Earlier today (10/3) we received confirmation from persons close to the family of Tex Kennedy N5TX, that he had passed away this morning at the age of 87.   Tex was well known in the ham radio & commercial radio community.  Kennedy Communications over on Rigsby Road, was a tremendous support to the REACT Teams since the mid 80’s, supplying REACT with multiple GMRS Repeater sites & equipment on a very affordable site lease.  Tex also operated KComm The Ham Store, and BK Tower company.

Most recently in 2010, he allowed Hill Country REACT to change out their GMRS 462.600 repeater up near Startzville, for an Amateur Radio repeater on 445.500 mhz, which is now linked by IRLP to other area repeaters in Hays/ Caldwell Counties via the “Devils Backbone”  (where do they come up with these names?).  Kennedy Communications was sold back in the early 2000’s (time?), but first they arranged for 99 year leases to be signed on behalf of REACT to preserve our GMRS repeater sites.   Only the original 462.675 site in NE San Antonio is still on the air, due to the above mentioned change to the 462.600 site.

As we find out more details regarding funeral arrangements, etc, we will be posting them here.

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We need hams for the Alamo Area Law Enforcement Explorer Competition (AALEEC)

Saturday, 22 October 0700 to about 1630
Southwest High School, 11960 Dragon Ln, San Antonio, TX 78252

Need about 6 to 8 hams to cover the following events at approximately three locations:

Events will be: Accident Investigation, Arrest-Search-Seizure, Bicycle Obstacle Course, Bomb Threat, Building Search, Crime Scene Search, Crisis Negotiation, Domestic Disturbance, Felony Stop, Robbery in Progress, Team Building (Obstacle Course), Traffic Stop.

Volunteers start showing up at 6am, registration starts at 7am, briefing at 8am, lunch 12-1, competition ends at 4:30, hope to have the closing ceremony at 5pm, done by 6pm.

So as not to work our ham radio operators all day, two shifts is desired, but not necessary. Shift one will be 0700 to 1130 and shift two will be 1130 to about 1630. If you want to work the event all day that would be appreciated. We begin shutting down our stations around 4:30.

Dave W5QS
210-287-5036

KING KONG DUAL BAND ANTENNA 2 METER & 70 CM

This Antenna comes in Dual Band  2 meter &  70 cm..
or just single band for 2 meter or just 70 cm.
We also make them for 220 mHz

FACTS

1.     WATER PROOF
2.     MADE OF 450 PSI   PVC PIPE
3.    OMNI – DIRECTIONAL
4.     6 dbi  on VHF,   8 dbi or better on UHF
5.     V.S.W.R.  1.2 and no higher than 1.8
6.    POWER  150 Watts
7.    VERTICAL  OMNI  With no radials
8.    LENGTH   72 Inches
9.    WIND SPEED  150 +
10.  Screw Hook in top for easy suspension / hanging
11.   Standard SO-239 Chassis Connector (coax not included)

COST $45. FOR SINGLE BAND – VHF, UHF,  or 220 mHz

COST $65. FOR DUAL BAND VHF AND UHF

If you would like one call Andrew K5NNN on his cell  210-422-5304

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Morris E. Sullivan KG5CP went to be with the Lord on September 4, 2011 in San Antonio, Texas. He was born on March 14, 1931 in Harlingen, Texas to Morris D. Sullivan and Rosa Mae Hack Sullivan.

Mr. Sullivan served in the Korean War with the U.S. Marine Corps and in the Vietnam War with the U.S. Air Force.

He was a volunteer firefighter for the N.W. San Antonio Volunteer Fire Dept. and was also involved with Rainfall Net on HAM Radio, which reported rainfall to the National Weather Service. He was an accomplished woodworker and avid gardener. He was a computer enthusiast, having technical aptitudes and capabilities to troubleshoot the most difficult of problems.

Mr. Sullivan loved dogs, and held a special place in his heart for his canine friends. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Nellie Selk Sullivan; daughters, Debbie Spencer (Walter), Sue Hosack (Curtis), Cathy Letson (Tony), Brenda Sullivan (Larry), Sherrie Sullivan (Chris); son, Wayne Sullivan (Renee); 8 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren.

SERVICES A Graveside Service will be held on Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 2:00PM at Mission Burial Park North, 20900 IH-10 West, San Antonio, Texas 78257, with military honors. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society , 8115 Datapoint, San Antonio, Texas 78229.

“National Guard Helicopters drop supplies to support towns completely cut off due to Hurricane Irene” “No power, phone or roads to towns hard hit by Hurricane Irene”

I’m sure you’ve seen the videos of cars being swept down swollen rivers in Vermont. Who would have ever thought that a coastal hurricane would dump so much water over land-locked Vermont to cause such devastation! This reminds me of the time back in the late 1990’s when I was dropped along with supplies in to a town in upstate New York to supply emergency communications during the North East Ice Storm. It’s just another reminder that emergency communications teams must be prepared for any event. This is also a glaring reminder that we need well-trained “Jump Teams” in every area to assist with emergency communications support. EVERY local emergency communications group needs to have a Jump Team on hand to help cope with this type of disaster. Just as it happened in Vermont, it could happen in Texas. Towns being cut off. No power. No communications.

 If you don’t know how to start a Jump Team, or what your team would need, just go to this website for information and support: http://www.texasmars.com/

 Bob W2IK

Hams have the opportunity all year round to use their communications skills & equipment to help out the community & have fun while doing it.  SARO is very active in these events, and helping out with others. There are three major bike tours originating near San Antonio, plus the big daddy of them all that runs from Houston to Austin on the third weekend of April. To keep up on what’s happening in the local  ham world, stay tuned to SanAntonioHams.org/blog.

If you know of any ham related events not included in the list below, please contact Lee N5NTG at info@sanantoniohams.org.  Better yet, why not register as a user on this site, then ask Lee N5NTG to bump your status up so you can directly post your own articles and photos?

Coming up Fall 2011, to a start line near us, will be the following events/ opportunities:

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Ladies and gentleman, we did an outstanding job of organizing and fighting the attempted take over of simplex Freq by the Digital Repeater folks. There was some very spirited debate going on at the meeting (TX VHF-FM Summer Meeting in Austin, 8/5/2011)  with a strong force against this proposed Band Plan change. 

I am glad so many of us put forth an effort to get the word out to fight, I believe had we not done so the Band Plan would have passed and we would have lost some valued frequencies. As it is they the vote was just about 2:1 against the proposed band plan change with 58 against and 26 in favor.

As a note, it was a big surprise to find out the Armadilo group was not supporting in and most of them were against the plan as well, so shows you how fast misinformation can spread.  I appologize for my repeating such rumors.

WE WON FOLKS!

After the vote, a motion for a very solid method of dealing with the digital/analog situation was proposed and it made sense for all parties there and should pass next year. Check out the Texas VHF FM society web page for exact details.

But this shows that if we organize and fight for what we believe in, we can overcome. Thanks to all who voted this ill conceived idea down.

Greg Lewis/N5XO
n5xo@satx.rr.com

I came away from the San Antonio meeting (8/1/2011) with the Texas VHF Society very disappointed. First off, based on the wide range of comments, complaints, etc from hams around town on the air and via e-mail I expected a much greater turn out, the turn out was a major disappointment. People if we do not stand up and count, we are going to lose a chunk of our simplex freq and it was CLEARLY JUST A STARTING POINT.

First off, the Texas VHF Society reps stated they are trusties of the band based on ruling by the FCC. Well if they are trusties then they represent ALL HAM RADIO OPERATORS, not the special interest groups in Houston, etc. In a case that impacts all of Texas Hams, I think it is inexcusable that you have to pay to vote on an issue that impacts us. On this issue, if you have a Ham lic then you should have a vote. A select group should not be able to run roughshod over thousands of ham radio operators.

I went to this meeting yesterday thinking they were looking for input from ham radio operators around the state and that a solid voice could help make a difference. That is not what the meeting was about, it was to tell us what they planned and basically that we needed to LIVE WITH IT.

Multiple things about this band plan concern me.

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What: Discussion of the Proposed TX VHF-FM Band Plan Change for Simplex & D-Star Frequency Allocations
When:  Monday, August 1st, 7PM-9PM
Where:  American Red Cross HQ, 3642 E. Houston Street in San Antonio  (Near IH-10 & Houston, near the AT&T Center) See map.

It has been arranged for Eric from the TX VHF-FM society to come to San Antonio to speak to us and hold a question and answer session regarding the pending band plan changes to the VHF band. The Texas VHF-FM Society has had a proposal to modify the Texas band plan since 2008. Details of the proposal can be found at their website here.

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