San Antonio Hams

We received an advance copy of the news release from the Canyon Lake Christmas Parade Committee about last weekend’s Christmas parade in Sattler (December 12th), written by Valerie Schroller of the Parade Committee.  She was the gal zipping around in that red golf cart taking care of everything and everybody who might have had their political toes stepped on for some reason during the parade. 

I got this from Valerie Schroller.  It went out to the Canyon Lake Views, the Hill Top Reporter, and the Herald-Zeitung.   She said I could forward it to anyone I choose, so I thought you might want to post something using it.  It says “unnamed volunteers”….here is the article and the rest of names of those “unnamed volunteers”.

– Wade Bolling W5ERX, President, Hill Country REACT Team.

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Charlie KC5NKK riding in UC PD Patrol Car

Received this thank you letter in the email box today from UCPD Lt. Steve Denton, who was in charge of the 2009 Annual Veterans Day Parade in Universal City, Texas. 

More than 2 dozen hams and other volunteers assisted the police department with establishing control of traffic prior to the parade beginning, moving barricades into place when instructed by radio, and telling residents or drivers that they shouldn’t turn onto Pat Booker Road once the barricades were in place.  It was the job of the Police Officers to enforce those rules, we just told folks what the rules were, then enjoyed watching the parade.   

We posted lots of photos earlier, following to the November 14th parade date, so here now is the thank you letter addressed to all the hams who helped…

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All year long, there are opportunities for you to use your Ham Radio skills in events other than contesting, or rag chewing (chatting mindlessly with other hams about nothing in particular).

Coming up in the next couple of months, the event schedule is a bit lighter than the rest of the year, primarily due to all the holidays, or is it?

Here is a list of known Ham Radio Christmas Parties and Events…

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The following 155 photos were taken and provided by Gary K5GST. Some were taken on Day 1 (Saturday 10/31) and others were taken on Day 2 (Sunday 11/01). 

If you see two riders grouped together wearing the same outfit, those photos were likely taken on Day 2 during the Team Trials. 

Those with single riders  or a few riders not wearing same outfit, were likely takend on Day 1 during the Individual Team Trials.

I’ve edited his photos that were taken sideways, so they would view correctly on your screen… -Lee

Enjoy!
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Here is a collection of about 60 photos taken by myself during Saturday’s Tour de Gruene bike tour and races (10/31/2009).

 A few of these were included in the 8 minute video, but not many of them…

Enjoy!

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The 2009 Tour de Gruene was a big success, with more than 1,800 riders on the first morning’s ride (choice of 15, 30, or 50 mile course), and close to 300 in the afternoon’s individual time trial and Sunday morning’s team time trials. They maxed out registrations for the time trials as usual. Video was taken by Lee N5NTG on Saturday, from the vantage point of 1st Crossing and 2nd Crossing, with some footage from the TT Turn-around near the end of the day. We’ve condensed 8 hours of bike riding down to about 8 minutes.

Visit us at www.HillCountryREACT.org  for more info about our radio team, or www.tourdegruene.com  for info about the races.

Members of Hill Country REACT assisted the Guadalupe Valley Amateur Radio Club in providing ham radio operators along the route, looking for issues affecting the riders’ safety, etc.  We’ve compressed about 8 hours of event down to 8 minutes in this video, but no fast forwarding on the dial was used.  Lance Armstrong was unable to participate in this year’s event due to a reported scheduling conflict with his ex.

Gary K5GST loaned out three of his cameras to other hams, and I’m not sure who took what photos from the following collection of parade photos.  

 This was the 39th Annual Veterans Day Parade in Universal City, Texas, held November 14th, 2009.   

Ham Radio Operators, coordinated by Hill Country REACT, worked closely with the Universal City Police Department to control traffic and general safety issues along the parade route.

Enjoy!

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KE5HDL Curtis

Hello all, this is Curtis Briley, KE5HDL.

I had volunteered to supply Radio Communications for the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon and to set-up reference clocks for runners to see the time as they ran the race.

KE5HDL Curtis using his cross-band radio

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MM 20.5 runners

My day started really early because I needed to escore the XYL, Pat AD5BR, to her timer clock location at Mile Marker 1 on Broadway near Jones, and then deliver a 2nd clock down in front of the Alamo at Mile Marker 2 for Don W5DK.

Having that amber light bar running on a large white van, labeled clearly as a SAG Van, with all the appropriate “All Access” passes in the windshield, plus a friendly smile and a good story, made it much easier for the wife and I to get our two vehicles past the barricades which were up prior to 6am that morning.  Remember this was the starting end of the race course, so they started barricading earlier.

I set up Pat’s timer clock on the tripod at MM1, then zipped down Broadway and drove the wrong way down Alamo until I reached the Alamo.   (Police officer said to go that way.)  I set up the MM2 Timer on the tripod, with no Don W5DK in sight, but there was a cross walk alert that kept reminding me I had 15 seconds to cross, over and over and over again while I was there.   Hope Don didn’t go deaf from listening to it all morning.

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5:30 AM Sunday we leave home bound for our assignment at mile 20.  We were on location by 6:10 AM erecting tents, tables, chairs and setting up for check in. Pre Scouted the day before and dutifully GPS marked, we were spot on for the visual location on the provided diagram.

One problem: no timer stand or mile marker. We unload the solar panel and the battery remote case (Wall-E) for the laptop and we’re set! Hit the 6:30 check in for net control. Only one small problem: 5 minutes after we checked in with the police officer manning cross streets, the race guys set the timer tripod and mile maker in front of him ¾ mile behind us. Luke and I grabbed the HT and jumped into the SUV with the clock. Backed into the new location and 5 minutes to spare started the clock on time.

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