WICHITA FALLS MAN
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A Hobby Radio and Wichita Falls Mashup
COMING: Cowtown Hamfest Jan. 17-18, 2025. Fri 3PM-7PM and Sat 7AM-3PM. 6901 Wichita Street, Forest Hill, Texas 76140. Talk In 146.940 Tone 110.9.
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12-20-2024 - 5:50 PM - Local Amateur (ham) Radio VHF-UHF traffic has been almost non-existent today. Things may pick up this evening. I could jump-start something by picking up the microphone. I'll give it some thought. Other local radio users, businesses, and organizations were busy as usual.
12-20-2024 - According to a story at the Times Record News, the Big Lots furniture store on Kell Blvd East will close. In fact, all remaining Big Lots stores are set to close. No date was given for any of the locations.
12-20-2024 - FEMA Daily Operations Briefing for December 20, 2024
National Current Ops / Monitoring – December 19-20, 2024
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• No significant incidents/operations
Hazard Monitoring:
• Freezing Rain – Northern Montana
• Heavy Snow – Great Lakes
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• Request: Major Disaster Declaration - AK
Event Monitoring:
• No significant events
12-20-2024 - At the Iron Horse Pub tonight - Ronnie and the Redwoods with special guest Zack Crow! Door: 8:30PM, Start 9:30PM - 615 8th Street in downtown Wichita Falls.
12-20-2024 - A sewing needle (or blowgun dart tip, depending on mood) made by an inmate at the James V. Allred Unit.
12-20-2024 - The Multi-Use Radio Service - MURS frequency of 151.820 MHz is busy this morning. Tune in with your scanner radio. An outside antenna would be very helpful in this case (simplex - no repeater in use).
12-20-2024 - 5:55 AM - NWS Forecast - Today: Sunny, with a high near 53. North northeast wind 6 to 9 mph. Tonight: Clear, with a low around 30. Light and variable wind becoming southeast around 6 mph after midnight.
12-20-2024 - 5:55 AM - NOAA SPACE WEATHER - Last 24 Hrs: Radio Blackouts (R1 - Minor) Solar Radiation Storms (S - None) Geomagnetic Storms (G - None) Current: Radio Blackouts (R - None) Solar Radiation Storms (S - None) Geomagnetic Storms (G - None). Solar Wind Speed: 476 km/sec Solar Wind Magnetic Fields: Bt 8 nT, Bz 1 nT Noon 10.7cm Radio Flux: 175 sfu.
12-20-2024 - 5:55 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 69.4% Kemp: 100.0% Kickapoo: 69.1%. Monitored Water Supply Reservoirs are 82.7% full. The City of Wichita Falls uses combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo (69.25%) to determine drought stage.
12-20-2024 - 5:55 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 9,941 Megawatts.
12-20-2024 - 5:55 AM - Good Morning! It's Friday! Every day I would wonder why U-ncle S-am A-in't R-eleased M-e Y-et, and on this day in 1977, he did! My Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready!
12-19-2024 - As I write this, I have made 448 unique contacts in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program. I'll see if I can get that over 450 tomorrow. Or, maybe I'll find something else to do. Stay tuned!
12-19-2024 - FEMA Daily Operations Briefing for December 19, 2024
National Current Ops / Monitoring – December 18-19, 2024
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• No significant incidents / operations
Hazard Monitoring:
• Heavy Snow – Northern Plains to Great Lakes
• Dense Fog – Florida
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• 1 Amendment Issued
Event Monitoring:
• No significant events
An Idea To Boost Hamfest Frequency, Attendance, & Offerings
12-19-2024 - 6:50 AM - NWS Forecast - Today: Sunny, with a high near 62. Light south wind becoming south southwest 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Tonight: Clear, with a low around 34. Light and variable wind becoming north northwest around 6 mph after midnight.
12-19-2024 - 6:50 AM - NOAA SPACE WEATHER - Last 24 Hrs: Radio Blackouts (R1 - Minor) Solar Radiation Storms (S - None) Geomagnetic Storms (G - None) Current: Radio Blackouts (R - None) Solar Radiation Storms (S - None) Geomagnetic Storms (G - None). Solar Wind Speed: 430 km/sec Solar Wind Magnetic Fields: Bt 4 nT, Bz -2 nT Noon 10.7cm Radio Flux: 174 sfu.
12-19-2024 - 6:50 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 69.3% Kemp: 100.0% Kickapoo: 69.1%. Monitored Water Supply Reservoirs are 82.7% full. The City of Wichita Falls uses combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo (69.2%) to determine drought stage.
12-19-2024 - 6:50 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 9,958 Megawatts.
12-19-2024 - 6:50 AM - Good Morning! It's Thursday. Don't forget the Citizens Band Radio Service - CBRS. It can provide effective long-distance communications when conditions are favorable, especially with a good quality antenna. And don't forget that a local group meets on CB Radio Channel 23 each evening at 5:30. My Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready!
12-18-2024 - Today, I received the book "Helicopter Training at Fort Wolters - Mineral Wells and the Vietnam War." It's 127 pages of photos and information on that topic. I remember riding (dad driving) to Wichita Falls (Sheppard AFB) from San Antonio (Lackland AFB). That trip on U.S. 281 took us through Mineral Wells. I remember seeing multiple helicopters flittering above the Wolters area. I was 14 at the time. As for the book, I shall enjoy!
12-18-2024 - From the U.S. Federal Communications Commission - FCC EB NOTIFIES OVER 2,400 VOICE SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT THEY FACE REMOVAL FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE ROBOCALL MITIGATION DATABASE FILING REQUIREMENTS. (DA No. 24-1267). The EB notifies 2,411 companies that they must cure the deficiencies in their Robocall Mitigation Database (RMD) certifications and notify EB that the deficiencies have been cured, or explain why EB should not remove the certifications from the RMD.. EB. Contact: Jaime McCoy. Action by: Acting Chief, Enforcement Bureau.
12-18-2024 - I made contact with KC0MYW at Mina Lake State Recreation Area (US-8177) in South Dakota on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.
12-18-2024 - I was driving on McNiel today when I saw that the Cluck and Boba restaurant, on the former Grandy's building, is still in the "Coming Soon" phase.
12-18-2024 - I made contact with KE5AKL at Sumner Lake State Park (US-2717) in New Mexico on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.
12-18-2024 - I was "today" years old when I learned of the existence of the Air Force Flyers Club Net on 14.295 MHz. They meet daily at 1600Z (10:00 AM) and 1500Z (9:00 AM) during Daylight Savings Time).
12-18-2024 - FEMA Daily Operations Briefing for December 18, 2024
National Current Ops / Monitoring for December 17-18, 2024
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• No significant incidents / operations
Hazard Monitoring:
• Heavy Snow – Northwest and Northern Plains
• Freezing Rain & Mixed Precipitation – Northwest to Northern Plains and Great Lakes to Northeast
• Critical Fire Weather – southern California
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• No new declaration activity
Event Monitoring:
• No significant events
12-18-2024 - 5:50 AM - NWS Forecast - Today: Sunny, with a high near 54. North wind 7 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Tonight: Clear, with a low around 32. North wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.
12-18-2024 - 5:50 AM - NOAA SPACE WEATHER - Last 24 Hrs: Radio Blackouts (R - None) Solar Radiation Storms (S - None) Geomagnetic Storms (G - None) Current: Radio Blackouts (R - None) Solar Radiation Storms (S - None) Geomagnetic Storms (G - None). Solar Wind Speed: 514 km/sec Solar Wind Magnetic Fields: Bt 8 nT, Bz 0 nT Noon 10.7cm Radio Flux: 170 sfu.
12-18-2024 - 5:50 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 69.3% Kemp: 100.0% Kickapoo: 69.2%. Monitored Water Supply Reservoirs are 82.7% full. The City of Wichita Falls uses combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo (69.25%) to determine drought stage.
12-18-2024 - 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 11,951 Megawatts.
12-18-2024 - 5:50 AM - Good Morning! It's Wednesday. I let the Geminids Meteor Shower slip by. Some Amateur (ham) Radio people are into "meteor scatter" communications. Having witnessed the fantastic 1966 Leonids event, all meteor showers since have been sort of "blah" for me. My coffee is ready!
12-17-2024 - I used to play Table Tennis or Ping Pong, if you prefer, at the Fifty Plus Zone. I gave up after several months. Not because I wasn't getting pretty good at it, but because it stopped being fun. The Zone group plays doubles, and I don't like doubles. But the more critical fun-killer was that they played for points. I hate playing for points! There were no tournaments in my future! I'm different, I know. I like knocking the ball around. When you get the best of your opponent, you both laugh, pick up the ball, and continue. That, and playing one-on-one, gives you much more skill-building playing time. I know the point system is needed in the Zone. There has to be some mechanism to tell one group to sit down and another to take the table. I get that. For me, points are irrelevant.
12-17-2024 - I made contact with N1BS at Beach Pond Wildlife Management Area (US-6980) in Rhode Island on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.
12-17-2024 - FEMA Daily Operations Briefing for December 17, 2024
National Current Ops / Monitoring for December 16-17, 2024
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• No significant incidents / operations
Hazard Monitoring:
• Critical Fire Weather – Southern California
• Atmospheric River – Pacific Northwest
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• No new declaration activity
Event Monitoring:
• Request: Major Disaster Declaration – SC
12-17-2024 - The Warehouse, at 1401 Lamar, is reportedly the largest privately owned event facility in Wichita Falls. Their marketing material says they can serve up to 1,000 people. That's pretty big. Give them a call at 940-500-0042. This post was unsolicited.
12-17-2024 - 5:30 AM - NWS Forecast - Today: Sunny, with a high near 67. Calm wind becoming south southwest 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Tonight: Increasing clouds, with a low around 42. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north 11 to 16 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 24 mph.
12-17-2024 - 5:30 AM - NOAA SPACE WEATHER - Last 24 Hrs: Radio Blackouts (R0 - None) Solar Radiation Storms (S - None) Geomagnetic Storms (G1 - Minor) Current: Radio Blackouts (R - None) Solar Radiation Storms (S - None) Geomagnetic Storms (G - None). Solar Wind Speed: 663 km/sec Solar Wind Magnetic Fields: Bt 21 nT, Bz 12 nT Noon 10.7cm Radio Flux: 167 sfu.
12-17-2024 - 5:30 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 69.4% Kemp: 100.0% Kickapoo: 69.2%. Monitored Water Supply Reservoirs are 82.7% full. The City of Wichita Falls uses combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo (69.3%) to determine drought stage.
12-17-2024 - 5:30 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 10,270 Megawatts.
12-17-2024 - 5:30 AM - Good Morning! It's Tuesday. The Clay County Amateur Radio Club (Henrietta) holds a weekly practice net on Tuesdays 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. Construction of new sidewalks and driveways continues along Old Iowa Park Road, from the highway to City View Drive. Possibly beyond. My Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready!