Jan 17

BEXAR OPERATORS GROUP announces the 2010 version of it’s “Jump Team Boot Camp” which will be held on May 14 – 16th. This year’s event is a full three days. 

This would be the fourth “Jump Team Boot Camp” given by the Bexar Operators Group. It would be a three day deployment event at a site yet to be disclosed. This “Jump Team Boot Camp” will concentrate on amateur radio and the ways and means to get a communications jump team operational should there be a need to deploy some distance from your home and communicate in the aftermath of a disaster when nothing is left standing. Learn what other groups don’t teach. This is a complete “hands on” class.

Just like previous sessions given by the Bexar Operators Group, this will be an actual drive-and-operate operation and NOT a desktop drill. When the destination has been reached, all participants will assist in the construction of shelters and operating areas after being prepped on procedures.

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Dec 24

This is the model of the balloon we will be flying

On February 26th (2200Z) until February 28th (2200Z) The Bexar Operators Group, W5BOG, will be operating from the Choke Canyon State Park, located in Calliham just west of Three Rivers, Texas, in the sheltered (cabin) area.

We will be testing a balloon launched vertical antenna about 126 feet high. It will be stabilized by four guy-cords. A special based-loaded antenna balun (4:1) has been obtained for easier antenna matching. The ground radial system will have at least 4 full sized wires with possibly more.

We will also make a determination, based upon weather conditions and the number of people assisting, to use this vertical just for transmit and use a “beverage antenna” for receive and/or increase the vertical antenna height to 252 feet so we can better compete during this “top band” event.

Two, 9 foot meteorological balloons have been purchased for this experiment, just in case we screw up with the first “flight”.    Helium tanks will be purchased close to the flight-date.    Pictures of the step-by-step antenna setup and station operation will be taken for article submission in either “QST” or “CQ” magazine.  

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Dec 24

Checking my mail box yesterday, I was quite surprised to find an envelope from the “Heartland DX Association”.

This club runs the Nebraska QSO Party, which is held in late April each year.

See: http://www.hdxa.net/  

I had competed in this contest in 2007 and was given a certificate for top score from Texas. In 2008, I again competed but never received a reply nor were any results posted. Since I never knew what really happened, I didn’t compete in the 2009 event.

You can imagine my shock when I just received a certificate for “Tops From Texas” for the 2008 contest!   In 2010 I will compete in other state QSO events and hopefully will get rewarded with more certificates, but in a more timely manner.     You should try a few of these contests as well as they are alot of fun!

Also see: http://sanantoniohams.org/blog/?p=821

  73 Bob W2IK

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Dec 20

San Antonio ham, W2IK, wins top honors, and this plaque, for his 2009 efforts.

Fellow Hams —

Happy Holidays!  I’m emailing you, as participants of last year’s NMQP, to announce the 2010 New Mexico QSO Party.  You are invited to participate in 2010’s event, which will be sponsored by the Valencia County Amateur Radio Association, and take place Sunday, February 7 from 8:00am MST until 8:00pm MST.

Last year marked the return of the New Mexico QSO Party after a brief hiatus.  Improved promotion, rules, and awards for the winners of various operating categories resulted in 127 participants…plus probably many more who didn’t submit their logs.  Specifically, 44 participated within New Mexico (including 7 mobile stations who activated a combined 24 of New Mexico’s 33 counties), and 73 participated from elsewhere in the United States.  Ten DX stations — from Canada, Lithuania, Azores, Czech Republic, Germany, and Romania — also participated and submitted logs.

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Dec 15

Straight_Key1) Object: This is a friendly meeting on the air using straight keys. The object is to simply have fun and enjoy making CW QSOs, preferably with a manual sending device. Any CW is permissible, but straight keys are preferred. Many stations also enjoy using vintage gear, but this is not required. Break out those old J-38s and break the rust off!

2) Date and Time: Every January 1 from 0000 UTC through 2359 UTC.

3) Exchange: Straight Key Night is not a contest; enjoy making leisurely QSOs with no special exchange. Participants are encouraged to call CQ with “CQ SKN” to attract attention.

4) Reporting: Send in a list of stations worked, along with your vote for Most Interesting QSO and Best Fist. Email entries go to straightkey@arl.org; paper entries may be sent to ARRL Straight Key Night, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111.

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Nov 21
 Results of the Bexar Operators Group “Ladder Line” Testing
 
It was a great day for doing a few tests involving 450 Ohm “ladder line” as several members of the Bexar Operators Group met at the John James Park to compare the findings of the recent ARRL tests on this lead-in vs real life testing.
 
If you read the ARRL article in the November issue of QST, you’d note that the readings and findings they did were “static tests” using measuring equipment and NOT actual operating tests. For our testing we did the same “static tests” they did with basically the same results. After this initial testing, we then did what they failed to do: We used this setup but applied varying amounts of RF power through the water – saturated (near ground level) ladder line while observing the swr readings.
 
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Nov 12

samuel_qrmStan, KA5IID, has proudly announced that his wife, Cynthia, delivered a bouncing baby boy on Saturday, November 10th, 12:17pm, named Samuel Earl Stanukinos.  Samuel weighed in at 8 pounds 3 ounces, 20.5 inches long.

For more photos online, please visit this link, or click on photo..

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Nov 12

2009 National Weather Service
Skywarn Recognition Day
December 5, 2009
0000-2400 UTC

SKYWARN Recognition Day was developed in 1999 by the National Weather Service and the American Radio Relay League. It celebrates the contributions that volunteer SKYWARN radio operators make to the National Weather Service. During the day SKYWARN operators visit NWS offices and contact other radio operators across the world.

 The National Weather Service Austin-San Antonio TX will be a part of this year’s Skywarn Recognition Day event. If you wish to be a part of the Austin-San Antonio effort, contact Wade Bolling who will be spearheading the schedule.  Please contact him at:  w5erx@arrl.net

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Nov 9
 
450_Ladderline_coilAs explained in the November issue of “QST” (page 66) the ARRL examined the use of ladder-line and did some rudimentary testing of this cable in dry vs wet conditions.
 
They had test gear to measure the SWR and other concerns. At the end of the testing they reported that beyond a simple re-adjustment of the tuner they used not much in the form of variations occurred.
 
Unfortunately, their tests were not complete.
 
This weekend, the Bexar Operators Group will do some “real life” testing of ladder-line and the implications of getting the dry line saturated to prove that the ARRL’s final assumptions are “all wet”! Having done some experimentation 20 years ago using ladder-line as a feed cable, W2IK came up with some very different findings.
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Aug 17

More photos from the August 15th Cowboy Homecoming in Pleasanton, TX where Atascosa County Amateur Radio Club WA5AR had a demonstration station.  This country fair had all the usual amentities like rooster roping, bull riding, pony rides, beauty queens, home-made jewelry, ham station demonstrations, and oops!  even Longhorn Mobile operations? 

Click on photos below for larger view.

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