San Antonio Hams

The next and last W5SC/100 Special Event operation is scheduled for Saturday, November 9, 2019, from 10 AM to 4 PM at the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology (SAMSAT), 102 Mabry Dr San Antonio, TX 78226.

“We have a “shack” in an office in the back part of SAMSAT.”

SAMSAT is on Port San Antonio campus near Lackland Air Force Base (the building was the Main Chapel for Kelly AFB). Open to the public every Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm, FREE (donations welcome), Volunteer-led tours (not always available].

On site equipment installed includes an ICOM IC-781 (provided by SAMSAT) and a roof mounted Cushcraft R-5 vertical antenna (provided by San Antonio Radio Club).

Weather and conditions permitting, SARC will again be setting up and using the club’s trailer mounted tri-band beam. Operations so far have been on 20 meters, SSB.

Notable contacts have been a Aeronautical Mobile station at 30,000 some thousand feet altitude over Arizona in May, and a submarine in August.

SARC’s Special Event operation uses the “ARRL Field Day” model, as follows: ANYONE can operate the station, regardless of license class, because we operate with an Extra-Class licensed “Control Operator”, and therefore we have Extra-Class privileges as far as frequency and mode.

Add-on encouragement: If you haven’t been to the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology, it’s well worth making the time to visit. Link to their website is below.

https://www.samsat.org/

Double hitter: visit our Centennial Event and see the museum’s fantastic displays as well.

Please join us for the 62nd Annual Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) event
and enjoy worldwide communications via Amateur Radio and the internet.

JOTA is the largest Scouting event in the world with over 1.8 million
Scouts participating across 150+ countries. Scouts of all ages are
welcome to come and participate.

This year’s San Antonio area event will be held at McGimsey Scout Park in the Cub Pavilion area.

The event starts Friday,
October 18th from 6:00PM to 10:00PM, Saturday from 9:30AM to 10:00PM, and concludes Sunday 9:30AM to 12:00PM.

Participants can camp out
overnight Friday & Saturday.

If you are interested in participating, reservations are strongly encouraged. Please send us a count of the number of youth and adults in your group that will be attending the times you are wanting to attend and if you’re group will be camping overnight.

See more info here…

https://w5sc.org/jota/

Dear club members,

I wanted to provide a reminder that the Texas QSO Party dates have changed this year. The TQP is now scheduled to take place the second weekend in September. Operating times for the 2019 contest are from 1400Z on Saturday, September 14 to 0200Z on Sunday, September 15 and from 1400Z to 2000Z on Sunday, September 15th. This is always a fun event. Texas has 254 counties so there are a lot of multipliers to work.

Does anyone have any plans for the contest?

73,

Marty
W5MRM

Do you have an antenna you purchased and want to test to see how it performs and stacks up to others?

Just received this info courtesy of the San Antonio Radio Club… better late than never, I guess.

_____________________

Mr. Curtis Edward Swafford, born on July 24, 1941 in Riceville, Tennessee, passed away at age 77 on September 17, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from Calhoun High School and TN Wesleyan College. Curtis served in the Air Force and he devoted his career to working at Randolph Air Force Base – Civil Service. Curtis is survived by his son, Mark Morga and wife Tara Morga; daughter, Christine Garza and husband Mark Garza; sister, Faye Burger and husband Carey Burger; and grandchildren, AnneMarie Garza, Stephanie Garza, Karina Morga, and Gabriela Morga. Some of Curtis’ hobbies were ham radio – W5PKE and bowling league.

Normally that would be the end of his story, but his family graciously allowed members of SARC to attend an estate sale of his treasure trove of years of collecting amateur radio equipment. Apparently, Curtis was into a lot more hobbies than just ham radio and bowling. He was into graphics art and computers from what we could see.

His memory will live on as other club members use his equipment to talk around the world. By the huge stack of QCL cards sitting by his desk, he made many contacts around the world. (A QSL card is a written confirmation of either a two-way radio communication between two amateur radio stations)

Curtis is gone but not forgotten by members of San Antonio Radio Club. While many of us did not know him while he was alive, we bonded with him through purchasing his equipment. His legacy will live on though many SARC members using his equipment once more to talk around the world.

Via: San Antonio Radio Club newsletter editor

It is with extreme sadness, that I announce the passing of Bill WX5W Roney.

Bill was an Amateur Radio operator for over 56 years and for over 4 decades was a powerful voice and influence in San Antonio Amateur Radio, I was fortunate to meet Bill on the air early 2005, and in person a few months later. A strong friendship and bond developed and in 2006 Bill and I founded the Unusual Suspects Amateur Radio UNCLUB. This grew rapidly into one of more popular Groups, with our UNCLUB format, of just having fun and taking the politics, formal meetings, etc out of the mix…….We could just be hams being hams.

Read the rest of this entry »

Field Day is a nationwide ARRL sponsored event on the fourth full weekend of June where many local ham clubs set up in a field environment to simulate the operation of amateur radios under emergency conditions.

While there is a contest aspect to Field Day, the real objective is to give members experience operating in an austere environment like those that may be faced in emergency situations.

It’s that time of year again to start up those generators, dust off those solar panels and charge up those batteries. Oh, and get your temporary antennas tested and move those radios from the boxes over to the field day location of your choice.

ARRL has a list of registered Field Day sites nationwide at this link, http://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator , but some clubs choose not to get registered prior to the event weekend. Just put in your city / state in the search bar to find your nearest event location.

Note: Any contact information listed below was found published at the ARRL site locator map, or was provided to me for this purpose. None of the email links are live, so you will need to cut/paste in order to send that person an email about their event.

Don’t expect many of them to be checking their emails frequently during the weekend, they will likely be on the radio instead. Most will have a station monitoring 146.52 simplex to gain contacts in that manner.

Side Note: The San Antonio Radio Club (W5SC) will be holding a morning VE Test Session on Saturday, June 22nd, at the Great Northwest Public Library (Near Grissom Road and Timberwilde) beginning at 10am. While walk-ins are welcome, preregistration is requested via email at hamtest@gmail.com.

Pat AD5BR will be conducting the exams with her VE team. There is the usual $15/test attempt fee payable in cash and you will need the usual ID and proof of existing license (if upgrading). Please contact Pat AD5BR for more info.

This is the last chance in the San Antonio area to upgrade to General before the question pool changes on July 1st.

Area Clubs whom I know are conducting Field Day Events, include:

Read the rest of this entry »

Our FOURTH event—sponsored by AC5RN and K5USN, and in memory of K5LKY SK

We will be there all day so stop by when it’s convenient for you!
Please join us at Fischer Park in New Braunfels Apr 27th (Saturday)

What we will provide:
• Operating stations that you are welcome to operate!. One VHF/UHF/SHF all mode station and one HF Station. WH2ACT can demonstrate Yaesu System Fusion.
• A covered pavilion in a beautiful park on a hill with tables and power from a 4 outlet plug.
• Talk in on 147.000 (-) 103.5hz or 146.52 simplex. Call KA5UAO (STEVE) for directions. Enter the park off Old McQueeny Rd.

What you may bring:

Please feel free to bring your own operating equipment or antennas but keep in mind we have limited space and we will just need to coordinate operations amongst ourselves so we don’t damage ears or receivers by operating on the same bands!

AC5RN will coordinate operating bands.

Bring what ever comforts, food and drink, family, pets, etc you need or desire.

Again Apr 27th, Saturday!
Please help spread the word!

Ronnie and I will begin setting up our stations around 7am (ish), and will be in the park throughout the remainder of the day and evening weather permitting. Come and visit and stay as long as you like!

Head on over to the park for some fun!

73,
Mark AC5RN, Ronnie K5USN

Our goals:

To promote amateur radio to the public and to potential future hams.To provide opportunity for any ham to operate on new bands and modes, exercise portability and set up, or operate without HOA antenna restrictions!To promote comradery amongst hams and have fun.

The HAMster VHF/UHF Weak Signal Group

5th Annual Lunch & Learn + Swap Meet

February 2nd 2019 @ 8:am

American Red Cross: 3642 E Houston St, San Antonio, Tx

Technical Training, Spaghetti Luncheon, VE Testing plus swap meet

RAFFLE of Multiple prizes/Grand Prize Yaesu FT-920 with Desk Microphone

FREE TRAINING—- FREE LUNCH

{Spaghetti Luncheon, Soda.Water — coffee in morning}

Swap meet Table setup – 7:15 am to 8:am

Event Schedule

===============================================

Time: Rm #: Presenter: Event:_________________________________________

7:15 N/A N/A Check in and Raffle Ticket purchases

7:15 #4-5 KG5OMX Swap Meet Check in and table setup

8:am #1-2 N5XO Introduction to VHF/UHF Weak Signal & HAMster Group

9:am #1 N7LRY Quadrifilar Helix Antenna. A surprising performer

9:am # 2 WA5FRF Antennas and Propagation

9:am #3 N5XO Is your Coax Charging you a TAX?

10:30 #1 K5VH Antenna Basics and Design

10:30 #2 N7LRY Analyzer Tools to get you that last db

11:30-13:30 Lunch is served and SWAP MEET OPENS

13:30 #1 KC5ULU How to build a 2 meter 4 element quad for under $50

13:30 #2 KA2GZW Traffic Handing-How to create a message and send it

13:30 #3 K0MHC Introduction to VHF Roving

13:30 Meeting Rm VE TEAM VE Testing for New Hams & Upgrades

14:45 #1-2 N5XO FINAL PROGRAM & RAFFLE

Raffle Grand Prizes

FT-920 100 Watt HF/6 Meter Radio with Desk Microphone

Yaesu HT, VX-5 with desk Charger

The San Antonio Radio Fiesta is scheduled for Saturday, January 13, 2018 at the Schertz Civic Center, 1400 Schertz Pkwy, Schertz, Texas.

The Schertz Civic Center offers more floor space and tables in the exhibit hall. With multiple programs scheduled, plus the winter meeting of the Texas VHF Society, we believe our attendance will increase.

VE testing starts at noon, just a few blocks down the street at the Schertz Public Library. Advance RSVP is highly recommended to hamtest@gmail.com. Bring a original & a copy of any current / previous ham license (if upgrading), your photo ID, and $15 cash for the session. No credit cards accepted. Contact Pat AD5BR at the above email address for more info.

SAN ANTONIO
RADIO CLUB

• HOURS: 8:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday.
• LOCATION: Schertz Civic Center – 1400 Schertz Pkwy, Schertz, TX
• Amateur Radio Fiesta set up:
  • Friday Night – 4 to 9 pm
  • Saturday – Set up starting at 6:30 am with the doors opening at 8 am.
• Admission Ticket: $10 at the door
• Dealer Tables: $14 at the door, if available
• Flea Market Tables: $10 at the door, if available
• Tailgate Spaces: 1 free with purchase of an admission ticket to hall, (extra tailgate space) $5 each
• Extra Prize Tickets: $1 each or 12 for $10

Also, If you want to join, or renew your membership, with the San Antonio Radio Club, you can save $3 by paying at the Radio Fiesta. Look for the SARC table near the front entrance. Dues: $12 for entire family by Jan 14 ($15 after). Sign up every ham in your family for one low price! Cheapest club rates in town (compared with those groups who charge annual dues)!

For additional information on our great programs and schedule of events, please view our website at http://w5sc.org.