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News last updated: Wed, April 16, 2008 at 11:01 AM ET
West Texas Section News April 2008
4/15/2008
News from around West Texas
The Big Bend ARC in Alpine held their annual banquet in March with SEC WA5ZFH as the guest speaker. Carla and I also attended and we certainly appreciate the hospitality extended by the club. A special thanks to Bill (W5NPR) and Susie Roberts for making our visit such an enjoyable one.
The San Angelo ARC took advantage of their clubhouse's front-row seat at the San Angelo Air Show to sell refreshments and add $$$$ to their club treasury. They are also planning a garage sale for the benefit of the club in May. Congratulations to Nancy Alkire, K5NAA, on completing ARRL's Emergency Communication Course (EC-001). The Midland ARC will be awarding a $500 scholarship to a Midland County graduating senior this spring. Amarillo hams are making plans for next month's 8th Annual Panhandle ARC Picnic and Swapfest. Join us May 17, 2008 at Thompson Park in Amarillo. The Big Bend ARC and Fort Davis hams provided communication support for the Fort Davis Hammerfest Bicycle Race in April. Congratulations to WTX Section Traffic Manager Barbara Stone, KM5VM, for qualifying for the March ARRL Public Service Honor Roll. Barbara is carrying the majority of the workload for traffic handling in WTX. If you are active on any of the nets, email Barbara your monthly activity.
The 2007 ARRL CW Sweepstakes results are now online and Dave Cockrum, N5DO, from Alpine had the top overall score in West Texas. Recovering from surgery, Dave participated only part time and still was able to get a "Clean Sweep" of all 80 possible multipliers. Richard Thorne, N5ZC, from Amarillo had the top score in the single operator unlimited class. Lee Rosson, W5TEH, of Marfa was the top QRP station in WTX. An interesting QRP entry from West Texas was from W5ESE. Scott, who lives near Austin, worked several SS stations while backpacking in the Big Bend National Park. His story is at http://www.arrl.org/contests/soapbox/?con_id=139&call=W5ESE
Groups across West Texas are making plans for Field Day 2008. There is a growing trend in WTX for groups to participate only informally in the annual event. Field Day continues to be the most popular fun activity in amateur radio but there is little fun in wading through the eight pages of formal rules and regulations. What once was a fun outing for local hams has now grown into an event that requires a full-time person to monitor operations and insure that no rules are being violated. Think I am exaggerating? Read the 2008 FD rules at http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2008/fd.html and decide for yourself. Let's try something different this year. Instead of trying to maximize the number of qsos and points, what about trying to maximize some of the other aspects of FD and amateur radio that are also important? Making new friends, renewing acquaintances with old friends, good food, interesting qsos, good publicity ...these also contribute to a successful field day.
John Dyer
AE5B
West Texas Section Manager
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ARES® NEWS from WTX SEC J.T. Caldwell, WA5ZFH
ARES REPORT FOR March 2008
Total Number of ARES® members: 271
Number of DECs/ECs reporting: 14
Number of ARES® nets active: 9
Number with NTS liaison: 2
DECs/ECs reporting: KD5KBU, KD5HYB, WA5NBP, N5DO, KS5Z, KB5JXO, KE5NYB, KD5URW, NQ0B, KJ5DX, KB5HPT, KC5NOX, W5ZOX, WA5ROE
Number of drills, tests and training sessions: 12
Man-hours: 195
Number of Public Service events: 2
Man-hours: 20
Number of emergency operations: 5
Man-hours: 119
Total number of ARES operations: 2
Man-hours: 67
Comments:
This month we have added one new county, Reeves and appointed 3 new EC's. Two replacing EC's who elected to turn over their duties and one new appointee. I made a trip to San Angelo and visited with the new EC for Tom Green County. Also traveled to Alpine and visited with the BBARC at there club banquet along with John and Carla Dyer at which we discussed ARES and what is being done to increase our use of digital operations with in the WTX Section. Also attended a Saturday of training put on at the Law Enforcement Academy that was attended by several of the EC's and many ARES members from the WTX Section. It covered the operation of several types of radios used at the EOC's and Hospitals and a class in Packet operation. Well attended with approx 35 in attendance.
Following Comments taken from EC Monthly Reports:
KC5NOX Nolan County EC:
Nolan County ARES helped City of Sweetwater, Nolan County, and Public Safety Official with communications during a three day event on March 7, 8, 9, (Sweetwater Jaycees Rattlesnake Roundup attendance over 30,000) We also worked a booth and a special event station with Nolan County Amateur Repeater Association during the event for two days (March 7, 8) On March 10 we hosted a severe storm spotter training class with the National Weather Service (San Angelo) for amateur radio operators, law enforcement , fire departments, city and county officials, and the public
KS5Z Lubbock County EC:
March activity centered on the preparation for and completion of amateur participation in the South Plains WMD Exercise held on March 18-19 2008. Early planning included development of an exercise plan, coordination with participants in surrounding communities, soliciting MARS participation, and coordination with the medical community in surrounding counties. New for this exercise was the Amateur participation in the surrounding hospitals/clinics that recently had the Kenwood TS-2000 radios installed for emergency communications. We attempted to provide two amateur operators at each participating medical location. The exercise was considered a great success and good experience for the amateur operators. In all, more than 40 amateurs participate or supported the exercise.
KJ5DX Taylor County EC:
Comments: As a result of our annual Skywarn training, we picked up 7 new members, some of which have just moved into our area. We held an ARES/RACES training session at the Abilene EOC to orientate everyone on Skywarn procedures. Afterward, we took at tour of the facility. We are encouraging our members to become NIMS (National Incident Management System) certified. Although this is not a requirement, all emergency incidents will be handled by using this standard. Several in our group have started, and some completed the I.S. courses. We are continuing to work with other counties trying to establish regional coverage for ham radio.
KB5HPT El Paso County EC:
Comments: I attended a meeting with our two local VEC's, Roland Mata, K5CW and Al Hand, AB5TZ to discuss plans for recruiting new Amateur Radio Operators into the hobby of Amateur Radio. We discussed publicizing the ARRL VE Testing Weekend held in September and April. Such things as local Clubs offering license classes; public demonstrations, establishing Amateur Radio Clubs in local High Schools, and getting the City Counsel to declare an Amateur Radio Awareness week were among the topics discussed. Work has begun at the City County Health Department to implement Winlink 2000 in their Amateur Radio Station. Programs were loaded and configured on their computer. We are waiting on cables before testing can start.
Section Net Manager, KM5VM reports 48 net check- ins, 22 traffic delivered.
Signature: J. T. Caldwell Call Sign: WA5ZFH
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Silent Key Report
John Rose (KG5BU) Albany
Jim Stroman (W5DHK) San Angelo
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West Texas Net Reports March 2008
Name/sessions/checkins
Big Bend Emergency Net: 5/190
Concho Valley 2 Meter Net: 4/63
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Field Service Appointments March 2008
Tom Green County Emergency Coordinator Mike Dominy, KD5URW
Lubbock County Emergency Coordinator James Hargrave, K5DWS
Reeves County Emergency Coordinator Grady Smith, WA5ZBX
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Coming 2008 WTX Events
May 17, 2008 Panhandle ARC Swapfest/Picnic
http://www.orgsites.com/tx/w5wx/_pgg1.php3
June 13-14 Ham-Com 2008 http://www.hamcom.org
June 28-29 ARRL Field Day http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/02/08/101/?nc=1
Big Bend Emergency Net/ West Texas Section Net 3922 Khz Sunday at 8:30 AM CDT
Panhandle Traffic and Emergency Net 3933 KHz 7:00PM CDT
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