[TxHam] West Gulf Division Newsletter

[David J]

West Gulf Division Administrative Update


    Member Input Appreciated
    Advisory Committee Members Appointed
    New Class of Assistant Director Announced
    Good News Reported
        New Leaders Take Charge
    West Gulf Division Convention to be held at HamCom 
    Lone Star DX Association's Dinner Scheduled
    West Gulf Division's Contingency Plans for Swine
        Flu Discussed
    7290 Traffic Net Picnic Held
    Volunteers Needed
    Hamfests Scheduled

---Member Input Appreciated:

I want to thank those who took the time to provide their input after
the first newsletter was published.  It was encouraging to learn that
hams in the division enjoyed the format, are eager to help with
legislation that is favorable to the Amateur Radio service and are
spreading the love of the service to others in their communities.  It
was wonderful to hear from Scott Patout - K5DD, David Kaun - N5DBK, Lou
- WA5LOU, Cynthia Hawkins - KC5CMH, Dave Jaksa -W0VX, Henry - K5BUG,
David - KI5NG, John Warren - NT5C, Gary W. Renfrow - KE5EQU, and Bob
Ball - KL7AH.  The next administrative newsletter is planned for early
July.  Please send articles about local activities to help make each
issue interesting.  

---Advisory Committee Members Appointed:

The ARRL Board of Directors has created three Advisory Committees that
are tasked with keeping the Directors informed.  The new appointments
from the West Gulf Division to these very important committees are as
follows:

DX Advisory Committee (DXAC)----------- Coy Day, N5OK
VHF/UHF Advisory Committee (VUAC)------ Army Curtis, AE5P
Contest Advisory Committee (CAC)------- Jim George, N3BB

---New Class of Assistant Director Announced:

Amateur Radio is so vast and complex that it is impossible for one or
even two people to keep current with all facets of the service.  John
Thomason, West Gulf Vice Director, and I want to represent all
interests to the best of our abilities; consequently, I have created a
new class of Assistant Director called the Special Service Assistant
Director.  Each of these new Special Service Assistant Directors has
been chosen to represent a specific area of amateur radio and each has
been asked to provide information and updates to the Director and Vice
Director.  Addition categories for Special Service are planned.  A
partial list of newly appointed Special Service Assistant Directors
follows:

Digital ---------------------------- Tom Whiteside, N5TW

EMCOMM ----------------------------- Lee Cooper, W5LHC

High Speed Multi Media ------------- Walt DuBose, K5YFW

Internet Activities ---------------- Mark Mireles, AD5CA

Legislative Affairs ---------------- John Stratton, KE5ISX
                                     Eddie Manley, K5EMS

Membership ------------------------- Carla Dyer, K5RLA
                                     Doug Loughmiller, W5BL

NTS--------------------------------- J.W. Roach, W5AYX
                                     Jo Ann Keith, KA5AZK

Power line noise and BPL ----------- Jory McIntosch, KJ5RM

VE --------------------------------- H.O. Townsend, K5CX
                                     Clay Emert, K5TRW


---Good News Reported:

Congratulations to West Texas ARRL member Jonathan Baize, AD5OJ, from
Fort Davis for being awarded the Richard W. Benidickson Memorial
Scholarship by the ARRL Foundation. Jonathan is an Electrical
Engineering major at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South
Carolina.

---New Leaders Take Charge:

Jay Urish, W5GM, of Flower Mound, assumed the role of North Texas
Section Manager on April 1st.  Richard C Leach, KA5EMT, has been named
an Assistant Section Manager in Oklahoma.

---West Gulf Division Convention to be held at HamCom 2009:

This year's West Gulf Division Convention will be held at HamCom 2009. 
This is the 31st HamCom and it is going to be a big one.  In fact,
HamCom is the biggest hamfest in Texas.  The location is Plano Centre,
2000 East Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX and the meeting dates are
Friday, June 12th and Saturday, June 13th.  Special guest speakers this
year are as follows:

Dave Sumner, K1ZZ CEO of the ARRL 
Gordon West, WA6NOA Author and Educator
Bill Allphin, K4UEE Lone Star DX Dinner Speaker

Don't miss the ARRL Forum, 46 commercial vendors, inside Flea Market,
outside Tailgate Market, SkyWarn school, daily grand prizes, 18 hourly
prizes, VE testing and more forums than every before.

Check the HamCom web site at www.hamcom.org for details.  

---Lone Star DX Association's Dinner Scheduled:

The Lone Star DX Association is pleased to sponsor the 2009 W5DXCC DX
Dinner and DX programs in conjunction with Ham-Com.  The dinner will be
Friday evening, June 12, at the Plano Centre in the Windhaven Room. 
This is the same location as 2007. The evening will begin with a cash
hospitality bar in the Plano Centre from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM. Dinner
activities will begin promptly at 6:30 PM. 

Ticket price for dinner is $40.  Tickets can be purchased via the
"Admission" link on the HamCom web site, www.hamcom.org.  Because of
the banquet room capacity, a maximum of 200 tickets will be sold. 
Tickets must be ordered before midnight, May 30 and can be picked up at
the Lone Star DX Association booth. 

The DX dinner program for the 2009 W5DXCC will be the 2009 K5D Desecheo
DXpedition (www.kp5.us).  Desecheo is very rare, being the 6th most
needed DXCC entity worldwide.  On October 1, 2008, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) selected the KP1-5 Project team led by K4UEE
and WØGJ to be the first USFWS-approved DXpedition to Desecheo Island
in fifteen years.  DXpedition co-leader Bob Allphin, K4UEE will present
what promises to be a very interesting program. 

The 2009 W5DXCC dinner door prizes will include the following: 

· FT-2000 transceiver donated by Yaesu.   www.yaesu.com 
· A Force 12 C-3S Yagi donated by Force 12.   www.force12inc.com 
· AIM 4170 Antenna RF Analyzer, accessories & carrying case from
Array Solutions.                               
  www.arraysolutions.com

The Saturday, June 13, W5DXCC programs at Ham-Com are also taking
shape. The confirmed Saturday lineup includes the following: 

· K5D Desecheo Round Table Q&A by K4UEE, K5AC, K5AND, NA5U 
· VK9LA Lord Howe by W5SL 
· Cycle 24 and More by K9LA 
· How to DX on 6 Meters by K5AND 

The DXCC card checking process will be similar to what we have had in
past years. ARRL has committed to have a representative present so all
cards can be checked by the field checkers. 

Watch the LSDXA web site, www.dxer.org, for the latest updated
information. Contact:  Dave Jaksa, W0VX, President, Lone Star DX
Association for details.

---West Gulf Division's Contingency Plans for Swine Flu Discussed

The West Gulf Division recently held a conference call for all of the
SM's and SEC's in the Division to discuss swine flu.  It was an
opportunity for the SM's to speak directly to one another. The call
also introduced the new NTX SM Jay Urish, W5GM, and the new OK SM Dean
Feken, KL7XX, and his SEC, Charles Goodson, KC5UEG, to the Division
leadership.   Although responsible for several deaths, the swine flu
has not progressed to the pandemic stage.  The conference call did
allow each of the Sections to share their contingency plans and discuss
mutual assistance in case of need.  In addition to NTX and OK Section
leaders, the WTX SM, John Dyer, AE5B and WTX SEC, J.T. Caldwell,
WA5ZFH, as well as the STX SM, Ray Taylor, N5NAV and STX SEC, Mike
Schwartz, KG5TL participated in the call.  Lee Cooper, W5LHC, West Gulf
Assistant Director for EMCOMM, provided an update from the Governor's
Division of Emergency Management.  John Stratton KE5ISX, West Gulf
Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs, Lou Everett, WA5LOU, STX ASM
and Dennis Dura, K2DCD, ARRL HQ EMCOMM manager provided valuable input.
 

---7290 Traffic Net Picnic Held:

The 39th annual 7290 Traffic Net Picnic was held at the Riverbend Park
in Smithville, Texas, with 72 people attending the 4:00 pm BBQ.  This
year's Picnic was dedicated to James "JR" Aaron K5SUB from Orange,
Texas who became a silent key on March 25, 2009.  The Whitney Nugget
Award, which is our Ham of the Year award, was presented to Joe Kallina
K8KP for all his dedication to the net and Ham radio this past year. 
Congratulations!  Jody.

We were honored to have the ARRL West Gulf Division Director Dr. David
Woolweaver, K5RAV and the West Gulf Division Assistant Director for
Legislative Affairs, John Stratton, KE5ISX on hand. They gave us some
very interesting information.  Also in attendance and speaking was Ray
Taylor, N5NAV, STX SM and STX SEC, Mike Schwartz, KG5TL.  Other Net
Managers in attendance and speaking were Lou Everett, WA5LOU, Manager
of the Texas Traffic Net, Rodney Baker, W5DY, Assistant Manager of the
Texas CW Traffic Net and Texas Slow NET manager, Chuck Mayfield, AA5J. 
Pat Allison, KD5TXD was presented the Pfeiffer Pfist Award by W5DY.  

Information provided by Jo Ann Keith, KA5AZK, 7290 Traffic Net Manager.
 

---Volunteers Needed:

The West Gulf Division needs volunteer experts in database creation and
management.  Volunteers are also needed for web site creation and
management.  Please contact me at k5rav at arrl.org if you wish to make a
contribution.  

---Upcoming Hamfests

May 16, 2009 
Johnny Pittman Memorial Swapfest
Smithville, TX
Vernon Richards Riverbend Park
Bastrop County Amateur Radio Club
http://bcarc-hams.org
Talk-In: 145.35 & 443.750 (both PL 114.8)
Contact:  Lynn Fisk, K5LYN
167 Hudson Road
Smithville, TX 78957
Phone: 512-360-4809 
Email: k5lyn at arrl.net

June 12-13, 2009 
West Gulf Division Convention (Ham-Com 2009)
Ham-Com, Inc., 
Plano, TX
Plano Centre
North Texas Microwave Society, McKinney ARC, et al
http://www.hamcom.org/
Talk-In: 147.18+ (PL 107.2)
Contact:  Barry A. Goldblatt, WA5KXX
3212 Jeremes Landing
Plano, TX 75075
Phone: 972-596-4669
Fax: 972-596-5078
Email: wa5kxx at verizon.net

July 11, 2009 
Tidelands Amateur Radio Society
Texas City, TX
Doyle Convention Center
http://www.tidelands.org
Talk-In: 147.140 (PL 167.9) or 442.025 (PL 103.5)
Contact:  Joe Wileman, AA5OP
1010 24th Avenue North
Texas City, TX 77590
Phone: 409-945-6794 
Email: aa5op at yahoo.com

July 24-25, 2009 
Oklahoma Section Convention (Ham Holiday 2009)
Oklahoma City, OK
Moore-Norman Technology Center (South Penn Campus)
Central Oklahoma Radio Amateurs (CORA)
http://www.hamholiday.com
Talk-In: 146.82 (PL 151.4)
Contact:  Bill Wilburn, N5NUK
6417 North Warren Avenue, #243 
Oklahoma City, OK 73116-1312
Phone: 405-843-4705 
Fax: 405-841-2624
Email: n5nuk at sbcglobal.net

Aug. 7-8, 2009 
Texas State Convention (Austin Summerfest)
Austin, TX
Austin Airport Marriott South
Austin ARC & Texas VHF FM Society
http://www.austinsummerfest.org
Talk-In: 146.34/.94 (no tone)
Contact:  Joe Makeever, W5HS
8609 Tallwood Drive
Austin, TX 78759-8126
Phone: 512-345-0800 
Email: w5hs at arrl.net

I want to thank John Thomason, WB5SYT, Vice Director West Gulf Division
for his invaluable assistance in the preparation of this bulletin.

Dr. David Woolweaver, K5RAV
Director West Gulf Division

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ARRL West Gulf Division
Director: David Woolweaver, K5RAV
k5rav at arrl.org
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