Upcoming Amateur Radio Events in 2012

Feb 4th - TCARES Midwinter Drill
Travis Co. and other CAPCOG counties are encouraged to participate. All are encouraged to be alert for the drill activation at any time on Saturday,K5FX


Feb 11th - 14th Annual MSET/PHI STAT Landing Zone Safety Training

Class Shoreline Christian Center, 15201 Burnet Rd Helicopters: 8a – 8:15a LZ Class:8:30a – 12:30p Landing Zone Info

Feb 18 - 22nd Annual SKYWARN
Austin / South Central Texas SkyWarn Training Session 8am-4pm Big Tex Auditorium / The Commons - UT Pickle Campus in north Austin
SKYWARN Info

February 19 - Livestrong Austin Marathon/Half Marathon
Austin Marathon Info

February 25 - Williamson County Hamfest
8AM-? Community Center San Gabriel Park Georgetown, TX Admission price is a meager $2 per person. Seller tables are only $8 each Williamson County Hamfest Info

February 25 - Orange Hamfest
Orange ARC and Jefferson County ARC VFW Hall 5303 16th Street, Hwy 87 North, 1-mile North of I-10 Rocky 409-988-8906 orangearc@live.com Delores 409-962-1435 kc5neo@gt.rr.com Orange Hamfest Info

February 26th (Sunday) Cap 10K Packet Stuffing

We are approaching the AARC's biggest fundraiser of the year- The Capitol 10K Packet Stuffing Party on SUNDAY Feb 26. (Please note the change up this year to Sunday!!! WCARC Hamfest is Saturday Feb 25) Funds from this effort have directly been applied to the present upgrade to the 146.940 repeater upgrade.
I sent an email stating our Ham Radio Event Schedule includes Saturday events in nearly all of February.
We were advised their schedule prefers the last weekend in February, as it is a full month out from the race and will give time to get the packets out in the mail, etc. We were asked if we could do the Packet Stuffing on Sunday the 26th.
At the Jan 3 AARC meeting, We took a quick "hands up" of who could/could not do Sunday Feb 26 and got nearly 90% yes (only 3 could not). My preference is to schedule this Packet Stuffing event on a Saturday so this is not a permanent change (unless it really works out better).

With this change-up, I'd like to get a good feeling for our actual Sunday Packet Stuffing attendance. Please reply to N5MNW, advising me what shift you'd prefer (AM, PM or all day) or if you specifically cannot commit for a Sunday so I can plan for future events. I will respond to you with a "gotcha" reply, if you do not get one within 24 hours, call 512-632-6673 and advise!

Jann, Mitch, Lori, Jay, Alan and I promise to make it as fun an event as possible.
The Runner Packet fliers will be elevated for easier reach and the Genie Muscle massage-o-matic will be on-duty!

AM-only, PM-only and All-day shifts are scheduled butshow-up-when-you-can efforts are welcome, too! Please respond and advise your availability.
My home email is- N5MNW@ARRL.NET
AM shift- 8AM-12noon (please arrive at 7:30AM)
Lunch- 12noon-1PM
PM shift- 1PM-5PM or until finished (hopefully earlier!)
Family members are welcome (we've had some well-behaved and hard-working youngsters in the past) so please invite spouses, etc. to come help for at least part of the day. Please be aware that children who require lots of attention may detract from our efficiency.

Coffee, drinks (with REAL sugar) and snacks will be available throughout the day.
Not confirmed (as of Jan 7 9PM) but we are hoping Jim AB5EK will offer to spring for pizza in the 12-1PM lunch slot! Thanks, Jim!
We will converge at a nearby Beer Garden for pints after we're done!
So, restated, the Capitol 10K Packet Stuffing Party will be a one-day event to raise $2000 for the AARC.
SUNDAY Feb 26, 7:30AM to ~6PM on the east side of the Austin American Statesman Library building, just NE of Congress & Riverside and south of Ladybird Lake.

here's a "Google Map" link: PACKET STUFFING MAP

We will have a radio on 146.94 (or 147.360) for talk-in.


There are (at least) two ways to get there:
Northbound on Congress, pass Riverside, pass Barton Springs Rd, then see the Austin American Statesman entrance (just before bridge, south of the river).
Proceed east, then right at the "T", following the signs around to the "visitors parking" or "main lobby".
From Riverside just east of Congress, look for Thundercloud Subs at 201 E. Riverside and Town Lake Food Mart.
The intersecting road that goes roughly northeast leads into the AAS campus, follow the signs around to the "visitors parking" or "main lobby".

Thanks to you all for helping AARC reach this goal!