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The HOTLINE |
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Re-banding Public Service Spectrum |
by Terry Williams KD5KJU |
Well, we have pretty much made the switch to Digital Television. As you may know, at least part of the reason for the switch was to free up radio spectrum for public service agencies, i.e. fire, police, emergency management, and so forth. Our speaker this month is a person who is actually dealing with all these changes, someone familiar to many of us in the Club: the Waco Operations Supervisor, Larry Blare. Larry is responsible for maintaining communications for the City of Waco and other related entities. He is doing some re-banding for the Waco Police Department and other agencies served by the City of Waco trunked system. He will talk to us about what is happening since the digital conversion, and about the trunked system used by the City of Waco. Larry is extremely busy at this time of year, so we are very grateful that he’s willing to give us some of his valuable time to come speak to us. Let’s show our appreciation by attending the July meeting! Thanks!
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President’s Corner |
by Terry Williams, KD5KJU |
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Terry, KD5KJU |
Hello, everybody! Whoever has the switch that controls the heat, would you please turn it off! Summertime is definitely here. With Rodney on vacation in Alaska right now, he’s got the right idea. So, I will be trying to fill his shoes here…not an easy task.
Well, let me start off with a big thank you for all that helped out with Field Day. We had one of the biggest turnouts in years! A special thanks to Jim Judd KA5QKL for the wonderful job he’s doing as our Special Events Planner! And it was especially good to see Ed Middlebrook KC5NT making sure we got all our points and all of our contacts logged correctly: thanks, Ed!
It never ceases to amaze me what a group of people can do. We come together and the most experienced ham and the newest ham: all have something to contribute. Working together toward a common goal with a spirit of cooperation makes us a stronger organization. So, let me encourage the new Members: make plans to help with our special events. Don’t fear making mistakes. That’s where we all started. The idea is to learn so that when it’s a real emergency, we will be better prepared. There are only two kinds of people not making mistakes: those in the cemetery and those not doing anything!
So, let’s continue this helpful and learning spirit by having a good group for the TriWaco Triathlon. As most of you know from our email list, Jim has been soliciting help for the event. If you can help, please get in touch with Jim ASAP so he can make assignments to fulfill the needs for this event. This is yet another great opportunity for Amateur Radio.
And don’t forget about the Waco Wild West Bike Race in September—it will be here before we know it. This is the biggest, most “spread out” event we do. It takes a good number of people participating to make this event work. It’s an excellent test of our abilities, a lot of fun—and not to mention a source of a nice donation to the club. I’m sure Jim will keep us informed as the event gets closer, but mark your calendars now and plan to help.
So, once again, THANKS to everybody and keep up the good work!
Terry
Williams, KD5KJU
HOTARC Vice President
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For the Record... |
HOTARC Meeting of Members
June 25, 2009
HOTARC’s June Meeting was called to order by Rodney Baden K5YKC Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 7:01 pm at the Kultgen Automotive Center of the TSTC Waco campus. Wayne Branscum KD5SMC opened the meeting with a prayer.
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The Treasurer Reports... |
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Heart O’ Texas Amateur Radio Club Beginning Account Balance $ 5,871.11 Income Dues $ 45.00 HamComm banner ad 25.00 Interest 0.24 TOTAL Income $ 70.24 Expenses Coax (350 ft, 7/8" hardline) $ 350.00 TOTAL Expenses $ 350.00 Ending Account Balance $ 5,591.35 Outstanding (as of 7-13-2009) Submitted by |
Present were 22 full members, 3 family members and 2 visitors. Our visitors were Carl Patrick KD5HZF from Waco and Wallace Lavender WA5QPE of Hewitt.
A motion to approve the Minutes for the May meeting as published in the HOTLINE was recognized from John Chamberlain AC5CV, with second by KD5SMC. The motion was approved by the members.
A motion to approve the May Treasurer’s Report as published in the HOTLINE was recognized from Ed Middlebrook KC5NT, with second by Jerry Tollison KD5JML. The motion was approved by the members.
Committee Reports:
· ARES: No News
· Trailer: Norris Martin KB5SLI reported that the trailer battery was being tested to see if it would hold a charge. K5YKC recommended going ahead and purchasing a new battery. KB5SLI will buy a replacement battery.
· Repeater: No News
· D-Star: No News
· Web page: AC5CV reported that everything is working fine and that we have a new HOTARC contact email address of hamradio@hotarc.org.
· ATV: David Bush KC5UOZ reported that everything is working well.
· Education: No News
· Public Relations: K5YKC reported that the 2009 Field Day PSA's have been put out on the air.
· Special Events: James Jud KA5QKL reported that we are going to need some help on July 26th for a triathlon that will start and end in Indian Springs Park. K5YKC recommended we spend up to $200 for expenses for Field Day. A motion was made by Paul Holroyd KE5MZF, with second by Mike Ross N5MVL. The motion was approved by the members.
Old Business:
· KD5SMC still waiting on confirmation about astronaut Sandra Magnus KE5FYE coming to our September meeting.
· Trailer Cleanup Day was rained out.
· K5YKC reported that the antenna parts have been received including the connectors, polyphaser, and transi traps.
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New Business: · Stacey Bolin thanked the club for helping her son Zak Bolin W5ZAK get started in ham radio. He has been hooked ever since last field day when he passed his Technician Exam. Motion to adjourn was recognized from AC5CV at approximately 7:47 pm. Tonight’s educational presentation was given by Ed Middlebrook KC5NT on the importance and rewarding art of traffic handling. Submitted
by:
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KC5NT gave a presentation on |
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PR-101 Course on CD-ROM |
by ARRL Public Relations Committee |
Who speaks for your club? Do they have any training in media work? Could they do better?
The PR-101 course is designed to give hams a quick course in public
relations activities. It uses the skills of experts in various aspects of public
relations to provide volunteer Public Information Officers with the basic
skills and expectations that a PIO needs to know. PR-101 covers everything from
the basic news release to Web sites and video work.
The course is conveniently set-up for you to complete on your own schedule. Upon completion it guides you to the Web for the final exam. Participants who successfully complete the exam will be directed to a special area where they can create, print and save a certificate of completion. For more information, visit
http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?item=0133
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A New Special Event |
by John Chamberlain, AC5CV |
Imagine a 1500-meter open water swim in the Brazos River, followed by a fast 25-mile bike ride on country roads outside Waco, and finishing with a hilly 10-kilometer run through Cameron Park, ending at the historic Waco suspension bridge. This “Olympic” triathlon event returns to Waco on Sunday, July 26, starting at 7AM, after its last running in 1991. A shorter “Sprint” version will also be available to offer a challenge for beginning triathlon competitors. Visit the Triwaco website for more info about this challenging event.
But more than just read about it, you can participate—without even breaking a sweat! Pick up the phone or send an email to Jim Judd KA5QKL to volunteer your support for this new event! This is a new event for HOTARC, and the event organizers have recognized the value that experienced radio communicators can provide. HOTARC is prepared to offer that ability, and demonstrate to triathlon competitors from across the state that we have the right stuff: from stuff we’ve done before, to new experiences like providing communications from boats in the middle of Lake Brazos! Give Jim a holler! He’s waiting for you!
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by Ed Hynan, KC5KNI |
For those of you who have attended the annual SKYWARN training
provided by the Fort Worth/Dallas Office of the National Weather Service (NWS),
you have enjoyed and will remember the excellent and up-to-date presentations
provided by Gary Woodall KD5WUT. As the Weather Warning Coordination
Meteorologist for the Dallas-Fort Worth NWS Office, Gary usually spent the
first three months of each year on the road, providing the SKYWARN program to
each of the counties in the North Texas area of responsibility (53
presentations in 2009!). NWS has 122 local Weather Forecast Offices, each with a
Warning Coordination Meteorologist, who is responsible for administering the
SKYWARN 
program in their local area. Training is conducted by these local
offices and covers:
· Basics of thunderstorm development
· Fundamentals of storm structure
· Identifying potential severe weather features
· Information to report
· How to report information, and
· Basic severe weather safety.
Your attendance at SKYWARN and your efforts in providing reports during NWS requests to activate the Baker’s Dozen Weather Net were directly responsible for Waco-McLennan County being selected to get both the Basic and Advanced courses for the last nine years.
SKYWARN 2009 was the last presentation by Gary Woodall. He has been selected to become the Meteorologist in Charge of the Phoenix AZ National Weather Service Office—a promotion that he richly deserves. I was able to attend a going-away luncheon for Gary on Wednesday, 8 July 2009 in Fort Worth. His charge to the Central Texas Amateur Radio Operators was to: “Keep up the good work. We need and rely on your reports to provide timely warnings and advisories to the citizens of McLennan County.”
Gary’s e-mail address will not change and he indicated that he would welcome continued contact with the local amateur radio operators. He specifically requested that he be kept on the distribution list for the “HOTLINE.”
I presented Gary with a certificate from HOTARC and the Bakers Dozen Weather Net thanking him for nine years of exceptional training classes and outstanding support to the McLennan County Amateur Radio Community.
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Gary KD5WUT (right) |
HOTARC’s Field Day 2009
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Photos by AC5CV, N5MVL, KD5KJU |
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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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2009 Board of Directors |
HOTARC 2009 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 (2009): Mike Ross N5MVL, 836-1083, N5MVL@juno.com
Director (2010): Ed Hynan KC5KNI, 666-4873, KC5KNI@arrl.net
Director (2011): Ed Middlebrook KC5NT, 826-4053, KC5NT@arrl.net
145.15 MHz (input at –600 kHz, tone 123 Hz)
146.98 MHz (input at –600 kHz, D-Star)
442.875 MHz (input at +5.0 MHz, tone 123 Hz)
ATV: 421.25MHz (Cable 57), input 439.25 MHz (Cable 60)
Next session is scheduled for Saturday July 25, 2009 at 10:00 AM. Location: Baylor’s Rogers Engineering and Computer Science Bldg (#70 on the map), Room 210. Bring: 1) testing fee of $15 (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 next Meeting of HOTARC Members will be at 7:00 pm on Thursday July 23, 2009 in the Kultgen Automotive Center of the TSTC Waco Campus. Visiting hams, family members, and prospective hams are welcomed! |
Communications Volunteers needed:
TriWaco Triathlon July 26