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The HOTLINE |
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Preventing Drug Abuse in Waco |
by Terry Williams KD5KJU |
For the program at this month’s meeting I thought we would change our
focus a bit and have a presentation from a personal friend of mine: Officer
Steve Dieterich from the Waco Police Department. Steve was born and grew up in Waco,
and is also a 25-year veteran of the Waco Police Department. He and I grew up
in the same neighborhood, were in Scouts, Little League, and all that stuff. In
fact, our fathers both worked at General Tire. So, Steve and I “go back” quite
a ways.
After starting in the Waco PD as a Patrol officer, Steve went into undercover narcotics. So, if you know any bad people around Waco, Steve probably knows them, too! Steve was a “narc” for about 8 years, and then became a School Resource Officer at University High School and started the UHS Crimestoppers program. It was, and still is, a highly successful program—winning many state and national awards. Have you seen the local Crimestopper television program, where you can phone in and give tips on crime suspects and get a reward? That’s Steve, too! He also helps with the Waco PD’s D.A.R.E. program: fighting drug abuse starting at the elementary school level.
At our May HOTARC meeting, Steve’s presentation will inform us about the latest trends in drug abuse—those on the up-swing in usage and those on the down-swing. I think you will be amazed to learn what people will use and do to “get high.” This information could be important to you as a parent, grandparent, uncle, or a friend. Recognizing drug-related behaviors and paraphernalia and how they are used could alert you early to a problem that someone you know and love is having and enable you to make a difference in their life.
Hope to see you at the May meeting!
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President’s Corner |
by Rodney Baden, K5YKC |
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Rodney, K5YKC |
I would like to thank John AC5CV, Ed KC5NT, Bill W5JRM, Bill KD5UEW, and many others for their help with the State of Texas Hurricane Exercise. This exercise was very successful and showed some areas that could be improved. As a result, county plans are proceeding to secure additional equipment and antennas to support amateur radio. The excitement from the recent Waco tornado has put these activities on a temporary “hold,” but they will soon get back on track. I will discuss this further at the May meeting.
Field Day is next month! Please come to the meeting to find out more about our plans. We need all who can help—even if it is only for an hour or two. Grant KE5ERW, our 2006 Field Day Chairman, will discuss more at the May meeting. Of course, the food is always good and we can guarantee lots of operating time for all. I also suggest that you invite your friends and family members to see what amateur is all about. At the GOTA station, they can operate, too!
I hope to see all of you at the May meeting.
73
Rodney A. Baden, K5YKC
HOTARC President
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For the Record... |
HOTARC Meeting of Members
April 27, 2006
The April meeting was called to order by President Rodney Baden K5YKC at 7:15 PM at the Kultgen Automotive Center. Present were thirteen full members and one associate member.
Grant Gilliam KE5ERW opened the meeting with a prayer. The Minutes for the March meeting were approved as published in the HOTLINE, on a motion by Wayne Branscum KD5SMC, second by Horace Bushnell W5TAH, and unanimous vote by the members. The March Treasurer’s Report was also accepted as published in the HOTLINE following a motion by Grant Gilliam KE5ERW, second by Rusty Keyes AD5JY, and unanimous vote by the members.
Announcements
· KD5IQ: Continue to remember Marshall and his family in your prayers.
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The Treasurer Reports... |
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Heart O’ Texas Amateur Radio Club Beginning Account Balance $ 5,308.00 Income Interest (March) $ 1.12 Dues 150.00 Interest 1.07 TOTAL Income $ 152.19 Expenses Skywarn Donuts (March) $ 43.56 Liability Insurance premium 325.00 Trailer registration 42.24 TOTAL Expenses $ 410.80 Ending Account Balance $ 5,049.39 Outstanding (as of 5-17-06) Submitted by |
Committee Reports
· ARES: K5YKC reported that a statewide Hurricane exercise is scheduled for next week, needing ham support Tuesday and Wednesday. Watch your mail for ARES application for renewal. RACES book coming.
· Trailer: Mike Ross N5MVL reported that all is well with the trailer. Larry Bush W5NCD reported his estimates for converting the N5MVL mini-trailer (see Old Business). KC5UOZ then showed us the 17-inch LCD-TV screen and mounting bracket purchased for the HOTARC trailer. All agreed to discard the old TV (damaged from a fall).
· Repeater: Norris Martin KB5SLI reported that 145.15 is operational on the Channel 25 tower using his own personal power supply. N5MVL made a motion for purchase of 20A replacement power supply, second by Bill Feltenberger KD5UEW, and unanimously approved by the members. KE5ERW reported that the Channel 25 management wants to help HOTARC improve our output on 145.15. KB5SLI and KE5ERW will meet with Channel 25 to offer suggestions: new coax, higher altitude for antenna, Internet connection (for Echolink) at tower site.
· Web page: John Chamberlain AC5CV reported that all is well with the web site and mailing list.
· ATV: KC5UOZ reported that all is well with the ATV repeater. His ATV van was used to send/receive ATV images during the Race for the Cure event.
· Education: K5YKC reported that he is waiting on callback from Hillcrest Hospital regarding amateur radio class.
· Public Relations: Scott Shafer KD5MLY had nothing to report.
· Special Events: KE5ERW reported that the “Race for the Cure” went well. For Field Day, trying to get donations for meals. John Chamberlain AC5CV reported that he and Bill Russel K5WAR are accepting orders for FD t-shirts for $7.50 each, and showed a sample shirt. KE5ERW also noted HamCom in June, and Kids Day event the weekend before Field Day.
Old Business
· Small Communications Trailer: W5NCD reported the N5MVL donated trailer needs repair and painting totaling about $290. Other options: fiberglass mast ($200), pop-up canopy ($90), steel push-up pole ($20). K5YKC agreed to donate sandblasting and painting. W5NCD and David Bush KC5UOZ agreed to do other repairs.
New Business
· None.
Motion to adjourn heard from KC5NT at approximately 8:15 PM.
Wayne Branscum KD5SMC presented a program about the Salvation Army and SATERN operations, especially those surrounding the 2005-2006 hurricane recovery efforts.
Submitted by:
John Chamberlain AC5CV
HOTARC Secretary
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The Need for Training is Serious! |
by Ed Hynan, KC5KNI, |
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Trained McLennan County ARES Members |
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FEMA IS-700 (NIMS) |
7 members |
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FEMA IS 100 (ICS) |
2 members |
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FEMA IS-200 (ICS) |
1 member |
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FEMA IS-800 (NRP) |
1 member |
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ARRL EC-001 |
5 members |
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ARRL EC-002 |
4 members |
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ARRL EC-003 |
2 members |
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NWS Skywarn (within 5 yrs) |
12 members |
ARES renewals are coming in
slowly. In April, we had 65 ARES members registered. To date I have received only
28 renewals. Five of these have requested only limited involvement from
home due to valid issues. That leaves 23 renewed members that are available for
support. I also had 5 updates that were returned for “addressee unknown.” When
we were asked to provide communications support for Waco shelters during the
Rita evacuation, we were only able to field 5 local ARES members—out of 65!
In my letter I requested that members provide documentation of the training that they have taken, as this is quickly becoming an issue. From the 28 renewals I found very, very few have taken the training. (See table here.)
Folks, we can and must do better than this!
Please read and consider the following perspective by Ray Crepeau, K1HG, and his wife Daisy KT4KW, who were involved first-hand in Katrina relief efforts. (Please take Ray and Daisy’s comments to heart: “IT CAN HAPPEN HERE”!)
PERSPECTIVE: KATRINA OPS OBSERVATIONS |
(excerpt from ARES newsletter) |
[The following are timely observations by Daisy Crepeau, KT4KW, and Ray Crepeau, K1HG, who were deployed to Hancock County, Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina, and to Palm Beach County, Florida, in the wake of Hurricane Wilma the previous year. — Editor]
TRAINING: No longer is the ham with an HT adequately able to respond. Nor is the ham with mobile equipment or even a radio equipped “jump kit.” Amateur operators not only need equipment—they need to be adequately trained. The ARRL ARECC courses should be required; period. FEMA training, consisting of courses ICS 700, 800, 100, and 200 also should be required. Hams need to understand and be able to operate under the Incident Command System (ICS) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
Furthermore, hams need training to operate under extreme stress.
We saw a new ham arrive who didn’t understand that two-way radio communication required releasing the PTT button to hear the other party. This individual also needed a crash course in the phonetic alphabet. An extreme case perhaps, but such operators were liabilities, not assets. Proper training and credentialing would prevent this.
CREDENTIALING: FEMA, most state Emergency Management departments, law enforcement agencies, and even the Red Cross do not recognize hams with merely a local badge. The ARRL supports the local EC as the point person for Amateur Radio emergency operations, but the reality is that most disasters are going to encompass more than the local area. ARESMAT (ARES Mutual Assistance agreements) is the right idea but few ECs have built the necessary relationships with others outside their locales.
RESOURCE TYPING: We need a system of Amateur Radio “resource types” that FEMA (or anyone needing communications support) can request when needed. See the work of the World Radio Relay League and their idea of “Amateur Radio Communications Teams” (ARCT): http://www.emcomm.org and http://www.wrrl.org . FEMA is in the process of specifying “resources.” We need to be in that system.
DEPLOYMENT TASKING: Pre-departure briefings covering assignments, duties, and responsibilities in the deployed area, and the expected conditions there, should be plainly explained and understood. When we went to Mississippi, we were sent to the wrong place and spent half a day finding where we were to go.
MESSAGE HANDLING: Passing messages from point A to point B is the primary mission during emergency responses. Hams can be the worst at accurately relaying messages. Butchering of messages passed to the EOC or to action personnel occurred in Mississippi. So, message handling training is absolutely necessary: The radiogram format gets the job done.
RECOGNITION: The Red Cross is mandated by the federal government to manage shelter care and mass feeding of disaster casualties. The ARRL has many MOUs with a number of different agencies both federal and private. But in the real world they don’t mean a thing: Red Cross prefers to use persons who have been through their training sequences; FEMA couldn’t care less about hams in spite of an MOU; and the list goes on and on. The ARRL needs to become recognized as a “Non Government Organization” (NGO), which will be called upon. When it hits the fan, FEMA will call for Amateur Radio resources to establish communication links, and not commercial entities.
Hopefully, if and when RACES gets going we will be able to provide state credentials to TRAINED ARES members.
A radio and a license is just not enough any more. Your license must be backed up with training. You—if you want to be an emergency communicator—must seek out and complete the training. It will not come to you. Be proactive and take the time to complete the necessary training courses.
New ID cards will be distributed shortly. Documented training will be annotated on the back of the card. If you can not provide me with copies of your certificates, I cannot document the training on your card.
And finally, severe weather season has arrived with a bang! Thanks to all who supported the Bakers Dozen Weather Net for the two recent Waco tornados. Twenty different operators worked the first one, and forty-one worked the second one. Bravo! We have had a light severe weather season the last couple of years. This might be the year that we catch up. Remember, the net is automatically activated whenever a severe thunderstorm and/or a tornado warning is issued for McLennan County. Thanks for your support and continue to monitor the weather conditions.
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Custom Field Day T-shirts Are Coming! |
by John Chamberlain, AC5CV |
Did you notice the
“smart-looking” Bill Russell K5WAR last year…in his 2005 Field Day t-shirt? Attaboy,
Bill! Wouldn’t it would be quite slick for all the HOTARC hams at
this year’s event to be wearing a 2006 Field Day shirt?
As discussed at the last meeting and with the HOTARC mail list, Bill has offered to make and customize such a shirt for each of us (at a cost of $7.50). In addition to the ARRL Field Day logo (as shown above), Bill will add your name and call sign, and the HOTARC logo. Your name and call sign will be in small print just above the ARRL image on the front, and your call sign will be in large print on the back of the shirt above a large version of the HOTARC logo.
Time is running out! If you are interested, please send me an email as soon as possible with your desired quantity (if more than one), size (either S, M, L, XL, or XXL).
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IMPORTANT: FCC Rule Changes |
from ARRL Web |
Several FCC Part 97 Amateur Radio rule revisions are now in effect. These are to implement changes agreed to at the international level during World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 (WRC-03). The FCC Order, released in January, affects 97.111 Authorized transmissions; 97.113 Prohibited transmissions; 97.115 Third party communications, and 97.117 International communications. The Federal Register published the changes May 3.
The FCC Order revises:
· 97.111(a)(1) to permit ‘‘transmissions necessary to exchange messages with other stations in the Amateur Service, except those in any country whose administration has notified the ITU that it objects to such communications. The FCC will issue public notices of current arrangements for international communications.’’ The old language permitted communication among amateur stations in different countries ‘‘except those in any country whose administration has given notice that it objects to such communications.’’ The FCC said the change does not prejudice its proposal to amend 97.111(a)(2) to clarify that amateur stations may, at all times and on all authorized channels, transmit communications necessary to meet essential needs and to facilitate relief actions.
· 97.115(a)(2) to facilitate the transmission of international communications on behalf of third parties in emergency or disaster-relief situations, whether or not a third-party agreement is in place between the US and the countries involved. The revision now permits communication with any non-US station ‘‘when transmitting emergency or disaster relief communications’’ as well as with any non-US station ‘‘whose administration has made arrangements with the United States to allow amateur stations to be used for transmitting international communications on behalf of third parties.’’ The revised rule further provides that no station may transmit third-party traffic other than emergency or disaster relief communications to a station in a country lacking a third-party arrangement. Still excepted from the prohibition is any third party eligible to be the control operator of an amateur station.
· 97.113(a)(4) to prohibit amateur stations exchanging messages with amateur stations in other countries from making transmissions that are encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning, except for control signals exchanged between Earth command stations and space stations in the Amateur-Satellite service, something Part 97 already provides for. The old rule referred to the use of ‘‘codes and ciphers.’’ The same rule also already prohibits transmitting music, communications intended to facilitate a criminal act, obscene or indecent words or language and false or deceptive messages, signals or identification.
· 97.117 to state that amateur stations may transmit communications incidental to the purposes of the Amateur Service and to remarks of a personal character.
The FCC also revised 97.3 and 97.309 to update the definition of International Morse code and of various digital codes in the amateur rules to reflect changes in the international Radio Regulations.
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Morse Code Changes Still Uncertain |
from ARRL Web |
As of May 17, all bets appear
to be off as to when the FCC might make a final decision on deleting the Morse
code requirement. Last July, an FCC Notice of Proposed Rule Making and Order
(NPRM&O) in WT Docket 05-235 proposed to eliminate the Element 1 (5 WPM)
Morse code requirement for all license classes. Most observers expected the
Commission to release a Report and Order (R&O) to that effect by the end of
this year, but even that timetable could prove optimistic, based on what the
Commission will—or won’t—say publicly. Responding to an ARRL inquiry, FCC
personnel would not go on the record—and declined even to hazard a ballpark
guess—on when the Commission might act on this Amateur Radio proceeding. (Read
the full story at the ARRL
web site.)
The HOTLINE is the monthly newsletter of the Heart O’ Texas Amateur Radio Club (HOTARC), Inc., a nonprofit corporation, chartered by the State of Texas and principally located in Waco. It is permissible to use any of the original material contained herein, provided proper credit is given to the source.
Edited and Published by John Chamberlain AC5CV, AC5CV@arrl.net
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2006 Board of Directors |
HOTARC 2006 Board of Directors
President: Rodney Baden K5YKC, 857-9760, K5YKC@arrl.net
Vice Pres: Terry Williams KD5KJU, 662-2438, pumpman_rpss@yahoo.com
Secretary: John Chamberlain AC5CV, 855-7731, AC5CV@arrl.net
Treasurer: Norris Martin KB5SLI, 829-2138, KB5SLI@flash.net
Past-Pres.: Ed Middlebrook KC5NT, 826-4053, KC5NT@arrl.net
Director (2006): Scott Shafer KD5MLY, 848-5888, ScottShafer@clearchannel.com
Director (2007): Bill Feltenberger KD5UEW, 756-1397, bfeltenb@swbell.net
Director (2008): Wayne Branscum KD5SMC, 857-3964, wbscum@grandecom.net
145.15 MHz (input at –600 kHz, tone 123 Hz)
146.88 MHz (input at –600 kHz)
146.98 MHz (input at –600 kHz, tone 123 Hz)
ATV: 421.25MHz (Cable 57), input 439.25 MHz (Cable 60)
Next session Saturday June 24, about 2:00 pm. Location: HOTARC Field Day site, Hewitt Park in Hewitt, TX. Bring: 1) testing fee of $14 (cash only); 2) current license and photocopy of it; 3) a photo ID (two for first-time licensees), and 4) photocopy of any relevant CSCE. Contact: Linda Hynan, AC5QQ at 666-4873 or Linda.Hynan@UTSouthwestern.edu.
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Meeting NoticeThe monthly meeting of HOTARC will be at 7:00 pm on Thursday May 25, 2006 in the Kultgen Automotive Center of the TSTC Waco Campus. Meetings generally last about 75 minutes consisting of fellowship, general Club business, and an interesting program. Visiting hams, family members, and prospective hams are welcomed! |
Field Day is the
opportunity…
to show our “stuff!” Will you?