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The HOTLINE |
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Do You Know Where Your Name Is? |
by Terry Williams, KD5KJU |
Waco Police Detective Trish Buro will speak to us this month at the May HOTARC meeting about a very crucial issue for all Americans: identity theft. This is a crime that is increasing at an alarming rate and can interrupt the lives of anyone.
Detective Buro has been with
the Waco Police Department for 29 years—26 of which have been as a detective. During
those years she worked in the Finance and Assault Crimes Unit. She has a BA
degree in Criminal Justice from Stephen F. Austin. Much of her work is with
fraud cases. She also specializes in handwriting analysis.
Identity theft has become the number one crime in the U.S.—even surpassing drug related crimes! So, how severe a problem is it? The Federal Trade Commission says that 19 people each minute become new victims of this crime!
If you find yourself a victim of this crime, Detective Buro will show us how it can take several years and thousands of dollars to clear your name. We will discuss these issues and receive some handouts that will help keep you, your friends, and family from being a victim of these crimes and help know what to do should you discover that you’ve become a victim of…IDENTITY THEFT!
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President’s Corner |
by Rodney Baden, K5YKC |
Hams 50+: Let us not be left behind
If you’re a ham reading this I’m going to make some assumptions.
· That you’re probably 50+ (or late 40’s)
· That you’re curious about communications technology and where it’s going.
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Rodney, K5YKC |
· That you’re bewildered by the blistering rate of change. (Aren’t we all?)
· That you hear about “texting” and “social networks” but secretly you just don’t get it.
· That you want to be introduced to these new sites, yet don’t know where to start.
Not to worry: you’re not alone! And yes this does have/will have an impact on ham radio. Social Networks? What the heck is that? The word didn’t even exist 5 years ago! And just what does it have to do with Amateur radio? If you believe/concede that a decade from now, ham radio will be inextricably linked to the net (both technically and socially) then hams must embrace this space now. There is little doubt that client side computing will be diminished in the future, and with IBM & Google aggressively moving to build “services in the cloud,” then you know the train has left the station. (For a fun, interesting peek at the future, see Nick Carr’s best seller: The Big Switch: Rewiring the World, from Edison to Google.)
The very smart Jeff Davis (KE9V) writes on his blog:
“Many more radio amateurs are going to have to climb on the [social networks] bandwagon in order for us to really grasp it’s potential as yet another online communication medium that adds value to amateur radio.”
Further, Jeff clearly (and patiently, I would add) describes the “social networks” concept and how to begin.
See you in the “New World.” Frankly, there’s no time to waste!
Michael Whatley, WA4D
I thought everyone would benefit from reading these thoughts from WA4D of California, posted to one of the QRZ forums.
Rodney
Baden, K5YKC
HOTARC President
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For the Record... |
HOTARC Meeting of Members
April 24, 2008
HOTARC’s April Meeting was called to order by Rodney Baden K5YKC, Thursday, April 24, 2008 at 7:38 pm at the KCEN-TV News Studio. Chaplain Dell Bredemeyer KE5MZS opened the meeting with a prayer.
Present were seventeen full members, one life member, two family members and 14 visitors. Visitors were: Al Leverenz KC5GVT, Joan Roach, Wendell Gustafson KE5UBL, Drew Dickenson KE5UBO, Larry Knox KE5UBJ, Zak Fyke, Ed Brown AD5WZ, James Harris KD5FKY, Josh Pointer KE5SRZ, Larry Black and Nancy Cross KE5UBK from Waco. Bud Garretson AD5SK of Leroy, Aaron Thompson KD5MBX of Mexia and Jeannie Fair KE5TEN of Hewitt.
A motion to approve the Minutes for the March meeting as published in the HOTLINE was recognized from Scott Hamilton K5ZOH, with second by Mike Ross N5MVL. The motion was approved by the members.
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The Treasurer Reports... |
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Heart O’ Texas Amateur Radio Club Beginning Account Balance $ 6,353.67 Income Dues $ 20.00 Technician Class fees 16.34 Interest 1.26 TOTAL Income $ 37.60 Expenses Skywarn refreshments $ 39.79 Repeater repair 30.00 Technician Class study manuals 116.62 Grab & Go trailer registration 39.61 TOTAL Expenses $ 226.02 Ending Account Balance $ 6,165.25 Outstanding (as of 5-15-2008) Submitted by |
A motion to approve the March Treasurer’s Report as published in the HOTLINE was recognized from Wayne Branscum KD5SMC, with second by Ray Read AD5CK. The motion was approved by the members.
Committee Reports
· ARES: No news.
· Trailer: No news.
· Repeater: No news.
· D-Star: K5YKC reported that we are working on moving the repeater, working on the IP address with the Department of Emergency Management.
· Web page: John Chamberlain AC5CV reported that everything is working well.
· ATV: David Bush KC5UOZ reported that the ATV repeater is well.
· Education: K5YKC reported that all 7 students in the HOTARC Technician class passed their tests.
· Public Relations: No news.
· Special Events: K5YKC reported that we need someone to take the Special Events position.
New Business-
· Reimbursements: A motion was made by N5MVL to pay $320.00 for the annual liability insurance on the trailer, with second by AD5CK. A motion was made by AC5CV to pay $43.24 for the registration on the trailer, with second by KD5SMC. A motion was made by Paul Holroyd KE5MZF to reimburse K5YKC $14.52 for Nick Piesco’s dinner, with second by KE5MZS. The motions were approved by the members.
· New Members: New member applications were received from Henry Cranfill KI4UJS and Jeannie Fair KE5TEN. A motion to accept the applications was made by AC5CV with second by Joe Funk A5FD. The motion was approved by the members. KE5TEN was approved for Family membership.
Motion to adjourn was recognized from KE5MZS at approximately 8:06 pm.
The program for the evening was a tour of the KCEN-TV facility by Nick Piesco.
Submitted by:
Jeremy Neal KE5PRG
HOTARC Secretary
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by Ed Hynan, KC5KNI, |
Communication during a
declared communications emergency is very different from routine day-to-day
amateur communications. A communications emergency exists when a critical
communications failure puts the public at risk. It could be a storm that knocks
down telephone lines or radio towers, a massive increase in the use of a
specific communications system that causes it to become overloaded, or the
failure of a key component in a system that has widespread consequences.
Whatever the reason, amateur radio operators are routinely called in to assist.
We fit into the equation because we are considered communications experts by the agencies we are asked to support. We have the skills, equipment, and frequencies to create emergency communications networks under emergency conditions. We are licensed and pre-authorized for both national and international communications. We have the ability to rapidly enlarge the communications capacity to meet the growing needs of an emergency situation. The skills that we would need are practiced daily, skills used in everyday amateur communications.
As important as what you are, is what you are not. There are limits to your responsibilities as an emergency communicator, and you need to know what they are. You are not a “first responder”—no need for flashing lights and sirens. You really have no authority. The only decision that you can make is whether to participate or not. You cannot do it all. Helping in a pinch is fine, but you are there to facilitate communications. Finally, you are not in charge. You are there to temporarily fulfill the needs of an agency whose communications system is unable to do its job.
Communicating is Job #1. While you may be proud of your skills, equipment, and systems, it is important to remember that your job is to communicate. If requested to deliver a list of needed supplies to the headquarters, you should be prepared to use any means required—including the fax machine if it is still working. The job is to get the message through, even if it means using smoke signals! Ham radio may not always be the best way to accomplish the communication. Fax, phone, CB radio, an agency’s radio system, or even a messenger, may be a faster way to accomplish the task. Remember—communicating is Job #1. Get the message through—via amateur radio or any other means.
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Attention lady hams! The Young Ladies'
Radio League is having a convention |
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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2008 Board of Directors |
HOTARC 2008 Board of Directors
President: Rodney Baden K5YKC, 857-9760, K5YKC@arrl.net
Vice Pres: Terry Williams KD5KJU, 662-2438, pumpman_rpss@yahoo.com
Secretary: Jeremy Neal KE5PRG, 881-2123, JeremyLeeNeal@gmail.com
Treasurer: Norris Martin KB5SLI, 829-2138, KB5SLI@flash.net
Past-Pres.: Wayne Branscum KD5SMC, 857-3964, wbscum@grandecom.net
Director (2008): Ed Middlebrook KC5NT, 826-4053, KC5NT@arrl.net
Director (2009): Mike Ross N5MVL, 836-1083, N5MVL@juno.com
Director (2010): Ed Hynan KC5KNI, 666-4873, KC5KNI@arrl.net
145.15 MHz (input at –600 kHz, tone 123 Hz)
146.88 MHz (input at –600 kHz, D-star)
146.98 MHz (input at –600 kHz, tone 123 Hz)
ATV: 421.25MHz (Cable 57), input 439.25 MHz (Cable 60)
Next session is Saturday May 31,
2008 10:00 AM. Location: Baylor’s Rogers Engineering and Computer Science Bldg
(#70 on the map), Room 109. Bring: 1) testing fee of $14 (cash only); 2) a photo ID (two for first-time
licensees); and for already licensed amateurs: 3) current
license and photocopy of it; and 4) photocopy
of any relevant CSCE.
Contact: Linda Hynan, AC5QQ at 666-4873 or Linda.Hynan@UTSouthwestern.edu.
Meeting NoticeThe May Meeting of HOTARC will be at 7:00 pm on Thursday May 22, 2008 in the Kultgen Automotive Center of the TSTC Waco Campus. Visiting hams, family members, and prospective hams are welcomed! |
Are You
Getting Ready
for June 28-29?