News
Congratulations to Harold McMullen KE5WCQ for upgrading to general, to Bryan Loper KG5VDK and 16-year-old Jake Stegall KG5VDL for passing their technician! Special thanks to all the VEs who volunteered with the test sessions.
Danny Richard KG5ESG was appointed the new ARES Emergency Coordinator for Cass and Morris County on June 21. Danny got to work on implementing a county emergency communications plan for the counties. Jim Collom N5YU donated a dedicated ARES repeater that provides wide coverage for both counties.
November marks the final formal club meeting each year for the RACC. The 2017 officers were elected, and the 2016 RACC Christmas Party plans were finalized to be held at the Champions Bible Church on Saturday, December 17, 2016 at 6:30pm.
An unusual band opening on 2 meters allowed for FM contacts to be made on simplex and repeaters further than two hundred miles away late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning (16-17 November 2016).
The ARRL sent a mass email soliciting member support and action to encourage elected representatives to vote in favor of the Amateur Radio Parity Act. The league has made it easy by pre-loading a form on a website where members can type in their information, and an email is sent to the appropriate representatives.
You can help, too! Go to: https://arrl.rallycongress.net/ctas/urge-us-senate-to-pass-amateur-radio-parity-act
I went to the link and followed the instructions with a small twist...
Sulphur Springs Repeater to Bridge FLG to NCTC
Smitty and I along with many others from across Texas met at what was called a Skywarn Linking Summit in Sulphur Springs, January 2nd of this year. This was to have two major linking systems with the same mission to meet and discuss a mutual mission and possibly connecting.
It's been slow in coming to fruition but this is soon to happen now. That is that the Freedom Link Group (FLG) and the North Central Texas Connection (NCTC) have the ability to connect to each other at Sulphur Springs. All our FLG equipment is now in place for our 145.11 / PL100hz Repeater placed in the same rack with NCTC and sharing the same tower. At this point just some antenna and hardline work is still lacking.
The connection will be on demand or as needed connection for Skywarn. We are still discussing how much the systems will be connected during non Skywarn times. This will expand coverage from into Arkansas and Louisiana through the DFW area, to near Hamilton then all the way extending to Abilene.
That's a LARGE FOOTPRINT but on a personal note, I think it will be great listening to NCTC in possibly a monitor only mode while our approaching SEVERE WX is leaving the Dallas area. Listening to FT. WORTH - NWS, since that's the direction our weather approaches.
This connection is coming into being because of Nathan Bailey N5REL, and my good friend now SK, Steven (Smitty) Smith W5YME and other volunteers such as Jim Rogers N5VGQ, Jon Moon KA5HND, David Stevens KB5WB, myself N5YU and many many more associated with both systems.
We thank everyone that's involved and hope this will be enjoyed by ALL on our good WX days and it raises the level of safety during times of SEVERE WEATHER.
Regards,
Jim Collom N5YU