Dec 15

2014 Quarter One GVARC VE Test Session

The next regularly scheduled GVARC test session will be held on January 4th, 2014 at the New Braunfels Fire Department Training Facility located at 1311 Industrial Drive Suite A, New Braunfels, TX 78130.
The session will begin at 10:00am and conclude at 2:00pm, or when candidates stop arriving.

Please have these items with you when you arrive to take your test:

  • $15 – Cash, check, or money order (We can’t accept plastic quite yet)
  • Two forms of identification – State issued ID card, plus something like a CHL, school ID, passport, etc.
  • Your currently held license or CSSE — if you have one.

Note:  This is strictly a testing session. No test material will be taught or reviewed.

The VE team will be monitoring the 147.000 repeater if you need any assistance in finding the testing location.

Please contact the GVARC VE Team if you have any questions.

More details can be found here… http://gvarc.org/2013/12/07/gvarc-qtr4-VEsession.html

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Dec 10

JUMP TEAM BOOT CAMP 2014 (April 4th-6th)

Due to a lack of response/interest (people wishing to take this FREE course) I am cancelling this event. It will not be rescheduled. The cost, which comes out of my own pocket, for renting a group wilderness site, food and water, extra equipment, parts for building special projects for each attendee on-site (this session would have had each member building their own  Emergency NVIS antenna which stores in a section of PVC sewer pipe and needs no tools for deployment), printing the 200 page workbooks, tee shirts, caps, etc  amounts to several hundred dollars. Just the cost of replacing the a missing tent and one HF rig when I did a loan out of my Jump Team gear for hurricane Sandy has put a damper on my spirit to continue this emergency communications training. Since I already had the workbooks ordered from the printer, I will be making these available to interested parties at a later date for just my printing costs and mailing. (ONE to a customer)
Bob W2IK
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Nov 28

GrumpyShop_ChristmasAd_2013

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Nov 26

I have a Yaesu FT-450D with power supply for sale for 800$USD.  (Photo is a stock photo provided by this site’s webmaster)

Cliff Gieseke,  W4ZFL/5
Tel. 210–745–1141
cliffgie@swbell.net
San Antonio, TX

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Nov 26

WE5ET_Bill_ReichertDear Friends of Bill Reichert,

As some of you may have heard by now, it is with very sad hearts that we let you know of the passing of our father.  He was our knight and will be missed beyond words, but it is also our faith that he is surrounded by God’s love and grace and now reunited with our mother who went on before him.  Dad was with his family when he died at about 5:15 a.m. on Friday, November 22, 2013, and we don’t think that’s a coincidental date or time, as our mom also died on a 22nd and our dad was the founding Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 515, which he loved and devoted much of his life to.

We want people to know that our dad “fought the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7); he put forth a long and valiant recovery effort after his heart attack and major heart surgery last December 2012.  Just to live into one’s 70s, 80s, or even 90s is to survive, and our dad lived all of his life with a congenital heart problem.  Even so, he got a lot of mileage with his heart: Getting through A&M’s Corps of Cadets, the Korean War, the military, engineering sites out in the field, camping all over the country with the Scouts, and square dancing – and all with a compromised heart, though one with plenty of love.

Even when he had his heart attack last December and called 911 for himself, he still wasn’t down.  With few options and the information he had been given at the time, he chose to go for an intensive heart surgery and not only survived the surgery, but also several weeks in ICU, and then slowly but surely, he started his physical recovery and got better, step by step, at age 82, and all while still having a compromised heart.  Our dad was a very strong man even up until the very end when he realized “it was time,” which also takes a whole lot of mental and spiritual strength and courage.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Nov 11

k9ASL_Bill_CaboBill Clabo K9ASL became a Silent Key November 7, 2013. All hams are invited to a celebration of his life on Friday, November 15, 2 PM to 8 PM, at the family home in San Antonio, TX 78245. (Look up his call sign to get address, we’re withholding it here to protect their privacy and security – Lee N5NTG)

K9ASL_Bill_ClaboBill was a life member of ARRL, QCWA and OOTC. He served as a VE at 73 sessions.

He was a retired Coast Guard Master Chief Petty Officer, electronics tech, 1961-1995. He held an Amateur Extra ham radio license.

Information about his Coast Guard Service can be found here. http://tinyurl.com/l65lnl3

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Oct 22

Title: Technician Ham Class – Day 1 of 2
Location: Santa Christa Rosa Hospital – Seaworld
Link out: Click here
Description: Bob Rodriguez K5AUW is conducting a 2 day Technician Ham Class on Saturday, November 9th and 16th. Contact Bob via email at bobrod@flash.net for more details. Test fee on November 16th will be $15. Pre-study highly recommended. Class will be held both days, with testing done at the end of second day.
Start Time: 08:00
Date: 2013-11-09
End Time: 17:00

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Sep 17

If you’re bored and you know it, charge your batteries, dust off those emergency go-kits sitting in the garage, and get your radios programmed to work these upcoming events.  Even if you aren’t bored, it’s still that time of year anyway.

radio_critterI know more help is really needed for the two upcoming bike rides on September 21st and October 12-13th. I’m pretty sure that all of the other events will be grateful for some extra ham help as well.

Where available, I have listed email address links for the contact person. If you don’t see a contact link, or are unsuccessful in contacting them, please feel free to contact me direct for more info or help. – Lee N5NTG

  • September 21st – OLPH Wildcat Ride and Run – Jeremy KE5ELI
  • September 28-29th – Texas QSL Party
  • October 5th – Belton HamExpo
  • October 5th – BikeMS150 San Antonio Training / Briefing meeting for hams / volunteers at 10am – Lee N5NTG.
  • October 12-13th – BikeMS150 San Antonio. 2 day event. SARO Ham Club. Charlie KC5NKK
  • October 19th – JOTA at the McGimmsey Scout Park. SARC Club – Bob K5AUW
  • October 19th – Alamo Area Law Enforcement Explorer Competition (AALEEC) at SW High School – Dave W5QS
  • October 26-27th – Cactus Rose Run (36 hour 5:30am Sat -5:30pm Sun) – Bandera Hill Country State Natural Area (100 mile). REACT Team – Louis K5STX
  • November 2nd – UC Veterans Day Parade. REACT Team – Lee N5NTG
  • November 2-3th – Tour de Gruene – GVARC ham club. Mike WQ5C
  • November 17th – San Antonio Rock & Roll Marathon – AARO – Lee N5NTG
  • December 6-7th – National Skywarn Recognition Weekend – New Braunfels NWS Office – 24 hour event (6pm-6pm) over 2 days – Louis K5STX
  • December 14th – Christmas Parade at Canyon Lake / Sattler – REACT – Wade W5ERX
  • January 11th – San Antonio Radio Fiesta – (Schertz TX) SARC Club – W5SC.ORG – Rowena KF5JCZ
  • January 11-12th – Bandera 100K Run at Hill Country State Natural Area (state park) 24 hour event over 2 days – Louis K5STX
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Sep 17

W5EDZ_Ray_WanglerRay Wangler, W5EDZ, age 86, born December 23, 1926 in San Antonio, Texas, passed away after an accident at his home on September 6, 2013.

Ray was a devout Catholic and an active parishioner at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. Throughout his life Ray took great pleasure in breeding exotic birds and was a member of the San Antonio Bird Club. He was an active Amateur Radio Operator licensed as W5EDZ for many years.  Ray was a former president and club officer of the San Antonio Radio Club.

He is survived by his wife Jeannine (Laake), to whom he was married for 65 years, and his eight children, Diane Ingram, David Wangler, Mary Styles, Joan Huey, Margaret Meissner, Mark Wangler, Angela Overley and Eric Wangler, as well as thirteen grand children and two great-grandchildren.

Ray was a loving husband and father. He grew up in San Antonio and went to St. Gerard’s grade school, Central Catholic High School and attended St. Mary’s University where he earned a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts degree. He worked for Southwest Research Institute for over 30 years as a Safety Engineer. He served as President of the Institute of Electrical Engineers for four years.

The family would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the medical professionals at SAMMC, especially the Surgical ICU, for their dedication and professionalism.

Rosary  & Mass was held on September 11, 2013
St. Gregory The Great Catholic Church
700 Dewhurst, San Antonio, TX
Interment was in Holy Cross Cemetery.

– See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sanantonio/obituary.aspx?n=raymond-wangler&pid=166875142&fhid=16135#fbLoggedOut

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Sep 17

A portion of an email I sent to a local (Texas) ham who had been talking about learning the code and doing some contesting:

One of best times I ever had was at the old ROOST location, about 9 years ago, when we were doing a CW contest.
We were on 160 meters very late one night when all of a sudden the electronic keyer  went out! I quickly went out to my car and came back with an old 1950’s Romanian straight key (I still use this key now and then). Now , mind you, we were doing a CW contest with the keyer at about 35-40 wpm. The fastest you can do code with a straight key is about 25 wpm. Although it slowed down our rate, it was fun to see Jon, the president of ROOST at that time, shake off his “rusty fist”. I usually use a straight key, so I just hummed along. It was really enjoyable.
If you ever see Danny, WA5KRP, at any meeting, ask him abt the time we did a CQ WW WPX (SSB) contest at his house, I was taking a break, laying down while others took their turns at making contacts and logging. He could not get over how I kept shouting out the callsigns of the other stations while he was having problems getting their calls correct. It’s just a matter of getting used to it. The best “filters” you’ll ever have in ham radio are your ears. The only way you become adept at it is by jumping in and contesting.
Quite a number of hams increase their copy speed during Field Day where they can act as a back up logger in the CW tent. They’ll first pick up a letter or two and it builds from there. They can get this done by sitting next to the person doing the copying and hearing as he copies the call. The exchanges during a CW contest are very short. There is a rhythm to it.  It isn’t like rag chewing on CW like I used to do.
 You’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll pick it up.   Back when you had to know code, a lot of novices would try their hand at the “ARRL Novice Round-Up” . By the end of the contest they usually had increased their speed and comprehension to the point where they could pass the 13 WPM general test. This was the reason for the contest in the first place! 
(You can also try “Straight Key Night” on new years day.)
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