HOBBY RADIO DAILY
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05-15-2025 - At 8:30 PM, there's chatter on the Amateur (ham) Radio simplex frequency of 146.520 MHz.This frequency has been quiet the last few days. In other news, the Rangers just went up 1 to nothing against the Astros in the bottom of the 6th inning.
05-15-2025 - There was a lot of chatter on Channel 19 this evening, with truckers wanting to know about the slowdown ahead. Unfortunately, when I was listening, there were no answers to those calls. Gone are the days when there was almost always someone within range with a CB Radio and the information sought.
05-15-2025 - A trucker on Channel 19 gave an "Evel Knieval" report. The CB Radio band is as flat as 20 meters right now. Channel 6 is the only thing active, and it's on a walker and barely able to get around. It'll all pick up later, I'm sure.
05-15-225 - Our local Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter flew by a few minutes ago. You can listen to their "company" radio traffic on 159.900 MHz on your scanner radio.
05-15-2025 - I spent more than a few minutes looking for Parks on the Air® stations to work this afternoon, but the 20-meter band seems to be napping in North Texas. So, I'm moving to CB Radio to see what the truckers are doing on Channel 19. Why didn't I check other Ham Radio bands? No reason other than I choose to work 20 meters these days. I might listen on 40 meters if I get bored at night, but I don't work stations there. I'm different.
05-15-2025 - I saw an article in The Telegraph about Chinese "kill switches" being found on U.S. solar farms. How could anyone be surprised? Who knows how many "spies" are in American households and businesses? I don't even want to think about the "bonus" electronics on the Qatar-gifted 747 airplane.
05-15-2025 - The Wichita Amateur Radio Society meets every third Thursday at 6:30 PM in the Professor Jackson Building behind the American Red Cross at 1809 5th Street in Wichita Falls. I'm sure they'd be happy to see you if you're interested in Amateur (ham) Radio.
05-15-2025 - From my law enforcement consultant - It was about 30 years ago when I spotted a group of CB Radio antenna-equipped cars on the lot of the old Sale Barn on Sheppard Access Road. Being interested in radio communications, I pulled onto the lot to see what was happening. One of the vehicle occupants explained to me that they were having a "keydown." The puzzled look on my face brought the full explanation that everyone would "key down" and identify, and a station on the other side of town would tell them which one was the loudest. I said "Cool! Y'all have fun" and I drove clear of the amplifier-boosted radio frequency crossfire! It immediately occurred to me that this is not unlike Ham Radio DX pileups. All the hams scream and, when the dust settles, the DX station tells them who was loudest.
05-15-2025 - eBay: "BNC Male Angle to BNC Male Angle RG58, 10 Inch Coax Cable Pigtail Jumper " is out for delivery. I'm beside myself with excitement.
05-15-2025 - FEMA Daily Operations Briefing - National Current Ops / Monitoring for May. 14-15, 2025
New Significant Incidents / Ongoing Ops:
• No new significant incidents/operations
Hazard Monitoring:
• Severe Thunderstorms – Upper Mississippi Valley to Mid-Atlantic
• Heat Advisory – Southern Plains
• Elevated Fire Weather – Southwest
Disaster Declaration Activity:
• One amendment issued
• FMAG Approval: Munger Shaw Fire – MN
• FMAG Approval: Greer Fire – AZ
Event Monitoring:
• No significant events
05-15-2025 - Our city transit bus drivers are chatty this morning. Tune in with your scanner radio at 453.5375 MHz.
05-15-2025 - Our semi-new Luxury RV Park at U.S. 287 and Loop 11 (the loop that doesn't loop) seems to be doing good so far. I haven't heard any local Ham Radio or CB Radio communications coming out of that spot. None that I can identify, anyway. There probably hasn't been any. Maybe one of these days.
05-15-2025 - Some Wichita Falls radio scanning targets: Walmart (154.570 MHz), Allred Unit (153.815 MHz), Wichita County Jail (155.520 MHz), State Hospital (154.800 MHz) city transit buses (453.5375 MHz), WFISD school buses (152.360 MHz), school handheld radios (151.940 MHz), Wichita Valley Airport (122.800 MHz), Kickapoo Airport (122.700 MHz), Wichita Falls Regional Airport / SAFB (119.750 & 122.950 MHz), and the BNSF Railroad (160.920 MHz). MORE!
05-15-2025 - When I started in Amateur (ham) Radio in 1982, there was a repeater in town whose owner took the 10-minute FCC "station ID" rule a little too literally. He had the machine emit its Morse code ID every 10 minutes, whether in use or not, 24 hours a day. While programmed into my scanner, that one was locked out of the scan rotation.
05-15-2025 - In Wichita Falls, the southwest corner of 11th and Holliday, where a dialysis center now sits, was once the location of Wholesale Electronics. In 1970, I bought an Antenna Specialists CB Radio ground plane antenna. I remember the price being between $35.00 and $39.00. I sold it to another CB'er the same year. It was a short-term IOU sort of thing. When he died in 1990, he still hadn't payed me. RIP, Eddie!
05-15-2025 - 5:45 AM - According to Water Data for Texas, Wichita Falls reservoirs are: Arrowhead: 96.2% Kemp: 100.0% Kickapoo: 99.2%. Monitored Water Supply Reservoirs are 98.3% full. The City of Wichita Falls uses combined levels of Arrowhead and Kickapoo (97.7%) to determine drought stage.
05-15-2025 - 6:00 AM - ERCOT (Texas) snapshot of grid conditions - ERCOT reports that conditions are normal and there is enough power for current demand with an operating reserve of 15,442 Megawatts.
05-15-2025 - NWS Forecast - Today: A slight chance of showers before 7am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 7am and 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. West northwest wind 5 to 11 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. South SW wind 5 to 7 mph.
05-15-2025 - Good Morning! It's Thursday. We had a slight chance of rain this morning, but the larger chance that we'd get no rain prevailed. We'll have a better chance on Sunday and Sunday night. I'd like to see Lakes Arrowhead and Kickapoo get to 100%, but that's probably not going to happen. But we're in good shape in that category, so I'll move on to radio stuff. My Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready.
05-14-2025 - If you're in the Wichita Falls area and need a good job with benefits, the James V. Allred Unit—our very own male, maximum-security prison—is always hiring. I mean always. It's not a job for everyone, but it might be the job for you. Tune in to Allred Unit operations at 153.815 MHz on your scanner radio! When you get a little seniority and get "gun tower" assignments, you might be able to sneak your handheld Amateur (ham) Radio handheld radio up with you! You didn't hear that from me! I have stories!