Voice of Ham Radio

New Year's Eve on 3.916 Mhz

2011-12-26T21:28:00.000-06:00

Amateur radio operators are all welcomed to the 3916 Tailgaters & Freewheelers New Year's Eve Party. The fun will start on 3.916 Mhz Saturday night, December 31st at 8:30 PM with the Tailgaters Net. The Tailgaters is a 'Ham Radio Game of Tag' with everyone getting a chance to be 'Net Control'. At 10PM Central, The Freewheelers take over to continue the countdown to 2012. KC0MQS, Jimmy from Festus, Mo, will be the net control to usher in 2012!

The 3916 Nets have always welcomed new stations to amateur radio airwaves, ever since being founded by W4FCW (sk), Ken Odom in 1998. Over the last several years, the net has been a popular destination for young hams, including several as young as 11 years of age.

For information on The Tailgaters or Freewheelers Nets, contact Pete Thomson, KE5GGY at ke5ggy@gmail.com

Santa to Appear on 3.916 Amateur Radio Nets

2011-11-29T21:39:00.001-06:00

(Dallas, Texas) We just confirmed that Jolly Ol' St. Nick will be appearing on The Tailgaters & The Freewheelers again this year. And as a result of the 3.916 Hams being extra good this year, Santa's going to be coming on the air SEVERAL NIGHTS before Christmas. Then on Christmas Eve, Saturday December 24th, Santa will check in from his 75 meter sleigh mobile rig during the Freewheeler's Free-For-All.

Of course, children are welcome to check in to all the Santa Nets via 3rd party rules and regulations.

Here's the schedule for the 3916 Santa Net (All Times are Central):

Tuesday, December 13th: 8:30-9:00 PM
Thursday, December 15th: 8:30-9:00 PM
Monday December 19th: 8:30-9:00 PM
Wednesday, December 21st: 8:30-9:00 PM
Friday, December 23rd: 8:30-9:00 PM
Saturday, December 24th: 8:30-930 PM

If you have any questions, please contact Pete Thomson (KE5GGY) at KE5GGY@GMAIL.COM

73 & Merry Christmas to all from the 3916 Tailgaters & Freewheelers!!

HamCom & Field Day.....June's Blockbuster Ham Radio Events

2011-06-05T01:31:00.001-05:00

Summer is high season for ham-fests around the U.S. And over the next several weeks, two amateur radio events will happen in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.

HamCom Flea Market

Ham-Com 2011: Amateurs from across the country come to Plano for one of the biggest ham shows each year. The 2 day event, June 10 and 11 is held at the Plano Centre in Plano, Texas. I love HamCom because it has something valuable for everyone. All the major equipment manufacturers and vendors will be on hand. Additionally, there's a very active flea market that gives hams a chance to sell and buy used gear. And, HamCom especially shines from an education standpoint. Each year features different speakers as well as training for hams who want to learn more about specialized aspects of amateur radio. HamCom is an excellent venue to introduce kids to Ham Radio. And with more digital/computer applications of ham radio being introduced and developed each year, there's lot of exciting new technology that is very kid-friendly. For more information on HamCom 2011, go to http://www.hamcom.org

Field Day Hams 'On The Air'

Field Day 2011: The weekend of June 25-26, Hams from across the country gather at camp grounds, parks and other remote facilities to demonstrate portable operation skills. Thousands of ham radio clubs will be participating in the event. Field Day is an actual roll out of emergency communications. Many radio operators will be using generator, solar and battery power to simulate operation in an actual emergency. Field Day is also a contest for hams who work to compete for prizes and recognition for contacting the most stations during the weekend.

Field Day 'Under The Stars'

Field Day is my favorite weekend of the year. My son Mac and I enjoy stopping at several radio club events throughout Dallas-Ft. Worth. It's exciting to hear the ham bands totally full of stations doing demonstrations and participating in contesting. It's also an outstanding promotional event for ham radio. Because many Ham Clubs hold their Field Day activities in high-visibility parks, the public (and especially young people) get a chance to see ham radio in action.

For more information about Field Day and to find a Ham Club Field Day event near you, go to http://www.arrl.org/field-day

-Pete Thomson - KE5GGY
'Voice of Ham Radio'
Twitter: www.twitter.com/voiceofhamradio

Voice of Ham Radio Daily

2011-02-09T23:13:00.002-06:00

Hot off the press every day, Voice of Ham Radio Daily features the latest news & views from Ham Radio and beyond. Equipment to contests to high tech to boat anchors....Voice of Ham Radio Daily has it all. Edited by Pete Thomson, KE5GGY.

http://paper.li/voiceofhamradio/1297304915

A Funny Look at Ham Radio and Marriage

2011-02-03T23:51:00.000-06:00

Are you up for a good laugh? Check out this spoof of what happens when a Ham Radio Operator buys a new radio with his family's rent check.

73
Pete Thomson
KE5GGY
http://www.voiceofhamradio.com
twitter: @voiceofhamradio

Ham Radio's Demise.....Greatly Exaggerated!!!

2011-02-01T22:57:00.003-06:00

As I was reading a recent article about the 'decline of ham radio' the famous quote from Mark Twain came to mind. Responding to rumors that had circulated regarding his death, Twain is said to have quipped, "The rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated."

Read the article below and you'll get the feeling that amateur radio is on life support and that it's just a matter of time until father time unplugs a respirator.

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110123/news/701239880/

So, fellow hams, what's it going to be....plans for a funeral or a plans to reignite the amateur radio/communications hobby?

Just for fun, let's get back to the Daily Herald article and look at the issues that the writer and even some hams are citing as the 'cause of death'.

Hamfest Attendance is Down: It's true hamfests are not attended at the level they have been in previous years. However, attendance declines at hamfests is not a problem unique to ham radio. Because of audience fragmentation, a number of consumer shows across multiple industries are facing attendance challenges. Talk to promoters of home, car, outdoor and even gun shows and you'll hear that it's becoming more difficult to attract an attendance like they could in 'the good old days'. And even though 15% fewer people might be attending a home show, it doesn't mean that consumers are abandoning the housing market. What we're seeing is a hyper-competitive marketplace that is requiring promoters to embrace different strategies in order to maintain and grow attendance. For amateur radio events, this will mean not only promoting differently but also changing the agenda of the event to draw new and younger consumers. This will mean bringing new technology into shows as well as aggressive outreach to teens and even pre-teens.

Kids & Ham Radio: Get 'em interested when they're young!

Kids Just Aren't Interested In Ham Radio: First, see issue of fragmentation above. If we want to get kids interested we better get off our collective butts and promote to this demographic. Instead of promoting a ham fest by 'word of mouth' or on-the-air, we need to embrace Twitter and other social media. Instead of promoting ourselves as amateur radio operators, why not position the hobby as amateur and experimental communications? And let's quit expecting kids to meet us on our turf. We need to be in the classroom sharing the vision of where ham radio is going in the future. And, I believe it's essential that we introduce kids to ham radio at a young age. Instill a interest in amateur communications at a young age and we get a new ham for life.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone: Many of us have comfort zones in the hobby...areas of operation that consume over 80% of our time. Personally, I love 75 meters at night and hang out on 3.916 Mhz 7 nights a week. However, to take amateur radio 'to the streets' all of us need to make time for learning new aspects of ham radio including new technology that is more likely to be of interest to youth. Recently, I've been active in Twitter and Facebook and am actually trying to target my blogs, tweets and other communication toward younger people. Hats off to hams who do demonstrations in schools or are active with Boy Scouts. More of us need to contribute on this kind of level.

It Starts with Us! Ham radio's future, to a large degree, will be determined by the rank and file of our membership. ARRL can lead the way in protecting the spectrum and being a champion of other initiatives, but 'selling' the future of amateur communications to the next generation is our job. I don't know about you, but I can understand how Mark Twain must have felt when he said, 'The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated." After making the comment, Twain went on to write some of his best works. How will we respond?

Ham Radio.....A 'Dying' Hobby?

2011-01-31T23:05:00.000-06:00

Is amateur radio a 'dying' hobby? Read the article below from The Daily Herald below and you might just start planning funeral arrangements. As for me, I believe amateur radio's best days are still ahead, but only if we change the way we think and promote the hobby. Stay tuned, more on ham radio's future in an upcoming blog post.

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110123/news/701239880/

73,

Pete Thomson
KE5GGY
Denton, Texas
www.voiceofhamradio.com
www.pwthomson.com
twitter: voiceofhamradio

Inside The KE5GGY Shack!

2011-01-23T07:00:00.001-06:00

Here's a shot of KE5GGY in Aubrey, Texas. I'm currently using a 746 Pro into a Heathkit SB 1000 1KW Amp. I've got an 80 m Van Gordon diapole that is fantastic (at 40 feet). Also, I have a G5RV up at 40 feet. My audio chain consists of a Heil PR-40 microphone and the W2IHY Audio Processing (both boxes).

The Tailgaters & Freewheelers Nets.....The Friendly Nets on 75 Meters!

2011-01-22T00:31:00.002-06:00

75 Meters has a reputation for being 'the wild child' of ham radio bands. Bring up 75 meters with any ham and you'll hear words like 'wild', 'bad taste', 'hard to break into' and 'I don't have an amp'. Indeed, 75 meters can be somewhat intimidating, especially when you consider the the sheer number of operators on 75 at night as well as the vibe that many hams seem to send to newcomers----a message that suggests "Don't come in here, we're not looking for new people."

In spite of all the craziness, 3.916 Mhz has emerged as an exception to the 75 meter stereotypes.

The 3916 Tailgaters & Freewheelers Nets

Every night of the week, you'll hear a 2 very friendly groups on 3916. Starting at 8:30 PM (Central), The Tailgaters is a 'pass it around net' that doesn't have a net control. No Net Control?Sound crazy? Well the format actually works. Instead of one station directing the check ins, The Tailgaters is like a game of 'radio tag'. When a station checks in, he or she is tagged by the calling station and encouraged to take over the net control duties long enough to find another check in. The result is fun and fast-paced net that does an incredible job of including everyone. On any given night, 30-40 stations check in and all have a chance to put out a call as net control.

From 10PM to 12:30 AM, The Tailgaters gives way to The Freewheelers Net. The Freewheelers features a different net control station each night. Net operators call check-in stations from around the country. In the 2 1/2 hour net, there are generally 2-3 rounds. The Freewheelers averages between 50 and 70 check ins each night. The record for one night of check-ins is over 100 stations.

W4FCW-Ken Odom: The 3916 Refugee

The late Ken Odom (W4FCW-sk) is given credit with starting The Freewheelers in 1998. As several senior net members recall, Odom had been trying to check into a 75 meter net when he was rudely asked to leave the frequency and not return. Frustrated, he found 3.916 open and put out a CQ call. The rest, as members say, is history. Odom and several other hams all agreed that 75 meters needed a frequency where 'all are welcome'. Further, Odom and other founders created a net policy of 'no politics, religion or inappropriate topics'. The policy remains in place today and is one of the reasons the nets have found success. Regardless of your background, politics, religion or other traits, 3916 is a frequency that welcomes all.

The Tailgaters & Freewheelers Nets are on the air nightly, Sunday-Friday nights. On Saturday night, the group holds 'The Saturday Night Free-For-All' which is essentially an unstructured rag chew that runs from around 8PM to well after Midnight.

Milestones:

The Freewheelers Net recently passed the 1,000 member mark on Yahoo Groups. And, when you consider that the Club was at around 150 members in 2005, it's clear that this is one of the fastest growing nets in amateur radio.

For more information on The Tailgaters & The Freewheelers, go to 3.916 Mhz or check out the Net's web sites. On Yahoo Groups, search the keyword 'Freewheelersnet'. On WWW.Facebook.com do a search for 3916.

A Texas Snow Storm

2011-01-21T07:00:00.001-06:00

Every year we get at least one...a Texas Snow Storm. It's funny...just before it comes, everyone storms the grocery store as if we'll be trapped inside our homes for weeks...maybe months. Bread...gone. Milk...nowhere to be found. Beer....forget it. It's like a mini-Y2K. And then, as previous years have all shown, life returns to normal.

Here's a picture of a recent snowstorm at our home. This was taken at about 7am just after a fresh blanket of snow.

Winter's Beauty

2011-01-19T08:00:00.002-06:00

It's Wintertime in Texas....my favorite time of year. My wife loves winter because the bugs take a break. I like winter because it's a time when friends and family come inside to be with each other. There's nothing I'd rather do that get a big ol' 'Yule log' in the fire place and watch a movie with the family.

As a Ham Radio operator, wintertime often brings the best band conditions that allow for clear, long-distance communication. As a kid growing up in Iowa, I remember staying up way too late at night during the winter listening to DX (distant) shortwave broadcasts from far-away, exotic places.

Winter's great. Enjoy...and don't forget the feed the deer!

Pete

Getting Ready For Christmas!

2008-11-13T13:20:00.000-06:00

In my opinion, it's never to early to get the Christmas decorations out. Along with Thanksgiving, it's my absolute favorite time of the year.

The picture above is one of many Christmas trees we have up in the house each year. This tree is located in my office. We actually have a storage room in the house just for Christmas trees!

And while taking them down is a bit of a bummer, it's worth it. One year we put off taking them down until Valentines Day!

73 and Merry Christmas!

Pete

Fall in Texas---Great For Putting Up Antennas!!!

2008-11-01T03:30:00.000-05:00

I love fall. Unlike areas further north, Texas' fall comes after November 1. In the last 10 days, we've seen beautiful fall colors in North Texas. We've had daytime highs in the 60s and low 70s....just outstanding weather. At night, you can smell the scent of neighbors burning leaves. Cooler days are perfect for antenna projects. Here at KE5GGY, we've put up 2 diapole antennas this fall. My friend and fellow-Ham Bill Dyer (KE5BTZ) orchestrated both of my new antennas---an 80 meter Van Gordon which is fantastic! Just today, we finished up an Alpha-Delta 10-160 diapole. I have yet to put this on the air, but I'm hearing 160 on it pretty well.

Today was a beautiful fall day...and you can kind of feel the winds of November getting ready to take over. Usually early December is the real transition from fall to early winter.

Huckabee For President

2008-02-23T00:18:00.000-06:00

For a number of reasons, I'm supporting Mike Huckabee for President. In addition to his rock-solid values, I find his perspective on 'big government' and shutting down the IRS most refreshing. Given the current momentum (and delegate count), it's a long-shot for Mike right now. Still, he's done an incredible job and has beaten huge odds to get as far as he has. Regardless of his success this year, look for Mike Huckabee to be a key leader in the GOP for years to come.

Merry Christmas From KE5GGY

2007-12-01T23:49:00.000-06:00

Christmastime is my favorite season. The Season brings people indoors to reconnect with friends and family. It is a time of completion...from the completion of the harvest to the end of the year. And it is a time of reflection too. For all of these reasons and the birth of our Savior, this Season is one that we look forward to.

In spite of the fact that 4th Quarter is an unbelievably busy time in my business life, I always try to slow down a bit at Christmas. Whether it's taking an extra day off or breaking away for a long lunch, doing this seems to really increase the quality of the holiday season.

Time is Flyin' By....Just Ask The Beav!

2007-09-08T00:02:00.000-05:00

Ya know, watching "Leave It To Beaver" as a kid was great. It was the ultimate 'feel good' show. Wally was the 'All American' kid who somehow managed to keep on the straight and narrow in spite of the constant efforts of Eddie Haskel. Eddie was the the mis-behaving classmate we all loved to watch but didn't have the guts to be. We loved watching him pull the wool over Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver's eyes but took comfort in knowing that they really were 'on' to his antics. And Beav, he was was just pure innocence and fun.

Back in 1965, turning 30 (let alone 50!) seemed impossible. Now, being a bit north of the BIG FIVE OH, I now have a different perspective on things. But even me turning 50 can't begin to compare to how Eddie, The Beav and Wally (right) must feel. These guys were frozen in time at age 12 for most of us. In fact, until seeing this picture of this gang at age 60, my last memory of them was on the TV program.

Jeez Wally....life sure goes by fast.

No Code.....Good for Amateur Radio

2007-03-16T23:29:00.000-05:00

Last month, ham radio changed in a significant way. No longer do Hams have to learn Morse Code in order to get access to the best portions of the ham bands. Among the Ham community there was great debate regarding whether this was a wise move for the hobby. I submit that is is a very wise move:

1. New Blood: Our numbers have been dropping in recent years. In just the few weeks that the new rules have been in place, thousands of upgrades have been processed by ARRL and the Commission.

2. Keep Spectrum: With shrinking numbers and minimal traffic on some bands, we could have lost spectrum. New blood will be hopping all over the place. Already I'm hearing much more activity on 10 meters!

3. More Kids are Becoming Hams! Across the country more young people are coming into Ham radio. As we get kids into our hobby at a younger age because of the ease of entry, we'll make 'hams for life.'

Thus far the new traffic, while noticeable has been very easy to deal with. Nets, like The Freewheelers, that used to have 30 check-ins on a busy night, now have 50+. And, so far I'm not hearing any bad behavior on HF (other than some of the operators who have been on HF for years).

And lastly, The Code will never fade away. Like other modes, people will gravitate to it as they do packet, D-star or Echolink.

73 Pete

Growing Up in Charles City Iowa -- America's Hometown

2007-02-01T20:43:00.000-06:00

I grew up in Charles City, Iowa. Nestled in northeast Iowa, it's the closest thing to 'Mayberry' I've ever seen. As kids we could ride our bikes all over the neighborhood and be kids without the worry of problems.

Even though my family now lives in North Texas, we get up to Charles City at least once a year and sometimes more often.

(Photo: Peter pictured in front of the Suspension Bridge in Charles City, Iowa)

Pete On The Air!

2006-11-20T22:59:00.000-06:00

I started in broadcasting as an announcer in 1972 and enjoy being on the air. I especially like talk-radio and the opportunity to have contact with listeners on-the-air! And even though my primary job is that of GM for KWRD/KSKY, I still do a daily program, Monday-Friday at 11:30 AM. 'Consumer Magazine' is a live, 30-minute call in program that focuses on consumer issues. Each day we feature a different consumer topic and guest ranging from financial to health to tips for home improvement.

Pictured here are (r-l) Dr. Paul Meier MD, Cheryl Meier and me during a recent broadcast on KWRD-FM, Dallas/Ft. Worth.

I invite you to tune in and call in with your question. You can listen online at http://www.thewordfm.com/

My Dad's Dime Store

2006-11-19T20:55:00.000-06:00

My dad owned the local 'five and dime' store in Charles City, Iowa. The Ben Franklin was a hub of activity. The 'Ben' carried a little bit of everything. From hardware to sewing needs to candy and toys...dad's store had it all. And it was at the Ben Franklin that I learned the value of a hard day's work and the connection between a good year in the store and our family's success. When we had a good year, presents were plentiful under the tree. When times were tough the presents were less abundant.

Pictured is my brother Charley (r) and me in front of Dad's store in 1963. I started working for dad when I was 7. First I was a 'bagger' and by age 9, I was a full-fledged checker. I think I made 25 cents per hour. The lesson in handling money and people was priceless. And, although I was certain I didn't want to be in the retail business, dad's dime store taught me some powerful lessons: 1. Nothing in life comes 'free' 2. You reap what you sow. 3. When you're the boss' kid, you've gotta work harder than anyone else in the store. And 4, free candy out of the candy case is nice but will eventually make you sick.

Dad eventually sold his Ben Franklin stores. He actually had to once KMart, Walmart and other retailers started to capture marketshare with lower prices. Still, the time I had in his store was very valuable to me.

Pete's Office---Welcome to My Mess!

2006-11-19T19:11:00.000-06:00

Ok I admit it. I usually have a few projects going at one time. Here's a picture of my office in our home which contains my radio gear (aka 'Shack'), 2 computers, and about 1,000 books.

Once a week, at least, I try to do a cleansing of the office...which usually consists of throwing away, filing or delegating. It feels good to clean up the office but, unfortunately, the clean feel only lasts for a few hours.

I've often heard that busy people get things done. However, that only works to a certain point. I've learned that when I have too many projects going at once, nothing gets done.

New Year's weekend is always a period of office cleaning for me. Generally I have a couple of days off during this time, and I've found that starting the office clean in the New Year is a good thing.

KWRD & KSKY Radio Stations....My Work QTH

2006-11-19T01:08:00.000-06:00

Not everybody gets to go to work at a job they love. I'm lucky. I love my job. I've been in radio since I was 16 years old. Currently, I work at GM of KWRD and KSKY Radio stations in Dallas/Ft. Worth . KWRD is a Christian Talk station featuring teaching and talk programs 24/7. Some of America's top Bible teachers are on our station: James Dobson, Jack Graham, Charles Stanley, Alistair Begg and others... I've been in Christian radio since the late 80s and it's incredible to see radio work positively in peoples lives.

660 K-SKY is a news/talk station. We've been broadcasting this format since April of 2004. K-SKY, while it doesn't have a religious format like KWRD, has a very conservative line-up of hosts: Mike Gallagher, Laura Ingraham, Dennis Prager, Michael Medved and Hugh Hewitt.

I'm really lucky....Most days, I really love going to work.

73

Pete

Pete Punk

2006-11-18T23:50:00.000-06:00

This is me at age 18 as a freshman at The University of Northern Iowa. (No it's not a police mug shot!).

During my first semester at UNI, my course load consisted of Horseback Riding, Scuba Diving and Photography. It's funny how much more serious I took college when I started to pay for it!