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03-17-2024 - The Wichita Amateur Radio Society holds a weekly informal net on Sundays at 8:00 PM on the club's 147.140 MHz repeater. All licensed Amateur (ham) Radio operators are invited to check in. Scanner radio enthusiasts are also invited to listen in.

03-17-2024 - I made contact with W4ARB at Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site (US-0868) in Alabama on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.

03-17-2024 - FEMA National Current Ops / Monitoring – March 16–17, 2024

New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• No significant incidents / operations

Hazard Monitoring:
• Heavy Snow – Southern Rockies/Four Corners Region
• Severe Thunderstorms/Excessive Rainfall – Gulf Coast

Disaster Declaration Activity:
• Approval: Major Disaster Declaration – Wrangell Cooperative Association

Event Monitoring:
• No significant events

03-17-2024 - I made contact with N1G at West Bridgewater State Forest (US-4736) in Massachusetts on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.

03-17-2024 - I didn't know the Texas Department of Criminal Justice was working to provide a "climate-controlled living environment" across its units statewide. As of today, according to TDCJ, 42,500 beds across the state have air conditioning. Under construction are 4,509 beds, and 11,455 beds are under design. The list of those completed does not include the James V. Allred Unit. It looks like help is on the way. I think 110+ degrees in the living spaces is a little much. Heat-induced crankiness is not a desired condition for offenders or staff. Tune in to Allred Unit daily operations at 153.815 MHz on your scanner radio.

03-17-2024 - NWS Forecast - Today: A slight chance of rain before 7am, then a chance of sprinkles between 7am and 9am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Northeast wind 6 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 10%. Tonight - Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. North northeast wind 6 to 8 mph.

03-17-2024 - Good Morning! It's Sunday and a day of rest and radioing! I might try to snag a Parks on the Air® station or two, and I might not. It just popped into my head that someone needs to open a "hobby radio-themed" eatery in Wichita Falls. I might come up with a detailed description of my idea for such a restaurant. Who knows, some local radio hobbyist with a lot of money might do it! Let's see what the day brings. My Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready!

03-16-2024 - I made contact with AA5AD at Lake Sylvia State Park (US-10236) in Arkansas on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.

03-16-2024 - I made contact with WB0RLJ at Chalco Hills State Recreation Area (US-4011) in Nebraska on 20 meters (14 MHz) CW (Morse code) in the Amateur (ham) Radio Parks on the Air® program.

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03-16-2024 - From my law enforcement consultant (also a scanner radio enthusiast) - Someone at the James V. Allred Unit - 153.815 MHz - is playing on the radio. The WFPD solved that over 25 years ago when they switched to individually-assigned portable radios that sent the user's badge number with each transmission.

03-16-2024 - The Montague County (Texas) Simplex Net is on the air at 147.500 MHz. This is an Amateur (ham) Radio net. According to online sources, the net meets each Saturday at 9:00 AM. I hear the Net Control Station and a few of the other stronger stations. There are several more stations that I cannot hear. I think I need another 10 feet of antenna height!

03-16-2024 - I think CB Radio Channel 19 has become almost useless as a "traffic information" and truck driver working tool. There are two main reasons. First, we are at or near the peak of the current 11-year solar cycle. This allows for long-distance communications, even with low power. Bring in the "Big Gun" stations and many of the 40 channels are "noisy" to say the least. Second, and most importantly, the "skip shooters" refuse to stay off Channel 19, the one channel - in 98% of the country - truckers and motorists need for traffic information. The sun is going to continue to do its thing. Sadly, so are inconsiderate radio operators. I think mobile use of the license-free Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) is the best answer, but no one asked me. There's still a place for CB Radio even if it's just long-distance hobby communications. The FCC has removed the 155-mile restriction, so that's no longer an issue. The "Personal Radio Services" are rapidly evolving. Maybe a completely wild and crazy, unrestrained radio service is not a bad thing. It's kind of like an electronic 2nd Amendment. We might all need it one day. Until, then, no one is forced to listen in if they don't want to.

03-16-2024 - FEMA National Current Ops / Monitoring – March 15–16, 2024

New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• Severe Weather – FEMA Region IV

Hazard Monitoring:
• Heavy Snow – Four Corners Region
• Severe Thunderstorms/Excessive Rainfall – Southern Plains

Disaster Declaration Activity:
• No new declaration activity

Event Monitoring:
• No significant events

03-16-2024 - My law enforcement consultant emailed with a story he heard years ago involving pillow-whacking drive-by assaults on Sheppard AFB airmen walking on Sheppard Access Road. It seems that a crew was driving up and down that road, striking airmen in the back of the head with a pillow. This was in the 1950s or early 1960s when pillows were hard compared to some of the more fluffy modern pillows. Unknown if any arrests were made. I can't imagine a time when airmen would walk from the base to the downtown area. Maybe they were going to the Twin Falls Drive-In behind the Pioneer 3 restaurant. Maybe some of them made it all the way downtown. Of course, this was a time when the downtown area was worth walking to.

03-16-2024 - NWS Forecast - Today: Showers likely, mainly after 11am. Increasing clouds, with a high near 60. North northeast wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 51. North wind around 7 mph.

03-16-2024 - Good Morning - It's Saturday. There are probably one or more Amateur (ham) Radio contests scheduled for this weekend. I haven't worked a Parks on the Air® station the last two days. Also, a group of local Amateur (ham) Radio Operators meet for coffee at P-3 on Saturday mornings. I think they start when the doors open at 8:00 AM. I can't speak for them but If you're interested in the hobby, I'm guessing they'll give you all the info you need. My Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready.

03-15-2024 - I'm watching the 2014 version of Godzilla featuring Brian Cranston. While watching the creature destroy the Golden Gate Bridge, I wondered how many times that bridge has been destroyed in movies over the years. I'm sure there's a website containing the details of each occurrence, but I'll save that search for another day.

03-15-2024 - I hear KI5LET calling CQ on 146.520 FM simplex from Wise County. This is a simplex net conducted every Friday evening. Tune in with your scanner radio. If you're in the Wichita Falls area, you'll definitely need a good (high) outside antenna. I think Parker County also runs a simplex net. These two might be combined. I'm not sure yet.

03-15-2024 - The FCC terminated the license of an AM radio station and proposed a $16,200 forfeiture for unauthorized operations, unauthorized silences, unauthorized transfer of control, and failure to fully respond to FCC inquiries. I won't name the station. I've never heard of "unauthorized silence."