Ra7dio3 Report
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08-03-2025 - 5:45 AM - Current National Short Range Weather Forecast
08-03-2025 - 5:50 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 93.6% Kemp: 100% Kickapoo: 98.3%. Monitored Water Supply Reservoirs are 97.1% full. The City of Wichita Falls uses combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo (95.95%) to determine drought stage.
08-03-2025 - 5:55 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 11,297 Megawatts.
08-03-2025 - 7:20 AM - The local Amateur (ham) Radio Skywarn® storm spotters issued a weather update on the 146.940 MHz repeater. The forecast above says storms after 4 PM, but the radar shows storms bearing down on us at a speed that should reach us around 8 AM, if not before.
08-03-2025 - 8:30 AM - FEMA Daily Operations Briefing - National Current Ops / Monitoring – August 2–3, 2025
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• No new significant incidents/operations
Hazard Monitoring:
• Excessive Rainfall / Flash Flooding – Southeast and Southern Plains
• Severe Weather – Central / Southern Plains
• Excessive Heat – Southwest
• Fire Weather – Northern Intermountain and Central Great Basin
• Tropical Activity
Atlantic:
• Disturbance 1: Med (50%)
• Disturbance 2: Low (30%)
Eastern and Central Pacific:
• Tropical Strom Gil
• Disturbance 1: High (90%)
• Disturbance 2: Med (50%)
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• FMAG Approval: Peavine Fire – NV
Event Monitoring:
• No new significant events
08-03-2025 - 10:00 AM - You would think that Sheppard Access Road and Burkburnett Road from one end of Sheppard Air Force Base to the other would be one of the most beautiful areas in town. After all, these roads serve our biggest employer and temporary home to visitors from around the world. Yet, it remains, for as long as I can remember, just a notch or two above what you might find in a third-world country. I remember one person who thought it was silly that Walmart built a store on the north side of town. I reminded him about SAFB, and he said, "Oh." If not for SAFB, I guess his thoughts were "To Hell with the Northside residents." I suppose a lot of people had that sentiment because, before Walmart, if you wanted a hammer or wrench, you had to drive to the south side of town to get it. Remember, K-Mart had closed, and Sutherlands had moved to the south. Northside was a commercial ghost town. It's still a commercial ghost town!
08-03-2025 - 12:20 PM - An oversized load is making its way through town with operations conducted on CB Radio Channel 19. As for skip conditions, the band appears to be relatively quiet. On the Ham radio side, I see a handful of Parks on the Air® stations on the POTA spotter page, but those I can hear are still too weak, even on CW (Morse code). Maybe later.
08-03-2025 - 1:00 PM - Headline at Texoma's Home Page (KFDX): "Smart notebooks are a great device to add to your back-to-school shopping list." I was lucky to get a new box of Crayons and a Big Chief writing tablet when I was in grade school.
08-03-2025 - 2:47 PM - I contacted a station in Alum Creek State Park (US-1933) in Ohio 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program. POTA hunter count: 542.
08-03-2025 - 4:15 PM - Headline at News Channel 6 (KAUZ) "Hotter N’ Hell Hundred host families provide a warm bed and local flair." Really? Who wants a warm bed in August in Wichita Falls?
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08-03-2025 - 5:03 PM - I contacted a station in TVA Flint Creek Access National Park (US-12410) in Alabama on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program. POTA hunter count: 543.
08-02-2025 - 6:30 AM - Good Morning! It's Saturday. I think some of the local Amateur (ham) Radio operators still have an informal "breakfast" gathering at Cracker Barrel at 8:00 AM on Saturdays. There was mention of finding an alternative location, but I'm unsure if that has occurred. I'll listen in on the 147.140 MHz repeater this morning for clues. UPDATE: It sounds like they're back at Pioneer #3 at Sheppard Access Road and Old Iowa Park Road. The Montague County Simplex Net is scheduled to kick off at 9:00 AM today on 147.500 MHz. My Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready.
08-02-2025 - 6:45 AM - Wichita Falls NWS Forecast - Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. North northeast wind around 7 mph. Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. East southeast wind 6 to 8 mph.
08-02-2025 - 6:55 AM - Current National Short Range Weather Forecast
08-02-2025 - 7:15 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 93.8% Kemp: 100% Kickapoo: 98.4%. Monitored Water Supply Reservoirs are 97.2% full. The City of Wichita Falls uses combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo (96.1%) to determine drought stage.
08-02-2025 - 7:35 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 8,764 Megawatts.
08-02-2025 - 7:45 AM - Local airport traffic is already picking up at Kickapoo (122.700 MHz) and Wichita Valley (122.800 MHz). I would think general aviation pilots would try to take advantage of the smoother morning air, as opposed to that hot, bumpy afternoon air. At least for "fun" flying. For business flying, you gotta go when you gotta go, bumps be damned!
08-02-2025 - 7:50 AM - The CB Radio band has yet to open up for long-distance (skip) communications. I hear local traffic on Channel 1, and a trucker on Channel 19 who sounds like he has a mouth full of rubber bands. We’ll probably get an oversized load or two coming through town before the day is over.
08-02-2025 - 8:00 AM - In local news, the Wichita Falls Independent School District will reopen Rider as a Middle School this year. I think schools need a class on "Everyday Tech", or something similar, where five minutes is spent on each one of a large variety of "techy" things. This way, when you mention Amateur (ham) Radio or CB Radio to young people, you don't get a blank stare. The class doesn't teach details. Instead, it introduces the broad strokes on things that might be encountered in life.
08-02-2025 - 8:15 AM - FEMA Daily Operations Briefing - National Current Ops / Monitoring – August 1–2, 2025
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• No new significant incidents / operations
Hazard Monitoring:
• Severe Weather – Southern / Central Plains
• Excessive Rainfall / Flash Flooding – Southeast and Central / Southern Plains
• Excessive Heat – Gulf Coast States and Southwest
• Fire Weather – Central Great Basin to Central Rockies and Northern Intermountain
• Tropical Activity:
Atlantic:
• Disturbance 1: Low (20%)
Eastern and Central Pacific:
• Hurricane Gil (CAT 1)
• Disturbance 1: High: (80%)
• Disturbance 2: Med: (40%)
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• No new declaration activity
Event Monitoring:
• No new significant events
08-02-2025 - 10:00 AM - As I write this, my trusty Briggs & Stratton Q6500 generator is outside purring away on its regular exercise run. Having it on standby is priceless. Get one, if you can.