Our 30th Anniversary!
Once again it’s time for fun in the sun in central Texas as we make the Capital City the place to be in the middle of the Texas summer. Come and enjoy old friends, the swapfest, and all the events at Austin Summerfest 2013, and the ARRL Texas State Convention. And as always, we also host the Summer Meeting of the Texas VHF-FM Society.
Dates: August 2 & 3, 2013
Where: Crowne Plaza – 6121 North IH-35, Austin, Texas 78752 (NE Corner of IH-35N & US 290E)
Well, it’s that time again for the 6th annual Alamo Area Law Enforcement Explorer Competition (AALEEC) which will be held this year on Saturday October 19th, 2013 at the Southwest High School 11960 Dragon Lane, San Antonio, TX 78252. (Loop 1604 & Old Pearsall Rd on the SW side of San Antonio.)
Ham radio operators are being coordinated by Dave Espinoza W5QS. We need about a dozen or more hams to properly cover the various areas. We will be using simplex 2 meter frequencies or possibly 440.
Please email Dave Espinoza W5QS or call / text him at 210-287-5036 to volunteer. Do not contact Tim Barlow (shown below) if you are wanting to volunteer as a ham, he’s the participant contact. (We only left Tim’s contact info in, for those who are doing a Google Search to find out more information about this event.)
Coordinating this year’s event is MaryAnne N5MYN, Charlie KC5NKK, and Lee N5NTG.
C
harlie KC5NKK is the point of contact for ham volunteers and assignments. MaryAnne N5MYN is interfacing with the Tour Director and event staff. Lee N5NTG is coordinating the SAG teams, van pick-up and day of the event assignments.
We know that we need a minimum of 32 amateur licensed volunteers. In addition, we would really like to have co-pilots for the SAGs (amateur license not required).
Below is some information about what we’ll need in order to cover this event “at a minimum.” Obviously, we want to exceed this minimum and be ready to do this ride the right way, the SARO way!
At present time (7/25/2013), we have 29 who have said “yes” plus 4 SAG co-pilots, so we have a lot of recruiting to do yet. We would like to have at least 5 “spares” to cover last minute cancellations. If you have friends or acquaintances (or even people you don’t like) who would consider helping (licensed or not) please contact them and let us know if you get any interest.
There will be some route changes, mostly on Day 1, such as avoiding FM1346 thru St. Hedwig. After many years, and no repairs being made to the large cracks along this stretch of FM1346, some big enough to swallow a rider and his/her bicycle (just kidding), the route committee decided enough was enough.
The new route on Day 1 drops south and goes around St. Hedwig, which forced the one rest stop. In addition. one of the churches we normally used in the past, apparently has a wedding scheduled for that weekend and for some strange reason, the bridal party didn’t think that them working a rest stop would fit into their plans.
We need several things from you. We need a volunteer agreement executed. The strongest preference is to do it on line. Instructions will be emailed to you when you sign up to work this event. This form is required of every volunteer for each event. Even if you helped with the BP ride this Spring, this form needs to be executed again for our ride. The main reason for doing one for each event is this is the way that the MS office knows who you are so they can send you “thank you’s” and appreciation party invitations.
W2IK | 
Disaster Response, Emergency Preparedness, General Ham Radio, W2IK | 
07 24th, 2013| 
No Comments »………….You must also provide nutritional food with plenty of protein.
The result of an unbalanced diet may cause “Protein Depravation” which may impair judgment, cause lack of energy, poor sleep, slurred speech and other symptoms. “Cults” use protein depravation to control their members as it becomes difficult to think or reason when your brain is deprived of protein. Sending the wrong “traffic” in a message may cause disaster or heart ache.
Junk food and “sweets” should be kept to a minimum, although some salty snacks should be allowed in moderation as they can help in matters of dehydration if you are deployed in the aftermath of a hurricane where it becomes hot and humid.
Some of the best sources of protein, beyond your food cache of canned meats, canned tuna and canned poultry (all of which you should bring), are servings of beans, such as lima beans, pinto beans and red beans. Beans and rice combination is inexpensive yet can be part of a well balanced meal. Beans are easy to store and prepare and their purchase price is very reasonable.
If you wish, you could store this type of food in the same way “long term food” peppers do. Take a supply of dry beans, pour them into a heavy Mylar bag, add an oxygen absorber and seal the bag by ironing it closed being sure to squeeze any excess air out of it. LABEL the Mylar bag with what’s inside and date it. If properly done, and if the sealed Mylar bag is also protected from punctures and rodents by storing them in plastic buckets, it should remain a viable food product for about 20 years.
POWERING A QRP FIELD STATION – Bob Hejl W2IK
W2IK | ARES, Bexar Operators Group, Disaster Response, Hurricane, NDMS, Skywarn, W2IK | 07 21st, 2013| 1 Comment »
SITE SURVEY – An Important Detail For Longer-Term (over a day) Emergency Communications DeploymentHow and where you erect any operating, sleeping and cooking structures is very important. This also includes areas for erecting any antennas. This is why when you get to a location and decide upon a general area, you first must do a site survey. This is especially true if your team does a full-scale tent deployment and not a deployment using existing free-standing buildings. One of the most important things to consider is: Will this emergency intensify, such as will there be additional rains or wind in the short-term future while you are deployed? Even if you do choose to use an existing building, you need to do site survey.
Threat Assessment –
W2IK | ARES, Disaster Response, Field Day, General Ham Radio, Hurricane, W2IK | 07 16th, 2013| No Comments »I use a dedicated 12 volt DC system to power as much as possible, such as my communications rigs, and also my lighting system.
12 Volts is versatile, as you can use a deep-cycle battery system charged by solar panels, wind generation or even a heavy DC power supply/charger driven by a gas AC generator. I also run a 12 volt system because you never have to “power down” like you need when you re-fill a gas generator. You can switch batteries very easily without interruption.
I have experimented with all types of 12 volt lighting methods and have come to the conclusion that a system using SMD (surface mounted light emitting diodes) gives you the most illumination per watt. Using other 12 volt lights, such as fluorescent systems, can have a high rate of failure. You don’t want your lighting to go out in the middle of emergency work.
I have had these fluorescent lights “blow” after only about 10 hours and it’s usually the electronics package built into each lamp that burns out because it’s electronics has to convert 12 volts DC into high voltage in order to make the bulb fluoresce (ignite) and the imported lamps (usually made in China or Hong Kong) are made with sub-standard components.
Most SMD systems, even though they are imported as well, last as long as 50,000 hours and aren’t as fragile as either fluorescent bulbs or other glass lights. You drop a fluorescent blub on the floor and it breaks in to a hundred shards of glass with dangerous chemicals on them…. you drop an SMD light on the floor and all you have to do is pick it up.
Once again, the members of Hill Country REACT, along with support from other area ham radio operators, has successfully organized the Canyon Lake 4th of July Parade in Startzville, Texas. This annual parade is sponsored by the Canyon Lake VFW Post 8800 (Startzville). This year, there were about 40 entries, some small and some not so small. The parade route stretches from the west end of Startzville to the eastern side of town near the VFW post location. It starts on Old Cranes Mill Road and runs for about a mile or so until it reaches the de-staging area.
The following volunteers helped put on this year’s parade…
W2IK | ARES, Bexar Operators Group, Disaster Response, Emergency Go-Kit, General Ham Radio, Hurricane, Skywarn | 07 5th, 2013| No Comments »
W2IK and The Bexar Operators Group (W5BOG) located in San Antonio, Texas, will sponsor their 6th annual “Jump Team Boot Camp” in 2014, commencing on April 4th (Friday AFTERNOON) and running through the 6th (Sunday AFTERNOON).
Our “Jump Boot Camp” will concentrate on the ways and means to get a “Jump Team” operational should there be a need to deploy far from your home and communicate in the aftermath of a disaster where nothing is standing.
Just like the other “Jump Team Boot Camps” we’ve taught, this will be an actual drive-and-operate operation and NOT a desktop drill. This is the “no BS, real deal” of emcomm training and is as close as it gets to an actual disaster. The only emcomm boot camp in the country!
You will get very dirty so bring extra clothes! You will test your personal limits. You will leave with self-confidence in dealing with extreme emergency communications work.
ECs and AECs from any group are especially encouraged to attend so they can bring valuable information back to their group(s) and so they are aware of what any of their members will be facing when you ask them to deploy to an extreme disaster area.
Bexar County ARES meets monthly on the first Tuesday of the month, at 6:45pm.
Locations alternate between the San Antonio EOC on odd months (January, March, May, July, September, November) and the San Antonio American Red Cross HQ on even months (February, April, June, August, October, December).
Radio nets to provide over the air training sessions, are held on 147.18 repeater (-, 103.5) on Tuesday nights, when there is no meeting scheduled to be held.
Attendance is open to all licensed Amateur Radio Operators who are interested in learning more about Emergency Communications and the Ham’s roll in disaster response. Access to either building location after the meeting has started, is very limited due to building security, so please arrive on time or early if you plan to attend.
Red Cross: 3642 E Houston St, San Antonio, TX 78219
EOC: on Brooks City-Base on Inner Circle Rd, San Antonio, TX 78235