ARC, Alpine TX
http://www.w5qgg.org Midland ARC, Midland TX
http://www.orgsites.com/tx/w5lcc Lubbock Contest Club
http://hamradio.noaa.gov/ United States Skywarn
http://wx.findu.com/k5wph SCARC's WX Sta
http://dx.qsl.net/propagation/index.html Flare/MUF info
http://spaceweather.com/ Aurora, sun spots, CMEs
http://www.irlp.net/ Internet Radio Linking Project
http://irlp.g4eid.co.uk/status/all_reflectors.html Shows status of all reflectors
http://www.sota.org.uk Summits on the Air                         http://www.w5qx.org San angelo ARC                  http://www.abilenehams.org Abilene ARC

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Thanks again for all you do for the West Texas Section. Hope to see you soon. 73,

ARRL West Texas Section                                                                                   Bill Roberts W5NPR                                                                                          Section Manager

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