San Antonio Hams

Here is a link to a movie trailer I made from video and photos of my Skywarn Spotting Activities over the past year.

The movie, music and titling was all done on my iPhone 5 using iMovie… it’s simple easy to make you just drag and drop the files you want. it creates the audio, transitions and titling for you.

This version has been updated to remove reference to a specific local ham club and local ARES group at their request.

I hope you enjoy watching it, as much as we did making it.

Matthew Rottman K5NON
MPR Photography
Bicycling for the Heck Blog

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 »

Members of SARO and other hams helped out again at the annual Battle of the Bands Festival, sponsored by the Battle of Flowers Parade organization.   SARO was the coordinating club for communication shadows at this event.

The following 7 hams worked this event…

• Joe Bruno, W5AUQ – Announcer Shadow
• Eric Olson, WB5ZJQ – Dignitary Entrance Shadow
• Sharon Olson, KB5KZD – Band Starter Shadow
• Wendell Peters, AA5VN – Producer Shadow
• MaryAnne Horn, N5MYN – Operations Shadow
• David Besing, KD5MTJ – Medical Shadow
• Lee Besing, N5NTG – Security Shadow

I took some photos and video of the event, but haven’t had time to do any editing of the video.  But I did find out the organizers posted the full length video from the event on YouTube (was supposed to be on Ustream.tv), so you can now watch it there. I’ve been told that I was spotted in the video out on the north end of the field taking my own videos. I was wearing my lime green / orange reflective vest and dark pants that day.

Here is the video from YouTube…

Read the rest of this entry »