WICHITA FALLS MAN

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03-02-2024 - FEMA Daily Operations Briefing for March 3, 2024

New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• No significant incidents / operations

Hazard Monitoring:
• Heavy Snow – Pacific Northwest to California and Northern Plains to Upper Mississippi Valley
• Critical Fire Weather – Central/Southern Plains

Disaster Declaration Activity:
• Major Disaster Declaration Approval – Vermont

Event Monitoring:
• No significant events

03-03-2024 - NWS Forecast - Today: Sunny, with a high near 84. South southwest wind 14 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low of around 57. South wind 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. There was also some activity at Wichita Falls Regional Aiport, which is uncontrolled (no control tower in operation) on the weekends. You can tune in to Wichita Falls Regional Airport at 119.750 and 122.950 MHz. Monitor local airports and more with your scanner radio. It's 5:30 AM, and I need coffee!

03-03-2024 - Good Morning! It's Sunday and, if today is anything like yesterday, there will be a fair amount of aviation radio traffic coming out of both Kickapoo (122.700 MHz) and Wichita Valley (122.800 MHz) airports.

03-02-2024 - I made contact with WS4Y at Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park (US-1873) in Florida on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.

03-02-2024 - I stopped by the 8th & Austin Street location of the Wichita Falls Farmers Market only to learn that people continue to double-dip - even with the "No Double-Dipping" sign - into the salsa samples at The Salsa Guy's table. The co-proprietor says she has to repeatedly throw out samples due to (insert your favorite descriptor here) patrons. I bought the usual two large jars, which should last about two weeks.

03-02-2024 - Conditions on 20 meters are a little rough this morning. I've been trying to work an Amateur (ham) Radio station at the Four Corners Monument in Arizona, but "no joy" so far. I think he wants credit for four states with each contact. Cool! The "big guns" are powering through my little signal. That's okay. I refuse to use, or even own, an amplifier. Contacts, when I eventually make them, are more rewarding. Your mileage (wattage) may vary!

03-02-2024 - FEMA Daily Operations Briefing for March 2, 2024

New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• No significant incidents / operations

Hazard Monitoring:
• Heavy Snow – Pacific Northwest and California
• Critical Fire Weather – Central/Southern Plains

Disaster Declaration Activity:
• FMAG Approved: Happy Jack Fire – WY

Event Monitoring:
• No significant events>

03-02-2024 - It's Saturday. That means a few local Amateur (ham) Radio operators will be gathering for an informal 8:00 AM breakfast get-together at the Pioneer #3 restaurant at Old Iowa Park Road and Sheppard Access Road. If you want to learn about Amateur Radio, I'm sure they would be glad to answer your questions over a cup of coffee.

03-02-2024 - I remember the days when I would see city buses loaded with Sheppard AFB airmen headed to the base from Sikes Senter Mall. The buses were packed, and airmen would be standing in the aisle. I'm thinking these were airmen who waited until the end of the shift for our transit buses. They might or might not have been used to a bus system that shuts down anywhere from 5:00 PM to 11:30 PM, depending on the route and day of the week. I have no idea if this bus jamming is still happening because such events would be past my bedtime. It was an amusing sight.

03-02-2024 - NWS forecast - Today: Sunny, with a high near 82. South southwest wind 9 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 55. South wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

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03-02-2024 - Good Morning! I just saw a report of a CB Radio beacon operating in Taiwan. The beacon station transmits the letter V six times and then 155TW321 in Morse code on 26.965 MHz. This frequency is CB Radio Channel 1 in the United States. According to the report, the beacon station has an output power of four watts into an "Inverted V" antenna and transmits every 5 minutes, 24 hours a day. Well, I just don't know what to make of that. In other news, it's Saturday, and I'll be making a trip to the 8th & Austin Streets location of the Farmers Market for more Salsa from The Salsa Guy. Right now, however, my coffee is ready. I'll pour a cup and see what the fellows on 1947 kHz have to say this morning.

03-01-2024 - I made contact with WD4AWD at Warriors' Path State Park (US-2982) in Tennessee on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.

03-01-2024 - Several vehicles are moving through town on the highway, using 462.550 MHz to communicate. They sound like they're escorting an oversized load, with talk about conflicting traffic, lane changes, and other information. One person should turn off that silly "bubble-pack radio roger beep."

03-01-2024 - What was once a classic-looking metal diner at 9th and Broad Streets is currently a "pack and ship" operation. You might have noticed the decorative tower - rising above the overhead freeway - beside the building. This building, and adjacent tower, would have been perfect for an Amateur (ham) Radio clubhouse. It would be an attention-getter. I'm sure it would have taken more than club dues to finance it, but it's still a nice thought. Speaking of attention-getters, more clubs could probably use a person with that job title. Maybe not attention-getter, but Marketing Director. Someone whose sole club duty is to get the word out about the existence of the club. Some cities have clubs that have been in existence for decades, yet very few people know about them.

03-01-2024 - I heard an unidentified aircraft on 122.950 MHz reporting that he was 30 minutes out and needed their fuel brought up to 18,000. That would be pounds, not gallons. That's a big airplane! Tune in to airborne adventures with your scanner radio.

03-01-2024 - Bob Heil, sound engineer and Amateur (ham) Radio Operator K9EID, has passed away. In ham radio lingo, he is now a "Silent Key". Bob created sound systems used by bands - bands that you've heard of! - ham radio operators, and others. I had one of his headset/mics years ago. Accoring to his Wikipedia page: At the age of 15, he became house player for the Wurlitzer theater organ in the Fox Theater in St. Louis. On a similar note, Peter Dahl, K0BIT, a well-known manufacturer of transformers used in Amateur (ham) Radio and other applications, passed away in 2011. Pete passed through Wichita Falls in 1984 or 1985 and chatted with a ham on one of the local repeaters. I would have answered his call but I was listening on my handheld radio while I had my hands full of antenna at the top of my tower.

03-01-2024 - FEMA Daily Operations Briefing for March 1, 2024

New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• Wildfires – Southern Plains

Hazard Monitoring:
• Heavy snow – Pacific Northwest and California to the Central Rockies
• Freezing rain – West Virginia to North Carolina

Disaster Declaration Activity:
• No new declaration activity

Event Monitoring:
• No significant events

03-01-2024 - I made contact with VA2YZX at Parc regional de la Foret Drummond Regional Park (VE-4975) in Drummondville, Quebec on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.

03-01-2024 - NWS Forecast - Today: Areas of dense fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 73. South southwest wind 7 to 10 mph. Tonight: Clear, with a low around 47. Southeast wind 7 to 10 mph.

03-01-2024 - Good Morning! March is here and it's 35 degrees as I write this at 5:30 AM. I was hoping for snow this winter but I guess we're not going to get any. I'm tuned in to that local group on 1947 kHz. I haven't listened to them in a few days. There's also a group up the dial at 1990 kHz. The important news is that my Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready.