March has been a busy month…
Let’s first go back to February 27th. That was the date of the last hospital net/ARES net. I was stationed at St Francis Main on Yale, and after con- tacting Security, we found the ham radio in the main conference room, in a room behind the podium and video screen at the front of the room. It’s always an adventure the first time at a location you’ve not been to before. Of course, it’s always a good feeling when you get to go back, and you know exactly where the radio is located!
Everything was good at St. Francis; the radio worked flawlessly, and it was too good to hear the rest of the hospitals, too! Many thanks to James KI5DAZ for his work in planning the nets and also to Ian for picking up Net Control for the ARES net at the last minute. These events and activi- ties don’t just happen by themselves! It takes people like James and Ian to make things happen and happen smoothly. Well done!
Next up was Tech Night on March 4th, (Tech Night is the first Tuesday of each month). Jeff AE5ME was on his game and gave us all an educa- tion on Meshtastic. It’s good to see so many hams interested in this new technology, and several walked away with the determination to get a meshtastic node working at their house…or going portable with one. To view one of Jeff’s presentations, visit the Tulsa-Meshtastic website and learn more. https://www.tulsa-meshtastic.com/ He’ll be giving a presen- tation at the Green Country Hamfest on Meshtastic and M17.
On March 15th the National Weather Service held the 2025 Tulsa Skywarn Spotter Training, and if you’ve not been to one of the storm spotter training sessions, you can still catch one in Green Country, it is well worth the time, and I always learn something new. Speaking of something new, the Informal Weather Net and the WX5TUL Weather Net are now the same net. The difference is that there are now three Net Operation Levels of the net.
“Level 3: Stormy weather has moved into the area served by the Super- link Repeater System. General weather reports and check-ins are request- ed. Any reports meeting severe criteria are sent to the National Weather Service.”
“Level 2: Net Control will accept all weather reports but will be looking for reports of weather meeting se- vere criteria of quarter size hail or larger, estimated wind speeds of 58 mph or higher, tornados or wall clouds with rotation, supercell cloud formations and flash flooding.”
“Level 1: Tornados are forming or are on the ground. Net Control will lock down the net and only accept tornado related reports.”
The Net Control Operators will do their best to edu- cate those that monitor the SuperLink System to these changes. For those amateur radio operators monitor- ing the net, we encourage you to participate in the Skywarn Net. Your real-time weather reports can be vital in helping the National Weather Service, Emer- gency Managers, amateur radio operators and the gen- eral public stay safe and informed. Simply provide your weather reports to the Net Control Operator dur- ing the net. Here are the guidelines for making a re- port…
When contacting Net Control please provide the fol- lowing information: Your callsign, your name, your location and if you’re making a weather report include the following…
What did you see? Where did you see it? When did you see it.
Reports of a severe nature would be:
Hail the size of a quarter or larger. Estimated wind speeds of 58 mph or higher. Tornados or wall clouds with rotation.
Supercell cloud formations and flash flooding.
At the March 18th club meeting (regular club meetings are the 3rd Tuesday of each month), our guest speaker was Fox23 TV Meteorologist Mike Grogan. His presentation was all about severe weather (makes sense…he is a Meteorologist), and he had some great pictures. If you don’t have a healthy respect for lightning, you should. Mike fielded some great questions from those in attend- ance; check out the pictures. I figure there must have been about 60 in attendance. And on top of it all, he’s planning on taking the test for his ham li- cense.
You go Mike, and thanks for coming to our club meeting! You’re welcome anytime!
One more item…
The Trail Life event was on March 31st at Haikey Creek Park. Don’t know what Trail Life is? It’s like the Scouts, and there were a lot of them. Steve KF5VCQ brought out the TARC Comm 1 trailer for the scouts to make contacts with other hams in the area. Thanks to David K5TZS for his help with the kids!
Mike KI5EGH had his portable station set up for the kids to learn morse code. Ky KY5VAR was on the other side of the park transmitting from his
Paul WB5ANX and Jeff AE5ME had everything digital.
Of course, as I said before, these things don’t just happen without a lot of planning, time and help.
Thanks to Jack W5JHC and the whole crew for all they did to make the event a success.
Looking for an active club? Looking to give back to the community? Looking to have some fun playing radio and hanging out with other hams? You found the right place!
Ok, so one more item from the month of April! Mike KI5EGH and Tony KA5TRO are coordinating an OK POTA event for club members and others to activate an Oklahoma park or Wildlife Management area or historical landmark. The plan is to help acti- vate every POTA designated location in Oklahoma. During Tech Night this evening, there was a great dis- cussion about how to POTA, where to POTA, what equipment we can POTA with and many other sug- gestions, tips and tricks. There were 18 in attendance, and we learned a lot, including when the event is… April 19th and 20th (although April 20th is Easter Sunday), and Tony has a signup sheet to coordinate which locations are being activated. Contact him at
ARES is always in need of new volunteers, but to participate, you must complete a self-paced train- ing course and get an Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps (OKMRC) badge that gives you access to the places where amateur radio operators can help with communications during emergencies. OK- MRC badges are FEMA-approved and, therefore involve a background check. ARES involves vol- unteer training, ARES nets, hospital nets, and Sim- ulated Emergency Tests. Contact Paul WB5ANX at paulteel@gmail.com or Mark WA5MA at wa5ma.mark@gmail.com if you’d like to learn more or sign up to be an ARES Volunteer!
And in case you haven’t heard…
The Tulsa Amateur Radio Club has renewed their status as an ARRL Special Service Club. A club that goes above and beyond for their communities and for Amateur Radio is what defines a Special Service Club (SSC). They are the leaders in their Amateur Radio communities who provide active training classes, publicity programs and actively pursue technical projects and operating activities. There is no doubt that TARC deserves recognition as a Special Service Club!
We still have 100 Year Anniversary Celebra-tion pins…
mugs and shirts. If you want one contact Robert KI5WDD at rkerns007@gmail.com or you can purchase at a meeting or the upcoming Green Country Hamfest.
We now have more apparel with the club logo. Robert KI5WDD has done a great job adding more merchan- dise to the website.
We have new Net Control Operators!!!
We conducted Net Control Operator training on No- vember 16th with 10 members in attendance that said they would like to try their hand at being an NCO. Paul WB5ANX gave an overview of what is an NCO and what makes a good NCO while I answered the question about what tools will make a good NCO a great NCO. Ian KC9THI coordinated some role play- ing to help them get their feet wet handling everything from hecklers to someone transmitting on the wrong frequency and another wanting to start a survey about what donut is their favorite. We already have Ky KY5VAR, Roy WK5F and Andrew W5AWS on the Tuesday net schedule while Logan KJ5EDE is in the on-deck circle and will take on the NCO duties when school will allow.
And CJ WW0CJ has already done an ARES Net. Many thanks to them and it’s good to hear them on the air!
Another class will be scheduled in 2025.
Are you ready to make DMR great…again??? DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) is making a comeback in Tulsa. There are DMR repeaters out there and they are getting more use everyday. Paul WB5ANX and Greg AI5HV are working on an ARES club codeplug and a standard club codeplug (basically just a list of frequencies) to be distributed among the club mem- bers that have DMR radios and for use in ARES events. What’s so good about DMR? The radio signal received by a DMR radio is clear with little to no stat- ic and noise. The signal remains that way right up un- til the transmitting station loses contact with the re- peater or other DMR radio. This is unlike analog transmissions that have increasing noise and loss of signal until the transmitting station loses contact with the repeater. Let us know if you’re interested in get- ting into DMR, and we’ll get you connected.
Want to get on DMR??? Make the move to Oklahoma
East 31402 and give a call on one of the DMR repeat- ers.
Upcoming Events…
” Ham University – TBD in 2025
” Weekly TARC Net on the Superlink System,
Tuesdays at 8 PM
” CW Net, Mondays at 7:00 PM on 7.037 +/- QRM
” Tech Night – 1st Tuesday of each month. 6:30 PM
” Monthly meeting – 3rd Tuesday of each month. 7:00 PM Show up and support your club and club officers that do so very much for the club with activities, nets, events and keeping the club running smoothly!
Don’t forget about Club Spotlight…
If you have an event coming up, you need opera- tors for an event, you have a hamfest or just want to talk about your club or your station, you can have 5 – 10 minutes on the Tuesday net to reach anyone and everyone listening on the SuperLink Repeater System. Just let us know, it’s that simple.
We also have Member Spotlight…
Member Spotlight is now a part of our monthly meetings. Want to show and tell your station or your love for a particular part of ham radio? Con- tact Ky KY5VAR and let him know. He’ll get you scheduled. He’s also starting a “show me your shack” presentation, so take some pictures and show us your ham shack!!!
Tulsa Amateur Radio Club and Tulsa Universi- ty…
We are still working to partner with the University of Tulsa. Our goal is to enhance their curriculum with ham radio knowledge and help each student get their Amateur Radio license. There is the pos- sibility that a ham radio station may be placed on campus as a teaching aid for the students to use, as well as for UTARC and TARC members. CJ WW0CJ has been re-united with the University club callsign, KC5TU. A remote internet link to the station is also being discussed.
Every month is a contest month…
Go to ARRL.com, click Contest Calendar, scroll to Contest Corral, click on the month you want to check. Try POTA or SOTA! Call CQ! Go to a local park, grab one of the club go boxes, throw up a wire and get on the air!
Start now…Field Day is not far off!
Be safe, Be a good friend, Get on the air! Mark WA5MA
President – Tulsa Amateur Radio Club