Sep 27

TEXAS QSO PARTY ! September 29-30thTexas QSO PartyJust a reminder….

The Texas QSO Party occurs on the last full weekend in September. The 2012 dates are the 29th and 30th of September. Operating times are from 1400Z on SATURDAY to 0200Z on SUNDAY and from 1400Z to 2000Z on SUNDAY. Operation on all bands except on 60 meters, 30 meters, 17 meters, and 12 meters is permitted. Stations may work the entire contest period. Be sure to submit your scores by October 31.

This is a great chance to work your fellow Texans and it’s fun, too!  Just read the rules at: http://www.txqp.net/  and try to work as many stations in Texas as you can. BUT WAIT! You are in Texas, too, so try to work as many states and countries as you can. Just call: “CQ Texas QSO Party”.  Each new state or country counts as a multiplier. No matter haow many or how few stations you work, turn in your score as per instructions on the home page.

Also, read http://sanantoniohams.org/blog/?p=821 so you’ll be aware of how a “little gun” can do well in a state QSO party. You might even want to operate with some fellow ham club members as a multi-op.  Above all…. HAVE FUN!

I’ll be operating as a Single-Op Mobile , heading for all the counties south of San Antonio. If you hear me, work me and please post my operation on “DX Summit”.

Bob  W2IK

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Sep 12

QUARTER CENTURY WIRELESS ASSOCIATION SAN ANTONIO CHAPTER 38
PROGRAM 22 SEPTEMBER  2012

This month’s program promises to be of importance to all of us since we are all dependent on energy.  This month we will have Mr. John Moreno from CPS who will inform the audience how to deal with energy conservation.  Let’s all make an attempt to attend this month’s program so that we can all be enlightened on energy.

The meeting will take place at Sea Island Restaurant located on Bandera Road just inside Loop 1604  The restaurant is located inside Bandera Shopping Center across the street from HE.B.  The restaurant’s phone number is 651-7000.  The meeting starts at 12:00 but many start showing up at 11:00 a.m. to order their lunch.

It is not necessary to be a member of QCWA to attend any of our presentations.  Visitors are always welcome.

QCWA weekly net:  Chapter 38 conducts the weekly net at 147.380- (162.2) and is conducted at 8:30 p.m. local time Sunday.  All are invited to participate.  Thanks to AARO for the use of their repeater.

QCWA International Net is on 14.347 at 2:00 p.m. local time Sundays.,

QCWA CW Net takes place on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. local time at 7.036 Mhz.

73 de Chetto WB6BIE

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Sep 11

Hello Fellow HAMS:

 

Pedal Festival ride/run is asking for our assistance with communications again this year.  They have moved their date to September 29th this year to draw in the people that want to prepare for the BikeMS.  This move in date along with the La Vernia ride being moved or canceled is drawing more riders to this event.  OLPH already has 100 riders registered and they are anticipating about 300 this year.  This ride is 4 different routes (18 mile, 32 mile, 60 mile, and 103 mile) plus a 5K run and several other small events all rolled into one.  Our primary goal is the 103 mile route and the breakpoints.  All the routes start and finish in Selma at the OLPH church and school.  I am in need of operators for the 8 break points and some motor cycle marshals to help keep an eye on the course.  If I get a large response, we can look at putting operators with the 4 SAGs.

 

This event is 2 weeks before the BikeMS, use it as a test run to get your feet wet before the big one.  If you are interested in helping with this event, please contact me with your info.

 

Information Summary:

Event: Pedal Festival 2012 (www.pedalfestride.com)

When:  Saturday, September 29, 2012

Open Positions:  Breakpoint Operators, Motor Marshals, SAG Comms How to volunteer:  Email Jeremy Davenport (jeremy@heitx.com) or phone 830.743.0004

 

Thanks and I look forward to working with you.

 

Jeremy Davenport

KE5ELI

jeremy@heitx.com

830.743.0004

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Sep 4

Dr. Simon Pierre Zeitlin (Pete) WA5BJM is now a silent key at age 99.    He supported Ham Radio and was a personal friend and family doctor from the late 1940’s.  Those that knew him would be enlightened by reading the Obits in today’s Express News.  In his 99 yrs, he made quiet a journey.

73s de Jim Hargrave,  W5IFP

From the Express News OBIT

Read the rest of this entry »

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Sep 2

This year’s JOTA event in San Antonio will be held at McGimsey Scout Park in Castle Hills, near Northwest Military @ Lockhill Selma.  Members from the San Antonio Radio Club, Alamo Area Radio Organization and others will be setup for a one day event, Saturday October 20th, from around 8am til 5pm ??, helping Scouts get on the Ham Radio and showing them our hobby.

The Jamboree-on-the-Air, or JOTA, is an annual Scouting event that uses amateur radio to link Scouts around the world, around the nation, and in your own community.

Held on the third full weekend of October each year, this worldwide jamboree requires no travel, other than to a nearby radio amateur’s ham shack. Many times the hams will come to you by setting up at a Scout camporee, or perhaps they already have a ham shack at your council’s camp.

Tell Me More

Scouts of any age can participate, from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts and Venturers. Once at the ham radio station, the communication typically requires speaking into a microphone and listening on the station speakers. However, many forms of specialized communication can also take place, such as video communication, digital communication using typed words on the computer screen transmitted by radio, communication through a satellite relay or an earth-based relay (called a repeater), and many others. The exchanges include such information as name, location (called QTH in ham speak), Scout rank, age, and hobbies. The stations you’ll be communicating with can be other Scouts across town, across the country, or even around the world! The World Scout Bureau reported that the 2011 JOTA had nesrly 750,000 Scout participants from over 6,000 amateur radio stations! A participant patch is available, as is a certificate/log sheet that can also be used to fulfill a Radio merit badge requirement.

When Is It?

The 55th Jamboree-on-the-Air is October 20–21, 2012, but in San Antonio, our event will be Saturday only. The official hours are from Saturday at 00:00 hours local time (right at midnight Friday) to Sunday 24:00 (midnight Sunday evening). So you’ve got the whole weekend to make JOTA contacts.  Even if you aren’t able to help out in person, locally, get on the air and be there when other Scouts around the world are looking for folks to talk with, especially if you are a female ham radio operator!  They love to talk with the girls!  Hmm, wonder why that might be?  LOL

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Sep 2

October 13-14th – BikeMS – Valero Ride to the River bicycle event (2 days) – The event will start at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, and the route runs out thru LaVernia to Seguin & over to New Braunfels for a finish line at the Comal County Fairground. Sunday’s route starts at the fairground and runs back thru Seguin & LaVernia via a similar route to the AT&T Center finish line.

Hams are needed for a variety of assignments.

  • SAG Driver / Navigator (background check & DMV check for driver is required)
  • Break Point Hams (7-8 Break Points each day)
  • Shadow Hams for race officials (Tour directors, medical, police car, etc.)
  • Motorcycle Safety Marshal’s – Coordinated by John Perry & group
  • Turtle Vehicle(s)

Fuel is provided for all drivers of an MS supplied vehicle, and certain other authorized positions requiring driving. Charlie Land KC5NKK is coordinating all ham radio related assignments. Contact Charlie by email at charlesdland@gmail.com or call him on his cell # 512-796-7565 to volunteer (email preferred).

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Sep 2

September 8 – Tour for Children (www.tourforchildren.org) – A bicycle ride from Helotes, Texas up thru Grey Forest to Boerne, Texas, and points in between or around. Expected to have 600+ riders this year. Last year hams provided miminal support at the spur of the moment, with a ham from KARS at the northern break point, and three roving hams in their POV on the route, plus net control operating from a ham’s house in Grey Forest.

In 2012, we’ve been asked to staff 6-8 SAG Trucks from Toyota of Boerne, plus running net control of course. We might even get some M&M’s to come play with us. We’ve been promised they’ll have some 2X and 3X t-shirts this year as well, for the “not so skinny” folks.

Hams who are willing to help as SAG drivers, need to have a relatively clear drivers license background (but we aren’t running checks) and insurance coverage for their own vehicle. The event’s insurance is covering the drivers & trucks, but it’s routine to only accept drivers who can prove they are insurable. SAG drivers will need to pick up their truck at Toyota of Boerne on Friday, after presenting their DL & insurance card for proof, and the dealership is offering space to leave your personal vehicle there over night in a locked secured area.

The event will run from 7am-3pm or so, based upon last year’s timing, but we’ve learned to be flexible. If you are interested in volunteering for this event, contact Lee Besing N5NTG at 210-771-7075 or info@sanantoniohams.org for SAG driver support, or Mike Perez WA5ZAP for Motorcycle Safety Marshal support. Most M&M’s know how to reach Mike, but if you don’t, then contact Lee and he’ll get you in touch.

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