No subject

K5GM Honored for Nearly 30 Years of Service to NTS, TCC

Pete Jordahl, K5GM, of Austin, Texas, who recently retired as the ARRL
National Traffic System, Cycle 4, Transcontinental Corps Director in
the Central Area, was honored recently by the ARRL NTS Central Area
Staff and ARRL Headquarters for his 29 plus years of service as a TCC
Director.

The duties of this position include assuring that Transcontinental
Corps stations are available seven days a week to make schedules with
TCC stations in other parts of the United States and Canada to
facilitate the movement of third party messages in service to the =
public. Pete has
been a faithful and reliable member of the staff, and he made sure these
positions were covered every day. He often covered positions himself=20
when operator power was short. Pete retired from his position on August
1, 2012.

Jordahl received a plaque for his diligent and reliable service to ARRL
and the public. Thank you, Pete! -- Richard Webb, NF5B, Chair, NTS
Central Area Staff

PIO

During the January board meeting the league appointed members to the
ARRL Public Relations Committee.  Congratulations to STX's Steven
Polunsky, W5SMP for being selected to represent PIO's in WGD and the
OK Section Manager, Kevin O'dell as Chairman.  WGD is well
represented!

Public Relations: Chairman Kevin O'Dell, N0IRW (chair); Don Carlson,
KQ6FM; Steven Polunsky, W5SMP; Mark Kraham, W8CMK; Ed Tyler, N4EDT;
Bill Morine, N2COP; John Sovik, KB8WPZ; Alan Bauld, VE3CBR (RAC); Vice
Director Jim Boehner, N2ZZ (Roanoke -- Board liaison), and Allen Pitts,
W1AGP (interim staff liaison),

Club Events

100th Anniversary
Is your club approaching its 100th anniversary?  As you know the ARRL
is getting ready to celebrate its centennial in 2014, but we have
several local clubs in South Texas also approaching their centennial.=20
I talked to two such clubs at the San Antonio hamfest two weeks ago.=20
If you are interested in discussing celebration ideas or maybe
coordinating events between clubs and have appointed an event
coordinator, please let me know who they are and I will publish it in
future newsletters so you will all know who your counterparts are.


The Woodlands Marathon
Event: The Woodlands Marathon
Type Of Event: Full and Half Marathon.=20
About the event: aside from having about 4000 participants to keep
watch of, it also pours funds back into the community. =20
http://www.thewoodlandsmarathon.com/documents/2013%20Press%20Release%20Ch=
arity%20Challenge%20Sponsor.pdf

. Where: Roadways within The Woodlands, TX
. When: Saturday 2nd of March.  Early Start, anticipate latest
release around 3pm.
. Equipment: 2m/70cm hand-held and/or mobile. Single or Dual band is
ok!
. Duration:  both Full Event and Early Start / Late Start options are
possible.
More details and to register to help:
http://www.woodlands-event-comms.info/the-woodlands-marathon
Questions: Peter Belbin ke5stl at gmail.com

ARES

We had 4 emergency ops reported this month. Leon County was on call to
provide backup communications for an oil well fire. Walker county had 3
emergency ops that are great examples of agencies using ARES members as
force multipliers: They were dispatched after a wind event to check on
limbs on power lines and road right of ways. An operator was dispatched
to check status on a controlled burn and teams were sent out to look for
high water and wind damage after a fast moving storm.

A few highlights from reported public service events: Houston county
installed lights for the Incident Command vehicle. Burnet/Llano
counties prepared their EMCOMM trailer for a planned Bandera county
event. La Salle county worked with the Laredo Red Cross and also did
followup for a prior exercise. Harris NE reported HSMM Mesh efforts and
significant planning hours for a wide area net.

This report marks my last duty as South Texas Section Emergency
Coordinator. Jim Russell NQ5L took over as SEC January first and I look
forward to working with him in his new role. - Tom, N5TW

Rick Murray K6WXA recently let me know about some new courses that FEMA
has released or updated. These are:

IS-319 Tornado Mitigation Basics for Mitigation Staff
IS-320 Wildfire Mitigation Basics for Mitigation Staff
IS-321 Hurricane Mitigation Basics for Mitigation Staff
IS-322 Flood Mitigation Basics for Mitigation Staff
IS-323 Earthquake Mitigation Basics for Mitigation Staff
IS-453 Introduction to Homeland Security Planning

Public Service Honor Role December 2012  (reported by STX STM Rodney
Baker W5DY)

Call Total Messages handled
W5DY 160
N5OUJ 100
KT5SR 120
W5GKH 61
KK5NU 109
K5AXW 95
AE5VY 91
KB5PGY 112

Upcoming events

Additional Volunteer Opportunities =20
. Woodlands Marathon March 2nd 2013
. CB&I Triathlon May 4th 2013
. Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas May 18th 2013
. 10 for Texas October 12, 2013
(Contact  Peter Belbin ke5stl at gmail.com for additional information on
above)


(Pulled from N5MNW Swapnet Newsletter)

Feb 2 Rocky Raccoon 100 Ultra-Marathon
    Needed: Volunteers with Medical Training to assist with the Rocky
Raccoon 100 Ultra-Marathon!
    5AM Sat, 2 Feb thru 12 Noon Sun, 3 Feb
    Event Website: www.tejastrails.com/Rocky.html
    K5STX at arrl dot net or 830-305-2889

Feb 9 Harris County CERT Rodeo
    Harris County Fire & Sheriff's Training Academy
    2318 Atascocita Road in Humble, Texas 77396
    www.harriscountycitizencorps.com/news/certrodeo.asp
    Christine Smith, N5CAS 2013 CERT Rodeo Communications Chairman
    ARRL ARES=AE STX District 1 Emergency Coordinator
    To volunteer, please send an e-mail to: n5cas at earthlink.net

Feb 10-17 Ham Radio Cruise 2
    Reservation deadline has passed, plan on contacting the ship on HF!
 (80-10m)
    Departs Galveston, tours Eastern Caribbean, Returns to Galveston
    Group has special permission to operate two HF stations installed
by
ships Engineers!
    Listen for "Carnival Magic- Maritime Mobile" on/near any of
these:
    3.873 7.285 7.290 14.300 18.160 21.280 24.960 28.400 (all in MHz)
    For general information- Lori KM5MQ at arrl.net

Feb 23 Orange Hamfest
    Orange, TX
    Orange ARC & Jefferson County ARC
    http://www.qsl.net/w5nd/

Mar 16 WCARC Hamfest
    Georgetown Community Center
    Rick W5NR rhtrommer at suddenlink.net

Mar 22-23 Greater Houston Hamfest *note date change*
    ARRL South Texas Section Convention - pending -
    Ft. Bend County Fairgrounds  4200 Highway 36  Rosenberg, TX 77471
    Co-Chair: John K5IZO at yahoo.com
    Matt K5NGU  matttatro at gmail.com  (281) 905-1008
    Table Sales & Commercial: Kirk KK2Z  kmkendrick at gmail.com=20
281-639-5088
    www.houstonhamfest.org=20

Lee, W5LHC"