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The HOTLINE |
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by Rodney Baden, K5YKC |
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Waco City Hall |
Our May 23, 2010 meeting will be held at Waco City Hall at 300 3rd Street next to the Waco Convention Center. The meeting will begin at 7 PM, as usual. Waco-McLennan County Emergency Manager Frank Patterson (KE5MZD) and Assistance Emergency Manager Steve Vaughn (KE5RKR) will be our hosts.
Come and see first-hand from where our Bakers Dozen Weather Net (BDWN) is normally operated and where all the action occurs during McLennan County emergency operations!
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President’s Corner |
by John Chamberlain, AC5CV |
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We’ve certainly had a busy Spring with special events, and everyone has stepped up wonderfully to show your volunteer spirit—the true heart and soul of HOTARC! My thanks to everyone who responded to the call from our Special Events Chair, Jim Judd KA5QKL. And thanks to Jim, for doing a terrific job of keeping HOTARC looking good to these organizations! Of course, the year’s not even half over yet, and we have several more events yet to come. Stay tuned to our web site (do you check the Calendar?), the HOTLINE, the Monday night Net, and better yet—attend the Club meetings!
We have a treat this month: we’ve been invited to have our monthly meeting down at the “EOC” that you hear mentioned so frequently. That is, the Emergency Operations Center for McLennan County, located in the bowels of Waco City Hall. As noted in the article above, the big wigs at the EOC will be our hosts, and have a chance to meet the voices that really make our Club shine during local special events, emergency drills, and (heaven forbid) a real disaster where communications plays a vital role. So I hope you make plans to attend and, like Rodney said so well above, come see where the Baker’s Dozen Weather Net calls “home!”
Stay safe, stay connected, and stay happy with your ham radio mic in your hand!
John AC5CV
HOTARC President
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For the Record... |
HOTARC Meeting of Members
April 22, 2010
HOTARC’s April Meeting was called to order by John Chamberlain AC5CV Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 7:04 pm at the Kultgen Automotive Center, TSTC Waco campus. Chaplain Dell Bredemeyer KE5MZS opened the meeting with a prayer.
Present were 20 full members, 1 family member and 1 guest: Jo Ann Barrington of Waco.
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The Treasurer Reports... |
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Heart
O’ Texas Amateur Radio Club Beginning Account Balance $ 6,797.53 Income Dues $ 224.04 Flower fund 25.00 Interest 0.28 TOTAL Income $ 249.32 Expenses HOTARC trailer tags $ 42.24 Folding chairs 71.52 Liability insurance 320.00 PayPal fees 6.49 TOTAL Expenses $ 440.25 Ending Account Balance $ 6,606.60 Uncleared
activity (as of 5/20/2010) Submitted
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A motion to approve the Minutes for the March meeting as published in the HOTLINE was recognized from Jim Judd KA5QKL, with second by Scott Hamilton K5ZOH. The motion was approved by the members.
A motion to approve the March Treasurer’s Report as published in the HOTLINE was recognized from Ed Middlebrook KC5NT, with second by K5ZOH, and approved by the members.
Committee Reports:
· ARES: Rodney Baden K5YKC reported that there will be an upcoming exercise with Team Waco on June 23.
· Trailer: Mike Ross N5MVL reported that he and Roger cleaned some stuff out and put up some new brackets. The drawers still need to be cleaned out. Registration on the trailer is $42.24, K5YKC made a motion to pay it, Jim Judd KA5QKL seconded it. The motion was approved by the members.
· Repeater: No News
· D-Star: No News
· Web page: No News
· ATV: David Bush KC5UOZ reported that the ATV repeater has been reset and is working. The Pan/Tilt mechanism appears to be broken. We will probably need a team of 3 or 4 people to help out with the repair.
· Education: K5YKC reported that the class went well.
· Public Relations: No News
· Special Events: KA5QKL reported that Komen Race for the Cure is coming up Saturday April 24th.
Old Business:
· The Audit Committee approved the Treasurer’s Annual Report as submitted.
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David Bush KC5UOZ |
New Business:
· K5YKC made a motion to approve the expense of $320 for liability insurance, with second by Mark Plough AC5DE
· New Membership application was received from JoAnn Barrington KF5GBP. Bill Feltenberger KD5UEW made a motion that she be accepted, with second by K5ZOH. The motion was approved by the members.
Motion to adjourn was recognized from KD5UEW at approximately 7:51pm.
Tonight’s presentation on ATV was from David Bush KC5UOZ. He presented some fun ways it can be used for all kinds of projects.
Submitted by:
Jeremy Neal KE5PRG, HOTARC Secretary
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Baker’s
Dozen Weather Net (BDWN)— |
by Ed Hynan, KC5KNI |
The primary storm season
(spring) is in full swing. Remember, the BDWN is 
normally activated on a direct request from The
National Weather Service (NWS) Office in Ft Worth. The amateurs of central
Texas have always been there to support this request. The Net will be activated
on the HOTARC 145.150 repeater (Tone 123.0) and the HOTARC Club Call Sign
(W5ZDN) will be used by Net Control. Net Control is located in the
Waco-McLennan County Emergency Operations Center in the basement of the Waco
City Hall.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?
Continue to monitor the weather the way you do. Be aware of the pending weather conditions—through weather radio and or local TV and radio broadcasts. Check in to the Net when it is activated—indicating your call sign, name, location, and whether you are fixed or mobile. Remember your safety during Net operations is the most important consideration. Whether fixed or mobile, always have a plan to get to a safe location—always have an escape route and don’t hesitate to use it. Should you move because of safety concerns or have to go off the air please notify Net Control as soon as it is safe to do so.
Normal activations are for severe thunderstorms and/or tornados. These activations (Warning for McLennan County) are usually based on Doppler radar observations and are indicated as such in the warning text. Once a warning is issued, NWS requires verification of the warning criteria. This is where we come in: as amateur radio operators trained as storm spotters, along with police, fire and EMS personnel, we provide this important verification.
WHAT
SHOULD YOU REPORT?
Report tornados on the ground, funnel clouds, wall clouds—with or without rotation, beaver tails, strong inflow areas, winds in excess of 50 mph, any hail reports (use coin sizes or diameter of the hailstone in inches, ball sizes can be used for large hail), water flowing over roadways (4 inches or more), and any damage, injury or deaths associated with the above criteria.
The above are the critical criteria reports that are needed at NWS ASAP. Net Control will relay them to NWS. Reports of rainfall not causing flooding, winds less than 50 mph, or other conditions that do not meet the severe criteria, while important, should be saved and passed to Net Control on request. Don’t feel that because you have checked in that you have to report. Many spotters check in and then will not be heard again during the Net—as none of the severe criteria occurred at their location. However, PLEASE DO advise Net Control if you are checking out of the Net for any reason. Also, you should know that Net Control will not direct specific routes for mobile spotters to follow. Net Control may ask for spotters to move towards a specific area and this movement should be by the safest route as determined by the mobile spotter.
Keep up the great support that you have always provided to NWS, attend SKYWARN to keep current on the latest storm-spotter training tips and information (we’re always learning!), and above all, be safe in your spotting activities.
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Don’t forget. Mark your calendars: Saturday June 26 is Field Day! |
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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2010 Board of
Directors |
HOTARC 2010 Board of Directors
President: John Chamberlain, 855-7731, AC5CV@arrl.net
Vice Pres: Rodney Baden K5YKC, 857-9760, K5YKC@arrl.net
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 (2010): Ed Hynan KC5KNI, 666-4873, KC5KNI@arrl.net
Director (2011): Ed Middlebrook KC5NT, 826-4053, KC5NT@arrl.net
Director (2012): Clint Anderson AE5CA, 855-5080, AE5CA@grid-em11.com
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 June 24, 2010 at about 2:00 PM. Location: HOTARC’s Field Day site at Hewitt Park, Hewitt, TX. 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 May 27 in the Waco City Hall located at 300 3rd Street (behind the Waco Convention Center). Visiting hams, family members, and prospective hams are welcomed! |
NOTE: Special Meeting Location—this month only!