San Antonio Hams

Every year REACT does a community project at the dam on Canyon Lake that cannot come off unless REACT is there. The Army Corp of Engineers will not open the gates to the walk way across the dam unless our team is there. In order to make sure the event is covered this year I am looking for a total of three people to work it. You would need to be in place at the dam at 0800 and would probably be done by noon or before. This is a community walk that usually involves about 200 walkers. We only need to put one person at each end of the dam and one person in the middle. You could almost work this one using semaphore. If you’re not sure what semaphore is ask Skip/WB4DAD. An old squid like Skip would know, but that doesn’t mean he’s all that old, heck I learned in the Boy Scouts and that wasn’t yesterday either! More practically you can use simplex on low power or I’m sure Wade/W5ERX would be more than happy to let you use his repeater on 444.45 + and a PL of 114.8. Wade normally is the guru on this event for REACT every year however duties in Travis County keeps him away this year. We already have Mike/WQ5C from GVARC scheduled so actually I only need two more people. I like to work it but we have a very important engagement that same day in Bandera to support the AQHBA (American Quarterhorse Breeder’s Assoc). Since I have a packet station and worked this event last year I probably need to be there. Last year there wasn’t a conflict with the Crop Walk.

I must apologize but I don’t set the dates for these events. There is nothing we can do about that but both events are quite important. If you can please help us out I look forward to a call or an email. Please contact me anytime at 210-619-6217 or at k5gst01@gmail.com GaryT 73’s de K5GST REACT Ops Manager

I’m looking for volunteers to help with communications during the Spring Tour de Gruene Team Fondo on Saturday, March 5, 2011, from 10am – 3pm. 

The event takes place in & around Gruene, FM 306, Sattler, and River  Road. This is the first year for this event, and I think we can use as many stations as possible.  We will be using 2 meter Ham Radio with the 147.000 repeater, in fixed locations.  Mobile radios with external antennas may be needed in some locations due to terrain.  At this time, we do not anticipate the need for any mobile units.

Thanks,
 –Mike WQ5C
pfeufferm@gmail.com

Just got the heads up from Andrew Watson, president of Alamo Area Radio Organization, that his club has locked in the date of  Saturday, April 9, 2011, at Incarnet Word University.

We (AARO) have co-sponsored nine one-day CRASH REVIEW courses with the Southwest Research Corporation’s ham radio club.  We have received confirmation on room scheduling at the Univ. of the Incarnate Word for Saturday, 9 April 2011. 

The anticipated cost will be $50, which includes a continental breakfast, a box lunch from Jason’s Deli, and $15 fee for the test that goes to the American Radio Relay League and is filed with the Federal Communications Commission.

Download the flyer here…  TechFlyer_040911wUIWmap

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I just talked to Glenda Griffin. Her dad, Hal Roby, K5JMI passed away last night, February 7, 2011.  We have lost a great friend of the Amateur community.  Services are pending.

73’s Jim Hargrave W5IFP

SAHams Note:   Sunset Memorial Park on Austin Hwy, Visitation is Thursday from 5-7 PM.  Service is Friday at 1:30 PM.   Burial Ceremony is Monday morning (I think) at FT Sam Houston

SAHams Note:  Hal was a fixture of the nightly Rainfall net on the 146.94 machine, and we believe a long term member of the San Antonio Radio Club.   It was reported around the end of November 2010, that Hal had fallen and had lost his motor skills.  He was admitted to BAMC around 12/7/2010 and later moved to a nursing home to undergo therapy.  Hal was 87 and had Alzheimer’s. He did not recognize his family or friends towards the end of his life.  He would have turned 88 later this week.

My father, Louis Guido Jr., N5JKH, passed away Friday evening. His support was very instrumental in the building of many Packet Radio nodes and networks throughout South Texas from 1986 until 1995.

A Rosary will be recited on Monday, February 7 at 7:00pm at San Francesco di Paola Catholic Church.

The Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, February 8 at 10:00am at San Francesco di Paola Catholic Church. Interment will follow the Funeral Mass at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery.

His obituary can be found at the link below.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sanantonio/obituary.aspx?n=louis-lorelli-guido&pid=148365037&fhid=8911

Paul Guido, N5IUT

From the obit…

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Ivan Mangold - picture taken in 2005

Ivan Mangold WA5RNV was a long time member of San Antonio Radio Club and the San Antonio Repeater Organization.

Here is his obituary & funeral service info.  Our thanks to Andrew Watson KD5NNN for providing us with this.  Photo taken in 2005.

Ivan Anton Mangold, WA5RNV, passed away on Thursday, January 6, 2011, after a short illness. He was born in Medina County, Texas on May 10, 1920, and was raised in LaCoste, Texas. He is survived by his beloved wife, Lillian; daughter and son-in-law, Cathy and Bill Munk; son and daughter-in-law, Tommy and Arla Mangold; son and daughter-in-law, Tony and Jodie Mangold; daughter and son-in-law, Ann and Claude Kainer; ten grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren; brother, Sylvan Mangold and wife, Virginia; sister, Mitzie Tondre; sister-in-law, Shirley Mangold; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Ivan graduated from Lytle High School in 1936, and then attended St. Mary’s University.

In 1940, he began his employment with Turner Roofing Company as a Cost Accountant. He proudly served for two years in the US Army during WWII where he became the First Sergeant and Acting Master Sergeant of the 101st Guided Missile Battalion, testing missiles at White Sands. After his service, Ivan returned to Turning Roofing Company and in 1951, he purchased the company. Ivan was a faithful member of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church.

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On January 23rd at 1600 UTC, W5BOG, the Bexar Operators Group, will go on the road (operating ROVER) during the 2011 ARRL January VHF SweepStakes. We will attempt to cover a few rare grid squares during this operation: EM00, RT 41 North Of Leakey, DL99, RT 55 South of Rocksprings, EL 08, La Pryor, DL98, West of La Pryor on RT 57, and DM90 at Rocksprings with a quick stop at EL09 at the “look out” North of Leakey. (Grid square operation in the following order but subject to change especially if we get any pileups) We will be operating on both 6 meter (horz. loop) and 2 meter (horz. beam) SSB.:  EL09 (1600 utc), EM00 (1730 utc), DM90 (1930 utc), DL99 (2100 utc), DL98 (2300 utc),  and EL08 (0030 utc).  Anyone who wishes to join us may do so by emailing: alonestaryank@aol.com   See what it’s like to operate vhf rover and hand out QSOs from rare grid squares.

Where: Hill Country State Natural Area – Bandera County Texas

When:  January 8 and 9th, 2011

What:  Tejas Trails – Bandera 100k Ultra Marathon

Start: 0700 hrs Saturday, the 8th

Finish: 0700 hrs Sunday, the 9th (radio operations typically stand down at 0430 hrs, when the last aid station closes down)

The event is three races in one, a 25k, 50k and 100k that incorporates nearly every trail on the 5400 acres of Hill Country State Natural Area. This is a unique situation to train and test EmComm abilities in a remote environment, provide a service, as well as enjoy the Texas Hill Country!

Duties:  This is a 24 hour all weather event! Amateur operators man the Aid Stations and duties are basically like any other bike or running event (BP150, MS150, River Safari, etc), relaying supply needs, runner counts and times, and coordinating the Horse Patrol with Safety and SAR operations!  Operators support Race Control, Aid Stations and the HCSNAP Coordinated Horse Patrol! Operators will stay in constant contact with the Aid Station Captain and/or Race Recorder, in order to keep the Database up-to-date.

Needed:  We need 10 or so licensed Amateurs to assist with this event. The more the merrier! Minimum 50 watt dual band portable/mobile EmComm type set-ups required in case we need to go simplex, if the repeater fails to produce.  Most communications will be done with 5 watts or so through the hilltop repeater, but just in case of a catastrophic failure of the repeater, we can go to simplex. All the Aid stations allow close proximity of your vehicle, so proper crossbanding can be utilized!

Even if you can only help out for a part of the event, we can still use you!

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Every year, hams go to their local National Weather Station to operate for 24 hours, contacting other National Weather Stations and ham radio operators.    Locally, our NWS station for Austin / San Antonio is located in New Braunfels, next to the New Braunfels Airport, just east of that town.

Louis Upton K5STX, Member of Hill Country REACT and Chaparral Amateur Radio Club, was the coordinator.  He established a 24 hour schedule from 6pm CDT Friday, December 3rd, thru 6pm Saturday, December 4th.  The following hams participated in this year’s event.

We made contact with 56 National Weather Stations and about 270 total contacts, using HF, VHF, UHF, EchoLink, PSK31 and IRLP modes.

The following hams worked many long hours to make this event a success.

• JC Smith – N5RXS
• Wade Boling – W5ERX
• Jeremy Davenport – KE5ELI
• Richard Graham – N5RAG
• Bob Hejl – W2IK
• Joe Bruno – KE5YWO
• Wade Martyn – WB5C
• Louis Upton – K5STX
• Lee Besing – N5NTG

Visitors Friday:

• Chuck – WB5FWI
• Danny – WA5KRP

Photos from the event…