Ra7dio3 Report
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059
08-19-2025 - 12:25 PM - In the mid-1960s, ROTC students at Hirschi High School were invited to bring their 22-caliber rifles to school to be fired on the ROTC firing range. These rifles were stored in the students' lockers until their scheduled ROTC period. This means the rifles were carried through the halls to and from the range. Some students walked to school with their rifles and back home again. No cops were called. No damns were given. It was a very different time.
08-19-2025 - 12:45 PM - It was code practice time a few days ago. I was trying to decide if I like the straight key or the iambic key better. I had the Putikeeg straight key already plugged it into the Yaesu 857D, so I put it in the "code practice mode" (sidetone but not transmitting), and proceeded to hammer away. I started sending text I was reading online, or just making up. I just happened to glance at the radio and discovered that it was not in the code practice mode. I had been transmitting! I shut the radio down, closed the curtains, and hid under the bed. That's a lie, I can't fit under the bed!
08-19-2025 - 2:19 PM - I contacted a station in Dora-New Holland on Salamonie Lake State Recreation Area (US-4177) in Indiana on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program. POTA hunter count: 549.
08-19-2025 - 3:45 PM - Hirschi Middle School admits to using multiplication flash cards to quiz students in the lunch line. If the students get the answer wrong, they go to the back of the lunch line. If they get it wrong again, they are given instructions on the math problem, but lunch is not withheld. Personally, I don't care if HMS is ranked at the top or bottom of schools; lunchtime is lunchtime. Back off! I have spoken. Omar, of OMARC, the One-Man Amateur Radio Club.
08-19-2025 - 6:30 PM - Tuning around the CB Radio, I see that the Local Group is active on Channel 23, all with good signals. The Ham Radio guys used to be this regular, but it's been a few years.
08-19-2025 - 8:00 PM - The Clay County Amateur Radio Club is on the air with their weekly Skywarn® practice net on 146.800 MHz. I don't normally tune in as they usually aren't discussing topics in my area of interest. But what if they do start talking about things that interest me? How will I know? Good question!
08-19-2025 - 8:30 PM - I noticed that the Los Compadres Mexican restaurant, located at N. Scott and Lincoln, has closed. I think it was open less than a year. Wichita Falls is hard on small restaurants. That's probably true everywhere.
08-18-2025 - 5:25 AM - Good Morning! It's Monday, and we have a 20% chance of rain. We all know that 20% is usually as good as 0%, but maybe we'll get lucky. Today marks the start of the first full week of school for the WFISD, and that means the start of another week of listening to the school bus drivers shake off the cobwebs of summer break. It all makes for interesting listening on the scanner radio at 152.360 MHz. My Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready.
08-18-2025 - 5:40 AM - Wichita Falls NWS Forecast - Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 7am. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Heat index values as high as 102. South wind around 7 mph. Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 76. South southeast wind 3 to 6 mph.
08-18-2025 - 5:45 AM - Current National Short Range Weather Forecast
08-18- 2025 - 5:50 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 93.4% Kemp: 100% Kickapoo: 96.7%. Monitored Water Supply Reservoirs are 96.8% full. The City of Wichita Falls uses combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo (95.05%) to determine drought stage.
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08-18-2025 - 6:00 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 9,713 Megawatts.
08-18-2025 - 6:40 AM - The CB Radio band is waking up with the usual DX (long-distance) channels showing activity. I haven't heard much local CB activity, yet. On the scanner radio, our local school buses are active on 152.360 MHz.
08-18-2025 - 7:05 AM - Someone is keying up, but not talking, on 151.880 MHz, a frequency in the license-free Multi-Use Radio Service. Maybe they're just testing. It's true - MURS remains one of the best-kept secrets in the Hobby Radio communications world. That means there's plenty of room for more users in the Wichita Falls area.
08-18-2025 - 7:30 AM - I see storm clouds forning over the south side of the city and possibly Lake Kickapoo. Oh, and I heard thunder! I might be wrong about the weakness of a 20% rain forecast.
08-18-2025 - 8:15 AM - FEMA Daily Operations Briefing - National Current Ops / Monitoring – August 17-18, 2025
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• Hurricane Erin (CAT 4) – Puerto Rico (PR)/ U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) – FINAL
Hazard Monitoring:
• Severe Thunderstorms – Central High Plains
• Excessive Rainfall/ Flash Flooding – Upper Midwest
• Tropical Activity:
Atlantic:
• Tropical Storm Erin
• Disturbance 1: Med (50%)
Western Pacific:
• Invest 90W
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• No new declaration activity
Event Monitoring:
• No significant events
08-18-2025 - 8:30 AM - From the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - Product Recalls - Werner Recalls 20’ and 24’ Multi-Max Pro Multi-Purpose Ladders Due to Fall Hazard |||| Drinkmate Recalls 1-Liter Carbonation Bottles Due to Serious Impact and Laceration Hazards |||| Empower Brands Recalls Remington Hair Dryers Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Electrocution and Shock Hazards |||| Synergy Housewares Recalls Wolfgang Puck Petite Tea Kettles Due to Burn Hazard; Sold on HSN |||| Children’s Toys Recalled Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Choking; Violates the Small Ball Ban; Sold on Shein by STWUQIKONG |||| Firefly Fuel Recalls Firefly Safe & Green 32 oz. Fuel Bottles Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Poisoning to Young Children; Violates Multiple Mandatory Standards |||| Viewrail Recalls Electronic LED Modules used with Floating Stairs and Rails Due to Fire Hazard |||| ESR HaloLock Wireless Power Banks Recalled Due to Fire and Burn Hazards; Distributed by Waymeet |||| CPSC Warns Consumers to Immediately Stop Using 10-Inch Elitespace Hybrid Mattresses Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Fire; Violates Mandatory Standard for Mattresses ||||
08-18-2025 - 11:30 AM - From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Economics Daily - Consumer prices for back-to-school spending - The start of the school year comes with budgeting for a variety of expenses. For instance, students need books. In May 2025 (the latest data available for some school related items), prices for educational books and supplies, such as elementary, high school, and college textbooks and reference books, were 9.4 percent higher than a year earlier. Students can't learn well on an empty stomach; they need food. Prices for food at elementary and secondary schools, usually at the school cafeteria, were 3.3 percent higher than a year earlier. End of interactive chart. In July 2025, prices for daycare and preschool were 5.7 percent higher than a year earlier. Elementary and high school tuition and fees increased 3.1 percent, while college tuition increased 2.4 percent over the year ending in July 2025. Many families buy new clothes for their young students. Prices for boys' apparel were up 1.9 percent over the year ended in July 2025, but prices for girls' apparel decreased 1.9 percent. Boys' and girls' footwear prices were little changed (rising 0.2 percent). Prices for snacks, for after school or anytime, were unchanged compared with snack prices in July 2024. In comparison, the index for all items increased 2.7 percent from July 2024 to July 2025. The over-the-year change in the consumer price index for all items has ranged from 2.3 percent to 3.0 percent during 2025.
08-18-2025 - 2:57 PM - I contacted a station in Echo State Park (US-5922) in Utah on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program. POTA hunter count: 548.
08-18-2025 - 3:00 PM - I don't discuss politics, but this is the second time this year I've seen "gorilla warfare" mentioned in a comments section regarding current conflicts. That's right up there with "marshall law."
08-18-2025 - 4:20 PM - CB Radio Channel 19 was busy today with transient trucking traffic, an oversized load, and local chatter. I miss the days when our local Channel 6 group would step out of their skip-shooter persona and engage in regular old "local talking."