San Antonio Hams

NEW FUSION DIGITAL REPEATER SYSTEM IS NOW ON THE AIR – 443.025 PL 82.5
by Greg Lewis, N5XO

This repeater will replace the current UHF repeater (on same frequency) running at the American Red Cross HQ on East Houston Street & Commerce, near IH-10, on the east side of San Antonio, Texas.

GREAT news is that a 2 Meter VHF version of the Fusion System is planned for mid-summer 2014 “on the air” date.

Yaesu’s entry into the Digital Market is fantastic. Fusion is every thing that D-Star is not. The best part is the repeater supports both Analog, Wide Digital {fantastic audio} Narrow Voice and The Fusion repeater will auto switch between modes allowing all parties to communicate.  Data. Full GPS tracking and very soon it will be linked to a national Fusion Network.

We recommend that you research online for more information on Yaesu’s new Fusion radio system.

• Here is one discussion on Eham.net  http://www.eham.net/articles/30918.
• There is also a  Yahoo Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/YaesuSystemFusion/

Important Operating Notes:

• The Repeater is currently running low power until we can replace the Duplexers. Our current duplexers were limited in power, N5XO have the replacement duplexers and will try to tune them and get them on the air ASAP allowing us to turn the repeater to full power.
• Because this repeater operates Analog and Digital, we recommend Analog users set not only the PL Tone of 82.5 but your Squelch tone as well to 82.5  This will eliminate RF HASH.

IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THE NEW YAESU DIGITAL RADIO’S

• FT-400DR Mobile rig
• FT1-DR HT

Hop on over to our upgrading Repeater and give your rig a work out.

The Beaumont Amateur Radio Club will be launching another High Altitude Near Space Balloon on Saturday, May 31, 2014 around 8am.  

Actual launch time will very, depending on launch preparations and weather conditions that morning.

Launch site will be the Beaumont Municipal Airport, 455 Keith Road at Hwy 90 (College Street), Beaumont, Texas

Pay Load Includes:

• APRS/GPS positioning/locating for altitude, direction, distance and speed. Can watch this info live via RF or from www.aprs.fi.  Call sign for the balloon will be W5RIN-8.   Here is a direct link.. http://aprs.fi/#!mt=roadmap&z=11&call=a%2FW5RIN-8&timerange=3600&tail=3600
• Telemetry to monitor Package Temperature, Ambient Temperature, Battery Voltage
• HAM Radio Live Feed TV Camera (Slow scan TV?)
• HAM Radio Cross Band Repeater:
  • Uplink to Balloon: 446.000 MHz
  • Down Link from Balloon: 146.565 MHz

More information about past balloon launches by the Beaumont Amateur Radio Club can be found online at http://www.qsl.net/w5rin/

To all radio operators,

I am posting this report of two “missing” Heath Kit SB-220 amplifiers and some other ham radio equipment that was recently “borrowed without permission of the owner”.  One of the Heath Kit SB-220 amps has WA5JDU call sign edged on the bottom plate.

In addition, I’m also looking for a “missing” ICOM 766 PRO loaded with filters and a “missing” 30S1 Collins AMP., TS-430S, TS-440s, and other miscellaneous items. I have most of the serial numbers for the missing ham radio gear.

I would ask that anyone who knows anything about this “missing” equipment to please contact me via e-mail at n5wsw@yahoo.com.

No Charges, will be filed on those who purchased the equipment, but I would ask for a signed statement of whom you purchased in from, there is an on-going investigation regarding a complete Amateur Radio Station.   Just want to confirm who you, purchased the equipment from and who you paid.

Thank you, all!

Don, N5WSW
n5wsw@yahoo.com

The San Antonio Central Texas Traffic Net has been restored and operating on 443.025 with a PL of 82.5. The Net requires activity and support to restore to full operational capability and recognition. Even if you do not have traffic to pass, please sign in for the count to help get the net back off the ground.  The repeater is located at the San Antonio American Red Cross HQ on the east side of San Antonio.

Do you have a message that’s just got to get through?  Is that special someone waiting to hear from you?  Well, come on up to the Alamo Traffic Net and let us help.  We have connections to the outside world through the 7290 Traffic Net, the Texas Traffic Net and even the CW traffic.

Call us on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays at 1900hrs, on 443.025 + 82.5.  We use the standard ARRL Traffic format so keep your message short (25 words or less) and sweet.  When you call, use ITU phonetics for your call sign and we’ll talk to you.

There will be some future nets to train on the proper method to pass traffic and opportunity for people to sent some messages out to learn and operate.

BTW, you don’t have to have a message, we’d just like to hear from you.  Come on up and get on the count.

History: In years past, the Central Texas Traffic Net was held nightly on the 147.14 Buzzard’s Roost repeater located east of Canyon Lake. However when the repeater’s aging Heliax (coax) deteriorated to the point of making this strong repeater almost worthless in coverage area, the net was discontinued.  Several other repeaters were tried, but none had the coverage area (from Austin to San Antonio and beyond), so eventually the net was dropped.  The Daytime Texas Traffic Net continues to be on HF 7.285 in the mornings (Monday thru Saturday, 8:30-9:30am CT).  More information can be found on Facebook or  their website… http://www.daytimetexastrafficnet7285.org/

John was born 9/3/1947 & raised in Beverly Hills California. He had 2 brothers Tom Orton & Jim Orton & a sister Victoria Orton.  A daughter Tina Marie Orton, and nieces and nephews.

He went to Beverly Hills High School, then transferred to Belmont High School in Los Angeles where he met at the time & went steady with who would one day be his wife, Karen in 1965. He graduated from Beverly Hills High in 1967 & moved to the Bay area in Northern California, he attended Cabot College.  His career as an Aero Space Engineer took him everywhere from the West Coast to Korea.

John had various interests during his lifetime, he loved trains, sail boating, surfing, hiking, motorcycling & riding his mountain bike plus gardening…but what he loved most was Ham Radio.  In California he was known on the radio as “WA6BOB”.

See his ham radio website  here… http://w5jbo.weebly.com/

In March 2010 John retired from Space Vector in Chatsworth, California and moved to Texas where he met up again with his now wife Karen and they were married in January 2011, after 44 years of loosing track of each other.

John got back into radio again in Texas and acquired a new handle of  “W5JBO” he got into contesting, was always asked to help out with testing, he would volunteer to put up other operators antennas & would also volunteer to do radio repairs in our garage.  Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve replaced the older calendar of events application that I had been using, with a new version.  I feel the new version will be easier and more intuitive for users to add their own events to the calendar.  All users, who have been bumped higher than the default “subscriber” level, should be able to add their own events.

With this new version, if you have a repetitive event (like a monthly meeting, etc.), you can create the first event, then return back to that event and change the date and click the “COPY” button at the bottom of the input screen.  That will duplicate the entry and place it on the date chosen.  I’ve started entering dates for most of the local ham clubs, but it becomes such mind boring / dumbing work after awhile, that I took a break.  I’ll resume when I have some more spare time.

I will be adding in future public service events as well as posting the info to the BLOG area (where you are reading this article).

Volunteers are always needed, so don’t hesitate about raising your hand. Prior experience is not a requirement, as we all started out with the same amount of experience in the beginning, that being “none”.  We’ll place you in a position or with another more experienced ham, according to your comfort level and equipment abilities.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Echo-Link Station K5NNN-L, is now running on 146.52 MHz national calling frequency.  It is located at my house, at 940ft M.S.L. The antenna is a 7.2 dbi gain antenna and sits  on top of a 2 story house on a 20ft mast so it sit a about 1,000 feet about M.S.L. in Bexar County (San Antonio, TX). The location is near Vance Jackson, between Callaghan and Wurzbach Rd. For a more exact location, look up my callsign on QRZ.com.   You can hook up thru you cell phone also, using the Android or iPhone applications…

This EchoLink is programmed not interrupt any stations and will allow better communications with hams traveling thru the San Antonio, Texas metro area, or hams traveling away from home who want to communicate back into San Antonio. There is a regular Monday night net on 146.52 by the Unusual Suspects ham group and this would enable members of that group to participate in the net, even if they aren’t physically within radio range of everybody else on the net.

The Station ID is set to go off at 7 minutes after the hour and only takes less than a second. If it detects the frequency is busy, it waits until a gap before announcing. When a ham connects via EchoLink from their computer or cellphone, it will announce the ham’s call sign who is connected, once when they are first connected.  After that, it’s up to the ham to properly identify their own call sign.  It’s output is a little over 150 watts. This EchoLink station can hear very well and reaches out to between 30 and 50 miles from this location, depending upon terrain.

Read the rest of this entry »

HT Rodeo!
Sponsored by your friendly neighborhood ARES group!

Saturday, April 19, 2014 @ Red Cross on E Houston St, 78219

This All-day event starts at 9:00AM

• HT Contests!
• Antenna Shootout (2M)!
• Prizes!
• Free Picnic Lunch!
• Educational workshops and seminars!
• Free!
• -No admission charge
• -No entry fee
• -No charge for lunch
  • (Desserts and snacks will be available for a small charge)
• -No charge for workshops

To Participate:

1. Pre-register by sending your name and call sign to HTrodeoRSVP@gmail.com Only those pre-registered by April 12th will be able to participate in the weeklong Roundup event leading up to the rodeo. Details on how to participate will be return emailed.
2. Bring your HT to the event -preferably charged up and ready to rodeo!

Ruth Lewis KE5MHJ
Bexar County ARES EC

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!

ARRL FIELD DAY -June 28-29, 2014

To work as many stations as possible on any and all amateur bands (excluding the 60, 30, 17, and 12-meter bands) and to learn to operate in abnormal situations in less than optimal conditions.

Field Day is open to all amateurs in the areas covered by the ARRL/RAC Field Organizations and countries within IARU Region 2. DX stations residing in other regions may be contacted for credit, but are not eligible to submit entries.

Field Day is always the fourth full weekend of June, beginning at 1800 UTC Saturday and running through 2059 UTC Sunday. Field Day 2014 is June 28-29.


This year, the BEXAR OPERATORS GROUP (W5BOG) will be running a good – old fashioned Field Day operation at the Callaham Unit at Choke Canyon Texas State Park.

In keeping with what Field Day should be about, we will be building our HF antennas from scratch and launching them, “site unseen”.

We will be operating out doors under canopies unless the temp exceeds 95 degrees in which case we will be operating from the air conditioned cabin we will be renting and sleeping in.

Anyone is invited to come and see what a real field day is all about. Our rigs will be powered by deep cycle batteries which will be solar charged. Please contact us at alonestaryank@aol.com  if you wish to join up with us for this fun event. We will be supplying the food and drinks.  Bob – W2IK

Note from webmaster – Bob knows how to conduct a really good, high scoring, field day operation. If you want to learn from one of the best, make the effort to drive a bit further and watch the master at work!  Other clubs will be holding Field Day in areas closer to San Antonio if you don’t feel up to driving so far, or if you want to support your local club’s activities. We’ll post those locations as soon as we have them confirmed. – Lee N5NTG