Jul 28

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.

Map to the San Antonio American Red Cross


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.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Jul 26
GVARC RAFFLE
icon1 K5GST | icon2 General Ham Radio | icon4 07 26th, 2011| icon3No Comments »

In order to raise operating funds and avoid having to pass the hat, the Guadalupe Valley Amateur Radio Club (GVARC) is sponsoring a raffle open to all area amateurs. They are selling tickets at $5.00 a throw and have limited the raffle to two decks of playing cards. Once they have sold all cards the raffle will close as they expect the drawing to be held on the upcoming Labor Day weekend.

Up for first prize is a dual band Woxsun handie talkie, second prize is a two meter Icom handie talkie, and third prize is an Arrow Dual Band J-Pole, great for portable operation.

If you are interested in trying your luck you can drop us a note on the GVARC reflector, sorry the url escapes me at the moment, but if you search in Yahoo groups for GVARC it should point you in the right direction. Otherwise, you can contact a member of GVARC. Most of us can be found on the 147.000 machine, minus offset, PL 103.5 and you can always locate us at approximately 0730 (that’s 7:30 AM for you folks in Rio Linda!) at the Los Gallos Restaurant in New Braunfels at the corner of Loop 337 and Common Street having a large taco.

73’s and Good Luck in the Contest!
GaryT

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Jul 22

Myrtle Cole WD5JFFMyrtle Elizabeth Kyle Cole WD5JFF went to be with the Lord on July 2, 2011. She is proceeded in death by father Charles A. Kyle, mother Myrtle E. Ward Kyle, husband James O. Cole, Sr. , and brother Douglas E. Kyle, Sr. She is survived by son James O. Cole Jr. and grandson Aaron M. Cole. Charles Cole, Roger Cole, Carol Bierschle and families. Louise Kyle and her children Douglas. Jr., M.D., daughters Kim and Kelli and their families.

Her family moved from Shreveport, La. to Brownwood Texas shortly after birth and then to San Antonio in 1951 where she married James Cole in 1954. Together they started two businesses, House of TV then later Cole’s until the end of 1994.

She was blessed with a voice that entertained many that allowed her to travel with Special Services, Radio & TV Programs, Church Choirs, Modeling and doing USOs Shows from 1933 to 1964. Before, during and after WWII.

She was an active Amateur Radio Operator (WD5JFF)  and greatly enjoyed the many friends and conversations the hobby brought to her through the years, most recently on the nightly Rainfall Net on the 146.94 repeater. She was a 50+ years Member of Texas #35 O.E.S. (Order of the Eastern Stars).

Published in Express-News on July 12, 2011

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Jul 14

Basic Test Equipment and Operation  Starting 03 OCT 11 (9.5 Hours)

Class size is limited to 10 students
 
This is a “hands on” entry to mid-level level class on test equipment usage.
 
03 OCT 11 06:00 – 20:00 Safety, DMM,VTVM,
10 OCT 11 06:00 – 20:00 Oscilloscope, Freq Counter
17 OCT 11 06:00 – 20:00 Audio Oscillator, T Gen, WB noise Gen
24 OCT 11 06:00 – 20:00 Comm Service Monitor
31 OCT 11 06:00 – 19:30 Spectrum Analyzer, Antenna Analyzer
 
Classes include valuable test procedures that every ham shoud know!
How to measure voltage, current, resistance, power (Ohms law), O-scope and basic waveforms, RF measurements (effective sensitivity), Desense, insertion loss and much more…..

http://www.amateurradioeducation.org/Class-Schedules.html

Class sizes are LIMITED  to   10!
To sign up call me.

Mark A. Lacy —  CEO
W5TXR Electronic Labs
Schertz, Texas
(210) 659-7715  San Antonio Area
(830) 515-4560  New Braunfels
(210) 745-1300  FAX

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Jul 14

I will be holding a workshop on Airmail Packet Kantronics KPC3+ TNC workshop on Saturday, September 10, 2011.

 

 

 

http://www.amateurradioeducation.org/Class-Schedules.html

Class sizes are LIMITED!! 
To sign up call me.

Mark A. Lacy —  CEO
W5TXR Electronic Labs
Schertz, Texas
(210) 659-7715  San Antonio Area
(830) 515-4560  New Braunfels
(210) 745-1300  FAX
www.w5txrlabs.com

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Jul 14

Technician class starting August 1, 2011,  every Monday evening until August 29, 2011, 5 weeks of class.
VE test is on Saturday, September 3, 2011.

(15) Hours Classroom Time – This is NOT a teach the test class, I don’t don’t do that! This is a true teach, hands on (where possible) technician class.

http://www.amateurradioeducation.org/Class-Schedules.html

Class size is limited to 10 students
  • 01 AUG 11 18:00 – 21:00 Introduction to Amateur Radio
  • 08 AUG 11 18:00 – 21:00 Radio and Electronics Fundamentals
  • 15 AUG 11 18:00 – 21:00 Operating Station Equipment
  • 22 AUG 11 18:00 – 21:00 Communicating with Other Hams
  • 29 AUG 11 18:00 – 21:00 Licensing and Operating Regulations
  • 03 SEP 11 09:00 – 10:00 VE Testing Session*
There is ALWAYS time in our classes for you to ask questions!

Materials included with technician class:

  • ARRL Ham Radio License Manual Revised (2nd Edition)
  • FCC Rules and Regulations for the Amateur Radio Service Handbook
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Jul 12
In advance of the trip that two West Gulf ARRL folk are taking to W1AW, I have a few memories I’d like to share about several of my sojourns to Newington. Living on Long Island most of my life, and especially in the late 1980s and 1990’s, I’d find the time to play hooky from work several times a year and take the ferry across Long Island Sound driving the rest of the way to what many would call the “Mecca Of Amateur Radio”, the headquarters of the ARRL.
 
I’d make the trip usually to do a few things such as hand-deliver my QSL cards to be checked for DXCC awards (sorry, but after all the work to get them I didn’t want them lost in the mail.) and taking tours of the headquarters building, which in itself is an interesting education, I’d usually make my way over to the W1AW operating building. Like a kid in a candy shop, you not only get to see them programming the computers and Harris transmitters for the ARRL’s code practice transmissions, etc. but if you are a licensed ham you get a chance to operate using the W1AW callsign and use top-of-the-line equipment, amps and beams.
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Jul 12

N5AUS, West Gulf Vice Director and K5RAV, West Gulf Director, will be operating W1AW on Sunday, July 17, 2011 with the intent to contact as many West Gulf members as possible.

Look for W1AW calling “CQ West Gulf” and “CQ West Gulf Division” on 14250 – more or less. If for any reason you can’t find us at 14250, more or less, check our Twitter accounts for updates:

  • N5AUS: Twitter.com/N5AUS
  • K5RAV: Twitter.com/K5RAV

Anyone who works W1AW and would like a W1AW QSL card should send their QSL card to the ARRL and include a SASE (self-addressed-stamped=envelope) to:

W1AW
ARRL
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111

All W1AW QSOs are uploaded to Logbook of the World weekly.

Sunday operating times:

  • 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. CDT
  • 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. CDT

David and I look forward to QSOs with all!!

John Robert Stratton
N5AUS
Vice Director, West Gulf Division

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Jul 3


Location: Hill Country State Natural Area – Bandera, Texas

When: 7th and 8th of January 2012

Description:

10th Annual Bandera 100k Ultra-Marathon held at Hill Country State Natural Area in Bandera County.

Hill Country REACT has been the lead team for communications for this event the past 6 years with the assistance of many hams from the San Antonio, Austin and other areas around the state..

This event typically requires 15 – 16 Amateur Radio Operators in a situation that is similar to what an Emergency Communications Operator would experience in a disaster zone. UHF, VHF and Packet communications is involved in this event.

Interested operators should contact the Communications Safety Team Coordinator:

Link to the 2011 Bandera 100 Communications Guide (not updated yet for 2012, but pretty much the same applies, except the dates)

Bandera 100k Ham Communications Guide

K5STX, Louis Upton at k5stx@arrl.net or 830-305-2889

Start Date: 2012-01-07 Start Time: 06:00
End Date: 2012-01-08 End Time: 07:00

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Jul 3

Title: Rocky Raccoon 100
Location: Hunstville State Park – Hunstville, TX
Description:

This is an out-of-area event put on by Tejas Trails, similar in activity to the Cactus Rose 100 and Bandera 100k.held at the Huntsville State Park.  The is a fast paced event with 550 to 600 participants annually, 100 miles with a 30 hour time limit!

With 3 full stations to cover, one very remote requiring 4 wheel drive, it is another fun event, that test emergency communications capability.   We will be supporting Rocky Raccoon Communications group (a.k.a. Walker County ARES) as needed for the event.   Sleeping arrangements have been arranged for Friday night and during the weekend for rest breaks. Meals are provided to all volunteers, plus t-shirts and sometimes other goodies!

San Antonio/Austin Region operators interested in assisting with this event should contact K5STX at k5stx@arrl.net or 830-305-2889

Start Date: 2012-02-04
Start Time: 05:00
End Date: 2012-02-05
End Time: 12:00

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