President’s QST December 2025

―Mark, WA5MA
First things first…
At the last TARC Monthly meeting Andrew, W5AWS, our new Parliamentarian, asked whether there were any nominations for club officers for the new year from the floor to contest the incumbent club officers―nothing heard. W5AWS asked for a motion to approve all the current officers for 2026: Ed, W1PN, so moved; Robert, KI5WDD, seconded; and those present at the meeting approved the motion by acclamation, there were no dissenting voices. However, there was one change, Bart N5TWB was stepping down as the Public Service Liaison Officer. When we heard that Bart was stepping down the search was on for a replacement. We spread the news through last month’s newsletter, as well as other means of publication. Now, here’s the good part: It didn’t take long for two of our club members to step up and offer their services and at the November monthly meeting of the club they were approved by Jack, W5JHC, and seconded by Daryl, N5NYT.
So, I would now like to welcome as new Public Service Liaison Officers…
• Bobby Hunt, KJ5CLV, (tishel3201@yahoo.com)
• Robert Kerns, KI5WDD, (rkerns007@gmail.com)
All other club officers, including myself, will be returning to serve the club in 2026.
We have an outstanding group of officers, and it is my pleasure to work with them for another year.
I want to give a special thank you and shout-out to Bart, N5TWB, who has been in the Public Service Liaison position for the last several years.
Thank you, Bart, for a job well-done.
Can you believe it’s December???
Just a quick note to say that we canceled the December Tech Night and the Monthly Meeting.
The weekly net will happen as usual. However, we canceled the 12/23 and 12/30 nets, so that you can take a break and spend time enjoying the holidays with family and friends. We will resume everything in 2026.
And what happens in December???
Our Christmas Party is at the Golden Corral restaurant 71st & Mingo, beginning at 1800 hrs on December 9th. Come and enjoy some food and fun with your ham radio family. We’ve also got some great raffle prizes as well―see you there. Spouses are welcome too.
December is also the Sand Springs Christmas Parade…
For the last ten years or so we’ve offered our communication services and experience to help stage the parade floats. This year will be no different except that the Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce rescheduled the parade to December 12th, avoiding conflict with another event. We usually start arriving around 1600 hrs, the parade starts at 1900 hrs, and we secure by 1930 hrs. It’s really quite easy and the parade officials love what we do because they keep asking us back every year to help. All you need is a reflective vest, we have loaners if you don’t have one, your handheld transceiver with a fully charged battery, and a flashlight. Dress warmly because it could be a little chilly.
To volunteer as a parade marshal, contact either of our new Public Service Liaison Officers at rkerns007@gmail.com or tishel3201@yahoo.com. We need about 8 to 10 marshals to properly handle everything, so come on out and support this event.
The TARC Trailer Team has already been working…
…on several projects inside and outside the trailer. The club has eight Trailer Team members and several able to tow the trailer from its new storage location to wherever it needs to be. Having the trailer in its new location and completing some current projects means the trailer is available on very short notice when needed, and it’ll make operating inside the trailer more efficient and more pleasurable. Having members available to tow the trailer means that it is always ready for set-up in a very short time. Can you tow the trailer?
Still looking for a place to store some spares…
Paul, WB5ANX, has said that when Bob, W5RAB, became a Silent Key the club inherited the repeaters that he maintained across the state. We are in process of becoming responsible for more than thirty repeaters across twelve transmitter sites. Paul and David, N5DMK, have since July 2025 worked with the estate of W5RAB to take charge of his very large stock of spare equipment and parts, transferring them to temporary storage in Tulsa. Already we have drawn upon this stock of spares to repair failed modules at several repeater sites. Currently, the Afton repeater is key-down in need of repair. At the Depew site, the Internet connection has failed though the local DMR communications continue to work properly. WB5ANX asked that anyone who knows off or has a 20’ × 20’ air-conditioned storage space available at low-to-no cost―free is always good―to please make contact with us. We need a permanent home for our repeater spares.
Remember the Repeater Challenge???
I can’t take credit for it. The Repeater Challenge came from the Ham Radio Workbench podcast. They had been talking about an issue that I’ve heard many times, and I’m sure every ham has heard it as well…nobody talks on the repeaters anymore.
In the fall of 2024 at a club meeting, I suggested to the members present that they take on the Repeater Challenge, and you know what…they accepted the challenge! It worked for a while with many club members and others in the coverage area of the Superlink System throwing out their callsign or answering the call of someone else. There were some great conversations, and I pretty much heard someone every day, fulfilling their obligation to participate in the challenge.
Fast-forward a year and I think a reminder is in order! If you’re sitting at your desk paying bills, hanging out watching TV or even while driving in your car, turn on your radio and listen for someone to give their callsign or asking for a signal report. If you hear them, don’t wait! Call them back and start a conversation about the weather, where they are―if they’re within the Superlink coverage area they could be anywhere―ask them what radio and antenna they’re using. I would bet a dollar to a donut that for every ham that answers a call on their radio there’s another ten just listening.
I’ll make a suggestion or two now…if you are the one giving out your callsign, don’t just give one call and then turn off your radio! Give your call like this: “This is WA5MA, whiskey alpha 5 mike alpha in Tulsa.” Wait 30 seconds or so and then transmit the same message again because the person listening maybe has the volume down on his radio and didn’t catch your callsign but heard something. Could be they’re on their phone, and you turned off the radio before they could hang up and answer your call.
My second suggestion is take a radio with you when you leave your house. This is especially important during storm season or if you travel outside your cell phone coverage area, and there are a few areas that don’t have coverage. Even if you just have it in your car, it’s available when you need it. The Repeater Challenge! Let’s hear you on the air!!!
In case you missed it…
We did something a little different at the November club meeting.
The theme was: What do you want for Christmas? (the ham-radio-related version).
I had been asking for a couple of months that the November club meeting would be our “What do you want for Christmas” meeting and there was no shortage of dreams and wishes for a ham-radio-related Christmas. Everything from the new Flex Aurora to…well, if you want to find out more you can watch the club meeting on the TARC website. On the home page under Recent Posts look for TARC Monthly Meeting November 2025. Merry Christmas!
Don’t forget…
We canceled the December Tech Night and Monthly Meeting.
Our annual TARC Christmas Party is on December 9th at Golden Corral 71st & Mingo, starting at 1800 hrs. As our club has grown so much the past few years we’ve moved up to a larger room. When you go past the registers, instead of turning left to go to the back room, you’ll turn right to a larger room that holds about 80.
At the October club meeting we approved a budget of $500 for raffle prizes so there should be some good ones. Bart, N5TWB, will be purchasing the gifts as he has in the past. Thanks, Bart!
Can’t make the monthly meetings…
We’re streaming and recording video of the monthly meetings and showing them on Zoom for those unable to attend in person. If we have recorded the meeting, it will be on the W5IAS.com website in the Recent Posts on the Home page and on our Facebook page. If you’re interested in learning more please contact Jack, W5JHC, for info. Thanks, Jack!
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.
ARES is always in need of volunteers, but to participate you must complete a self-paced training 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. OKMRC badges are FEMA-approved and therefore involve a background check. ARES involves volunteer training, ARES nets, hospital nets, and Simulated Emergency Tests, but operating practice comes in the form of bike rides, Field Days and other events that you can participate in anytime.
Contact Paul, WB5ANX, at paulteel@gmail.com, Mark, WA5MA, at wa5ma.mark@gmail.com or Bart at bjpick@cox.net if you would like to learn more or sign up to be an ARES Volunteer.
If you’re already an ARES Volunteer…
You should be checking in to the ARES Net every Thursday at 8:00 PM on the designated repeater. We’re going to start doing some cool things on the Net and you need to be a part of it for training purposes, working equipment verification and communications protocols. Keep an eye out for upcoming comms checks by email, text, and over-the-air.
After we get through this busy time of year we’ll be offering Net Control Operator training classes and more in-person ARES training.
The Tulsa County ARES Net…
Uses the following frequencies:
• Weeks 1 – 3 on 145.170 (PL 88.5)
• Weeks 4 – 5 on the Superlink Repeater System 443.850 (PL88.5) in Tulsa.
Check the https://w5ias.com/ website on the Repeater dropdown for system frequencies.
Here are the current club activities…
• Tech Night―1st Tuesday of each month. 7:00 PM at TU.
• Monthly meeting―3rd Tuesday of each month. 7:00 PM at TU.
Attend the meeting to support your club and club officers who do so very much for the club with activities, nets, events and keeping the club running smoothly.
We have 204 members, which means we need at least 41 members present at each meeting to form a quorum for voting.
• Weekly TARC Net on the Superlink System, Tuesdays at 8:00 PM
• CW Net, Mondays and Thursdays at 7:00 PM on 7.037 MHz +/- QRM
• NCO training, ARES training―TBD in 2025
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? Contact Ky, KY5VAR, and let him know. He’ll get you scheduled.
At the October meeting we invited Ben WB5VST to come and show off his home and mobile stations. If you want to see an incredible, fully functional station, check it out through the link on our website or Facebook page.
KY5VAR also starting a show-us-your-shack presentation, so take some pictures and show us your ham shack.
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 while the weather is good and the bands are hot.
President clear and monitoring…
Be safe, Be a good friend, Get on the air!
Mark, WA5MA,
President―Tulsa Amateur Radio Club.