May 13

W2IK has updated one of his websites to include his 140 page “EmComm And U” booklet (edited down from his original 250 page booklet) and any person may print or transpose to CD for personal use or as a training aid with any group as long has his name/call remain intact.

You can find it at:  WWW.W2IK.NET

A special 10th rememberance of the World Trade Center Disaster (with added info) can be found at:

WWW.W2IK.INFO

W2IK is also consolidating all of his “Jump Team Boot Camp” handouts, with additional info, so others may use them to hold their own training in the field. This website is currently under construction, so come back frequently, and can be found at:

WWW.EMCOMM.INFO

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Dec 25

On January 23rd at 1600 UTC, W5BOG, the Bexar Operators Group, will go on the road (operating ROVER) during the 2011 ARRL January VHF SweepStakes. We will attempt to cover a few rare grid squares during this operation: EM00, RT 41 North Of Leakey, DL99, RT 55 South of Rocksprings, EL 08, La Pryor, DL98, West of La Pryor on RT 57, and DM90 at Rocksprings with a quick stop at EL09 at the “look out” North of Leakey. (Grid square operation in the following order but subject to change especially if we get any pileups) We will be operating on both 6 meter (horz. loop) and 2 meter (horz. beam) SSB.:  EL09 (1600 utc), EM00 (1730 utc), DM90 (1930 utc), DL99 (2100 utc), DL98 (2300 utc),  and EL08 (0030 utc).  Anyone who wishes to join us may do so by emailing: alonestaryank@aol.com   See what it’s like to operate vhf rover and hand out QSOs from rare grid squares.

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Nov 23

Due to lack of response, W2IK and the Bexar Operators Group (W5BOG) have decided to cancel the 2011 Jump Team Boot Camp  for emergency communicators. It takes a great deal of lead time and planning to run this program, reserve the wildlife refuge area, line up the two Army survival specialists, check out several tons of jump team gear, etc. With no inquiries, usually by now the reservation list would be almost full, we can only assume no one feels this training is needed so we will also retire from offering it in the future.

Bob  W2IK

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Oct 10
Under the direction of Mike, AB5EB, another JOTA (Jamboree On The Air) operation is scheduled to take place this October 16th, around 10 am until the afternoon, at the Community Resource and Rec Center (125 Mabel Jones Dr, Canyon Lake, TX‎) near Overlook Point at the Canyon Lake Dam in Texas to show scouts what amateur radio is all about. Planning will show the diversity of amateur radio as scouts talk to other scouts from all over the world. The amateur radio operators, featuring Mike, AB5EB, Bob, W2IK, The Bexar Operators Group and several other amateur radio operators are ready to set up and operate several stations  using several modes, such as voice, morse code (CW), and digital communications. Additional hams who would like to be a part in helping out scouts should contact Mike at: ab5ebdxer@gmail.com 
 
Other events will be  offered such as one of W2IK’s “McGyver” antenna building sessions where scouts build actual antennas from scrap materials and use them to make contacts.
HF operating frequencies include 40 meters (around 7.280) and 20 meters (around 14.260)
 
 A merit badge class given by Mike, AB5EB is also planned. Mike wants this JOTA to be even better than the event held last year at this location where over 70 scouts and parents attended. Stay tuned as the planning cements into another great JOTA event!
Everyone is invited to attend. Scouts, would-be scouts, hams, would-be hams and any interested parties. Bring the family and make it a great weekend event.
 
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Oct 8
 W2IK and The Bexar Operators Group (W5BOG) located in San Antonio, Texas, will sponsor their 5th annual “Jump Team Boot Camp” in 2011, commencing on April 8th (Friday morning) and running through the 10th (Sunday evening).
 
This year’s “Boot Camp” will concentrate on the ways and means to get a “Jump Team” operational should there be a need to deploy far from your home and communicate in the aftermath of a disaster where nothing is standing.
 
Just like the other “Jump Team Boot Camps” I’ve taught, this will be an actual drive-and-operate operation and NOT a desktop drill. This is the “no bs, real deal” of emcomm training and is as close as it gets to an actual disaster. The only emcomm boot camp in the country!
 
You will get very dirty. You will test your personal limits.
 
You will leave with self-confidence in dealing with extreme emergency communications work.
 
 ECs and AECs from any group are especially encouraged to attend so they can bring valuable information back to their group(s) and so they are aware of what any of their members will be facing when you ask them to deploy to an extreme disaster area.
 
This boot camp will also be of great help if any EC or group wishes to create their own “Jump Team” from scratch. I will also be available after this event should any attendees require additional help in forming their own Jump Team and I will even meet with your group to get you started or review your Jump Team plans. (This offer ONLY  for those who have attended this boot camp.)  
 
Participants for this session will meet at a central staging area in San Marcos, TX.   Pre-deployment maps will be given out at this time, although due to the nature of real emergencies along any caravan route, driving directions may change due to “flooding” and other concerns so each vehicle must be equipped with 2 meter (simplex) capabilities.
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Sep 23

This weekend, join hundreds of hams as they work all the counties in Texas during the annual TEXAS QSO PARY. Check out: http://www.txqp.net/  for details, rules and very valuable resource pages. This year, W2IK will join a long list of operators in working as a mobile station, transversing counties to gain points and give out county QSO’s. Check in the resource pages to see who will be operating in each county. W2IK/M will be “running” mobile from: Bexar,  Wilson,  Karnes, Live Oak, Atascosa, McMullen, LaSalle, Dimmit, Maverick, Kinney, Uvalde, Zavala and Frio counties in that order. 

He will be operating in the 40 and 20 meter bands and only using SSB. Remember…. each contact from a mobile can count as a new multiplier. Have fun. Get those counties in your logbook. Also see: “Little Contests For Little Guns” at: http://sanantoniohams.org/blog/?p=821

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Jun 5
UPDATE : The Bexar Operators Group (W5BOG) has decided to operate from two locations during this event rather than be a rover station. On Saturday, we will be operating from the rest area on RT 37, in the southbound area, about 15 miles north of the town of Three Rivers. Anyone is welcome to join us. Look for the antennas. We will be operating on 6 meters, 2 meters and maybe 70CM all on SSB. Our grid square will be: EL08VP - ALSO: On Sunday we will operate from the very rare grid square: DL 99XF.
 
The ARRL June VHF QSO Party Rules

1.Object: To work as many amateur stations in as many different 2 degrees by 1 degree grid squares as possible using authorized frequencies above 50 MHz. Foreign stations work W/VE amateurs only.  

2. Date and Contest Period: The second full weekend in June. Begins 1800 UTC Saturday, ends 0300 UTC Monday (June 12-14, 2010).

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May 22
Emergency Communications Team Competition 
No, not a tug of war!
 
When: September 5, 2010
  
Where: South Texas park. Park to be announced before the competition to pre-registered teams.
 
Teams: Teams, made up of 4 people each, will compete to see which team can set up an operational communications (Jump Team) site and make 5 HF contacts in the least amount of time and in the proper manner.
 
Competition: Teams would be required to properly:

Erect a 6 man sleeping tent and a “toilet tent” (this includes ground tarp and rain tarp.)

Erect an operations area (canopy) with chairs and tables and radio gear.
 
Erect a food prep canopy with tables, chairs, stove, cooking supplies.
 
Erect one 40 meter “Inverted V” antenna with coax back to the operations area with proper hazard flagging.
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May 8

June VHF QSO Party
 for details. In July of last year, we traveled to several counties during the CQ VHF Contest stopping to operate from 4 grid squares south and east of Bexar County. see: San Antonio Hams » Blog Archive » CQ VHF Contest 2009 W5BOG – Diary   If anyone is interested in joining me for this event, or would like to operate their own station during this contest along with me, feel free to email me at: alonestaryank@aol.com

W5BOG, the Bexar Operators Group, will once again be going “rover” this time during the ARRL June VHF QSO Party, the second full weekend in June as a warm up for “ARRL Field Day”. See
W2IK
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Mar 21

The Bexar Operators Group (W5BOG) has unveiled it’s location for the 2010 ARRL Field Day event held on the last full weekend in June.

We will be operating from Choke Canyon State Park in the “Calliham Unit” based in a shelter (cabin). In keeping with the original philosophy of what Field Day should be, we will be testing several new antenna designs and operating our rigs using deep cycle batteries charged by several banks of solar panels. If there is enough wind, we will erect our wind turbine to generate power.

Our operating class will be either 1B Batt. or 1A Batt. Nothing will be pre-planned as this is a test of our emergency communications deployment capabilities. The last time we were at this location for a “Field Day” event was in 2007 when we made several hundred contacts using just a basic “Inverted V” antenna. (2009 – Lost Maples State Park, 2008 – Mustang Island) 

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