San Antonio Hams

It’s almost that time of year again, the annual trek north up IH-35 to Plano, to attend the largest Hamfest in Texas.  

HamCom 2010 will be Friday, June 11th and Saturday, June 12th.  But if you want the best deals from the flea market areas, you best be there on Friday morning when they open.   The event is more crowded on Saturday, for obvious reasons, but most of the vendors arrive on Thursday  night, or Friday morning, ready to wheel and deal. 

Parking is free, admission is $10 at the door.    Hotel room info is available from the event website, www.hamcom.org by clicking on the Hotels link.

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Lee,  Just wanted to say thank you for all the hard work you put into the ride. It was my first time setting up and operating a field station on my own.   Learned some valueble lessons, hope to do it again soon.

Thanks again,  John – KD5ZEW

Voice:  Yaesu FT-100d @ 5~10w into a 5/8 mag-mount at 6′ AGL
Data/APRS:  Yaesu ft-1500m, 6db base antenna @ 30’+ AGL.
Power Supply: 125hr Deep Cycle Flooded Lead-acid Battery.

Pictures from TdC 2010 Day 1 Rest stop 6 where John KD5ZEW was located.

D1 Finish Line- Unicycle

Here is a collection of  56 photos taken by Lee N5NTG at the San Marcos Finish Line on Day 1,  on the road on Day 2 from various rest stops and the Austin Finish Line. 

I saw at least two of these uni-cycles on both days, this one (in photo) and one other.  Unicycle riders have to peddle 100% of the time, no coasting, no shifting gears, oops, no steering wheel at all.  Just their inate sense of balance and lots of forward movement.   On Day 2, the other unicycle rider was zipping down the road, so we stopped on the side of the road to shoot some video of him.  He waved and then stopped next to my mini-van and held on to its luggage rack, saying “you just knew I needed a break, didn’t you?”   He rested for a few minutes and then went on to finish.

 Click on thumbnails for a larger view.

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Photos by Greg Lewis, N5XO, taken at the Day 1 Start Line at Retama Park.   Other operators present at the Start Line were Ruth Lewis KE5HMU, and Dave Espinoza W5QS who ran net control until the San Marcos Finish Line was able to take over that morning.  Click on thumbnail photo for larger views.

2010 Tour de Cure Ride May 22nd – 23rd

ANOTHER SUCCESS !

This year’s event started at the Retama Park, in Selma, Texas, just north of Loop 1604.

Although we really had to twist a few arms, and shake the bushes a lot to fill all of the postions, due to some last minute changes,  the ham community came through for us once more!   It was reported that we had about 1,500 riders show up for the event, a slight increase over last year’s event.

We used the 147.000 repeater (GVARC) on Day 1, and the 147.100 San Marcos repeater plus the Austin 146.94 repeater on Day 2. Net Control on Day 1 was started by Dave W5QS at the Start Line due to delays in getting the San Marcos Finish Line up on the air in time. Thanks Dave! Net Control on Day 2 was started by Jake K5GWC from Rest Stop 4, until Austin’s Finish Line Net Control was ready to assume that duty. Thanks Jake!

We provided hams to staff 7 rest stops on day 1, 8 on day 2, plus Start/Finish each day, 4 SAG’s each day, and 4 Toyota Trucks (used as Turtles) each day. The Toyota Trucks were also used to sweep the course looking for “lost sheep”, and to pick up the signs on each route as they swept the course.

Saturday night, after we shut down operations around 5pm for the day, about 15 of the Hams went to the San Marcos River Pub & Grill for a well deserved dinner and fellowship.

(Photo – Hams from the Tour de Cure enjoy a fine meal and fellowship at the San Marcos River Pub & Grill.)

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May 20, 2010 11:31:48 AM,
FCC-ConsumerNews@fcc.gov wrote:

Under a new FCC rule, anyone who uses a wireless microphone. or similar device, that operates in the 700 MHz Band will have to stop operating their wireless microphone, or similar device, no later than June 12, 2010.

To see if this law affects your wireless microphone, check our Manufacturers Equipment list at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/wirelessmicrophones/manufacturers.html.

 All users of 700 MHz Band wireless microphones and similar devices – including theaters, churches, schools, conference centers, theme parks, sports leagues, and musicians – will need to retune or replace, if necessary, their equipment no later than June 12, 2010. Wireless microphones that operate outside of the 700 MHz Band are not affected.

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Our thanks to all the hams and other volunteers who responded to our pleas for help!  

We’ve now got every Rest Stop, Start Line, Finish Line, SAG Van, etc. covered for Day 1 and Day 2!   Give yourselves a big pat on the back!

But… Oops, just found out the Tour de Cure staff wants TWO MORE SAG VANS!   Special purpose vans to be used to haul mostly just people, not bikes and equipment, but I’d bet on still needing a couple of the van’s bench seats out anyway!

Special Assignment:     Pickup Van on Friday before 6pm, or early  Saturday morning from Enterprise.  Arrive in San Marcos at the Texas State University, designated finish line area by noon or earlier.   Start shuttling riders who finished early, over to the river toobing location, and bring them back after they get all wet and tired (again).

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Once again, the regional American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure event is upon us!  May 22-23rd are the Dates.  This is a 2-day event starting at the Retama Park in Selma (Just north of San Antonio, Off IH-35 & 1604).    Day 1 ends in San Marcos at the Texas State University, Butler Dorm.   Day 2 starts at the same place as Day 1 Finish, and ends at Akins High School in south Austin.

HELP IS STILL NEEDED!  

SAG DRIVERS & REST STOP HAMS (Day 1 only)

We’ve got a few vacancies left for driving either a Toyota Truck (from Austin Champion Toyota) or a 15 Passenger Van (from Enterprise in San Antonio near the airport).   Call Lee at 210-771-7075 ASAP If you want to volunteer cause time is running out.  1 Toyota Truck is available as of Sunday  night, and 2 of the 15 Passenger Vans are available as of Sunday night.   We could also put a few more folks into Documation SCION sag cars, but that is being controlled by another person and the # of vacancies is unknown as of Sunday night.

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Per the ARRL Website – posted 05/08/2010…