TRO SIGNAL BULLETIN 09 MAR 13
TULSA REPEATER ORGANIZATION
P.O. BOX 1422
TULSA, OK 74101
http://www.tulsahamradio.org/index.html
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Sorry About That, Chief
Storm Season Returns
Go Kit Ratings
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Sorry About That, Chief
I apologize for not getting the Bulletin out the last few weeks. A combination of computer glitches and my own laziness got in the way. I am in the process of setting up email on my laptop in preparation for replacing my desktop. Please bear with me as I work through this.
Storm Season Returns
Storm season never really ends; it just moves around. Someone at the NWS has confirmed this. At the two spotter training sessions I have attended this year, Ed Calianese, W5SVR, and Steve Piltz, KA9MLL, showed an animated map depicting how and where severe weather moves around the country over a year's time. From my own observations, storm season returns to Oklahoma this month, with the most active period from mid-April to mid-June. If you haven't prepared for it yet, you need to hurry up!
Spotter training is winding down, but it's not over yet. Check the link in the Spotter Training Schedule item below. You still might find a session near you. Online training is not a substitute for a live session, but it can be a good start:
https://www.google.com/search?q=nws+online+storm+spotter+training&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Other things to check before severe weather comes include vehicle and equipment maintenance, batteries, finances for spotting/chasing, and the condition of your go-kit.
Go Kit Ratings
Right now, this is just something I'm thinking about to help volunteers determine how prepared they are. It might need further refinement.
Start by classifying everything on your go-kit list into two categories: durable and consumable. Durable items include tools, radios, antennas, etc. Consumable items include food, water, batteries, etc.
Count the number of items in each category.
As you inventory you kit, evaluate each item on its usefulness.
For durable items, keep a count of items that need repair or replacement.
For consumable items, keep a count of items that need to be restocked.
For each category, subtract the number of deficient items from the total given on the inventory list.
Still, for each category, divide these results by the total given in the master inventory list. The results should be decimal numbers. Moving the decimal points two places to the right converts them to percentages.
If your kit is under 75% in either category, its needs attention before you use it!
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PUBLIC SERVICE EVENTS & TRAINING
ARES-Oklahoma Tulsa Metro Zone 5 Weekly Thursday Night NET
2000 hrs (8:00 PM) , Every Thursday
TARC W5IAS UHF Superlink System 443.850 (East Tulsa hub), 442.000 (Mannford), 444.600 (Mounds/ NW Okmulgee Co.), or 443.100 (Muskogee), all with (+) offset and 88.5 PL.
Backup on 146.880 (PL 88.5 or 141.3), or 147.390 (second backup)
Repeater status: Report problems with any repeaters to the appropriate club:www.w5ias.com or www.tulsahamradio.org.
Spotter Training Schedule
January through March, across the entire Tulsa NWS County Warning Area.
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tsa/?n=spotter_training
ON TAP: Maple Ridge Run and Tour de Tulsa in May; Tour de Cure, Tulsa Tough, and ARRL Field Day in June. Details to follow soon.
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HAMFESTS
Green Country Hamfest, March 7 & 8, 2014 (tentative)
Regular planning meetings are the 2nd Thursday of every month at the Rib Crib, 81st & Yale. The committee will have a wrap up meeting for this year's hamfest, later this month.
http://www.greencountryhamfest.org/
Hanging Judge Hamfest, Ft. Smith AR - April 6
http://www.hangingjudgehamfest.com/
Dayton Hamvention, Dayton OH - May 17 - 19
http://hamvention.org/
Ham-Com, Plano TX - June 7 - 8
http://www.hamcom.org/
Central Oklahoma Radio Amateurs (CORA) Ham Holiday 2011 July 26 - 27
http://www.hamholiday.org/
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VE HAM RADIO TESTING
Walk-ins are welcome at the following ARRL affiliated sessions:
Tulsa Repeater Organization
Third Thursday of odd-numbered months, 1900 (7 PM), except March
American Red Cross
10151 E 11th (11th & US 169)
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74128
Next scheduled session: 16 MAY 13
Contact: Merlin Griffin WB5OSM at 918-520-7668 - leave message, or email:WB5OSM@hotmail.com
First Saturday of odd numbered months - 0930 to 1100 (9:30 to 11 AM)
Hardesty Regional Library
8316 E 93rd Street
Tulsa, OK 74133
Next scheduled session: 03 MAR 13
Contact: Loyd Beeson, AE5MM at ae5mm@arrl.net or 918.638.2393 (text msg or voice)
Broken Arrow Amateur Radio Club
Second Saturday of EVEN numbered months at 0930 (9:30 AM)
Church of Christ
505 East Kenosha Street
Broken Arrow, OK 74012
Next scheduled session: 13 APR 13
Contact: Don Doyle AC5II at AC5II@arrl.net or 918-379-0962
All testing is by APPOINTMENT ONLY at this W5YI session:
American Airlines Amateur Radio Club
Last Saturday of every even numbered month, 0945 (9:45 AM)
Martin East Regional Library
2601 S Garnett Road
Tulsa, OK
Next scheduled session: 27 APR 13
Contact: John Campbell, K5ENA, at k5ena@cox.net, or 918 346-8284
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NETS
Sunday
American Airlines net @ 2100 147.000 No PL required
ARES Oklahoma HF Net @ 2130 hrs UTC, Every Sunday 7.260 MHz (alt freq 3.900 MHz)+/- QRM
Monday
BAARC net @ 2000 146.91
Muskogee ARC net @2100 146.745
Tuesday
RCWA (Claremore) net @ 1900 147.09
NORA (Vinita) net @ 2000 147.36 88.5 PL
Wednesday
Youth At Heart net @ 1700 146.91
Bartlesville ARES net @ 2000 146.76
KC5DBH (Rose, OK) net @ 2100 146.985 110.9 PL
Thursday
Mayes County ARC (Pryor) net @ 2000 147.06 88.5 PL
Tulsa ARES/RACES net @ 2000 146.88 (see Public Service Events & Training for more details)
USS Batfish & USS Oklahoma Amateur Radio Club Net @ 2000 146.910
Side Winders On Two net @ 2000 144.250 ssb
Okmulgee ARES/RACES net @ 2100 147.225 (inactive)
Friday
Youth At Heart net @ 1900 147.09
Tech Net @ 2000 146.910
Saturday
Simplex Net @ 2100 146.550
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CLUB MEETINGS & ACTIVITIES
Tulsa Repeater Organization (WA5LVT)
Fourth Tuesday of each month except June (Field Day), and possibly December (Christmas)
Location: Tally's Good Food Cafe, 11th & Yale
Next scheduled meeting: 26 MAR 13
Program: Unknown at this time
http://www.tulsahamradio.org/index.html
Broken Arrow Amateur Radio Club (W5DRZ)
First Monday of each month 1900 hrs. (7 PM)
Broken Arrow Community Center
1500 South Main Street
Broken Arrow OK
Next scheduled meeting: 01 APR 13 (No fooling!)
Program: Unknown at this time
http://w5drz.org/
Tulsa Amateur Radio Club (W5IAS)
Third Tuesday of each month 1900 hrs. (7 PM)
Room M Keplinger Hall, University of Tulsa
441 South Gary Place (West of 5th and Harvard)
Tulsa OK
Next scheduled meeting: 19 MAR 13
Program: Unknown at this time
http://www.w5ias.com/
American Airlines Amateur Radio Club (K5JME)
Last Saturday of each even numbered month 0900 hrs. (9 AM)
Martin East Regional Library
2601 S Garnett Road
Tulsa, OK
Next scheduled meeting: 27 APR 13
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Request For Feedback
For the Bulletin to continue to be the useful tool I intend it to be, I need your feedback. I need to know of any items that I should add, remove or change. I will consider all suggestions.
Plus any comments about the quality or the handling of the Bulletin will be appreciated.
Please send any comments, corrections, additions, etc., tokc5zqm@cox.net. DO NOT send them as a reply to the WA5LVT Yahoogroup, unless you want the entire group to see them before I have a chance to review them.
73 de Doug KC5ZQM