RadioMan763™
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05-15-2026 - 5:15 AM - Good Morning! It’s Friday, once again. We have a small chance of rain this afternoon, so let’s hope we get it. No high winds or hail, please! As I write this, I hear a General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) repeater on 462.625 MHz identifying in Morse code and voice. I think it said Saginaw, Texas. That means we have a VHF-UHF band opening this morning. Speaking of Morse code, I have that musical delight running in the background on the 40-meter Amateur (ham) Radio band. And someone is keying up a Family Radio Service (FRS) handheld radio with a complimentary “roger beep” included. Isn’t it a little early for that? My Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready.
--- 5:20 AM - NWS Forecast - Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Mostly cloudy during the morning, then sunny during the afternoon and hot, with a high near 98. South wind 14 to 24 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph. Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind 15 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph.
--- 5:25 AM - NWS Short Range Weather Discussion
--- 5:30 AM - NWS Extended Range Weather Discussion
--- 5:35 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 84.9% Kemp: 94.7% Kickapoo: 86.8%. Monitored Water Supply Reservoirs are 89.5% full. The City of Wichita Falls uses combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo (85.85%) to determine drought stage.
--- 5:40 AM - ERCOT (Texas) snapshot of grid conditions - ERCOT reports that conditions are normal and there is enough power for current demand with an operating reserve of 11,690 Megawatts.
--- 5:55 AM - I hear someone reciting the preamble for a net on a distant 146.940 MHz repeater. Fort Worth, maybe? Go to sleep, people!
--- 6:40 AM - From Google AI Overview: The Dayton Hamvention® (often referred to as Dayton) is widely recognized as the largest amateur radio convention and hamfest in the world. It draws tens of thousands of amateur radio enthusiasts, tinkerers, and vendors from across the globe. From RadioMan763: This event, often referred to as "Four Days in May," is in progress. I have never attended, and I doubt I ever will.
--- 8:10 AM - FEMA Daily Operations Briefing
--- 9:00 AM - In the 1970s, and probably earlier, a candy and gum stand was located on the north end of the first-floor lobby of the downtown Post Office. It was operated by a blind man. I can’t remember his name. These days, someone would rob him, blind or not.
--- 9:30 AM - In the early 1980s, Fuddruckers (burgers) appeared on the northwest corner of Kemp & Call Field. They didn't last very long. They said Wichita Falls wasn't quite ready for their type of restaurant. I took that as a compliment, but I'm sure many others did not. With Pat's, Ronnie's, and Willie's, who needs a Fuddruckers? About a decade later, I saw a letter in our local newspaper's “Letters to the Editor” section saying that getting an In-N-Out Burger would really put us on the map. Are we in such a sad condition that we need a burger joint to put us on the map? Don’t answer that!
2:00 PM - A local Amateur (ham) Radio operator, now a Silent Key*, configured the burglar alarm in his business to send a signal to his home via an unused Amateur (ham) Radio two-meter frequency. I'm not sure if it ever activated other than for testing purposes. *Deceased.
--- 5:40 PM - I'm waiting for the start of the Baltimore-Washington baseball game on Peacock. I have the TV on mute, since they're interviewing players. The news media have asked the same questions of players since there was such a thing as news media and players. And, guess what, the players have been giving the same answers for a hundred years. Spare me!
--- 7:25 PM - Local Wichita Falls Amateur (ham) Radio Skywarn® storm spotter Net Control Station WX5SPS advised that the National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch, which includes Wichita Falls, until 11:00 PM. High winds seem to be the main concern. Tune in to these updates and storm spotter activations at 146.940 MHz on your scanner radio.