CQ CQ de NØUWY

Via announces $49 PC with Android OS

2012-05-23T02:07:00.001-07:00

“IDG News Service - The price bar for PCs keeps dropping, with chip maker Via on Tuesday announcing a $49 APC computer with a customized version of Google's Android operating system.
The PC is a mini-motherboard without a case, but has the components necessary to make it a functional PC. The APC PC will go on sale in July, according to the company's website. However, the keyboard, mouse and monitor need to bought separately.
Via is pitching the low-cost PC as a replacement to Windows desktops for basic Internet and productivity applications.
"Expensive, overpowered CPUs and bloated software are no longer relevant. With this awareness, we were able to drop power consumption to the point of making an energy-saving light-bulb jealous," the company said on its website.
Similar low-cost PCs with Linux such as Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone have also been used by hackers and do-it-yourselfers to write and test programs. The APC PC can also handle high-definition video and potentially be a low-cost home theater replacement in homes…”

    I love it. Well the idea of it. I am living on a very limited budget. But hell I could buy the APC mother board one month and the next month pick up a case for it. I think I got everything else that I need for it here now.
    Now what would I do with it I guess is the question?
    I might just be better off getting a cheap tablet.
    I am using a laptop as my computer right now. I got it hooked up and use it like a desktop. I would like to have a desktop with a little bit of power and one that I could have two monitors hooked up.

Go SpaceX

2012-05-22T03:59:00.001-07:00

“Private supply ship rockets toward space station
By MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer – 4 minutes ago
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A first-of-its-kind commercial supply ship rocketed toward the International Space Station following a successful liftoff early Tuesday, opening a new era of dollar-driven spaceflight.
The SpaceX company made history as its Falcon 9 rocket rose from its seaside launch pad and pierced the pre-dawn sky, aiming for a rendezvous in a few days with the space station. The rocket carried into orbit a capsule named Dragon that is packed with 1,000 pounds of space station provisions.
It is the first time a private company has launched a vessel to the space station. Before, that was something only major governments had done…” Google News

Great news. My only concern is that it does not crash into the ISS. I am sure they have worked out everything.

Jingle Bell Run - 2011 - Saturday

2012-05-16T23:19:00.001-07:00

From: W5SJZ@yahoogroups.com [mailto:W5SJZ@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Keith Pugh Sent: Friday, November 18, 2011 10:45 AM To: W5SJZ@yahoogroups.com; W5SH; tcraces@yahoogroups.com Subject: [W5SJZ] Jingle Bell Run - 2011 - Saturday, 3 December 2011 www.fwjinglebellrun.org It’s time to volunteer for communications for the Jingle Bell Run - 2011. This is a fun event held on Saturday morning, 3 December 2011, headquartering at Trinity Park and So7, 2300 West Seventh St. We have done communications for it for many years. This is the first time it has been a morning event. Our operations will go from 6:00 AM until about 11:00 AM. Not all jobs will last that long. Additional information is available from the URL above. Please let me know if you can work the event. I can be reached at: 817-292-5633 or w5iu@swbell.net 73 – Keith, W5IU Communications Coordinator

Annual Armed Forces Day – May 12, 2012

2012-05-11T20:09:00.001-07:00

From the ARRL reflector:
SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX003
ARLX003 Annual Armed Forces Day Crossband Test Scheduled for May 12
ZCZC AX03
QST de W1AW
Special Bulletin 3 ARLX003
>From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT May 2, 2012
To all radio amateurs
SB SPCL ARL ARLX003
ARLX003 Annual Armed Forces Day Crossband Test Scheduled for May 12
The Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard are
co-sponsoring the annual Military/Amateur Radio Crossband
Communications Test in celebration of the 62nd anniversary of Armed
Forces Day (AFD). Although the actual Armed Forces Day is celebrated
on the third Saturday in May -- May 19 in 2012 -- the AFD
Military/Amateur Crossband Communications Test will be conducted on
May 12 to prevent conflict with the Dayton Hamvention, scheduled for
May 18-20.
The annual celebration features traditional military-to-amateur
crossband communications SSB voice and Morse code tests. These tests
give Amateur Radio operators and short wave listeners an opportunity
to demonstrate their individual technical skills and to receive
recognition from the appropriate military radio station for their
proven expertise. QSL cards will be provided to those stations
making contact with the military stations.
Military-to-amateur crossband operations will take place on the
dates and time in UTC on the frequencies listed for each station.
Voice contacts will include operations in single sideband voice
(SSB). Some stations, depending on propagation and staffing, may not
operate the entire period. Participating military stations will
transmit on selected military MARS frequencies and listen for
Amateur Radio stations in the amateur bands. The military station
operator will announce the specific amateur band frequency being
monitored. Duration of each voice contact should be limited to 1-2
minutes.
The schedules and frequencies of participating military stations can
be found in PDF format on the web at,

http://www.netcom.army.mil/MARS/docs/AMC_Test_2012.pdf

Over the air TV antennas

2012-05-02T13:55:00.001-07:00

Out of curiosity I decided to research over air TV antennas. In doing this I found out the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) have created a color-coded labeling standard to classify each of the available outdoor antenna types. An organization http://www.antennaweb.org has a search engine to show what quality antenna is best for a particular area. This will give a chart of distance from transmitter and what color grade is needed. Like LMRA is about 28 miles from the broadcast antennas of 19 out of 21 stations, and recommends an antenna rated red at minimum preferably blue' ( http://www.antennaweb.org/Stations.aspx?Address=3400+Bryant+Irvin+Rd&City=Fort+Worth&State=TX&ZIP=76109&Housing=S&Accuracy=8&Height=6&Obstructed=False&StationList=&Lat=32.698363&Lon=-97.413573 ).
From this I did some quick checking and found an antenna that should do a good job at the club if no one has an old over air antenna laying around. It's an AntennaCraft C290 Colorstar UHF VHF FM HD TV Antenna (C290) designed for up to about 55 miles. Found two sites that sell it for under 40 dollars + shipping, http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=c290&d=AntennaCraft-C290-Colorstar-UHF-VHF-FM-HD-TV-Antenna-%28C290%29 and http://www.summitsource.com/product_info.php?ref=1&products_id=9091 The later includes 50 ft of coax.

Tarrant RACES

2012-04-11T04:47:00.000-07:00

“Communicators,

The fuse is getting a little short but there is still time. We need Amateur Radio Communicators for the subject event on Saturday morning, 21 April 2012. The event will stage out of the Farrington Field Parking Lot and will use Trinity Park for most of the event. Most of the assignments will start at about 6:00 am but final details will be provided later. It should be over by Noon. If you can participate, you can either sign up on the Tarrant RACES Web Site or send me an e-mail at w5iu@swbell.net. I can also be reached at 817-292-5633. Again, time is short so let us know as soon as possible. Feel free to pass this on to anyone that might be interested. We will need about 20-25 Communicators.

73 – Keith, W5IU
Communications Coordinator”

Fred Maia, W5YI, Silent Key

2012-03-30T08:57:00.001-07:00

“Fred Maia, W5YI, Silent Key

TAGS: amateur radio, amateur radio license, arrl, avid cw operator, commercial radio, fcc regulations, larry pollock, maia, Officer David Sumner, Question Pool Committee, radio license, volunteer examiner coordinators
03/30/2012
The holder of one of the best-known US Amateur Radio call signs, Frederick (Fred) Maia, W5YI, died of cancer Wednesday, March 28. He was 76 and was a resident of Arlington, Texas.
Fred was a leading Amateur Radio journalist for nearly 35 years and a pioneer of the volunteer examining program adopted by the FCC in 1984.
Maia published “The W5YI Report,” dubbed “America’s Oldest Ham Radio Newsletter,” from 1978 to 2003, and has been a CQ contributing editor since 1985. His regulatory affairs column, first titled “Ticket Talk,” then “Washington Readout,” offered news and perspective on FCC Regulations and ITU actions. His final column will appear in the May 2012 issue of CQ.
After the FCC adopted volunteer examining for all levels of Amateur Radio licensing in 1984, Fred became the first Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) appointed by the FCC. Fred subsequently founded The W5YI Group in 1986 to develop, publish and sell amateur and commercial radio license study materials. In the realm of FCC commercial radio licensing, Fred formed National Radio Examiners to provide examination services.
Maia served as President of the W5YI-VEC until his retirement in October of 2000 when he sold The W5YI Group study material products to Master Publishing, Inc. The retail operations were purchased by General Manager Larry Pollock, NB5X, newly appointed President of the W5YI-VEC and National Radio Examiners organizations. Maia continued writing “The W5YI Report” newsletter until July 2003.
A graduate of the US Air Force Radio Operators School, Fred was an avid CW operator. He was first licensed as a teenager as W1NTK in Brockton, Massachusetts, where he grew up. Maia was later licensed as W5UTT, and held DXCC CW awards and EU-PX-A CW. He was a member of QCWA and Life Member of the ARRL.
For several decades, Maia also served on the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) as a member of the Question Pool Committee that oversees the development and maintenance of the Amateur Radio license examination question pools.
ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, commented: “Amateur Radio is healthier today because of the tireless efforts of Fred Maia. While Fred did not always see things quite the same way as the ARRL, in my experience he always had the best interests of Amateur Radio at heart. He was a major figure who will be sorely missed.”
He is survived by his wife, Doris, and two daughters. A memorial service will be held at 3 PM, Saturday, March 31, at Moore Funeral Home, 1219 North Davis Dr, Arlington, TX 76012.
--Thanks to Larry Pollock, NB5X, W5YI-VEC”

Jim Gilliland obituary

2012-03-27T08:34:00.001-07:00

Forwarded from the KC Club Reflector.

73 – Keith, W5IU

From: w5sh@yahoogroups.com [mailto:w5sh@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Claude Whitley
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2012 11:41 AM
To: Kilocycle Club reflector
Subject: [w5sh] Jim Gilliland Obituary [2 Attachments]

[Attachment(s) from Claude Whitley included below]

Jim Gilliland, co-founder and director of the Cowtown Marathon Passed away Friday, March 23, 2012 , at the age of 74.

In 1979, Jim Gilliland and Bob Kamen started the first Cowtown Marathon with 210 runners, and the streets of Fort Worth

were covered with ice. Last month, the 34th Cowtown hosted a record 25,000 runners.

The Kilocycle Club of Fort Worth was asked to furnish communications for that first marathon and for many years

thereafter, the club was the official sponsor of Amateur Radio Communications.

Hundred's of Amateur Radio Operators have fond memories of this annual public service event under the Leadership of Keith Pugh, W5IU.

The family will host a celebration of life for Mr. Gilliland Wednesday at 2 pm at The Garage at the Pour House, 2725 W. Seventh St.

Fort Worth, Texas.

Mr. Gilliland's Obituary and Star Telegram Article are attached.

Claude Whitley, WB5FLQ

Guadalupe Mountains SOTA Expedition

2012-03-14T17:58:00.001-07:00

“From: Stephen Denison <goclimbarock007@hotmail.com>
Subject: [w5sh] Guadalupe Mountains SOTA Expedition times and frequencies
To: "Pam Denison" <pwillden@gmail.com>, 1superscout@gmail.com, w5sh@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 2:40 PM
Good afternoon,
A few of us Hams are taking a backpacking trip to the Guadalupe mountains this weekend and we're bringing along a portable radio setup. We will be participating in Summits on the Air (http://www.sota.org.uk/). We plan to be on the air at 1200 and 1800 (Central Daylight Time) Friday and Saturday around 14.290 MHz (20m ssb, primary), 14.065 (20m cw, if no answer on voice) or 28.390 MHz (10m ssb, if conditions permit). If anyone is available at theses times, we might be able to get a QSO. We need at least 4 QSO's to claim points for the summit.
Thanks and 73.
P.S. I know some of the members of the KiloCylce club are also members of other clubs. If you would like to spread this message to other clubs, it would be very helpful. Thanks.
Stephen Denison”

This solar storm did not kill us all

2012-03-09T03:27:00.001-08:00

“Geomagnetic and solar radiation storms hitting Earth after Tuesday's solar flares may not be as big as advertised, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.
Together, such storms can affect GPS systems, other satellite systems and power grids, but none of these problems has been reported, even as the leading edge of the sun's coronal mass ejections from Tuesday hit Earth on Thursday morning, scientists said.
The geomagnetic storm has reached only G1 intensity on a scale from G1 (weak) to G5 (extreme), and the solar radiation storm is an S3 (strong) on a similar 1-to-5 scale, NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center said. Earlier, NOAA had predicted a G3/S4 event.
Still, the solar radiation storm has prompted some airlines to divert planes from routes near the north pole, where radio communications may be affected and passengers at high altitudes may be at a higher than normal radiation risk…” CNN

Well this solar storm did not kill us all. In fact not much effect from it.
Maybe the world is NOT going to end in 2012. It is this year that the everyone says the world is coming to an end right?
I am waiting. Of course when you are 70 years of age the world for you can come to an end at any time.

Weather is a bit cold here in Fort Worth. So guess we got a few more days of cold and wet weather and then we will be back to our hot weather.

Massive Solar Flare on the way

2012-03-07T17:29:00.001-08:00

“U.S. politics had its "Super Tuesday" yesterday, and so did the sun, says Joseph Kunches from NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado.

That's because the sun had two solar flares associated with two coronal mass ejections. Coronal mass ejections involve massive amounts of energy and charged particles shooting out of the sun, and can cause problems if directed at Earth, as was the case over the last couple of days.

This event may stir up a geomagnetic storm, and lead to disruptions to high-frequency radio communications, global positioning systems and power grids, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center said Wednesday. The peak of the storm is expected to hit Thursday morning; it may gradually diminish by Friday morning…”

Come and Join Us on the Airwaves

2012-02-20T15:47:00.001-08:00

Uploaded by andrewjohnpremiere on Sep 23, 2011

A new high quality version of this crazy video about ham radio.

World Record Balloon Attempt

2012-02-11T08:43:00.001-08:00

World Record Balloon Attempt

TAGS: amateur, balloon, good chance, international space station, maximum altitude, PM CST, radio operators,telemetry
02/09/2012
A group of Amateur Radio operators hopes to establish a world distance record for an unmanned, helium-filled balloon. The BLT-28 balloon will launch from Katy, Texas, on a journey that will take it across the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and then on to Nanjing, China. The South Texas Balloon Launch Team plans to release the balloon at 3 PM CST (2100 UTC) Saturday, February 11.
During the trans-Atlantic crossing, when out of range of shore based stations, the balloon’s APRS beacon will operate on the International Space Station (ISS) packet digipeater frequency of 145.825 MHz.
The balloon payload package weighs only about 5 ounces and contains a high altitude GPS tracking system and a 144 MHz FM APRS Amateur Radio transmitter. To conserve weight and battery life, no camera equipment will be on board. The maximum altitude is expected to be above 19 miles, with horizontal speeds between 100 and 150 miles per hour.
You can track the progress of the flight online by entering the payload call sign KT5TK-11. Those in the southern and southeastern United States have a good chance of copying the APRS beacons directly as the balloon passes nearby.
The APRS telemetry transmitter is frequency agile to cope with different APRS standards across the globe. The frequencies used will be:
USA: 144.390 MHz
mid-Atlantic: 145.825 MHz (International Space Station packet digipeater frequency)
Europe and beyond: 144.800 MHz

-Trevor Hawkins, M5AKA, AMSAT-UK

Cowtown 2012

2012-02-04T15:57:00.001-08:00

http://www.cowtownmarathon.org/

Communicators,

The Cowtown 2012 is “just around the corner” on 25 and 26 Feburary and will be in the same general format as last year. The headquarters location will be the Will Rogers Complex, the courses have changed a little, and it is still a two day event. The short events – 5K and 10K – are on Saturday and the Marathon events – ½ Marathon, Marathon, and Ultra Marathon – are on Sunday. We will not need as many operators on each day as we did for the old one day format but the total will be at least as large. Some jobs will be the same both days but others will be different. We will definitely need more operators on Sunday for the longer events. The Saturday assignments should last from about 5:00 AM until about Noon. The Sunday assignments will go from about 5:00 AM until about 3:00 PM. As in years past, your assignment may not last for the whole period. Of course you can work both days if you want to.

When you see this notice, please go ahead and sign up if you have not already done so and help spread the word that we need more operators. We will need approximately 75 operators total. So far, we are 10 to 15 operators short. When you sign up, it would be very helpful if you would send me an e-mail listing the following information:

1. Your Name

2. Callsign

3. Telephone Number

4. E-mail address

5. Day(s) available

6. Assignment Preference – if you have one

7. Equipment available. We are especially interested in knowing if you have 440 capability or only 2 Meter capability. It is also helpful to know if you only have HTs or if you have Mobile/Portable capability

8. If you have any physical limitations.

9. T-Shirt Size.

We will use the First Monday RACES Net on 6 February for initial training and announcements. We had a couple of “rough spots” that we need to iron out so there probably will be at two more training nets held before the event. Information about event times, course maps, etc. is available in the URL at the start of this note.

I can be reached at 817-292-5633 or w5iu@swbell.net. We’re looking at another record year. Initial estimates indicate that there will be 25,000 runners this year. Let’s do our part to make this another great year.

73 – Keith, W5IU

Cowtown Communications Coordinator

CowTown Hamfest 2012

2012-01-19T17:20:00.001-08:00

“Hi Fellow Ham,
This is a reminder that the Cowtown Hamfest is this weekend in Fort Worth, Texas. You may already be aware of this event but many have not heard about it. We wanted to be sure no one was left out. The ARRL North Texas Region is holding their convention at the Cowtown this year. Many of the ARRL folks will be there. ARRL wants you to attend and remember, the West Gulf Division QSL contest coming soon. Please tell your friends about the event.
We hope you will come out and enjoy the fun. The weather is predicted to be wonderful. Have a great "Ham Radio" day!

COWTOWN HAMFEST 2012
Cowtown Hamfest, the original Hamfest in the Fort Worth Metroplex, will be held, January 20-21, 2012 at Lockheed Martin Recreation Area, 3400 Bryant Irvin Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76109.
A few sales tables are still available, but you need to order NOW! We will try to accommodate a select number of walk in requests if we have openings or tables are unclaimed. There is still a dollar discount for online admission tickets purchase, don’t be left out.
Doors will be open Friday evening the 20th from 3:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Saturday the 21st we open at 8:00 am and close at 3:00 pm. Food, including Bar-B-Q sandwiches, burgers and dogs will be available Friday and Saturday. Morning coffee and breakfast snacks will also be available.
Door prizes will be awarded through out the event. A Kenwood V71A Dual Band Mobile will be given away each day. A Bird Watt Meter Model 43 a gift for Phasecom and the grand prize, Kenwood D710 Dual Band APRS Mobile will be at the event’s end.
Volunteers are needed; free entrance will be given in return for a minimum of 2 hours volunteer time. Volunteer by contacting Ken Bush at kb5ybi@yahoo.com or David Forbes at KC5UYR@compuserve.com .
The event will feature large vendor areas, with over 100 tables, and an outdoor tailgate flea market. Several well known commercial vendors will be present. Vendors should go to the website for table availability and contact Kevin Vickers at vickersdc@aol.com.
A complete set of educational programs and meetings will be conducted through out Saturday, and license examinations will be held both Friday and Saturday.
Talk-in is 147.28, tone 110.9. Cowtown Hamfest is sponsored by the Lockheed Martin Amateur Radio Club, W5SJZ, and by LMRA. The website is located at www.cowtownhamfest.org, and personal contact can be made with the Hamfest Chairman, David Forbes, KC5UYR, KC5UYR@compuserve.com or info@cowtownhamfest.com .

Please take this opportunity to go to www.cowtownhamfest.com for information and to order your discounted admission ticket today. If you have items to sell, there are a few sale spaces left. We thank you for your past support and attendance. Your help makes the event possible and allows us to bring you vendors you desire.”

FUNcube Dongle

2012-01-11T13:33:00.001-08:00

This sounds like an interesting idea. I may check it out one day when I get a few extra dollars.

The Cowtown Hamfest–January 20-21 2012

2011-12-22T16:23:00.001-08:00

Hello Fellow Ham,
North Texas Hams are preparing to gather here in Fort Worth in January. The Cowtown Hamfest has been approved as the 2012 ARRL North Texas Section Convention.
To The Cowtown Website
COWTOWN HAMFEST 2012 and the ARRL NORTH TEXAS SECTION CONVENTION 2012
Cowtown Hamfest, the original Hamfest in the Fort Worth Metroplex, and the ARRL North Texas Section Convention will be held, January 20-21, 2012 at Lockheed Martin Recreation Area, 3400 Bryant Irvin Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76109.
Doors will be open Friday evening the 20th from 3:00 pm until 8:00pm. Saturday the 21st we open at 8:00am and close at 3:00pm. Food, including Bar-B-Q sandwiches, burgers and dogs will be available Friday and Saturday. Morning coffee and breakfast will also be available. Door prizes will be awarded through out the event. A Kenwood V71A Dual Band Mobile will be given away each day. The grand prize, Kenwood D710 Dual Band APRS Mobile will be at the event’s end.
Volunteers are needed; free entrance will be given in return for a minimum of 2 hours volunteer time. Volunteer by contacting Ken Bush at kb5ybi@yahoo.com or David Forbes at KC5UYR@compuserve.com.
The event will feature large vendor areas, with over 100 tables, and an outdoor tailgate flea market. Several well known commercial vendors will be present. Vendors should go to the website for table availability and/or contact Kevin Vickers at vickersdc@aol.com. A complete set of educational programs and meetings will be conducted through out Saturday, and license examinations will be held both Friday and Saturday. Talk-in is available at 147.28, tone 110.9.
Cowtown Hamfest is sponsored by the Lockheed Martin Amateur Radio Club, W5SJZ, and by LMRA. The website is located at www.cowtownhamfest.org, and personal contact can be made with the Hamfest Chairman, David Forbes, KC5UYR, KC5UYR@compuserve.com or info@cowtownhamfest.com.
To The Cowtown Website
Fellow Hams we have discounted pre-event hamfest tickets on the Cowtown Hamfest website, do not miss this opportunity. This is something we wanted to do for those who have supported us so well for the last five years. The prizes for attendance are some of the best ones we have ever offered. These are being offered by us in connection with Kenwood and Austin Amateur Radio Supply.
Hams please take this opportunity to mark your calendars and plan to attend the Cowtown Hamfest January 20th and 21st at LMRA. Take a few minutes to go to the website and get all the Hamfest details. You will find opportunities to purchase discounted pre-hamfest tickets and locate and purchase sales tables if you are planning to sell some of your gear. We will send an update including expected vendors in January.
All of us at Cowtown Hamfest 2012 want to thank all of our attendees and vendors for their participation. We provide the venue, our partners provide the classes, testing and items ham radio operators want to make their hobby and their place in the hobby more exciting. Please pass this information and email on to other clubs and hams so they will see the invitation.
To The Cowtown Website

Info from K6JSX on Fox-1

2011-12-06T11:38:00.001-08:00

"I've just agreed to become a member of the AMSAT "FOX-1" Satellite design team - this is an all volunteer effort. I'll be helping the team in the capacity of Electronics Test, Design, PCB-layout, Technical-review, Specification-analysis areas of this project.

Already I can tell you I've learned much just in my discussions with the AMSAT VP. Little tid-bits of info like:

Did you know 'today' it costs ~$125K per 1U-size (Fox-1/CubeSAT) to get on board a rocket for a launch to 650Km?

SAT at ~600Km (FOX-1) has about a 12yr life expediency until the orbit degrades and enters denser atmosphere burning up the SAT.

SAT at ~800Km (AO-51) has about a 100yr life expectancy.

So this indicated not only gravity but an X amount of drag on a SAT due to X amount of atmosphere at various altitudes, even if it is called 'space' implying a total vacuum/void-of-atmosphere.

As I discover/learn these tid-bits of interesting technical knowledge I'll share them with the Group. Sure looks to be an eye opening interesting experience!

Kuby, N6JSX/8, MS-EET, Owner"

The 2011 SKYWARN Recognition Day

2011-11-30T23:03:00.001-08:00

The 2011 SKYWARN® Recognition Day 24 hour event is active December 2, 18:00 (6PM) until Saturday, December 3rd, 18:00 (6 PM) CST starting in 1Days, 16 Hours, 57 Minutes, 32 Seconds

SKYWARN Recognition Day was developed in 1999 by the National Weather Service (NWS) and the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). It celebrates the contributions that volunteer SKYWARN radio operators make to the National Weather Service. During the day, SKYWARN radio operators visit NWS offices and contact other radio operators across the world. Information regarding SKYWARN Recognition Day is updated at hamradio.noaa.gov, and for the Fort Worth office at wx5fwd.org.

As in previous years, North Texas SKYWARN Amateur Radio spotters are encouraged to participate in SKYWARN Recognition Day, and make radio contacts with NWS offices and other SKYWARN ham radio spotter groups.

SKYWARN volunteers may visit the NWS Saturday. This is a special invitation to volunteers in counties where the NWS has limited or no spotter contacts. See our spotter radio coverage map, which show areas where we want more spotters and radio access. A lunch will be provided, but visitors mustRSVP before Thursday, December 1 via WX5FWD.ORG/RSVP, or send email to SRD@WX5FWD.ORG. Please RSVP including your name, email address, call sign (if you have one), and county. More details will be provided to attendees via email. Attendance may be limited.

The WX5FWD SKYWARN radio desk team will operate radio stations at the Fort Worth office on HF, VHF and UHF frequency bands, with modes FM, SSB, CW, APRS, PSK-31, and RoIP (IRLP/EchoLink). The NWS station call sign will be WX5FWD. We plan to be on the following bands, frequencies or linked systems. Radio operator contacts can print a WX5FWD QSL card from wx5fwd.org/QSL, after our logs are uploaded.

HF Frequency, Mode and other information will be published on twitter.com/wx5fwd and on the wx5fwd.org web site during the event.
145.490 85.4 Roston wide area repeater.
147.140 123.0 Bell county wide area repeater via EchoLink.
RAILS linked repeater system.
Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP):

0010 WX5FWD SKYWARN Reflector.
IRLP 3786 radio link.
IRLP 3747 repeater.

EchoLink:

*WX5FWD* (372418) SKYWARN conference.
WX5FWD-L (70938) radio link.
WX5FWD-R (119094) repeater.

APRS WX5FWD.
We will periodically access SKYWARN repeaters in the North Texas CWA that are accessible to NWS radio desk.

Regards,
David McAnally, WD5M
Fort Worth NWS SKYWARN Recognition Day Coordinator
SRD@wx5fwd.org

Attachment	Size
2011_SKYWARN_Recognition_Day_Announcement.pdf	54.01 KB

First Emergency Alert System Test

2011-11-11T15:56:00.000-08:00

“Washington (CNN) -- Problems were reported across the country during the first-ever nationwide test Wednesday of the Emergency Alert System, designed to allow the president to address the American people during a national emergency.
Some television and radio stations did not air the planned 30-second test at all. Some that aired it stayed with the signal longer than others.
There were anecdotal reports of TV stations failing to air the message in Washington, Atlanta, New York, California and elsewhere. The message did not air on a cable channel being monitored in a Capitol Hill office and in the Capitol's radio and TV gallery…”

I had forgot that there was going to be a nation wide test. I was watching TV at the time. But I was watching a recorded show from my DVR unit. I think the system worked the way it should.
I was watching the recorded show and it kicked me out of the video over to a cable channel that had the test. So after the test I had to go back to DVR and start the video again but it had saved the location so I just started watching were I had left off.
So I would say from my point of view it was a success. I have Charter Cable service.

Not sure how long I will have Charter Cable service! The other day I got an email from Charter Internet Security that my IP address had committed a “copyright infringement.” I am not going into detail about it here. My grandson and I share this apartment and Internet service.
Well yesterday I got another email from them. It seems that whatever my grandson downloaded, not that I am saying he did download something, it took him three days to download (if he did download it). So I may get another notice about the incident.

I told my grandson about the emails and I told him not to be downloading stuff if there was any question about it. I also told him that if Charter cancels my Internet service that I will get DSL service and that it will be for me alone and that he will have get his own Internet service. He needs Internet service, well we all need Internet service, because he is taking college classes online.
Right now I have 18Mbps down and 2 Mbps up Internet service. If I have to get DSL service I think the most I could get would be 12Mbps down and 800Kbps up. That would be from AT&T.
I hope I do not lose my Internet service from Charter. My grandson loves fast Internet service. Well we all do. What I should do is just use Charter for my own use and make him pay for DSL service for his access.