EARS June 23, 2025 Newsletter -

Field Day 2025

📡 Field Day 2025 is This Weekend – June 28–29!

Join us for Field Day at the Edmond Masonic Lodge
📍 1026 N Boulevard, Edmond, OK (Just south of Danforth on Boulevard)

🕗 Schedule Overview

Setup Begins: 8:30 AM, Saturday
Come early and lend a hand! We’ll be assembling stations and testing equipment before we go live.
On-Air Operating Starts: 1:00 PM, Saturday
Let’s hit the airwaves!
Antenna Build Project: 2:00 PM, Saturday
Build your own roll-up J-pole antenna. Materials cost is $10.
Dinner: 6:00 PM, Saturday
Enjoy lasagna and sides for just $5. Children 10 and under eat free!
Teardown Begins: 1:00 PM, Sunday
Help is appreciated!

📋 RSVP Now

If you’re planning to attend the dinner and/or participate in the antenna build, please sign up ASAP so we can plan accordingly:

👉 RSVP Form

We look forward to seeing you there!

Rick, KE5UFW
fieldday@k5eok.org

LibertyFest Volunteers Still Needed

The Edmond Amateur Radio Society (EARS) is still in need of volunteers to support communication and logistics for the upcoming LibertyFest events in Edmond, Oklahoma. As a cornerstone of public safety and event coordination, EARS plays a vital role in ensuring the success of this annual celebration. Your participation helps maintain the safety and enjoyment of thousands of attendees.

📡 Why EARS Volunteers Are Essential

LibertyFest, recognized as one of the Top 10 July 4th Festivals in the United States by CNN and USA Today, relies heavily on volunteers to manage communications and logistics across multiple events. EARS provides critical support through radio communications, assisting with coordination, safety, and real-time updates during the festivities.

🗓️ Volunteer Opportunities

EARS is currently seeking volunteers for the following LibertyFest events:

Rodeo at Carl Benne Arena
Dates: Friday & Saturday, June 27–28, 2025
Time: 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Car Show and Park Fest at E.C. Hafer Park
Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025
Time: 6:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Parade in Downtown Edmond
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Fireworks at E.C. Hafer Park
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Volunteers are needed to assist with communications, logistics, and safety coordination during these events.

📋 How to Volunteer

To sign up, please fill out the volunteer form at:
👉 https://k5eok.org/libertyfest/

For any questions, contact Brandy (K5GBN) at parades@k5eok.org. EARS will help match volunteers with roles that fit their experience and availability.

🙌 Make a Difference This July 4th

Volunteering with EARS during LibertyFest is a rewarding way to support your community while gaining practical experience in radio operations. Be a part of Edmond’s most celebrated tradition and help make it a success!

Brandy, K5GBN

EARS Donates to OCAPA for Repeater Tower Work

On Saturday, June 21st, Clay, WA6LBU, attended the OCAPA meeting to present a $500 donation from the Edmond Amateur Radio Society (EARS). This contribution will assist OCAPA with needed tower work on their repeaters—an important part of maintaining reliable amateur radio communications in the area.

A short video of the presentation is available here:

Steven, N5ZQ

Edmond Tower Update

June 16, 2025

The tower builders worked very hard the last couple days. As of end of business today they hit 320 feet. That’s as high as the crane can get. They will use a gin pole starting tomorrow to get the last 80 feet installed. The shelter should be delivered tomorrow and place on its foundation. Soon we will have a fully functional radio tower.

The bolts that hold the sections together.

The 320 foot mark – End of day Monday (June 16)

June 23, 2025

The shelter has been installed. They are hooking up electrical and installing antennas and feed lines this week. (June 23)

Ben, KJ5IEB

POTA at Arcadia Round Barn National Historic Site

On Saturday May 31, 2025 a group of EARS members operated a POTA activation at US-11768 the Arcadia Round Barn National Historic Site along Route 66 in Arcadia, Oklahoma. Led by Ross K5SRT, the group included Randy KG5GOV, Bob K3NT, and Dee KJ5FVI. We operated FT8 on 40 meters and 20 meters, plus some VHF QSOs on 146.52 simplex. The site director, Joe Baxter, was very nice and said to feel free to contact him if needed. Thanks Joe!

Dee, KJ5FVI

Edmond Siren Test – Saturday, July 5th

The next monthly Edmond Outdoor Warning Siren Test is scheduled for Saturday, July 5th.

If you’ve been assigned a siren but are unavailable this month, please let Clay (WA6LBU) know as soon as possible.

We are also looking for a few more volunteers to adopt a siren. If you’re able to help or would like to be added to the siren monitoring list, please reach out!

📧 Contact Clay at: sirens@k5eok.org

Thank you for supporting this important community service!

Next EARS VE Test Session – Saturday, July 5th at 9:00 AM

The Edmond Amateur Radio Society will hold its next VE Test Session on Saturday, July 5th at 9:00 AM.

If you—or someone you know—plans to test, please visit the License Testing page and complete the sign-up form. This helps the VE team prepare to accommodate all participants efficiently.

Questions?
Contact Ralph Turner, N5AMR
📧 Email: Raltur47@gmail.com
📞 Phone: (573) 999-4748

We look forward to seeing new and upgrading hams there!

Why Every Ham Should Experience a Hamfest – Especially Ham Holiday

By ChatGPT, for the Edmond Amateur Radio Society (EARS)

If you’re new to the hobby—or even if you’ve been licensed for years—you may have heard the term “hamfest” tossed around but never quite known what to expect. In short, a hamfest is part flea market, part educational forum, part social gathering—and 100% radio fun.

Here in Oklahoma, we’re fortunate to have Ham Holiday, our own long-running hamfest, taking place this year on July 25–26, 2025 at Oklahoma City Community College. It’s more than just a swap meet (though yes, you will find tables full of vintage rigs, antennas, connectors, and maybe that weird part you’ve been searching for since 2012). It’s a chance to learn, network, get licensed or upgrade, and put faces to familiar voices.

Here’s what you can expect:

Forums & Presentations: Learn from experts and hear updates on topics like emergency communications, digital modes, portable ops, and more.
VE Testing: Ready to get your license or go for that upgrade? Testing sessions will be available.
Flea Market & Vendor Hall: Browse gear both new and used. It’s like an amateur radio treasure hunt!
Social Time: Reconnect with fellow hams from across the region. It’s one of the best parts of the event.

Whether you’ve attended for years or this would be your first time, Ham Holiday is a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in the hobby, pick up something new, and have a lot of fun doing it.

📍 Event Details:

Ham Holiday 2025
July 25–26, 2025
Oklahoma City Community College
7777 S. May Ave, Oklahoma City

Find full details and ticket info at: hamholiday.com

Why Space Weather Matters for Radio Operators

Space (solar) weather plays a significant role in radio communication. While its most noticeable effects are often seen on HF bands, solar activity can also impact VHF, UHF, and even higher frequencies under certain conditions.

Understanding space weather helps us better predict band conditions, plan operations, and troubleshoot unusual signal behavior.

Below is a recommended video from a trusted YouTube channel that shares updates on solar activity and space weather about every two weeks. The presenter breaks down complex topics in a way that’s easy to follow and incredibly informative.

📺 Watch the latest space weather report

If you haven’t already, I encourage you to follow her channel. It’s a valuable resource for amateur radio operators at all levels!

Upcoming HF Contests

Here are a few upcoming HF contests to keep an ear out for! These events offer a great opportunity to sharpen your operating skills, test your equipment, and connect with hams across the country—and the world.

For a more comprehensive list, check out the ARRL Contest Corral in QST Magazine, available as a downloadable PDF from the ARRL website.

You can also find up-to-date contest schedules and detailed information at:
🌐 contestcalendar.com

Field Day	Jun 28 to Jun 29
North American QSO Party, RTTY	1800Z, Jul 19 to 0559Z, Jul 20
Alabama QSO Party	1500Z, Jul 26 to 0300Z, Jul 27

Web Links

Here are a few links to other websites that may be of interest.

ARRL (American Radio Relay League) – https://arrl.org
CORA (Central Oklahoma Radio Amateurs) – https://coraok.org
Ham Holiday (OKC Hamfest) – https://hamholiday.com
ARRL Oklahoma Section – https://ok.arrl.org
South Canadian Amateur Radio Society (SCARS)
- DMR Info – https://w5nor.org/okdmr/
- They have lots of other good info on their website such as modes of operation, weather/emergency info etc.
ARES
- ARRL ARES – https://www.arrl.org/ares
- OK ARES – https://aresok.org
Winlink – https://winlink.org
AREDN – arednmesh.org
POTA (Parks on the Air) – https://pota.app

Upcoming Events

EARS Information Net – Every Monday at 8pm
Route 66 10m Net on 28.390 – Every Monday Following the Information Net
EARS Breakfast – Every Saturday at approximately 6:30am at Around The Corner, 11 S. Broadway, Edmond
EARS Breakfast Net – Every Saturday at 7am on 147.135 and 443.425
ARRL Field Day – June 28-29, 2025 – Edmond Masonic Lodge, 1026 N Boulevard
Edmond LibertyFest Events – June 27th, 28th, July 4th – Details and Signup at https://k5eok.org/libertyfest/
EARS Licensing Testing – Saturday, July 5th – Sign Up on License Testing page
Edmond Siren Test – Saturday, July 5th at 11:30am – Send email to sirens@k5eok.org
July Mentoring Session and Training – Tuesday, July 8th at 6pm at Edmond Fire Station 5, 5300 E Lovell
July Board Meeting – Tuesday, July 8th at 7pm at Edmond Fire Station 5, 5300 E Covell
Ham Holiday – July 25th and 26th – Details at hamholiday.com

We’d love to feature your original content! If you’ve written—or would like to write—an article, we’d be happy to include it in an upcoming issue of the EARS newsletter.

Steven Christy, N5ZQ
n5zq@n5zq.us