bvarc.org

We are 24 hours away from our live dayton hamvention broadcast. Help us spread the word to

anyone interested.?

This will be our 10 th year to broadcast Dayton Hamvention . Our viewers have grown to

about 50,000 in over 150 countries during the last Hamvention broadcast.
Hamvention is May 20-22 but we actually go live TOMORROW at 1300 UTC Wed May 16th as we

pull out of our driveway and broadcast the 550 mile drive live.
The video site is http://w5kub.com and we are on 365 days a year when not broadcasting a

live ham event. Over the years we have had special guests on the broadcasts.

We have over $8000 in prizes to give out again this year to lucky viewers. Some of our

prizes are weather stations, Heil headsets, Comet CAA-500 antenna analyzers, AlphaAmp watt

meters, D-star radios, yasue HTs, TenTec desk mics, G5RV antennas, and much more. After

hamvention, we will be broadcasting our 550 mile trip back to Memphis on Sunday afternoon.

We have installed a new Ka Band internet satellite uplink this year in our fleamarket space

so we will be broadcasting High Def video this year. This is a first for us.

Log into the chat room and talk directly to us, ask questions to those we are interviewing

or just chat with each other.

Dayton Hamvention is Fri, Sat, Sun May 18,18,20

we also will broadcast the 550 mile drive (10 Hours) from Memphis, Tn to Dayton Ohio

Wednesday may 16

We will be setting up our fleamarket space and the satellite uplink on Thursday May 17 and

will broadcast that.

We will start giving out prizes on Wed morning.

go to http://w5kub.com for all the fun

also join us on our facebook broadcast page at

https://www.facebook.com/groups/279273778772594/

Thanks, Tom W5KUB

Activating IOTA NA-143 (Pelican Is.) Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club (BVARC), KK5W will be operating from radio rooms of WWII Submarine USS Cavalla and Destroyer Escort USS Stewart and two other temporary shoreside stations from Seawolf Park in Galveston, Texas. We will be operating on 10-80 meters (SSB and CW).
The club, in cooperation with the USS Cavalla and USS Stewart Historical Foundation invites all amateur radio stations to be a part of living history and commemorate the actions of these historic ships and crews. More information at http://www.bvarc.org/index.php?page=ms Special Event QSL with SASE via KK5W (QRZ.com) is available.
We are hosting a two meter net from Seawolf Park during the event on June 2nd from 1800Z to 1900Z and on June 3rd from 1500Z to 1600Z. If you don’t yet have HF privileges, this is a great way to take part. The repeater frequency is 146.94 Mhz (-) (PL 167.9 Hz). This repeater has wide coverage in the Houston-Galveston, Texas area and local hams are invited to participate in the VHF net.
KK5W will be making satellite QSO’s during the afternoon passes of AO-27 and FO-29 on Saturday June 2nd and hope other AMSAT members will be on the air too.
2012 is our fifth year of participation in MSWE. This year we’re coordinating our activities with other Texas museum ships in the area, the Battleship USS Texas in Laporte, Texas and the Tall Ship Elissa in Galveston. Don’t be surprised if you find them on the VHF net too.

This year more than 90 museum ships will be participating, many using their original call signs. Sponsored internationally by the Battleship New Jersey Amateur Radio Station NJ2BB, historic ship radio rooms are activated and QSO’s are invited from amateur radio stations in the United States and around the world. NJ2BB offers a certificate for stations that contact 15 or more ships and many of the individual ships offer individual QSL cards too.

The Museum Ships Weekend event recalls the actions of ships and crews from all periods of history.

73,
Ron, K5HM
k5hm.ron@gmail.com
www.qrz.com/db/k5hm

BLT Team,
This is notification of our dinner meeting on Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at
5:30 PM. We will be back at our Primary Site:

Saltgrass Steak House
8943 Katy Freeway
I-10 West, between Campbell and Voss

This is our pre-launch meeting for BLT’s 29 and 30!

These two test flights are scheduled for May 19th. We will be flying two “similar” APRS units KT5TK-11 and W5ACM-11, with Totex 800 gr balloons from Lake Livingston, around 7:30 PM.

To The Edge of Space!

Andy W5ACM

The following article regarding MSWE was in the May 5, 2012 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE. The article will be rerun in the May 26, 2012 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE.

Allen N5AFV

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-127

ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
ans-editor at amsat.org

**********************************************************************
Satellite Operations Planned for Worldwide Museum Ships Weekend

Museum Ships Weekend Coming Up June 2-3, 2012 by Allen F. Mattis, N5AFV, n5afv@amsat.org

The worldwide Museum Ships Weekend Event (MSWE) will be held for two days, June 2-3, 2012. Last year 83 ships in 13 countries around the world participated in the event. Amateur radio operators make special event contacts from these museum ships on all amateur radio bands with most of the contacts taking place on the HF bands. In the past several years only two or three museum ships in North America have made satellite contacts during the event.

This year a number of Houston area AMSAT members, W5ACM, N5AFV and WC5WM, will participate with the Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club
(BVARC) operating club station KK5W from Seawolf Park on Pelican Island in Galveston, Texas. Seawolf Park is home to two Second World War vintage museum ships – the destroyer escort USS Stewart (DE-238) and the submarine USS Cavalla (SS-244). As a result, a contact with KK5W counts for two ships. Amateur radio operators who make contacts with 15 or more ships qualify for a handsome certificate.

The BVARC KK5W station plans to operate the afternoon passes of AO-27 and FO-29 on Saturday June 2nd and hope other AMSAT members will be operating from other ships. This will be their fifth year participat- ing in the MSWE and hope to make their first MSWE satellite contact with another museum ship this year.

If any AMSAT members are interested in this event they may visit the MSWE website: http://www.nj2bb.org/museum/index.html to find out if any museum ships near them are participating.

[ANS thanks Allen Mattis, N5AFV for the above information]

Fellow Hams:

Field day is one of the pivotal events in Amateur Radio where we not only practice for an event that will hopefully never occur, but also try out new technologies, make sure that newly licensed or newly re-licensed hams have the opportunity to get on the radio, show the public what our hobby is all about, try to make as many contacts as possible and just have an overall great time.

None of this however is possible without the help of our members. Field day is an opportunity to show your support and, support comes in many ways. As such I am asking for the following:

1. We need members to become team leads for:
a. 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m, 10m and VHF and as such you will be responsible to assemble the station(s) and supporting gear.
2. Team lead for GOTA – Get On The Air station
a. responsible to assemble the station and supporting gear
3. Food – we need folks to help with the preparation and donation of food
4. Snacks and drinks – we need some donations in this area
5. Media – Let me know if you have access to the media so we can get the word out
6. Antennas – Please let us know if you have any antennas we could potentially use

This year’s field day will be at the fire training complex of the Richmond fire department. All club members are encouraged to participate.

Please let me know directly if you can help in any way. We can only succeed together. I will be sending out weekly status reports leading up to the field day.

Minutes of May 3rd, 2012 Board of Directors meeting of the Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club:

Kirk Kendrick called the monthly Board of Directors meeting for the Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club to order at 7:00 PM on May 3rd, 2012 at Fudrucker’s, 11445 Fountain Lake Drive, Stafford, TX. Attending were: Kirk Kendrick, KK2Z (Pres.); Ross Lawler, W5HFF (V.P.); Bob Tomlinson, N5JSL (Cor. Sec./Treas.); Peter Sauermilch, KD5QPX (Rec. Sec.); Rick Hiller, W5RH (Past Pres.); David Barber, K5NDB (1yr At-Large Dir.); Eddie Runner, NU5K (Webmaster); Suzanne Runner, KF5GWZ; Cameron Mitchell, K5CAM; John Chauvin, K5IZO (Newsletter Editor); Bill Stone, WS5H, Norma Stone, KE5NDN (QSL Manager); Sharon Tomlinson, KF5HUF; Charles Frost, K5LBU; Mike Hardwick, N5VCX; Ron Litt, K5HM; Jerry Muller, KF5EYC; Matt Tatro, K5NGU; and Mark Lawler.

1. Minutes for the April 2012 meeting were approved as previously distributed by email and as appears in the May 2012 newsletter.
2. Financial Matters:
2.1. Treasurer’s Report was presented to and received by the Board.
2.2. BVARC received a deposit refund from the fair grounds for the 2012 hamfest. $40 was withheld from the original deposit for the electricity consumed. Tomlinson considers the hamfest books closed, though he is not ready with the final report.
2.3. BVARC received a certificate from the ARRL for the donation made to the Spectrum Defense Fund.
3. Old Business:
3.1. Museum Ships Weekend (MSW): Ron Litt submitted an itemized expense estimate for the 2012 event. After discussion, the board moved to allocate up to an additional $200 for unforeseen expenses.
3.2. Field Day: Matt Tatro summarized preparations made thus far. He plans to make a short presentation at the May General Membership Meeting.
3.3. Club House Committee: John Chauvin summarized progress made thus far.
3.4. Computers: Ron Litt will load logging software on the two computers donated to BVARC (see April minutes). Three other personal computers are thought to be on site at the MSW event with logging software. Discussion followed re. time stamping problems on paper logs.
4. New business:
4.1. ARRL Special Services Club status: John Chauvin questioned if the club needed to take action to insure continued status. Mike Hardwick is to research matter and take appropriate action.
4.2. Ron Litt suggested that BVARC acquire a fire extinguisher and first aid kit. The club is hosting is several activities a year where both would be prudent on-hand items, especially where gasoline generators are in use. John Chauvin thinks he can acquire donated extinguishers that city of Stafford ordinances mandate replaced based on age. Jerry Muller offered to have said extinguishers tested. Muller will explore acquiring donated first aid kits.
4.3. Club Safety Officer: Jerry Muller volunteered for and was appointed by the board to be the BVARC Safety Officer.
4.4. Texas QSO Party Plaques: Kirk Kendrick noted that it is time to spend the $140 allocated in the budget for the TQP plaques. Board agreed. No motion was required as funds already approved in the 2012 budget.
4.5. Club QSL Manager: Bill Stone has been the QSO manager for some time. He informed the board that he would like someone else to take over the position. He will continue as manager until a replacement is found.
4.6. Club QSL Cards: Bill Stone informed that board that the club has quite a collection of received QSL cards, especially from Museum Ships Weekend events. He proposed that the club use a past years card collection to create some type of display to be donated the Chief of Boat, Cavalla Foundation. The board passed a motion to do so.
5. Schedule:
5.1. June: Steve Lee, FCC Enforcement Bureau, Resident Agent (unconfirmed)
5.2. July: Field Day, Museum Ships, and Hamfest wrap-up presentations.
5.3. August: Ice Cream Social
5.4. September: Chuck Snaders Jr., Texas QSO Party (unconfirmed)
6. Meeting adjourned at 7:50 PM

Submitted by Recording Secretary, Peter Sauermilch, KD5QPX

Minutes of April 5th, 2012 Board of Directors meeting of the Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club:
Kirk Kendrick called the monthly Board of Directors meeting for the Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club to order at 7:00 PM on April 5th, 2012 at Fudrucker’s, 11445 Fountain Lake Drive, Stafford, TX. Attending were: Kirk Kendrick, KK2Z (Pres.); Ross Lawler, W5HFF (V.P.); Bob Tomlinson, N5JSL (Cor. Sec./Treas.); Peter Sauermilch, KD5QPX (Rec. Sec.); Dwayne Jones, KB5YTA (2yr At-Large Dir.); David Barber, K5NDB (1yr At-Large Dir.); Eddie Runner, NU5K (Webmaster); Cameron Mitchell, K5CAM; Bill Stone, WS5H; Norma Stone; KE5NDN; Billy Jones Jr., N5EVD; Angel Abbott-Jones; KC5KRV; Mike Hardwick, N5VCX; Jerry Muller, KF5EYC.
1. Minutes for the March 2012 meeting were approved as distributed by email and as in the April 2012 newsletter.
2. Financials:
2.1. Treasurer’s Report was presented to the Board. The Board found no problems with said report.
2.2. Greater Houston Hamfest 2012: Financial numbers remain the same as last month. The fairground should be refunding out deposit soon.
3. Schedule:
3.1. March: Joint meeting with the Texas DX Society.
3.2. No other meeting topics scheduled.
3.3. A General Membership Meeting topic was received through email requesting that we have at least one meeting devoted to antenna building.
4. Old Business:
4.1. Greater Houston Hamfest 2012: Now considered a closed topic.
4.2. ARRL Spectrum Defense Fund: Should be added to the BVARC web page that we are a donor.
4.3. Computer Projector: One device purchased for club meeting use.
4.4. PCs:
4.4.1. Club to purchase units for Field Day as decided in the “Wish List”.
4.4.2. Scott Medbury (KC5FBA) has donated two PCs for use at Field Day.
5. New business:
5.1. Bill Stone:
5.1.1. Reported the he received two QSL cards for the special event call W5H used in 2011.
5.1.2. Museum Ships Weekend:
5.1.2.1. Wanted to know if board would donate to the Cavalla Historical Foundation.
5.1.2.2. The Board responded that $400 has been budgeted for 2012 for the BVARC activities.
5.1.2.3. The Board decided to gift the Cavalla Historical Foundation with $150 and instructed the treasurer to cut a check.
5.2. Field Day: Charles Frost and Matthew Tatro have volunteered to co-chair Field Day. The board deferred any other action until the May meeting.
5.3. 2013 Greater Houston Hamfest: Kendrick reported that John Charvin discovered that the fairgrounds have already rented for 2013 the space we normally use for GHH. After an extensive search for alternatives by several members, the recommendation is to move the 2013 date to March 23rd and stay at the fairgrounds. The board action was to approve the expenditure of $2300 for the deposit.
5.4. Dwayne Jones proposed to the board that BVARC go to electronic distribution of the newsletter. The discussion that followed is summarized that it raises more problems than it solves and has been discussed on average every 4 years with the same outcome.
6. Meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM.
Submitted by Recording Secretary, Peter Sauermilch, KD5QPX

Museum Ship Weekend Event ( MSWE )

SeaWolf Park USS Cavalla & USS Stewart On The Air

PARK / OPERATOR ENTRY LIST

As mentioned in a previous posting I must supply the park list early this year to the gate staff. If you do not make it on the list you may still attend and we will fit you into a radio op spot. You might have to pay the small park entry fee if you just show up. Also those on the list can be shure of plenty of food for the Saturday lunch, water , ice ,ect. provided for the event sponsored by Cavalla Historical Foundation Contributors BVARC and River Oaks Car Stereo.

Check the list to confirm you listed. Also see below for repost of event. Sign Up and Hope to CU aboard.

MSWE SEAWOLF PARK
Special Thanks to the Galveston Park Board , Cavalla Historical Foundation & to our C.O.B.
Curator / Master Chief Petty Officer John McMichael USN, ret.
CHF VOLLUNTEERS
Bill Stone WS5H oversee Stewart / Operator
Norma Stone KE5NDN Support / Operator
Willis Cooke K5EWJ Support / Operator
Wink Chamberlain N5ECE Support / Operator
Joe Wileman AA5OP Support / Operator
John Chauvin K5IZO Support / Operator /cw Cavalla
Stephen Cook KE5WCP Cavalla Antenna Consultant / Operator/ Tall Ship Elissa GHF volly
Darrel Kirk KC5JAR Fri Setup / Sea Bees / Operator / Night Ops Chair
BVARC PARK LIST
BVARC CO-CHAIRMAN
Ron Litt K5HM BVARC XO -Electronic Logging / band filter coordinator/Operator
Robert Tomlinson N5JSL BVARC XO/ Operator
Sharon Tomlinson KF5HUF ” ” ” ” assist N5JSL / Operator
Dwayne Jones KB5YTA Fri Setup / Sea Bees / Operator / BVARC Equipment Administrator
Suzanne Runner KF5GWZ Support / Lunch Run / Preparations / Operator
Eddie Runner NU5K ” ” / River Oaks Car Stereo CHF Contributor / Operator
OPERATORS / SUPPORT / OLD HANDS
Steve Gottlieb WA5OEN BVARC Safety Officer / Operator ( served on DE )
Ross Lawler W5HFF Club Call Trustee / Park Station / Operator
* Mark Lawler * will assist Ross
Teressa Williams KE5MUX Support / Operator
Jerry Muller KF5EYC VHF simplex & NET / Operator / Setup
Mike Mohsoun AC0TX Radio Room Tour Guide / Security / Operator
Travis Burgess K5HTB Camera Man / Operator / setup
Leslie Bartosh AD5WB Elissa volly / op / guest
Allen Mattis N5AFV AMSAT / Ship to Ship Sat Contacts / Operator
Donna Bennet KE5WQU Support / Operator
John Cooper WT5Y Operator / Volunteer Last Year From USS ORLECK
Michael Lay N5PTN Operator
Daniel Fwu KE5RRH Operator
John Fwu KE5RZU Operator
Randy Pugh AA5OA Operator
John Whiteman K5LKJ Operator
Will Rupley KE5GWO Operator
OPERATORS / SUPPORT / NEW HANDS
T J Butler N5CFT Operator
Madison Butler 3rd party traffic
McKenzie Butler 3rd party traffic
Nizar Mulani K0NM cw operator Cavalla
Valclav Sal AA7EJ cw operator Cavalla
Rick Hiller W5RH cw operator Cavalla
Jim Bookholdt N4AL cw Operator Cavalla
Barris Bramble KF5HSH operator
Bob Hawkins KF5LWA setup/operator
Dominic Mazoch N5TCB GHF volly Tall Ship Elissa
Jermey Conn K0JCC Elissa volly / op /guest #42

ATTENTION ON DECK

ATTENTION ALL AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS – ( Feel free to post on other club reflectors )

Museum Ship Weekend Event June 2-3 -2012 @ SeaWolf Park

BVARC and co sponsor River Oaks Car Stereo will again sponsor, use club call KK5W and fire up the radio rooms aboard the USS CAVALLA and USS STEWART. We will use ham radios in the radio rooms connected to the ships original WW2 antennas. A park dual radio station with Antenna trailer 3 band yagi and BTV-6 worm burner ground mount vertical will also be used for those who can no longer board the ships. More info on MSWE google NJ2BB on the net. This is a world wide Museum Ship Event and our permission to come aboard the ships has been granted by the Chief Of Boat / Park Curator and the NJ2BB Battleship New Jersey Team ( MSWE sponsor) has granted our status as a 2 for 1 ship contact in the event.

Saturday noon lunch – Subway subs chips and drink provided by River Oaks Car Stereo

Your Co- Chairman ( Co XO’s ) for the 2012 BVARC MSWE are N5JSL Bob and K5HM Ron

I have been assigned by the XO’s the task of the Park entry / operator list

If you are signed up on the list your entry to the park and ship boarding fee will be of no charge. Keep in mind that if you just show up a park fee might be charged by Park gate staff but we can get you aboard the ships at no charge if you first check in at our park station for orientation and a ship boarding pass. THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW TIMES IN THE YEAR SEAWOLF PARK OPENS THE SHIP RADIO ROOMS TO THE PUBLIC.

IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND AND OR OPERATE — THIS IS WHAT I NEED

YOUR NAME ,CALL , EMAIL, PHONE #, TIME OF PLANNED ARRIVAL, TIME WISHED TO OPERATE RADIO STATION,CW OR SSB ,SHIP OR PARK STATION, VOLLUNTEER WORK FOR EVENT?

FYI – We have enough CW operators signed up and willuse the air conditioned submarine radio room as a daytime CW station only

FYI – as per AMSAT-N5AFV will need a team to make some ship to ship sat contacts

FYI – MSWE Children with gaurdian may be on the list however all under age may not be in the park or aboard ships after dark — no under age sleepovers

IF YOU HAVE SPECIAL / MEDICAL NEEDS / OTHER – Let me know – An on Island Hospitallity room is in the works and is confirmed From the list I will generate park event attendees, vollunteer list, and create a radio operator time schedule and attempt to closely match your requested station and time frame.

CONTACT – BILL STONE WS5H EMAIL dragntow@wt.net phone # 713-776-1030

Last years list cut off was around 40 – this year 50 – If your plans change let me know as when one name comes off the list another might be waiting to be added – my list must be turned in to the park sooner than last year so please dont wait to the last few days before the event to be listed as you may “miss the boat ”

More about the event to be posted by the BVARC event XO’s

73 Bill Stone WS5H
Cavalla Historical Foundation Vollunteer
Prez – Cavalla Historical ARS N5BPS
BVARC member
TDXS member #180

There will be a planning meeting for Museum Ships Weekend this Thursday, April 26th at 7 PM. The meeting will be held at Denny’s on the SW Freeway feeder at Beechnut.

All MSWE participants or potential participants are invited. If you are already signed up as a volunteer or are thinking about helping out this is a good time to get acquainted.

73,
Ron, K5HM
k5hm.ron@gmail.com
www.qrz.com/db/k5hm

MSWE 2012
June 2 0000Z – June 3 2359Z
OR
June 1 1900 Central – June 3 1659 Central
Seawolf Park, Galveston, Tx

The annual Museum Ships weekend is approaching. We are hoping to make things better for this year and we are off to a good start. So far we have 43 club members and others who have volunteered to spend time at Seawolf assist. Get your name on the list and be a part of living history!

Saturday lunch will be provided by River Oaks Car Stereo. Big thanks to Eddie Runner, NU5K for the continued support of this event.

We will be setting up on Friday about Noon. Tear down will be Sunday afternoon. If you can lend a hand with set up or tear down, please send an e-mail to Bill Stone, WS5H.
If you would like to sign up as an operator for this years’ event, contact Bill Stone, WS5H at dragntow@wt.net. If you plan to come down, be sure you have sunscreen, if you are prone to sunburn.

To make this a success, we are in need of some logistical items for the event.
1- Laptop computer with either XP or Win 7 or Vista – Have 4 already; need 1 for backup
2 Large Tarps to cover equipment in case of bad weather
Generator
First Aid Kit
Fans – 2
Extension cords – assorted, couple of 50 Footers
Power Strips – Several
Camp Chairs – Several
Snacks
Soft Drinks, Water, Iced Tea

If you can donate or lend any of these items, please let me know, so we do not have to purchase them at club expense. Borrowed items should be clearly labeled with the owners name and/or call sign so it can be returned. They WILL be returned promptly.

73,
Ron, K5HM
k5hm.ron@gmail.com
www.qrz.com/db/k5hm