So you want to complain ... #hamradio #ARRL

 Living in a Homeowners Association property or community with tower ordinances that won't allow your 50-foot tower?  

How about being a PART of your community, rather than a resident of it?

For years, the author has served on community boards.  One such board is your City Planning Commission.  That group writes the planning and zoning items that residents are asked to observe.

How about volunteering to serve on the board?  When a ham wants to put up a 50-foot tower when only a 35-foot one is allow, would you want someone on the committee that understands the goal?

In the years of service, not one ham has asked for a variance.  Rather, there are more willing to complain.  

Nevertheless, folks are there to be helpful.

Didn't get your variance or live in an HOA?  RemoteHams is your ticket for worldwide communications worldwide. 

Set up your remote at a friends house who has a tall tall tower.  Use RemoteHams to control it.  Clubs, there's an idea for you for that ARRL grant program may provide.  Isn't there a repeater already on that tall tall tower with room for an HF transceiver and antenna?

Control is granted by administrators.  Real time remote of frequency, mode, power, and even approving, removing, and banning users is provided.

Was it Hannibal that said "I will find a way or make one"?  Time to make a way.

Joining the VOIP bandwagon #hamradio #ARRL #WorldAmateurRadioDay

The South Coast Amateur Radio Service has a number of ways to participate.  See the note below for more information.

Note: Complete user list at: http://voipnet.scarsvoip.com/users/
Detailed Connect Log at: http://voipnet.scarsvoip.com/log.php
Update Echo link at: http://www.echolink.org.
IRLP http://www.IRLP.net.
Send questions and comments to voip@scarsvoip.com.
IRLP connects for this net are through Reflector 9614, ECHOLINK connects are through *SCARS* node 96140. AllSTAR 27404, DMR TG 3145983, D-STAR XLX004-J, FUSION YSF XLX004, and M17-SCS-J.

Also, folks are welcome to connect to the Sunflower System.  There, you may find a connection to a variety of special event stations, ex. World Amateur Radio Day on April 18, the VOIPWX net, or a local net.

 

 

 

Edmond Tailgate #hamrado #ARRL

For many years, hams in the Central Oklahoma area looking for bargains on gear have flocked to Edmond to attend the tailgate swap meet hosted Bob Williams, W5RLW and Jerry Sams, N5KNU. The location shadowed by the water tower at 33d Street and the railroad tracks has been a favorite locale to buy, sell and trade amateur radio equipment and associated electronics. Unfortunately, the property the event was held in past years has become unavailable. What a disappointment!

 

But here's the good news! Through some good ole fashioned networking within the amateur radio community in Edmond, a new home for the Edmond Tailgate Swapmeet has been found and a date has been set for the for the first tailgate of 2022!

The new location has been arranged in cooperation with Citizen's Bank and the City of Edmond.

Come join us:

Date – March 26, 2022
Time 0800 - 1200 (8am to 12pm if you work at UCO)
Location: Parking lot North of the
Edmond Downtown Community Center
28 E Main Street, Edmond 73034

This is a leave no trace event! If you bring it and don't sell it, take it with you. 
 
Hope to see you all there!

73
Clay Mayrose - WA6LBU
Board President
Edmond Amateur Radio Society

 

 

Low cost trips to #hamfests, #Skywarn, grocery stores and more #hamradio

If you were alive in 1973 to 1985, you would have heard the solution to no gas, gas lines at filling stations, and high gas prices.

Ask yourselves these questions.

Does supply and demand mean if you want a lower cost for a product, do you make MORE of it or less?

How do hurricanes impact the price of gasoline in the USA? Why?

How many refineries are there in the USA?  You cheated.  You clicked the link.  129 is the answer.

When was the last one built?  2021 in Texas

How many were there in 2016?  141 

Why do gas prices go up when a hurricane hits Texas?  Could it be there are a lot of refineries in the Gulf of Mexico area?

If you want lower prices, make more stuff.  Build more refineries.  Use the oil we have, wisely.

The USA has not learned the lessons of forty years ago well.

Thanks Pinterest for this image

Time to check your insurance! #Skywarn #hamradio

If you are a #hamradio operator and even if you are not, spring storms mean something.  

 

The image is from the insurance policy that insures the home.  If the home were in Ukraine right now, there's a mighty important exclusion there.  This small fact was realized by many on 9/11.

 

So, if the Vandals invade, that act is excluded.

 

What does this mean for the ham radio operator?  Does your policy include electronic devices?  Read your policy.  Ask your agent?  Renters,  do you even have insurance?

 

In Oklahoma, it has been established that "tornado season" is from January to December.   The majority of those events, however, occur in the spring.  That's the season now.

So, does your insurance policy cover flood?  Most don't.  Does it cover electronic items?  

If it doesn't, please consider the American Radio Relay League insurance.  There's a small annual payment, depending on your coverage amount.

 

How does spending $2000 for your ham station then have a fire wipe it out sound?  How does having the insurance deny the claim because the loss was not covered sound? 

Renters, your insurance likely excludes electronics.

Please take the time to review your policy.

 

 

When #hamradio meets #roadtrip

It was bound to happen.  Having just returned from a road trip to Texas, there was NO High Frequency in the car.  There was nothing stronger than an HT tuned to Voice Alert and 146.52. The Hamshack Hotline phone doubled as the Automatic Packet Reporting System device.

Other than the squelch popping a time or two on 146.52, a nice QSO was held over Hamshack Hotline.  Using RepeaterBook, the author found a local repeater with Allstar.  That connection produced a contact with a member of the 7290 net.

The destination location produced a RepeaterBook resources on Dstar and analog.  There was a ham radio operator using APRS.  The operator was monitoring the analog frequency.  He was from Kansas.

How was it?

It was nice in the car.  The spouse got to sleep.  We got to visit.  The trip was a joy.  I got to "radio" when I wanted.  

Take aways include:

1.  Keep your RepeaterBook listing up to date with information about nets, links, Skywarn, etc.  IF you don't want to do it, make sure the trustee is.

 2.  Set Voice Alert on your mobile radios. There were mobile stations closeby as evidenced by their location on the map.  Do NOT set voice alert on the digipeater.  That's not the purpose.

 

Hope you have as good a road trip as this one.

In 1980, your #roadtrip was MUCH higher than today #hamradio #Skywarn @GasBuddy

 In 1980, the price of gas was $2.95 per gallon ... adjusted for inflation, that's $10.72 today.

That means the price of gas is NO where near the misery of 1980 when the Organization of Petroleum Countries caused the 1973 Oil Crisis.

What's the solution?  Same as it was with OPEC, Venezula, and Russia, the answer is to use more domestic oil.  In addition, build MORE refineries.  Hurricanes can cause a pause in output.  

Make Skywarn trips affordable.  Build more to use more.

Comment Period to be Re-Opened on Forest Service Fees #ARRL #hamradio

Repeater owners in the Division who have their systems on U.S. Forest

Service properties are facing the possibility of a new fee levied by the
service.  There was a comment period on the proposal that recently
ended.  Because of the strong feed-back, that comment period will be
reopened.  Here are the relevant parts of an email I received from the
ARRL Washington Counsel, David Siddall, K3ZJ.  I am forwarding this with
his permission.

********************
The Forest Service sent a Notice to the Federal Register yesterday
announcing that they will re-open the window for comments on the
proposed new $1400. annual administrative fee.  This means that amateurs
that may have missed the earlier comment period, or who wish to file
additional arguments and information, can submit new filings between
March 1 and March 31.   A copy of the Notice to be published on March 1
is here: https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2022-04254.pdf.
(This is completely public information.)

I notice that in several of the amateur comments sent me that there
appears some confusion.  The proposed fee is a new and separate fee, not
an increase to fees (such as rent) already being paid.  If adopted, the
existing fee(s) – which generally have been around $130-140 annually
for amateur uses – would have to be paid in addition to the new
proposed annual administrative fee of $1400.  IMHO, the fee would be so
high because the proposal is to include amateur uses equally with those
of commercial wireless entities such as broadcasters, cellular providers
and broadband entities that require a much more significant presence and
greater Forest Service support than amateurs. 

73, Dave K3ZJ