WICHITA FALLS MAN
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09-17-2024 - My Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® hunter count is 347 as of this morning. I might get one or two more today. I'm not sure when I'll "activate" a park myself. The nearest park that qualifies (state or federal) is Arrowhead. I might "hunt" Parks on the Air® parks from some of our local parks, but our parks have no status in the POTA program. I'm getting lazy in my old age.
09-17-2024 - Some local scanning targets: Walmart (154.570 MHz), Allred Unit (153.815 MHz), Wichita County Jail (155.520 MHz), State Hospital (154.800 MHz) city transit buses (453.5375 MHz), WFISD school buses (152.360 MHz), school handheld radios (151.940 MHz), Wichita Valley Airport (122.800 MHz), Kickapoo Airport (122.700 MHz), Wichita Falls Regional Airports / SAFB (119.750 & 122.950 MHz),and the BNSF Railroad (160.920 MHz) are active!
09-17-2024 - It's 6:10 AM, and I'm on my second cup of coffee. I'm listening to local trucking chatter on CB Radio Channel 19. I drove into Dallas last week and encountered several traffic jams due to vehicle accidents. I didn't know it because I was monitoring 146.520 FM simplex. Where was my trusty CB Radio? In the trunk! I usually have it under my seat, ready to go. What was I thinking on this trip? I wasn't! Yes, folks, your chances of getting a traffic update on Ham Radio are slim to none. If I was in Dallas traffic all the time, I might use something like Wayz. But I'm not, so I don't.
09-17-2024 - NWS Forecast - Today: Sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 98. East southeast wind 6 to 9 mph. Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. Southeast wind around 10 mph.
09-17-2024 - 5:50 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 66.6 Kemp: 100.0% Kickapoo 69.7%. Monitored Water Supply Reservoirs are 81.7% full. The City of Wichita Falls uses the combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo to determine drought stage.
09-17-2024 - 5:32 AM - NOAA SPACE WEATHER - Last 24 Hrs: Radio Blackouts (R - None) Solar Radiation Storms (S1 - Minor) Geomagnetic Storms (G4 - Severe) Current: Radio Blackouts (R - None) Solar Radiation Storms (S1 - Minor) Geomagnetic Storms (G2 - Moderate) Solar Wind Speed: 518 km/sec Solar Wind Magnetic Fields: Bt 13 nT, Bz -11 nT Noon 10.7cm Radio Flux: 170 sfu.
09-17-2024 - 5:32 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 9,928 Megawatts.
09-17-2024 - 5:32 AM - Good Morning! It's Tuesday, and the Clay County Amateur Radio Club will hold its weekly Skywarn® practice net at 8:00 PM on the 146.800 MHz repeater. As far as I know, all licensed Amateur (ham) Radio operators are invited to check in. Of course, scanner radio enthusiasts can also tune in. If you're ever in need of work, one of our local scanner targets - the Allred Unit @ 153.815 MHz - is always hiring. I mean always. It's probably the most "Oops, this job isn't for me" employers anywhere. But it might be right for you. My coffee is ready!
09-16-2024 - At 6:14 PM, I heard a short, scratchy transmission from the Amateur (ham) Radio repeater - 437.800 MHz - aboard the International Space Station. I must be on the edge of its radio footprint because I didn't hear anything further.
09-16-2024 - I'm listening to two guys chatting on the 147.140 MHz repeater. I hear them often, but I've never met them. I have no idea what they look like, but I have mental pictures of what I imagine they look like. Many Ham Radio people will tell you that one of the good things about hamfests is that you get to put a face with those voices you've been hearing. I guess I'm weird because I don't want to put a face - other than the imagined one - with the voice.
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09-16-2027 - Johny's Social Card Club has opened at 2444 Sierra Drive. That's just south of the Walmart on I-44. The front door says Live Poker, BYOB, 18+, and no guns. But do they have a radio room?
09-16-2024 - From the Federal Communications Commission - PROMOTING CONSUMER CHOICE AND WIRELESS COMPETITION THROUGH HANDSET UNLOCKING REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES, ORDER. In this Order, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau denies the request of the Competitive Carriers Association for an extension of time to file reply comments related to the handset unlocking proceeding.. (Dkt No 24-186). Action by: Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. Adopted: 2024-09-16 by ORDER. (DA No. 24-950).
09-16-2024 - I made contact with NV4H at Lake Barkley State Park (US-1284) in Kentucky on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.
09-16-2024 - At 6:30 AM our local Air Evac Lifeteam is active on 159.900 MHz, and the WFISD school buses are coming alive on 152.360 MHz. I have yet to hear any local Amateur (ham) Radio activity. Maybe I should start some!
09-16-2024 - I'm wondering why I have a jar of instant coffee and a yardstick from Piggly Wiggly, lighter flints from TG&Y, and freezer paper from Gibson's. I'd rather have the stores than their memorabilia. What I didn't buy was a slingshot from Wackers. When I asked the price, the clerk held it up and yelled, "Hey Joe, how much is this n****r shooter? Yep, that happened. No sale!
09-16-2024 - NWS Forecast - Today: Sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 97. East southeast wind around 7 mph. Tonight: Clear, with a low around 67. East southeast wind 6 to 9 mph.
09-16-2024 - 5:50 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 66.7 Kemp: 100.0% Kickapoo 69.8%. Monitored Water Supply Reservoirs are 81.7% full. The City of Wichita Falls uses the combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo to determine drought stage.
09-16-2024 - 5:50 AM - NOAA SPACE WEATHER - Last 24 Hours - Radio Blackouts (None) Solar Radiation Storms (None) Geomagnetic Storms (None) Current - Solar Wind Speed: 454 km/sec Solar Wind Magnetic Fields: Bt 9 nT, Bz -8 nT Noon 10.7cm Radio Flux: 173 sfu.
09-16-2024 - 5:50 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 9,755 Megawatts.
09-16-2024 - Good Morning! It's Monday, and the scanner radio will be more active than it was over the weekend. Let's face it; we don't have the numerous scanning targets the big cities have. One way to overcome this is to create scanner traffic by becoming Hobby Radio Active! Get that Amateur (Ham) Radio or GMRS license, or use the license-free MURS service. MURS is perfect for Wichita Falls because external antennas are allowed. MURS has a two-watt power output limit, but an external antenna ten or fifteen feet in the air can get a signal from one side of town to the other. And don't forget CB Radio. CB, at the peak of the current solar cycle, can be a little noisy due to signals pouring in from all parts of the globe. What's noise to some is music to the ears of others! My coffee is ready!