January West Gulf Division News

IN THIS ISSUE:

New Year Musings
Ham-Com 2007 Call for Presentations
Oklahoma Centennial Celebration
Hamfest Calendar

NEW YEAR MUSINGS

The last day of 2006 was not a fun day for our home. That afternoon my wife, Judy, was having trouble breathing and seemed confused. Fortunately, I did the right thing and took her to the Oklahoma Heart Hospital in OKC. She was diagnosed with congestive heart failure with significant heart damage. I nearly lost her. It took them 5 hours trying everything they knew to get her heart back to sinus rhythm. During those 5 hours I had a lot of time to think about what is really important. The threat of BPL, the dropping of Morse testing, the League's actions against the FCC all seemed rather insignificant all of a sudden. Those are all issues that I'm very passionate about but the trouble at hand put things into a little different perspective. Some of us put our health at risk with anger over such issues. I know of one funeral that I attended recently that I know these issues and the anger they generated were factors in my good friend's demise. If there is a message here it would be this. If we find that our hobby (Yes it is a hobby) and service (And, yes, it is a service) is getting to us, it may be time to chill. Persistence is more effective than anger anyway. By the way, I brought Judy home yesterday and she is resting comfortably.

I sent out a newsletter a few months back asking your opinion about the ARRL proceeding with judicial appeal of the FCC's actions on BPL as outlined in the ARRL web article at: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/09/22/102/?nc=1 A clear majority
were in favor of the appeal. I had reservations but also felt very strongly that we should appeal. My reasons had to do with the very bad precedent that the FCC set with these actions. When they decided that interference to licensed services by Part 15 devices would be allowed for the greater good, I wondered what the next pet project would be that they would allow to interfere with licensed services.

Some questions have come in asking about the status of Logbook of the World. I can say that the board is fully dedicated to it and is pushing to simplify access and expand the awards that can be credited. We have the programming skills available and in the not too distant future they will be dedicated to carry out the board's wishes.

I have heard the many cries that the amateur radio bands will soon become a cesspool and that amateur radio will cease to be. All of this lamenting is over the dropping of Morse testing. I was saddened by the FCC's actions but saw it coming. I would like for Morse to have been kept for the Extra Class but, alas, that didn't happen. The world as we know it will not come to an end and the bands will not be destroyed by this action. Amateur radio will change as it has over the years but it won't die unless we let it. The bands won't become a cesspool unless we create it.

Here's hoping that 2007 is a good year for you and amateur radio.

Coy

HAM-COM 2007 CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS

Ham-Com 2007 is requesting proposals for presentations. Please visit our redesigned web site at www.hamcom.org and fill out the "Presenter Information Form." The form is accessible from the "Presenters" tab at the top of the screen or via the following direct link:
http://www.hamcom.org/HC2006PresenterInfoForm.html.

We are looking forward to a great event this year and hope that presenters will contribute their knowledge to help inform the expanding licensee base and add new dimensions to our hobby. If you have questions about being a presenter, please send e-mail to John Beadles, N5OOM via n5oom@arrl.net.

73

Lisa McClellan, K5LRM
Chairman, Ham-Com 2007

OKLAHOMA CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

Oklahoma became the 47th state in November of 1907. There will be many celebrations throughout this year and we have made sure that amateur radio plays a big part in it all. The Oklahoma QSO Party is emphasizing the Centennial Celebration in a unique way. The QSO Party is scheduled for the 10th and 11th of March. Check out the details at: http://okdxa.org/web/html/scores.htm The Oklahoma DX Association sponsors the event and is offering special awards for working the 1x1 call signs. For example there will be stations available with 1x1 call signs where the suffix letters spell out Oklahoma. For example contacting stations W5O, N5K, K5L, W5A, N5H, N5O, K5M and N5A would merit special recognition. Many operators from across the division come to activate Oklahoma counties each year and we expect the same for
this special event.

HAMFEST CALENDAR

13 January -- San Antonio Radio Club Swapfest, Little Joe's Country
Gold, 7405 Old Pearsall Road, San Antonio, TX. Talk-In: 146.94- (PL
179.9) & 444.100 + (PL 179.9) For more information check:
http://w5sc.org/

4 February -- Williamson County Annual Swap Meet, Williamson County
Show Barn East Morrow Street, Georgetown, TX. Talk-In: 146.640- (PL
162.2). For more information check: http://www.wcarc.com

10 February -- Ada Ham Fest, Pontotoc County Agri-Plex Auditorium 1700
North Broadway, Ada, OK. Talk-In: 147.285+ (PL 114.8). For more
information check: http://www.adacomp.net/~jewell/ The Oklahoma SM
and I usually attend this hamfest.

17 February -- Bastrop County ARC Hamfest, Riverbend Park, Highway 71
East, Smithville, TX. Talk-In: 443.750 (PL 114.8) & 145.35 (PL
114.8). For more information check: http://www.bastrophams.org

24 February -- Orange ARC & Jefferson County ARC Hamfest, VFW Hall
Highway 87 North, Orange, TX. Talk-In: 147.180. For more information
check: http://www.qsl.net/w5nd

3 March - Greater Houston Hamfest, Fort Bend County Fairgrounds, 4310
Highway 36, Rosenberg, TX. Talk-In: 146.88 (PL 103.5). For more
information check: http://www.bvarc.org At this time, I'm scheduled
to attend this hamfest.

10 March -- Irving ARC Hamfest, Betcha Bingo Hall, 2420 West Irving
Blvd, #125, Irving, TX. Talk-In: 146.72/12 (PL 110.9). For more
information check: http://www.irvingarc.org/hamfest.htm

10 March -- West Texas Section Convention/ 52nd Annual St Patrick's Day
Hamfest, Lions Club, 200 Plaza Avenue, Midland, TX. Talk-In:
147.300+. For more information check: http://hamfest.w5qgg.org/ I'm
going to ask our Vice Director to attend along with the West Texas SM.

16-17 March -- Oklahoma State Convention/ Green Country Hamfest,
Claremore Expo Center, 400 Veterans Parkway, Claremore, OK. Talk-In:
147.09+ & 444.35. For more information check:
http://www.greencountryhamfest.org The Oklahoma SM and I plan to
attend.

24 March -- Amateur Radio Club of Parker County Ham Fest, National
Guard Amory, 716 Charles Street, Weatherford, TX. Talk-In: 147.040
(PL 110.9). For more information check: http://www.qsl.net/w5pc

73, Coy

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ARRL West Gulf Division
Director: Coy Day, N5OK
n5ok@arrl.org

SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA RECOVERY SPECIAL EVENT STATION

Sponsored by the Nacogdoches Amateur Radio Club. Everyone is invited to attend the 4th Annual Space Shuttle Columbia
Recovery Special Event Station sponsored by the Nacogdoches Amateur Radio Club. This Special Event is to recognize and remember the effort by all the Amateur Radio Volunteers during the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in February of 2003.

The club will be operating Amateur Radio stations to communicate with other Amateur Radio Operators across the United States.

Date - Saturday, Feb. 3rd

Time - 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Place - Knights of Columbus Hall, FM 1878, Nacogdoches, TX

Frequencies - 21.350 14.250 7.250 + / - QRM

Talk In - 147.320 Repeater ( 141.3 PL )

John Chapman, KC5MIB
President Nacogdoches Amateur Radio Club

WEST GULF DIVISION WEB PAGES

The Division web pages have been relocated to their new home. Drop by and take a look at: http://www.westgulfdivision.org/index.html. I'm very pleased to have one of my Assistant Directors, Mark Mireles,
AD5CA, as our web master. A big 'thank you' goes to Mark for taking care of this for the Division.

On a personal note, I thank all of you that expressed concerns and offered prayers on behalf of my wife Judy. She continues to improve.

73, Coy - N5OK

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ARRL West Gulf Division
Director: Coy Day, N5OK
n5ok@arrl.org