The busy event season has started…
First event…The first bike ride of the year is the Tour de Tulsa on May 2nd. The registration has closed and Paul WB5ANX has a good problem to have, lots of SAG drivers and more than enough ride-a-longs. Have you ever been on one of the bike rides? It’s a great opportunity to help with a great event, play on the radio and join with some great hams and bike riders. You really should try it at least once!
Second event…TARC’s Tech Night is on May 5th 7 PM at Tulsa University Room 3140.
Do you know Winlink??? Do you know where to find the Winlink forms??? Do you know what they are, where to find them, how to fill them out and then where to send them???
Jeff AE5ME will answer all those questions and if you don’t have Winlink working yet, bring your equipment along and he’ll get it working for you. If you don’t have any equipment yet, Jeff can help you find whatever you need.
Third event…Two weeks after the Tour de Tulsa on May 16th is my favorite bike ride, the Copland Classic. Registration for this event is also closed and enough club members have registered to help. I like this event because it gives back to the law enforcement community. It’s a much smaller event and easier to operate.
Fourth event…The Tulsa Amateur Radio Club’s monthly meeting is May 19th 7 PM at Tulsa University Room 3140. As you can see two of the bike rides will be over and Paul WB5ANX will be wrapping up the Tour de Tulsa and the Copland Classic. This will also be the planning meeting for TARC’s Field Day on June 27th and 28th. Come and support Jack W5JHC the Field Day Coordinator, and your club that works really hard to put this event together.
Fifth event…June 6th is the premier bike ride of the year, the Tulsa Tough. This ride typically has more the 1500 riders and is a two day event, Saturday and Sunday. This ride is different because unlike the first two bike rides, this one does not require our personal vehicles to be used, the vehicles are donated from local auto dealerships.
These are usually high end vehicles such as Volkswagen, Cadillac, Range Rover’s and Audi’s. Lots of fun!!! Registration for this event is open and signing up is easy. Go to the w5ias.com website and look for Events/Nets then scroll down to Tulsa Tough 2026. There you’ll find more information and a sign up form. Why not give it a try…you just might like it plus you get to play radio. Don’t want to be a SAG or Ride-a-long? The Friday before the ride all the cars need to have APRS units, radios and antennas installed and then Sunday afternoon they need to be taken out of the cars. You can help with that too!
Many hands make for small work!
Sixth event…June 20th is a fairly new event that we’ve been working, the Black Wall Street Ride to Remember. This is another smaller event and much easier to work. Perfect if you’re thinking about joining us as a SAG or ride-a-long. Registration is not open yet but will also be on the w5ias.com website.
Seventh event…Also on June 20th is a new event for TARC and that’s the Sooner Sprint. Our own club member Mike KI5EGH has been working on this one for several months. Here’s what it’s all about from Mike…
The Sooner Sprint is a friendly, low-pressure amateur radio contest designed to welcome both new and experienced operators into a fast, enjoyable operating format. The rules are intentionally lightweight: simple exchanges, relaxed CW speeds, and clear, easy-to-submit log structure. Operators across Oklahoma and beyond work stations on all HF bands (except WARC bands) using CW, SSB or digital modes – although FT4 and FT8 are excluded. Weekly one-hour CW sprints on Thursday evenings help operators sharpen their skills and contribute to quarterly rankings, while the main annual event on June 20th, 2026 runs a full 12 hours and encourages broad participation from individuals and clubs alike.
Scoring emphasizes accessibility and operator choice. Every QSO counts for one point, with multipliers based on power level and mode – QRP and CW operators earn the highest bonuses. Oklahoma stations provide their county, while non-Oklahoma stations send their state, province, or DX entity, making county-hunting a fun part of the event. Logs are submitted in ADIF format within 15 days, and participants can earn digital certificates like the ones below and bragging rights in categories such as most Oklahoma contacts or most counties worked.
QSL cards will be issued as well.
The Sooner Sprint blends structure with flexibility, creating a contest atmosphere that’s competitive enough to be exciting but welcoming enough for anyone to jump in and enjoy.
Why not give it a try.
Got more questions? Contact Mike KI5EGH at ki5egh@yahoo.com.
Eighth event…This is another premier event for the Tulsa Amateur Radio Club and that’s Field Day at Haikey Creek Park. Planning will happen at the club meetings on May 19th and June 16th. Come on out and bring your suggestions and ideas for us to try. You can also come out to the park whether you’re a club member or not!
Worried about being tied up all day? Well don’t worry about that because we’ll take as much time as you have to offer.
You don’t need to worry about the cost of gas in your vehicle either while driving in a bike ride. Some of the bike rides will re-imburse you for your gas.
If you’re an Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Volunteer all of the bike rides and Field Day mentioned above count towards you staying on the Active list.
Do you have a vehicle that can tow a trailer…
We are still looking for those club members that can tow the Comm 1 trailer from its new storage location to wherever it needs to be for an event. Having the trailer in its’ new location and completing some of the current projects means the trailer is available on very short notice if needed and it’ll make operating inside the trailer more efficient and a more pleasurable experience. Can you tow the trailer??? Let us know and we’ll put you to work! Thanks!
Can’t make the monthly meetings?…
We’re Zoom streaming and also recording video of the monthly meetings and posting them on the Tulsa Amateur Radio Club Youtube channel for those unable to attend in person. If you’re interested in learning more please contact Jack W5JHC for info. Thanks Jack!
We’re trying to make DMR great again!!!
There is a new DMR hangout talkgroup and it’s called Local 2. It includes the Keetonville, Tulsa Central, Leonard and Mounds DMR repeaters so if you’re in any of those areas you should be able to do DMR. Give it a try…ya’ know the Repeater Challenge works just as well on DMR as it does on any other repeater.
We’re also looking at starting a DMR hangout (not a net) where it’s all things DMR. Keep your ears open for that in the not too distant future.
Looking to give back to the community?
Looking to have some fun playing radio and hanging out with other hams while serving your community? You found the right place!
2026 is the Year of Readiness…and if you are willing to spend some time completing a self-paced training course and getting an Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps (OKMRC) badge that gives you access to the places where amateur radio operators can help with communications during emergencies, you can join the other ARES Volunteers in Tulsa County. 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 paulhteel@gmail.com, Bart N5TWB at bjpick@cox.net or Mark WA5MA at wa5ma.mark@gmail.com if you’d 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 doing some cool things on the net and you need to be a part of it for training purposes, working equipment verification and learning communications protocols and procedures. Keep an eye out for upcoming comms checks by e mail, text and over the air.
We’re starting a new program for the registered ARES Volunteers. It’s the ARES Active/Inactive program.
An ARES Volunteer is considered active if they have;
- Checked in to at least one or more Tulsa County ARES nets
per month and,
- Attended at least one training event per calendar quarter
(when scheduled) and,
- Attended one exercise or deployment per calendar quarter
(when scheduled).
If there are not any approved training sessions, exercises, or deployments in a calendar quarter that will not count against your status.
What if you’re on the Inactive list??? It means that you’re on the secondary resource list because you don’t have the training that those on the Active list have and it could also result in your being removed from the ARES volunteer database. We really do want everyone on the Active list!
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 W5IAS.com website on the Repeaters dropdown for system frequencies.
Here are the upcoming TARC activities…
- Tech Night – 1st Tuesday of each month. Jeff AE5ME on Winlink forms.
- Monthly meeting – 3rd Tuesday of each month. 7:00 PM at TU.
Paul WB5ANX will wrap up a couple of bike rides and give details on the next bike rides. We also have Jack W5JHC and Field Day planning.
- Weekly TARC Net on the Superlink System, Tuesdays at 8 PM
- CW Net, Mondays and Thursdays at 7:00 PM on 7.037 +/- QRM
- NCO training, ARES training – TBD in 2026
We also have Member Spotlight…
We’re all proud of our stations, whether VHF/UHF or HF, we all like talking about our home or portable stations. 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. He’s also starting a “show me 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!
Prepare now! The weather will soon be good enough to get outside!
Be safe, Be a good friend, Get on the air!
Mark WA5MA
President – Tulsa Amateur Radio Club