San Antonio Hams

DUKE CITY HAMFEST ALBUQUERQUE

The weekend of September 21, I attended the Duke City Hamfest, along with about 400 other amateurs. While well organized, this size of an event, isn’t large enough to attract first-line vendors often seen at Dayton and Visalia. Nonetheless, the organizers did a great job with the various classes, including two excellent talks by Rob Sherwood, NCØB. With these thoughts in mind, here are my observations and comments.

That whole world of vendors has dramatically changed. In days past, the vendors could come and with the help of the manufactures cover their expenses, maybe make a little money, and would continue to support their mutual customers. This was a win-win situation. With the advent of the $100 + per night per person room costs and high transportation costs, it has become too expensive for the manufacturers, much less vendors, to attend a hamfest. This is not an ideal scenario.

Another big change is the resale market. Once upon a time, amateur radio gear tended to hold its value over time, as long as it was smoke-free, and well maintained. Good, bad or indifferent, Icom changed that with the introduction of the IC-7300! At a street price of $1,495, it literally blew away the used market place. However, there is a hidden issue, applicable to any, used, solid-state transceiver—replacement parts!

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Remember the South Texas Hamfest and Electronics Expo this weekend,
Saturday, October 19th, 2019 at the San Patricio County Fairgrounds
Event Center, 219 West 5th Street, Sinton, TX 78387

The hamfest doors open at 8:00AM to 3:00PM.

Check the web-page for registration and table information as well as other activities planned.

https://southtexashamfest.org/

Please, drop by the ARRL table and say hello to West Gulf Director John, N5AUS, Vice-Director, Lee, W5LHC and South Texas Section Manager, Paul, KE5ZW.

Travel safe and hope to see many folks there.

Paul, KE5ZW

The South Texas Hamfest on October 19th 2019, will be here before we know it !!
Discount registration is still available! For those that print and mail in your pre-registration forms there is now a link available at the bottom of the main page.

We will be hosting a Testing Session at the South Texas Hamfest on October 19th 2019, to get your FCC Amateur Radio Operators License.

For those taking the ham test for the first time, or upgrading, if you
pass, your name will be entered into an Exclusive Prize Drawing.

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The HAMster VHF/UHF Weak Signal Group

5th Annual Lunch & Learn + Swap Meet

February 2nd 2019 @ 8:am

American Red Cross: 3642 E Houston St, San Antonio, Tx

Technical Training, Spaghetti Luncheon, VE Testing plus swap meet

RAFFLE of Multiple prizes/Grand Prize Yaesu FT-920 with Desk Microphone

FREE TRAINING—- FREE LUNCH

{Spaghetti Luncheon, Soda.Water — coffee in morning}

Swap meet Table setup – 7:15 am to 8:am

Event Schedule

===============================================

Time: Rm #: Presenter: Event:_________________________________________

7:15 N/A N/A Check in and Raffle Ticket purchases

7:15 #4-5 KG5OMX Swap Meet Check in and table setup

8:am #1-2 N5XO Introduction to VHF/UHF Weak Signal & HAMster Group

9:am #1 N7LRY Quadrifilar Helix Antenna. A surprising performer

9:am # 2 WA5FRF Antennas and Propagation

9:am #3 N5XO Is your Coax Charging you a TAX?

10:30 #1 K5VH Antenna Basics and Design

10:30 #2 N7LRY Analyzer Tools to get you that last db

11:30-13:30 Lunch is served and SWAP MEET OPENS

13:30 #1 KC5ULU How to build a 2 meter 4 element quad for under $50

13:30 #2 KA2GZW Traffic Handing-How to create a message and send it

13:30 #3 K0MHC Introduction to VHF Roving

13:30 Meeting Rm VE TEAM VE Testing for New Hams & Upgrades

14:45 #1-2 N5XO FINAL PROGRAM & RAFFLE

Raffle Grand Prizes

FT-920 100 Watt HF/6 Meter Radio with Desk Microphone

Yaesu HT, VX-5 with desk Charger

The San Antonio Radio Fiesta is scheduled for Saturday, January 13, 2018 at the Schertz Civic Center, 1400 Schertz Pkwy, Schertz, Texas.

The Schertz Civic Center offers more floor space and tables in the exhibit hall. With multiple programs scheduled, plus the winter meeting of the Texas VHF Society, we believe our attendance will increase.

VE testing starts at noon, just a few blocks down the street at the Schertz Public Library. Advance RSVP is highly recommended to hamtest@gmail.com. Bring a original & a copy of any current / previous ham license (if upgrading), your photo ID, and $15 cash for the session. No credit cards accepted. Contact Pat AD5BR at the above email address for more info.

SAN ANTONIO
RADIO CLUB

• HOURS: 8:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday.
• LOCATION: Schertz Civic Center – 1400 Schertz Pkwy, Schertz, TX
• Amateur Radio Fiesta set up:
  • Friday Night – 4 to 9 pm
  • Saturday – Set up starting at 6:30 am with the doors opening at 8 am.
• Admission Ticket: $10 at the door
• Dealer Tables: $14 at the door, if available
• Flea Market Tables: $10 at the door, if available
• Tailgate Spaces: 1 free with purchase of an admission ticket to hall, (extra tailgate space) $5 each
• Extra Prize Tickets: $1 each or 12 for $10

Also, If you want to join, or renew your membership, with the San Antonio Radio Club, you can save $3 by paying at the Radio Fiesta. Look for the SARC table near the front entrance. Dues: $12 for entire family by Jan 14 ($15 after). Sign up every ham in your family for one low price! Cheapest club rates in town (compared with those groups who charge annual dues)!

For additional information on our great programs and schedule of events, please view our website at http://w5sc.org.

The San Antonio Radio Fiesta is scheduled for Saturday, January 9, 2016 at the Schertz Civic Center, 1400 Schertz Pkwy, Schertz, Texas.

As everyone knows the weather was not in our favor last year, but we had a good turnout considering.

The Schertz Civic Center offers more floor space and tables in the exhibit hall. We will have a meeting area that will seat approximately 180 people, plus a meeting area for VE testing. With four programs scheduled plus the winter meeting of the Texas VHF Society (hopefully), we believe our attendance will increase.

– Rowena Archer, KF5JCZ, Event Chairman

SAN ANTONIO
RADIO CLUB

The Amateur Radio Fiesta will be Saturday, January 9, 2016.

• HOURS: 8:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday.
• LOCATION: Schertz Civic Center – 1400 Schertz Pkwy, Schertz, TX
• TALK IN FREQUENCY: 146.940 (-, 179.9)
• Amateur Radio Fiesta set up:
  • Friday Night – 4 to 9 pm
  • Saturday – Set up starting at 6:30 am with the doors opening at 8 am.
• Admission Ticket: $10 at the door
• Dealer Tables: $14 at the door, if available
• Flea Market Tables: $10 at the door, if available
• Tailgate Spaces: 1 free with purchase of an admission ticket to hall, (extra tailgate space) $5 each
• Extra Prize Tickets: $1 each or 12 for $10

Also, If you want to join, or renew your membership, with the San Antonio Radio Club, you can save $3 by paying at the Radio Fiesta. Look for the SARC table near the front entrance. Dues: $12 for entire family by Jan 9 ($15 after). Sign up every ham in your family for one low price! Cheapest club rates in town (compared with those groups who charge annual dues)!

For additional information on our great programs and schedule of events, please view our PDF Flyer at http://w5sc.org/2016%20webpage%20flyer%20B.pdf.

Fellow GVARC members and other hams,

No, it isn’t a spelling error, it was plagiarized from WD5GWT to hopefully grab your attention to start going through your piles of ham stuff and pulling out unused antennas of any sort, superseded ARRL publications, hf. vhf and uhf rigs, meters, ‘scopes, computers, solder stations and such like.

Talk-In Repeater: 147.00- (103.5PL)

Location & Time: You will want to bring those items Saturday morning to GVARC’s swap meet at 0900 Saturday morning, February 14th, 2015,  at the New Braunfels Fire Training Facility, 1311 Industrial Drive here in New Braunfels.

GVARC had hoped to use Granzin’s overflow parking lot diagonally across from the main entrance, but it was discovered this morning that the lot now belongs to a local church.

GVARC requests that you bring only ham related stuff. That is to say, no kittens, puppies, sheep or Avon products. GVARC’s expectation is the honesty typically associated among hams. If you say something works, it should. If you don’t know, say so.

Here’s how is going to happen. Everyone is invited to join us for GVARC breakfast at Granzin BBQ Restaurant (660 West San Antonio Street, in New Braunfels, TX 78130) at 0730 or so Saturday, and then promptly at 0845, we will saddle up and ride over to parking lot where K5GST and his VE team administer GVARC ham exams.

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16th Annual South Texas Hamfest 2014

November 7 – 8, Aransas Pass, Texas

Hello Friends and Crew!!

The Hamfest normally being held in Corpus Christi, hosted by the South Texas Amateur Radio Club has stepped it up quite a few very large notches!  It is well beyond our normal, “club event – Hamfest”, and is now a much larger entity !!

This year, we are in a new facility just north of Corpus Christ in Aransas Pass, Texas.

Aransas Pass Civic Center 

700 West Wheeler Avenue

Aransas Pass, Texas 78335

Our new location offers us over 8,000 square feet, over 100+ tables, a conference room and room to grow should we suddenly require it.

Along with the usual hosting of new vendors, flea market, tailgating, VE test session and forums, we are offering a Friday Night Antenna Build, an extensive offering of door prizes, a Silent Auction with consignments accepted, (maybe a Saturday Night gathering event somewhere) and a Sunday Tour of the USS Lexington !!

And for the hams with Young Ladies by their side, we will also have some offerings, along with all the activities along the South Texas Coast, YOUR VACATION DESTINATION !!

Visit the http://southtexashamfest.org details and schedules.

Check back often as we are working quickly to get everything listed on the site, as there is more to this event than meets the eye.

We are in a much, much larger location this year!!!

This Hamfest will be the biggest yet in South Texas. We have over 8000 square feet of Exhibit Space and over 100+ tables available !!

Admission: Advance Registration $ 8 includes 2 door prize tickets

– Closes October 26th – Don’t miss out!!

• Entry Tickets available at Door $10 includes 1 Door Prize Ticket
• Kids 17 and under Free (no door prize ticket)
• Antenna Build $ 5 Entry
• Tables (8ft) $ 10 each (does not include entry)
• Commercial Spaces $10 each -1 table included
• Tailgating $ 5 per space (Truck with Trailer is two spaces)
• Raffle Tickets for Grand Prizes $ 1.00 each
• NEW FOR THIS YEAR : SILENT AUCTION !!

Talk-In: 146.820 -107.2

Howdy!

I’d like to personally invite you to attend the 48th Annual Central States VHF Conference.

If you’ve ever wondered about what it takes to get on the VHF/UHF and Microwave bands, this is an excellent conference to attend. You’ll want to attend our VHF-101 introductory class. This year’s conference theme is QRO, or making high power on the VHF and up bands. We have an impressive list of speakers supporting this topic and many other topics including oscillator design, antenna construction, station design and construction.

We’ve poked, prodded and twisted arms to get THREE unique speakers this year:

•  – Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR, from FlexRadio Systems presents an analysis of system noise and its effect on station performance at the Friday luncheon
• – Jim Klitzing, W6PQL, from Klitzing Electronics will discuss component selection for projects at the Saturday luncheon
• – Our banquet speaker is Jimmy Treybig, W6JKV. Jimmy has done over SEVENTY six and two-meter DXpeditions to over 50 countries. He’ll be sharing his perspectives on family and DXpeditions.

The conference will feature noise figure and gain measurement, sun noise measurement, prizes, a rover-row and dish-bowl, a swap fest and an excellent lineup of vendors.

The family program starts off on Thursday evening with a chartered boat tour including a meet-and-greet with a catered BBQ dinner and an opportunity to watch one of the largest colonies of Mexican Free-Tailed bats emerge for their evening dinner run. Even though you live here in Austin, you may not have had an opportunity to take one of these boat trips and having done one last year, I must say they are a lot of fun and not to be missed! Please note: the boat trip is filling up fast so if you are interested in this trip, register ASAP!

On Friday, the ladies program ventures out to Fredericksburg for shopping, wine tasting and to soak up the culture and then on Saturday on to the Natural Bridge Caverns for a tour of the underground caves and on to the San Marcos Premium Outlets for more shopping.

The RMG team has worked hard to make sure you and your family will have a blast at the conference. But we know that even with all the fun and education we’ve lined up, the big draw is you: other hams from in and out of the area travel to this conference to meet up with others that are doing unique things in the VHF world and they want to get an opportunity to talk with you about your exciting projects and plans. Please join us for the fun! To find out all the details on everything I’ve mentioned, visit the link below:

http://www.csvhfs.org/2014conference

Then, register today for the conference:
http://www.csvhfs.org/2014conference/2014Registration.html

It’s important to register early so we can have adequate transportation for the family events.

JULY 2nd is the deadline to get conference discounted hotel rooms.
http://www.csvhfs.org/2014conference/lodging.html

If you have any questions, please feel free to drop us an email and we’ll get right back to you (austin2014@n5ac.com).

73’s and see you in Austin!
Steve Hicks, N5AC
2014 CSVHFS President

Be sure to join us at the 48th Annual CSVHF Conference on July 24-27 in Austin, TX. Visit www.csvhfs.org for more information.

HamEXPO is March 29, 2014!

Registration now active!

Your opportunity to sell and buy product or distribute and receive information to about 1,200 people on a Saturday morning. All indoor spaces have free electricity. There are a limited number of spaces against the wall.

Location: Bell County Expo Center in Belton, Texas (301 West Loop 121)

• Only 50 miles north of Austin!
• Just 130 miles north of San Antonio!
• 140 miles south of Dallas / Ft. Worth!
• 165 miles northwest of Houston!

Admission fee for the public is $5.00 per person at the door (children under 12 get in free). Includes one free raffle ticket (a $2.00 value).

The DEADLINE for registering online is 10:00AM, Tuesday, March 25, 2014.

Questions? Please contact us!