San Antonio Hams

American Legion Birthday to be celebrated worldwide,
March 11, on shortwave radio

Dear TALARC Members and Friends,

March 15 is the designated birthday of The American Legion. It is the day in 1919 when the first American Legion caucus, held by members of the American Expeditionary Force, convened in Paris. Much as the birthday of the United States is celebrated on July 4 – for the day in 1776 when rebelling patriots declared the independence of the British colonies and the spirit of America was born – March 15 is the day on which the Legion came to life.

Each year, Legion posts across the country hold events – public, private or both – to commemorate this anniversary. At the National Headquarters of The American Legion there also is an event conducted annually to observe the Legion birthday, and on a worldwide scale.

Members of The American Legion Amateur Radio Club (TALARC) will operate a special event station to commemorate the Legion’s 98th birthday. Operating from the radio room at National Headquarters in Indianapolis, ham radio operators at club station K9TAL will celebrate the Legion’s 98 years of service to America’s veterans with both members and non-member amateur radio operators around the world on Saturday, March 11, 2017.

Ham radio operators wishing to contact Special Event Station K9TAL should tune to 40 meters: 7.225 MHz (+/- 5 KHz) LSB; or to 2 meters: K9DC 147.315 Repeater at Indianapolis; or IRLP Node 9735; or, to EchoLink *CROSSRDS* Conference node. All operations will be conducted on Saturday, March 11 between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern Time [1800Z to 2359Z]. All amateur radio operators are invited to check in. American Legion posts with TALARC stations are encouraged to check in from around the country.

A full-color certificate and QSL card will be sent to all amateur radio operators contacting K9TAL, and to shortwave listeners providing signal reports, upon receipt of a 9-by-12-inch self-addressed stamped envelope to:

The American Legion National Headquarters
Attn: TALARC
700 N. Pennsylvania Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Membership in The American Legion Amateur Radio Club is free to all licensed radio amateurs who are current members of The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of The American Legion. Learn more at www.legion.org/hamradio.

73,

Marty Justis
President, The American Legion Amateur Radio Club

Howdy neighbors,

Some of the guys and gals in the N5OAK Oak Hill ARC (based in South Austin) will be operating from a small farm near Luling for Winter Field Day on January 28th and 29th, and I thought I’d extend an invitation to all of the fine folks in the area to stop by for a visit.

We’ll be running CW, digital modes, and voice on 160m-70cm, through a variety of antennas and rigs, so if you’d like to join us, you’re welcome to come see what we’re up to and hang out for a while, and you’re also welcome to operate from any of our stations. You are also more than welcome to bring your licensed and unlicensed friends and family.

When: January 28th thru 29th, 1 PM to 1 PM

Where: 125 Horseshoe Bend, Luling, TX 78648

What: WinterFieldDay.com

Who: Everyone is invited (hosted by members of the N5OAK ARC)

If you have any questions, please email me at blake.ormand@gmail.com, or give me a call at 512-699-3644.

Hope to see you there!

73,Blake Ormand K5URU
Buda, TX

MFJ-852 Line Noise Meter (stock photo)

I have the MFJ 852 Line Noise Meter that I want to sell.

I have the original box and instructions.

Cost new is $119.95

I am asking $60.00 (plus shipping if not local pickup in the Kerrville,TX area)

Call Greg Kaderli, N5SQL
830-998-8739

Good Morning Ya’ll

Test Session this coming Saturday at 1000 at our new location. 424 Castell St, New Braunfels, TX 78130.

Driving up Seguin St (fm725) towards the circle turn left at the Civic Center and the street that runs behind the Civic Center is Castell. The new Fire Department Training Facility is now located on Castell right behind the Civic Center in what used to be the Municipal Offices for New Braunfels.

Park on the left side of the building in what is labelled as Employee parking and enter the building from that end.

Test Session will be as usual starting at 1000, all classes of license will be tested. The fee is $15 payable by cash, check, or money order. Please bring your drivers license or picture ID and ur amateur radio license or any CSCEs you may have.

Looking forward to seeing you there. If you have any question please contact K5GST (GaryT) at k5gst01@ gmail.com.

73 de K5SGT
GaryTangrady

EXTRA CLASS COURSE
Where: Christus Santa Rosa Medical Center Hospital
Kingman Room (Right from the information desk, at the end of the hall)
2827 Babcock Rd
San Antonio, TX 78229

When: Saturdays January 28, February 4, 11, and 18, 2017, from 9AM to 5PM.
Attendees should attend all four sessions.

The  Amateur Extra License Exam will be given Saturday, February 18th at 3PM.
Cost: $15 for license exam

Study material: 2016 – 2020 Extra Class Manual by Gordon West
Available at w5yi.org or 1-800-669-9594. Cost for book is about $30.

For additional information: Contact Bob Rodriguez K5AUW at 210-887-6618
or bobrod@flash.net

Billie Ferris Woodard, Jr., K5BFW, age 57, passed away on Monday, December 19, 2016 in San Antonio, Texas. He was born in Brady, Texas to Billie F. and Helmi Woodard on January 12, 1959. Billie loved driving 18-wheelers throughout the lower 48 and was active in the AARO and ROOST Ham Clubs.

He loved keeping in touch with family and friends by phone. He was very personable and was loved by his family and friends.

Read full obit here…
http://porterloring.tributes.com/obituary/show/Billie-Ferris-Woodard-104268060

Want to win a radio?? We are giving away three!!

Alamo Area Radio Organization would like to invite all area hams to the Alamo Area Radio Organization Holiday Party on December 14, 2016 from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm. The party will be held at Blanco BBQ located at 13259 Blanco Road, San Antonio, Texas.

AARO is providing some great prizes this year including two Yaesu Mobile rigs: One of them is System Fusion enabled the other is FM only. We also will be giving away a handheld transceiver, ham radio related tools, baked goods, ham radio jewelry and much more.

We have prizes for the whole family!

There is a suggested $5 per person entry fee for those 18 years old and older.

That $5 will get you your first raffle ticket. Additional Raffle tickets can be purchased at the door for $1 each.

You will order off the menu and then sit in the private room. This will allow you to cater your meal to your budget and your tastes and dietary needs.

Please bring the entire family! Enjoy BBQ, eyeball QSOs and perhaps win a radio!

All hams are welcome to attend, you do not have to be a member of AARO to attend.

For more details check out Alamo Area Radio Org on Facebook or aa5ro.org

-Posted by K5NON, AARO Vice-President.

San Antonio Hams,

It saddens me to inform you my Father, Leslie Dale (former NI5S) passed away on December 7, 2016.

He had been an active Amateur Radio Operator throughout his adult life and in his later years he served as an Examiner. He has met many people through Amateur Radio and has always held a high admiration for those that enjoy his passion.

Please feel free to share this with members of your organization. Who may know him and want to attend the funeral.

Arrangements with Porter Loring Funeral Home are being finalize and will be posted shortly. You can also contact me at (210) 289-9699.

UPDATE: The Funeral Services will commence on December 14, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Church (2504 N St Mary’s St, San Antonio, TX 78212) and conclude with Full Military Honors at South Mission Park Cemetery.

Funeral Arrangements by Porter Loring on McCullough Ave.
http://www.porterloring.com/

Thank you,
Lynda Dale-Roos
WB3BFH

Location: Hill Country State Natural Area – Bandera, Texas

When:    7th and 8th of January 2017

Description: 

It is that time of year, to start marking your calendars and making preparations for the 15th Annual Bandera 100k Ultra-Marathon held at Hill Country State Natural Area in Bandera County.

Tejas Trails Communication Group – Coordinated by Hill Country REACT with support of Highland Lakes Amateur Radio Club, Chaparral Amateur Radio Club, and other dedicated Amateur Radio Operators from San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Kerrville and other locations throughout the state, have supported and provided communications for this event the past 15 years. The team is responsible for communications, health and welfare, tracking, and occasionally Search and Rescue. We also manage the parking at o’dark-thirty to get the 1000 plus individuals parked and to the start-finish line on time.

This event typically requires 18 – 25 Amateur Radio Operators in a situation that is similar to what an Emergency Communications Operator would experience in a disaster zone. Remote operations little to no permanent infrastructure. Bring it, work it, test it, and enjoy it!  Horseback Hams are also needed and greatly appreciated by the participants.

If you know of a youth organization that needs public service hours, this is a great opportunity to get them in.  We have numerous positions from assisting the communications team to helping serve the runners at the aid stations.
UHF, VHF Voice and Packet communications are involved in this event.  We have been wanting to deploy a Broadbrand-HamNet but research and development has stalled. Anyone with experience in this area is encouraged to help us out.

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Revisiting a old published article!  Just because it is still relevant!

A recent conversation/situation made me think about some things. In my day job as a Diesel Truck/Heavy Equipment Technician, I drive a Dodge 3/4 ton truck with a service/tool bed on it. There are 3 compartments on each side with various shelving and such.

My tools are compartmentalized for the most part, with the tools I use the most in the center drivers side, mostly for lighter duty work of various complexities.  The front box on the drivers side are my heavier duty sockets, rackets, and wrenches. Also my various sprays and cleaners.  The rear drivers side box are pry bars, breaker bars, hammers, and large crescent and pipe wrenches.  In the boxes on the other side are separated by air tools, electrical and diagnostic tools, oils, air hoses, and of course one that is packed with various items left over and pack ratted for odd reasons that come in really handy sometimes.

Anyway, one evening on the way home, had to make a pit stop at Home Depot, so I locked the compartments in case someone decided they needed my tools worse than I did.

The next morning, the boss called kind of early. We had a regular customers truck broke down on I-10 and I had to get there quick to replace some air lines. Out the door I dash, without conducting my usual key, phone & wallet check before leaving the driveway.

I get to the location of the broken down truck and checked out the situation. I knew the needed parts were already enroute, as the driver had done a good job of describing the issue. Went to get the correct wrenches for the job and ….  crud, the doors are locked on the boxes and the keys …. well, they were on the nightstand at home.

It was too far back to the house to get the keys, the parts driver is already enroute and a couple of miles away, and I do not have the correct tools. Out comes the Leatherman, as I know the front compartment lock can easily be jimmied. Remember, this is the compartment with the heavy duty stuff.

Just so happens for some reason a 7/8″ wrench was in there and a pair of channel locks. Guess they were tossed in there from a rush to get packed up and head home one day. And my Leatherman of course.

After a little longer than it should have taken, the job was done, the truck was on the road, and I was cutting back roads to the house to get the missing keys, as my next job site was not far from home.

A truck was loaded with several thousands of dollars in tools, and the right ones were not within reach, but the job got done.

In our lives as Emergency and Public Service communicators we find ourselves sometimes without the right tools for the job, but we have others that will work with a little bit of thought.

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