WATCH: LOUISIANA TECH HAMS LAUNCH WEATHER BALLOON 4/27/13

-RUSTON, LA   4/27/13

Cook Park in Ruston, Louisiana was filled with eager observers, young and old alike, as LA Tech studens belonging to the universities amateur radio club prepared to launch this weather balloon.

The payload of this balloon consists of a Gieger Counter which would measure radiation as the device increased in atmospheric altitude.

Here is a video I made of the event.

MY BICYCLE MOBILE - VERSION 2 *VIDEO

My first version  was a simple h/t and a coax adaptor  for the  antenna you see in the below video.

This is really an expirament.  I wanted to find out how it would work with the radio mounted on the handle bars and a battery in the back.

I decided the battery is too heavy and the radio really needs to be slid further toward the front of the bike.

Other than that, the radio performed well on the bike, though I worry about cooking my kidneys with RF when operating while in motion.

What do you think of the?

This Ham Biked to the Duck Commander 'Duck Dynasty' Place of Business

When I say 'this ham', I mean me. 

I rode my bike on April 22, 2013 to the Duck Commander factory and took this video.

I was excited to peer inside their warehouse where visitors could see  see a 'Si' - dummy.  He was only about 4 feet tall with huge hands.  You can hear me comment about how I thought Si was much taller, and the guy standing there peering in with me said, "He is", and laughed.

Here's my video:

2013 MONROE 'TWIN CITIES' HAMFEST PICTURES

I didn't take a ton of pictures this year because I spent most of the day in the kitchen. hi hi....

That said, I did take a few pictures, some of which were taken before a lot of visitors made it in.

  That's why the place looks so empty.

Duffy, KD5IGZ, asked me to take some pictures of the prize tables, so you'll see what the club gave away this year.

Here's the pictures:

 

Above and  Below:  Darell-KE5JVZl

 

ABOVE AND BELOW:  'RC' - KC5WA

 

ABOVE - DON'T KNOW WHO THAT IS.

BELOW:  CARLOS - KB5YEG 

 

ABOVE AND BELOW:  DUFFY - KD5IGZ

 

ABOVE:  RANDOM FOLKS LOOKING

BELOW:  SELF EXPLANATORY -  THE ICOM VENDER WAS HERE.

 

ABOVE:  THE ICOM VENDER

 

ABOVE:  DON'T KNOW WHO THAT IS

BELOW:  (LEFT) THOMAS - KD5OQC

 

ABOVE:  (CENTER) K5ER - MARK (OTHERS UNKNOWN)

 

ABOVE:  DON'T REMEMBER WHO THIS GUY IS (SOMEBOCDY SEND ME HIS NAME & CALL SIGN.

BELOW:  THIS GUY IS JIM (CALL UNKNOWN) HE'S THE ARRL SECTION MANAGER FOR LOUISIANA  (AGAIN, SOMEBODY PLEASE SEND ME HIS CALL SIGN)

GREAT HAM, K5BBA - CARL, NOW A SILENT KEY

If this don't beat all.  I was saddened this morning when I began my 5th region traffic net (NCS) duties when I found out one of our regulars, Carl-k5bba, had become a silent key.

He always had a great signal and loved being a traffic handler for the net.

He was often one of the net control ops and I overheard him say to the net administrator, kj2v (george) that he was unable to call the net... it was either Monday, or Tuesday.

It's sad none of us can stay here forever.  These kinds of unexpected events remind me that we should all cherish eachother while we are around.

Here is a write-up on Carl from the paper.

--------------

 

January 15, 1941 - April 9, 2013

CARL BALLARD

Shannon - Carl Ballard, 72, died Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at his residence. He was born in Jackson on January 15, 1941, to Ernest Carl and Mary Inez Willis Ballard. He spent over thirty-two years in the military, serving in the Army, Air Force and the National Guard, retiring as a Master Sergeant. An entrepreneur, he was the co-owner, with his late wife, Brenda, of Ballard Furniture. He still found time for volunteering and was a Shriner and a Mason. He was a member of the Tupelo Amateur Radio Club, Call # K5BBA.

Services with military honors will be 11 a.m. Friday, April 12, 2013 at The Jefferson Street Chapel of W. E. Pegues with Rev. Phil Wood officiating. Burial will be in Lee Memorial Park.

Survivors include three sons, Ricky Lee (Tammy) of Brewer, David Lee (Lisa) of Nettleton, John Lee of Shannon; one daughter, Jessica McLevain (Fiance, Dee Sullivan) of Troy; seven grandchildren, Ashley Lann (Patrick), Amber Hall (Steve), Michael Lee, Brandon Mitchell Lee (Lenita), Brandon Paul Lee (Phyllis), Breanna Lee and Kyle Stafford; eight great-grandchildren, Ashtann, Madelynn, Seth, Kylie, Elli, Connor, Clint and Juleah; two sisters-in-law, Lillene Ballard of Shannon and Judy Ballard of Tupelo; two brothers, Paul Ballard (Ruth Jane) of Conyers, Georgia and Carley Ballard (Patsy) of Shannon; six sisters, Sally Harrison of Fayette, Alabama, Ruth Bruce of Sherman, Mary Nell Gordon (Chester) of New Albany, Pat Warren of Saltillo, Judy Jones (Jerry) of Guntown and Charlene Centanni (Tony) of Thibodeaux, Louisiana.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Brenda Ballard; his parents; three brothers, William, Jim and Charlie Ballard; two sisters, Ann Hill and Sarah Wilson.

Pallbearers will be Michael Lee, Brandon Paul Lee, Brandon Mitchell Lee, Steve Hall, Patrick Lann, Steven Hilliard, Dee Sullivan, Michael Ballard and Carl Ballard.

Visitation will be 2 - 8 p.m. Thursday, April 11, 2013 at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children Burn Center in Shreveport, Louisiana.

NELA ARES NET CONTROL ROTATION FOR APR, MAYAND JUN - 2013

APRIL

1   KE5JVZ     N9KGF
8   N9KGF     KE5UTN
15   KE5UTN     OPEN
22   OPEN         OPEN
29   OPEN         N5ARM

MAY

6  N5ARM       KE5JVZ
13   KE5JVZ    N9KGF
20   N9KGF    KE5UTN
27   KE5UTN   OPEN

JUNE

3    OPEN      OPEN
10   OPEN     N5ARM
17   N5ARM   KE5JVZ
24   KE5JVZ    N9KGF