Ra7dio3 Report
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08-02-2025 - 11:30 AM - My research tells me that Alcatraz does not qualify for inclusion in the Amateur (ham) Radio "Islands on the Air" program because it is too close to the mainland. That doesn't mean you can't take a pocket-sized two-meter handheld radio on your tour and sneak in a few contacts with San Francisco hams. You might end up in Al Capone's cell, but it would be worth it. Okay, maybe not.
08-02-2025 - 6:00 PM - The Local Group is on CB Radio Channel 23. After 10 innings, the Rangers and Mariners are tied 4 - 4. This is usually not a good look for the Rangers. UPDATE: Rangers win 6 - 4 in 11 innings.
08-01-2025 - 5:00 AM - Good Morning! It's Friday, and the first day of August, and it sounds like the CB Radio band is already trying to open. I guess it's never too early if you're a skip shooter. Yesterday, the band was slow to awaken. Local schools resume in a few weeks and that will add to the scanner radio traffic. The school buses can be a hoot! My Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready!
08-01-2025 - 5:10 AM - Wichita Falls NWS Forecast - Today: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. North northeast wind around 9 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. East northeast wind 5 to 9 mph.
08-01-2025 - 5:20 AM - Current National Short Range Weather Forecast
08-01-2025 - 7:15 AM - Some Wichita Falls 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 Airport / SAFB (119.750 & 122.950 MHz), and the BNSF Railroad (160.920 MHz). Find more local frequencies here!
08-01-2025 - 7:20 AM - From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Situation Summary - Total nonfarm payroll employment changed little in July (+73,000) and has shown little change since April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. The unemployment rate, at 4.2 percent, also changed little in July. Employment continued to trend up in health care and in social assistance. Federal government continued to lose jobs.
08-01-2025 - 7:25 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 93.8% Kemp: 100% Kickapoo: 98.6%. Monitored Water Supply Reservoirs are 97.2% full. The City of Wichita Falls uses combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo (96.2%) to determine drought stage.
08-01-2025 - 7:30 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 7,355 Megawatts.
08-01-2025 - 9:00 AM - FEMA National Watch Center - National Current Ops / Monitoring – July 31– August 1, 2025
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• No new significant incidents / operations
Hazard Monitoring:
• Severe Thunderstorms – Central / Northern Plains
• Heavy Rainfall / Flash Flooding – Northern Plains, Southeast, New Mexico, and Texas
• Excessive Heat – Southwest
• Fire Weather – Great Basin into Utah, Hawaii
• Tropical Activity
Central Pacific:
• Tropical Storm Iona
• Disturbance 1 (CP92): Low (near 0%)
Eastern Pacific:
• Tropical Storm Gil
• Disturbance 2: High (80%)
• Disturbance 3: Low (20%)
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• One amendment issued
Event Monitoring:
• No new significant events
08-01-2025 - 7:45 AM - Let it be known that Formula 409 is a great "contact" insect killer. It works on flies, spiders, and most everything else. Those that don't drop in their tracks are stunned long enough for you to finish the job manually.
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08-01-2025 - 10:30 AM - From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - The Economics Daily - The number of total nonfarm job openings was little changed at 7.4 million in June 2025. Over the month, both hires and total separations were little changed at 5.2 million and 5.1 million, respectively. The number of job openings decreased in accommodation and food services (-308,000), health care and social assistance (-244,000), and finance and insurance (-142,000). Job openings increased in retail trade (+190,000), information (+67,000), and state and local government education (+61,000). There were 6.6 million total private job openings in June, 4.9 million hires, and 4.8 million separations. There were 886,000 government job openings in June, 342,000 hires, and 276,000 separations.
08-01-2025 - 11:00 AM - Checking the Parks on the Air® spotter page, I see a handful of stations active. The problem: I can't hear them. I'll check back later.
08-01-2025 - 6:00 PM - The Local Group is now operational on CB Radio Channel 19. If our local Amateur (ham) Radio operators could match this local operating schedule, that would be a good thing. Maybe I need to get on the radio more and conjure them up!
08-01-2025 - 7:00 PM - Not long ago, I saw an Allred Unit Correctional Officer shopping in uniform. Many people, in various occupations, shop in their uniforms. The difference between those people and the Correctional Officer is that most people aren’t seen as a trophy by certain nefarious organizations. Listen in on Allred Unit operations at 153.815 MHz on your scanner radio.
07-31-2025 - 5:30 AM - Good Morning! It's Thursday. Of course, the CB Radio band is dead as far as DX (long-distance) communications. Local trucking chatter is starting to pick up already. It's going to be another hot day, and I bet those retreaded truck tires will be coming apart under heavy loads. I know, the old "gator on the zipper." I had to throw that out there even though I'm not a big fan of CB Radio lingo. I'm a "plain language" guy.
07-31-2025 - 6:00 AM - Wichita Falls NWS Forecast - Today: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4pm. Sunny and hot, with a high near 100. Heat index values as high as 104. Light north wind becoming north northeast 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Northeast wind 8 to 10 mph.
07-31-2025 - 6:10 AM - Current National Short Range Weather Forecast
07-31-2025 - 7:30 AM - I encourage all CB Radio Operators to become well-rounded Hobby Radio Operators by obtaining an Amateur (ham) Radio license. There's no longer a code test and a child can do it! You don't have to use it, but it's nice to have on standby! Consider a GMRS license also. There is no test, but there is a $35 fee for 10 years. I have a GMRS license but no GMRS radios.
07-31-2025 - 8:30 AM - FEMA National Watch Center - National Current Ops / Monitoring – July 30-31, 2025
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• No new significant incidents / operations
Hazard Monitoring:
• Severe Thunderstorms – Northern Rockies, Mid-Atlantic
• Excessive Rainfall / Flash Flooding – Mid-Atlantic to Northeast
• Critical Fire Weather – Central Great Basin
• Tropical Activity:
Central Pacific:
• Tropical Storm Iona
• Disturbance 1: Med (40%)
Eastern Pacific:
• Tropical Storm Gil
• Disturbance 2: High (70%)
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• Two amendments issued
Event Monitoring:
• No new significant events
07-31-2025 - 9:00 AM - A local company has kept CB Radio Channel 1 very active this morning. They're on every morning, and I still don't know who they are or what they do. I'm pretty sure it involves trucks.
07-31-2025 - 3:15 PM - The CB Radio band is wide open this afternoon. Mr. Rogers is holding court on Channel 38, Lower Sideband. I call him that because he ends almost every transmission with a "Roger" posed as a question. It's like a "did you get that?" It's not a big deal. What is a big deal is the Sultan of Splatter on Channel 6 right now. When I left Channel 38, I heard the splatter when I got to Channel 1. I knew who it was, and I knew where I'd find him. He's splattering on the other side of 6 also. That splattering is not free. Power expended on those side channels is power he doesn't have on his intended channel. He's been doing it for years. Maybe one day his amplifier will splatter.