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News last updated: Tue, January 26, 2010 at 9:45 AM ET
West Texas Section News January 2010
1/26/2010
News From Around West Texas.
It is time to start making plans for the Midland Amateur Radio Club's 55th annual Saint Patrick's Day Hamfest and West Texas Section ARRL Convention. The date this year is March 20, 2010. Set-up time Friday is from 3:00 - 9:00 PM with doors open to the public at 8:00 AM Saturday. All the details about the hamfest are at http://hamfest.w5qgg.org Make plans on coming to Midland in March.
Where is ham radio heading? If you listen to some, we are a dying breed chasing after a bunch of old technology. Really!!! I subscribe to a microwave reflector and these guys spend most of their time talking about technology that wasn't even in the science books a few years ago. The big topic this week involves tuning an amplifier by "snowflaking" it with a tiny piece of Indium. Technology way over my head. Who said we are a dying breed? According to the FCC, 30,144 new licenses were granted in 2009. In West Texas, we have gained 104 new hams in the last six months. So much for a dying breed! Now my question is how many of these 104 new hams have you welcomed into our fraternity. I was fresh out of high school in 1961 when I got my Novice ticket. Dumb as a rock but knew it all. Many experienced hams guided me along. We have 104 new hams out here in WTX that need our guidance. You might visit with them about the ARRL along the way.
Many of you remember Milly Wise (W5OVH) from El Paso. Milly became a SK during the Christmas holidays. She was the first elected West Texas Section Manager, serving from July 1, 1987 until December 31, 1997. Milly was a member of the El Paso ARC and the Sun City ARC. She was a Past-President and long time Treasurer of the El Paso ARC. Milly also was very active in the Quarter Century Wireless Association, serving as the President of the local QCWA Chapter as well as trustee. She, along with Bob Carroll (W5IE), was instrumental in bringing the 1994 QCWA International Convention to El Paso. She also served the ARRL as an Official Bulletin Station for over 27 years. Milly's career as a member of the ARRL Field Service pre-dates even the existence of our West Texas Section as a separate entity. Milly was a regular at hamfests throughout West Texas.
Carla and I join Alpine hams in morning the loss of our friend, Bob Ayer (KA1AAJ). Bob, a New England boat builder and electrician, and his wife Claire discovered the Big Bend country almost by accident a few years ago and fell in love with our West Texas. I will miss operating FD alongside Bob. Alpine hams will miss a good ham.
The ARRL Board of Directors held their Winter Board Meeting in January. One item on the agenda was the choosing of new officers for the coming triennium. Congratulations to West Gulf Director Dr. David Woolweaver (K5RAV) on his election to the ARRL Executive Committee. Dr. Woolweaver's presence on the Executive Committee gives those of us in Texas and Oklahoma an even greater voice in affairs of our national organization. Another item on the agenda was the creation of an ENCOMM Advisory Committee to provide the Board with nationwide input on emergency communications matters. Delta Director Mickey Cox and West Gulf Director Woolweaver jointly sponsored the project that will benefit national EMCOMM planning.
Did you participate in the Texas QSO Party? Several West Texans joined in the fun and thirteen of us representing five clubs sent in logs. West Texas operators brought home three plaques. N5DO from Alpine won the Texas Single-Op plaque. N5NA from Midland won the Texas Mobile CW-Only plaque. W5ESE operated from the Guadalupe Mountains State Park and won the QRP plaque. The Midland ARC had the top club aggregate score in West Texas followed by the Buena Suerta el Radio Societie
Full Individual scores
Club aggregate scores
I recently needed to get some information from the ARRL Affiliated Club Database and soon discovered that many (most) clubs have been tardy in updating their information. The Club Database is the way that the ARRL communicates with our clubs. The Club Database is the source of the information that is returned when a ham searches for information on your club. Better then half of the links for your club's web page are either missing or dead. Primary contact information for several clubs is either missing or erroneous. Don't hide your light under a basket. Update your information after each election of officers.
On behalf of all the hams in West Texas, I want to express our condolences to the family of our Section Emergency Coordinator J. T. Caldwell (WA5ZFH) on the passage of their daughter, Kathy Caldwell of San Angelo.
73,
John Dyer
AE5B
West Texas Section Manager
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ARES® NEWS from WTX SEC J.T. Caldwell, WA5ZFH
Monthly Section Emergency Coordinator Report to ARRL Headquarters
ARRL Section: West Texas Month: December Year: 2009
Total # of ARES members: 286 Change since last month: -1
DEC's/EC's reporting this month 14: ARES nets active: 13 Number with NTS liaison: 3
Calls of DEC's/EC's reporting: W5NPR, KM5VM, W5ZOX, KD5HYB, KE5UAL, NL7C, WT5C, KD5KBU, KJ5DX, KB5HGM, WA5NBP, KD5URW, KE5NYB, KC5NOX
Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 18 Man Hours: 109
Number of public service events this month: 1 Man hours: 5
Number of emergency operations this month: 1 Man hours: 20
Total number of ARES operations this month: 16 Total Man hours: 134
Comments SEC:
December brings the year to a close. We had a year with storms and large fires and floods that required our help. Several other small problems that required Amateur Radio assistance but thankfully to my knowledge nothing major. What to expect in the coming year, more involvement from the ARRL and or government. MARS has just received some new guidelines. What form it will take with ARES and RACES I do not know. Hopefully it will be beneficial. Skywarn Appreciation Day was a big success with many in our WTX Area participating. Always a fun event for all requiring many skills so important to our ARES needs.
I also wanted to remind those ARES members located in small towns and counties that they are very important to our needs. I realize it seems there is little to do but that can change quickly. Just having you there gives us someone to contact should things go bad. Take the time to make contacts in your area and let them know the ham community thru out West Texas is ready and willing to assist them should the need arise. Thanks for your dedication....
J.T. Caldwell WA5ZFH West Texas Section Emergency Coordinator
Following Comments taken from EC Monthly Reports:
Coleman County:
147.120+ (94.8) is truly up and running and is being well received over the area. I do not think it will do as good as my county fire repeater but it reaches to Goldthwaite at least and I have not tested it toward Abilene to see what range it has up hill. Were there any reports of hams in operation along I-20. There were many stranded motorists from Baird to Ranger. Still looking to get Sky Warn in operation this spring.
Signature: Title: Call sign:
John Pearce Coleman County Emergency Cord, KE5NYB
Tom Green County:
The Tom Green County ARES group had their monthly meeting on the 17 Dec 09. We had a good meeting discussing the workday at the city/county EOC. After much work on the antennas, the radios and the computer system, within the radio room, all are fully up and running. Work on upgrading the room is also in progress and will be part of the goals and projects for next year. The group discussed varies topics about the radio room, past goals and projects that where completed. Discussed and added more goals and projects for the coming New Year. The group wishes to pass on a big thanks to everyone who was part of the group's workdays, the training, the SET and the Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA) this past year. We are looking forward to the New Year. A Job Will Done by all.
Mike Dominy KD5URW Tom Green County EC
Taylor County:
We had a significant snowstorm on Wednesday prior to Christmas Eve. While ARES/RACES wasn't activated, we did monitor the radio frequencies both for Public Service and Ham Radio. We were on call for the American Red Cross also. We are gearing up for our annual Skywarn training to be held the last Saturday in February.
Signature: Bill Shaw Title: Taylor County EC Call sign: KJ5DX
Nolan County:
Nolan County ARES helped Public Safety, Fire Departments and Emergency Shelters with communications and assisted motorists on Hwy 84 and Interstate 20 during a Winter Weather Event during the Holidays.
Comments:
Signature: Title: EC Call sign: KC5NOX
Traffic Net Report:
W5NPR Cycle 1, 9 Cycle 2, 13
KM5VM Cycle 1, 28 Cycle 2, 27
Traffic Delivered:
Lubbock 1
Midland 1
Slaton 1
Amarillo 1
BBEN Total 7
TX TR Net 3
ARRES 3
BB 2 Mtr Net 6
NTEN 3
Other Traffic Nets:
WTX has many more active nets VHF, UHF and HF and growing monthly: Your work is appreciated. As time permits, I will attempt to drop in on your nets... J.T.
Signature: J.T. Caldwell WTX SEC Call Sign: WA5ZFH
***************************************************
Silent Key Report
W5OVH Milly Wise El Paso
KA1AAJ Bob Ayer Alpine
***************************************************
West Texas Net Reports December 2009
Name/sessions/checkins
El Paso Area
WTRA Monday Night Net: 4/64
Thursday Night Multiplex Net: 3/43
QCWA Chapter 64 Net: 4/31
Big Bend Area
Big Bend Emergency Net: 4/164
Big Bend 2 Meter Net 4/52
San Angelo Area
Concho Valley 2 Meter Net: 4/112
Tom Green ARES Net: 4/57
Panhandle Area
Panhandle Information Net: 4/54
Panhandle ARES Net: 1/16
***************************************************
Coming 2010 Events
March 20 West Texas ARRL Section Convention Midland Hamfest http://hamfest.w5qgg.org/
May 15 Amarillo picnic/swapfest http://www.orgsites.com/tx/w5wx/_pgg1.php3
June 11/12 HamCom http://www.hamcom.org/
June 26/27 Field Day 2010
Big Bend Emergency Net/ West Texas Section Net 3922 Khz Sunday at 8:30 AM CST
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