WICHITA FALLS MAN
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A Wichita Falls & Hobby Radio Mashup
COMING NOVEMBER 15, 2024 - International Space Station School Contact with Bishop O'Connell HS, Arlington, VA, telebridge via VK4ISS (Nick Hague KG5TMV) Fri 2024-11-15 18:06:21 UTC 46 deg. Listen for the ISS side of the contact on your scanner radio at 145.800 MHz.
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11-14-2024 - I made contact with KY4ZY at Frozen Head State Park (US-2948) in Tennessee on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.
11-14-2024 - I made contact with K7AZT at Arizona Trail National Scenic Trail (US-4557) in New York on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.
11-14-2024 - FEMA Daily Operations Briefing for November 14, 2024
National Current Ops / Monitoring for November 13 – 14, 2024
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• No new significant incidents
Hazard Monitoring:
• Mixed Precipitation – California, Pacific Northwest, Northern Intermountain, and Northern Rockies
• Rain / Thunderstorms – Ohio Valley to Mid-Atlantic and Southeast
• Tropical Activity:
Atlantic:
• Tropical Depression 19
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• Approval: Major Disaster Declaration – WY
Event Monitoring:
• No significant events
11-14-2024 - At 6:25 AM I hear traffic on a GMRS repeater somewhere. It sounds like a handful of operators are having a morning "rag chew". I haven't heard any callsigns. There must be a "band opening" in progress because I don't hear activity on this frequency often.
11-14-2024 - The new Crossroads Luxury RV Park at U.S. 287 and Loop 11 (the loop that doesn't loop) is now open. I see two small campers there now. According to the park website, amenities include pickleball, swimming pool, playground, dog run, fishing, laundry room, exercise room, bathrooms, and a clubhouse. Now, all I need is a big RV! The eateries mentioned in the previous post are within easy reach of the RV park.
11-14-2024 - It looks like the new Hampton Inn near the I-44 / U.S. 287 Walmart is nearing completion. On the outside, anyway. I have no idea what's going on inside. It's a good location for a hotel. There is a Cracker Barrel, the Northside Grill, a Jack in the Box, a Subway, a Chicken Express, and a KFC/Taco Bell nearby. And, of course, Walmart. Who could ask for more?
11-14-2024 - The Food Loaf - At the James V. Allred Unit, our local Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison, there is a delicacy called a food loaf. A food loaf is made from the items for that day's meal, chopped into small pieces, dumped into a cornbread-type mix, baking it, and slicing it into small loaves. These loaves are served to offenders in Administrative Segregation who have refused a regular food tray by shoving or kicking it back out of the food slot. For repeat offenders, a food loaf in a sack is dropped through the food slot. If that is ejected, there's no big mess to clean. One day, I copied this idea at home. I cooked some Jimmy Dean sausage, scrambled some eggs, chopped it all into tiny bits, poured it into cornbread mix, and baked it. It was good!
11-14-2024 - Some local radio scanning targets: Walmart (154.570 MHz), Allred Unit (153.815 MHz), Wichita County Jail (155.520 MHz), State Hospital (154.800 MHz) city transit buses (453.5375 MHz), WFISD school buses (152.360 MHz), school handheld radios (151.940 MHz), Wichita Valley Airport (122.800 MHz), Kickapoo Airport (122.700 MHz), Wichita Falls Regional Airports / SAFB (119.750 & 122.950 MHz), and the BNSF Railroad (160.920 MHz).
11-14-2024 - 5:00 AM - NWS Forecast - Today: Sunny, with a high near 69. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon. Tonight: Clear, with a low around 43. South southeast wind around 6 mph.
11-14-2024 - 5:00 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: 376 km/sec Solar Wind Magnetic Fields: Bt 14 nT, Bz -8 nT Noon 10.7cm Radio Flux: 150 sfu.
11-14-2024 - 5:00 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 71.0% Kemp: 98.5% Kickapoo: 69.4. Monitored Water Supply Reservoirs are 82.7% full. The City of Wichita Falls uses the combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo (70.2%) to determine drought stage.
11-14-2024 - 5:00 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 9,627 Megawatts.
11-14-2024 - 5:00 AM - Good Morning! As I write this, I have made contact with 403 unique parks in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program. My next goal is 500. I know, 500 parks and $2 won't get me in the door at Starbucks. That's okay because I don't do Starbucks. If you're a Fifty Plus Zone member, they're having a Thanksgiving luncheon today, but you must have already signed up for it. My Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready!
11-13-2024 - According to a local news item, the Cluck & Boba restaurant is coming to the former - and short-lived - Grandy's building on McNiel. The article says Boba ". . .consists of tea accompanied by chewy tapioca balls." It didn't say what Cluck was about, so I'm going to guess it means chicken. Like Chicken and Waffles, we can now have Chicken and Boba. I could be wrong. Maybe cluck has a meaning beyond my western imagination.