WICHITA FALLS MAN
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07-29-2024 - NWS Forecast - Today: Sunny and hot, with a high near 101. Heat index values as high as 107. South southwest wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 79. South wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
07-29-2024 - 6:06 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls water supply reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 73.1 Kemp: 100.0% Kickapoo 76.6%. The City of Wichita Falls uses the combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo to determine drought stage.
07-29-2024 - 6:05 AM - NOAA SPACE WEATHER - Last 24 Hours - Radio Blackouts (Strong) Solar Radiation Storms (None) Geomagnetic Storms (None) - Solar Wind Speed: 350 km/sec Solar Wind Magnetic Fields: Bt 6 nT, Bz 1 nT Noon 10.7cm Radio Flux: 214 sfu.
07-29-2024 - 6:05 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 8,393 Megawatts.
07-29-2024 - Good Morning. Our lake levels are slowly creeping backward, and there's no rain forecasted for the next week. While there's no need to panic, it's something to monitor. As for thunderstorms, our local Amateur (ham) Radio Skywarn® storm spotters might have to find a storm simulator to maintain proficiency. My coffee is ready!
07-28-2024 - It's almost time for the annual City View (Wichita Falls) Garage Sale. Can you remember, 20 and 30 years ago, how many CB Radios were for sale at Garage Sales (and pawn shops) around the USA? There were a ton, I'm sure. I wonder what the count is in 2024? Probably not a lot.
07-28-2024 - I made contact with WB8IZM at Harbor Island National Wildlife Refuge (US-0347) in Michigan on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.
07-28-2024 - I made contact with WB0POH at Seneca Creek State Park (US-1596) in Maryland on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.
07-28-2024 - FEMA National Current Ops / Monitoring – July 27–28, 2024
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• Wildfires – Western U.S.
Hazard Monitoring:
• Heavy Rain – Northern Plains and Ohio/Tennessee Valleys
• Severe Thunderstorms – Northern and Central Plains
• Tropical Activity
Atlantic:
• Disturbance 1: Med (40%)
Eastern Pacific:
• Disturbance 1: Med (60%)
• Disturbance 2: Low (30%)
• Disturbance 3: Low (20%)
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• FMAG Approval: Borel Fire – CA
Event Monitoring:
• No significant events
07-28-2024 - I made contact with KA1DMA at Knight Point State Park (US-3125) in Vermont on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program. Vermont was a tough one for some reason. Something between Vermont and Texas is sucking up the RF energy. But today, he heard me! Vermont completes all 48 contiguous states. Now, all I need is the even more elusive Alaska and Hawaii. Stations operating out of parks usually run at low power. On my end, I have no "gain" antenna. That is by choice. Those elements, plus the distances, will make those two a challenge.
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07-28-2024 - The Velvet Rodeo Saloon opened at the south end of Sheppard Access Rd in Wichita Falls. Are any Amateur Radio clubs that visible and inviting? Over 40 years ago, a local CB Radio club had their name on the front of a building. Just a thought.
07-28-2024 - I made contact with K3JAS at Keystone State Park (US-1365) in Pennsylvania on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.
07-28-2024 - I made contact with KB9OWD at Mauthe Lake State Recreation Area (US-4261) in Wisconsin on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.
07-28-2024 - NWS Forecast - Today: Sunny and hot, with a high near 99. Heat index values as high as 102. South wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Tonight: Clear, with a low around 77. South wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
07-28-2024 - International Space Station over Wichita Falls - Time: Sun Jul 28 10:12 PM, Visible: 4 min, Max Height: 71°, Appears: 10° above NW, Disappears: 57° above SSE. Listen on 145.800 & 437.800 MHz for possible Amateur (ham) Radio communications.
07-28-2024 - 6:26 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls water supply reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 73.3 Kemp: 100.0% Kickapoo 76.7%. The City of Wichita Falls uses the combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo to determine drought stage.
07-28-2024 - 6:26 AM - NOAA SPACE WEATHER - Last 24 Hours - Radio Blackouts (Minor) Solar Radiation Storms (None) Geomagnetic Storms (None) - Solar Wind Speed: 402 km/sec Solar Wind Magnetic Fields: Bt 4 nT, Bz -2 nT Noon 10.7cm Radio Flux: 204 sfu.
07-28-2024 - 6:26 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 10,382 Megawatts.
07-28-2024 - Good Morning! As you can see from my post above, the International Space Station has made its way back to a visible pass over Wichita Falls. Make sure you have your scanner radio listening to 145.800 & 437.800 MHz just in case there are Amateur (ham) Radio communications to be heard. I missed the ISS contact with a school in Arizona yesterday. There was maybe a 50-50 chance of hearing that contact here in Wichita Falls. I'm thinking about making another picture-taking trip to the Radio Control airplane field at Lake Wichita Park today. I went last Saturday, but no one was there. I guess I was too early. My Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready! UPDATE: I never made it to Lake Wichita Park. Other things got in the way.
07-27-2024 - Some neighborhood kids are having a blast with their FRS (Family Radio Service) radios this morning. It would be a blast for me if they'd turn off those "roger" beeps. As kids, those "roger" beeps are cool, I know. I'll do the only thing I can do - spin the dial. Your "roger" beep annoyance threshold is probably higher than mine. On another note, there are a number of Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® stations operating at the moment, but they're all pretending they can't hear me. I'll try again later.