Author: Tony NT5TM

Tech Net News 05-09-2026

Tony NT5TM News
Logo of the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) featuring the acronym 'MARS' in bold blue letters, surrounded by a globe design and lightning bolts, with 'MILITARY AUXILIARY RADIO SYSTEM' and the branches of the military (U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force) mentioned around the edge.

I don’t really have the time to make Tech Net news posts any more, but the link to the official list of MARS stations is too difficult to ready on the air. It’s https://www.dodmars.org/mars-comex-information-website/armed-forces-day

Other news stories I plan to mention include:

One more news item! Larry, N5PQO, mentioned during the net that there is another UHF SSTV event in progress, with pictures being transmitted from the ISS. For more details, you can look at the upcoming SSTV Events Page at ARISS.

I guess it’s just not my night: I forgot another announcement. The Dallas Bike Ride, an educational, safety-focused event, is looking for more amateur radio communicators on the morning of May 16th, 2026. You will most likely be needed for a 7:00 am to 11:00 am shift. To volunteer, go to: https://whiterockhams.wordpress.com/2026/04/25/dallas-bike-ride-communications-5-16-26/

Rescheduled! DARC Lecture and Lab for October 2025

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A 435-MHz yagi antenna, made from aluminum wire and pvc pipe, sits on a dark red backbround.

The DARC Lecture and Lab for September 2025 has been RESCHEDULED! The event will take place on October 25th, 2025.

You can download the lab notes here and the original “cheap yagi” paper here.

Please join us for the October, 2025 Lecture and Lab. Tony Mendina, NT5TM, will introduce the famous “cheap yagi” series of antennas, and participants will built a 435-MHz yagi antenna suitable for AMSAT or fox-hunting use. Thanks to donations of valuable materials by Virginia, NV5F, and Rollin, WA5RFG, the kit cost will be only $10.00. Remember that you don’t need to be a DARC member to attend our event. We’ll meet up at our usual meeting location at 10:00 AM on Saturday, October 25th. Please watch this post for more updates about tools and instructions.

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Field Day 2025 Statistics

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A map of of the United States and Canada. Every state, territory, and province is colored in except for Saskatchewan.
The ARRL and RAC sections worked by W5FC during Field Day 2025. A heroic last-minute effort got us the East Bay, but Saskatchewan, gigantic as it is, somehow eluded us.

The DARC held Field Day 2025 at the Johnston Outpost YMCA, and the air-conditioned location was as popular as ever. The only complaints heard concerned the Afterglow Movie: Colossus, the Forbin Project was apparently a bit too realistic. As other clubs wound down their operations, operators came to visit the DARC site late at night on Saturday and early on Sunday morning. A group project on Sunday morning netted us copies of the ARRL Field Day Bulletin. The big tear-down crew on Sunday finished the job in record time and there was plenty of cold water for all.

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Bob Jones, W5BJ, SK

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I have recently received the sad news that Bob, W5BJ, has become a silent key. Bob is well known to all of us in the area who volunteered for large public service events like the Dallas Marathon. Below is the memorial information I received:

To friends of Bob Jones, W5BJ,

As a long time friend, mentor, Elmer and confidant, I am left saddened at the lost of my friend. I miss our long conversations about radios and every thing else in the world. Bob a Texas A&M graduate and U S Army veteran had an distinguished career with Collins Radio Company and through it's transitions with Rockwell International and Alcatel Telecom. Bob's radio involvement spanned many areas. He was asked by Garland city officials to start a Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) program in Garland and was the initial lead for over 20 years. Later becoming the first Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Emergency Coordinator for Garland. In addition Bob headed up the communications for the Dallas Marathon for many year, as well as, many local public service events. I will miss his enthusiasm for helping the amateur radio community. I will miss him.

Visitation for Robert "Bob" G Jones will be at the Charles W Smith Funeral Home, 2925 5th Street, Sachse, Texas 75048 Thursday June 12th 2025 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM.

Funeral Services will be held at the First United Methodist Church, 1520 Blackburn Road, Sachse, Texas 75048 Friday, June 13th, 2025 at 10:00 AM

John Galvin, N5TIM

Public Service Events May 2025

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Flowers in a meadow with a view of Downtown Dallas and the Trinity River
Photo by Sean Fitzgerald

I often say that fall is the season of service, but there are a couple of public service events coming up in early May.

  • North Texas Native Plants and Prairies Day will take place on May 3rd on the east shore of White Rock Lake. Please sign up to volunteer!
  • The DFW MS 150 Bike Rally will take place the weekend of May 3rd and 4th in the Mansfield/Glen Rose area. Volunteer if you can!

Field Day 2024 Statistics

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ARRL and RAC Sections worked by W5FC during Field Day 2024. Almost all of the US and Canada is filled in--Labrador, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island are white.
The ARRL and RAC sections worked by W5FC during Field Day 2024. I just can’t figure out how to fill in Vancouver Island; working British Columbia doesn’t help.

The DARC held Field Day 2024 at the Johnston Outpost YMCA, and the air-conditioned location was, once again, a success: the club was able to keep all 3 radios in operation for the entire event, and even the 6-meter station attracted some attention. As other clubs wound down their operations, operators came to visit our site late at night and Saturday and early Sunday morning, providing welcome support. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn was great fun! The big tear-down crew on Sunday was a fine gift from the local amateur community. No volunteer had to risk heatstroke—there were enough hands to make the work easy.

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MS-150 Volunteers Needed 5/4-5/5/2024

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The MS-150 Bike Ride, benefiting the National MS Society, urgently needs more volunteers for the weekend of May 4th and 5th, 2024. The long-time event route has changed to be largely SOUTH of the DFW area, causing many long-time “regulars” to be unavailable. If you’re free for either or both days, and you enjoy public service, please get in touch with James Marple using the form at the MS-150 Radio Volunteer Site.

September 2023 Lecture and Lab: build an active fox hunt attenuator

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If you’ve ever tried to find a hidden radio transmitter, or if you’ve ever wanted to…or if you’ve ever wondered how close you could get to finding a “jammer,” this month’s Lecture and Lab is for you!

We’ll be building the KC9NON active attenuator kit, an easy-to-build device that lets you get up close and personal with the radio transmitter that you’re hunting. The kit cost is only $20.00, and the tools needed are simple: a soldering iron, solder, wire cutters, wire strippers, and a small screwdriver are all that you really need. A hot glue gun and a needle-nose pliers were enough for me to finish my build. You’ll also need a jumper cable with BNC connectors (it can be very short, 2 feet is plenty), and a BNC-equipped antenna and radio, or else a set of adapters.

We’ll be meeting at 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 23rd, in the 3rd-floor community room at the Dallas Medical Center, 7 Medical Parkway Dallas, TX 75234. There are 15 kits available, first-come-first-served.

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