This weekend is the Texas State Parks On The Air event. Much like the National Parks On The Air last year, this event gives you an opportunity to get out into nature and work some portable operations. Whether you plan on going to the state park just to make some contacts or you are taking your family on a camping trip and want to make a few on the side, this weekend is the prefect weekend for that if you live in Texas. In this episode I talk with Paul Estes, K5VOP. He is the Secretary and Webmaster of the Lake Area Amateur Radio Klub who has taken up the reigns of managing the Texas State Parks On The Air event after the ham that started it went SK. We also talk about a Youtube video I found this past week that talked about making a boom mic and PTT switch for your radio for under $60. We talk about some upcoming events and contests as well as some hamfests for the next two weeks and wrap up the episode with some news from around the hobby. http://www.everythinghamradio.com/podcast/63
Myself (Sam, K5JM), Jon (N5CFB), and Johnny (K5ACL) will be headed out of Austin earlier Saturday morning (4/8/17) to activate Enchanted Rock State Park out in the Hill Country. We intend to get to the park at 08:30am and then make the summit as soon as possible and set up. We should be operating mid to late morning into the mid afternoon as band conditions allow. Expected operations include 40m, & 20m. Might also try 10 meters and 6 if conditions (hey we can be optimistic right?) allow. Also will be trying some 2M FM simplex (QRP power) on 146.52. K5JM (myself) will be squawking APRS as well from an HT to test a few things out. Hope to work you on the air! 73!
what a shame to only hear about this on Friday, the day before the weekend! I would love to have been able to participate. maybe next year. Is there any type of mailing list?? Best of luck. Philip, KG6JPG, Galveston Island
Glad I came across this. I will be looking for contacts. My father was the Park Manager of the Abilene Texas State Park during the early 1940's. I spent the first 5 years of my life at the park. I remember the soldiers from Camp Barkeley that would come to the park on week-ends for some R&R. Bill - K5MIL
Had a great time today with Vince K5VGS activating Mustang Island State Park. Hope tomorrow brings Park chasers and Activators as much enjoyment as we had today. Making contacts and meeting new friends on the Air is a great way to spend at least a part of you Sunday. Give it a try.....hope to meet you! Kudos to the folks getting this program started and up and going. 73 from S Texas. Garry KF5VDX
Appreciate the post and the park activation and participation! We know we didn't have all our ducks in a row, started from scratch and it was the first time we took on this type of task, but we didn't want the year to pass without some type of TSPOTA event. We have our ideas, received ideas from Curtis and some others and we will be having a committee meeting in the fall to improve the event, iron out everything, have logging software on board with our event, have some bonuses (i.e. solar/battery, unassisted, mystery call/park, etc.), and it should be even better next year. Appreciate everyone's patience, understanding and park activators and we hope those who participated had some fun out there. K5LRK enjoyed the radio contacts and each other's company out at Lake Ray Roberts and hopefully everyone else did the same! So, for those who participated don't forget to send in a few of your best photos to info@tspota.org and if you have a suggestion plz let us know! Since we didn't get a logging software up for it just try to get your logs into cabrillo and email logs@tspota.org and don't get to hung up on any issues with it, you all have been flexible and patient with us and we WILL reciprocate! '73 Paul K5VOP
Video that shot by fellow park activator Johnny (K5ACL) at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. We had a blast!!
We activated one of the "units" at Lake Ray Roberts -- sadly, with other clubs at the other two "units" on the lake, it was difficult not to have some interference. I pretty much had to give up on doing digital and just spell the other ops on the phone station. Next year I'm going to convince the club to go to some park in BFE, where we have a low noise level and no interference.
As an active Texas Parks Pass Member and RVer, I operate portable quite often from the TPWD. I've operated from Possum Kingdom, Tyler, Lake Whitney, Isle de Bois, Cedar Hill, Cleburne, Daingerfield, Inks Lake, and many others.
Will you have some sort of Central data base set up? I would love to be able to help in any way possible next time. My personal goal, still barely in the planning stages, is to make and receive a minimum number of contacts on at least one band from each of the State Parks in Texas. Let me know what I can do to help. aA bare minimum I will set up something here on Galveston Island State Park
Your video of Enchanted Rock State Park reminded me of Stone Mountain just east of Atlanta Ga. Now i have another new place to explore i had never heard of it and Texas has been my home for 35 years. Have to compare the sizes now. David KF5LKG
Not particularly high, but steep and slippery - a solid granite "blob" worn smooth by time and feet. And the direct route is the best way, as the easy route is hard to follow.
Just to let you know I am continuing my "very unofficial Texas Parks on the air" mimi-dx peditions. Last week I camprd at Swa Rim, Village Creek Marton Dies and Lake Livingston State Parks. I was ablr to both send and recieve some HF TRAFFIC on 20 and 40 metes. I will be heading out again in another week to new series of Parks and this time I will post hoped for freqs. Hope to hear you guys there. so far: sea rim village creek Martin Dies Jr. Lake Livingston Mustang Island Huntsville Tyler Balmohea Goose Island