Volunteers Needed: Stockyards City St. Patrick’s Day Parade – March 14, 2026
The Stockyards City St. Patrick’s Day Parade is coming up on Saturday, March 14, 2026, and we’re looking for volunteers to help with event communications.
All volunteers should plan to arrive by 7:45 AM, and we expect to wrap up around 11:00 AM.
This is a fun parade and a great opportunity to get involved with a community event. No experience is necessary—if you’re new, we’ll pair you with a more experienced volunteer who can help guide you.
If you’re able to participate, please sign up using the form at: https://k5eok.org/st-patricks-day-parade/
If you have any questions, feel free to email us at parades@k5eok.org.
Thank you for supporting the Stockyards City St. Patrick’s Day Parade—we hope to see you there!
Andrew, KF5YEP
Oklahoma QSO Party: Celebrate Amateur Radio on the Airwaves!
Each spring, amateur radio operators across the nation tune their rigs and antennas to join one of the Midwest’s most popular state operating events — the Oklahoma QSO Party (OKQP). This annual event brings hams together for a weekend of friendly competition, collaboration, and fun radio traffic from the heartland.
What It Is
The Oklahoma QSO Party is a state QSO party — an operating event where stations inside Oklahoma and around the world make as many contacts (“QSOs”) as possible over a designated weekend. While anyone can participate, the party especially highlights Oklahoma county activity and gives operators a chance to connect with hams from every corner of the Sooner State.
Held each March, the event runs approximately 31 hours, beginning Saturday afternoon and continuing through Sunday evening. This extended schedule allows operators to take advantage of varying band conditions and operating styles across the weekend.
How It Works
Participants may operate in several categories, including fixed, mobile, and multi-operator classes. Contacts may be made using CW, phone (SSB), or digital modes on the HF bands from 80 meters through 6 meters.
During the contest:
- Oklahoma stations exchange an RST signal report and their county.
- Non-Oklahoma stations exchange an RST report along with their state, province, or country.
Points are awarded for each valid QSO, with different point values depending on mode and band. Multipliers include Oklahoma counties, U.S. states and Canadian provinces, and DXCC entities. Bonus points are available for accomplishments such as mobile operation and activating multiple counties.
Why It Matters
The Oklahoma QSO Party is more than just a contest — it’s an opportunity to:
- Put all 77 Oklahoma counties on the air
- Improve operating and contesting skills
- Help participants work toward awards like Worked All States (WAS)
- Encourage mobile and portable operations, often activating rare or hard-to-work counties
For many operators, OKQP is also a social tradition — a chance to test new equipment, enjoy HF operating after winter, and reconnect with familiar callsigns year after year.
How to Join In
The Oklahoma QSO Party is open to all licensed amateur radio operators, whether located in Oklahoma or anywhere else in the world. Full rules, operating details, and log submission instructions are available on the official OKQP website maintained by K5CM.
Mark your calendar, get on the air, and be part of one of Oklahoma’s favorite amateur radio events!
Steven, N5ZQ
EARS Monthly Training & Mentoring Session – March 10th at 6:00 PM
The Edmond Amateur Radio Society (EARS) hosts a monthly Training and Elmer Session before each board meeting. Whether you’re a new ham or a seasoned operator, these sessions provide valuable information and a chance to grow your skills.
📅 Date: Tuesday, March 10th
🕕 Time: 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Edmond Fire Station 5 – 5300 E Covell Rd
February Topic: Contesting / Oklahoma QSO Party
Presenter: John, N5RET
We look forward to seeing you there!
John, N5RET
help@k5eok.org
EARS Monthly Board Meeting – March 10th at 7:00 PM
The Edmond Amateur Radio Society (EARS) holds its monthly board meeting on the second Tuesday of each month. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, March 10th at 7:00 PM at Edmond Fire Station 5, located at 5300 E. Covell Rd, just east of I-35.
The meeting will be held in the training building, located down the hill near the tower. The blue pin on the map below marks the exact location.
If you have any trouble finding us, just call on the repeater and we’ll be happy to guide you in.
All are welcome—we hope to see you there!
Steven, N5ZQ
Happy Membership Renewal Season!
We truly appreciate your continued support of the amateur radio community! Your nominal contribution of $25 for an individual membership or $35 for a family membership helps fund services that benefit the local ham community and supports other amateur radio clubs in the area.
We also sincerely recognize and thank you for the time and effort you invest in community service events—it makes a real difference.
To renew your membership, please visit: https://k5eok.org/membership-form/
If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to email me anytime at membership@k5eok.org.
Jhansi, KJ5FVK
Severe Weather Spotter Training – 2026
This year’s severe weather spotter training will be held at the National Weather Service in Norman on Thursday, March 26, at 6:30 PM. We rotate the location every other year between Edmond and Norman.
National Weather Service Office
120 David L Boren Blvd
Norman, OK 73072
Room #1313
If you are unable to attend this session, there are several other trainings offered around the state. This training is free and open to the public.
All ARES members are strongly encouraged to attend one of these NWS spotter training sessions.
Severe weather spotting and accurate reporting are critical components of our mission during weather events. This training helps ensure we remain qualified, informed, and ready to support emergency management and the National Weather Service when activated.
If you plan to participate in severe weather operations this season, please make every effort to attend at least one session.
Additional 2026 NWS Norman Spotter Training Opportunities
| Location | Day / Date | Time | Venue / Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairview, OK | Tue, Mar 10 | 6:00 PM | Northwest Technology Center |
| Webinar 3 | Tue, Mar 10 | 6:30 PM | Online (GoToWebinar) |
| Arnett, OK | Mon, Mar 23 | 6:30 PM | Arnett Fire Dept. |
| Blackwell, OK | Tue, Mar 24 | 6:30 PM | Kay Room |
| Norman, OK | Thu, Mar 26 | 6:30 PM | National Weather Center – Room 1313 |
| Pauls Valley, OK | Sat, Mar 28 | 10:00 AM | Garvin County Community Center |
| Duncan, OK | Mon, Mar 30 | 6:30 PM | County Fair Grounds, Prairie Room |
| Cheyenne, OK | Tue, Mar 31 | 6:30 PM | Roger Mills County Fairbarn |
| Advanced Webinar | Wed, Apr 1 | 6:30 PM | Online (GoToWebinar) |
A complete and up-to-date schedule is available at: https://www.weather.gov/oun/spottertalk
Training Resources
- Basic Spotter Guide (PDF): https://www.weather.gov/media/oun/spottertraining/basicspotterguide.pdf
Ben, KJ5IEB
Did you know?
The “No Music” Rule (and the One Weird Exception)
In the early days of amateur radio, regulators—eventually formalized under the Federal Communications Commission—had a strict rule:
Amateur radio stations were not allowed to transmit music.
This rule still exists today in Federal Communications Commission Part 97 regulations.
Why the rule existed
In the 1920s–1930s, radio spectrum was extremely chaotic. Regulators wanted to ensure that amateur radio remained focused on:
- Technical experimentation
- Two-way communication
- Emergency and public service
Broadcasting music would have turned ham stations into unlicensed broadcast stations, competing with commercial radio.
The strange historical exception
For a period in early amateur radio history, operators were allowed to transmit music only if it was incidental to a two-way contact.
This meant things like:
- briefly holding a phone receiver up to the microphone
- letting a phonograph record be heard in the background
- demonstrating audio transmission quality
But intentional music broadcasting was prohibited.
A loophole operators discovered
Some clever hams realized they could transmit musical tones using Morse code oscillators. Since these were technically code signals, not recorded music, they sometimes skirted the rules.
Operators would send:
- melodies in Morse timing
- musical note sequences using CW tone changes
The modern rule
Today under Part 97.113, amateurs still generally cannot transmit music, except in a very specific case:
👉 When transmitting signals from crewed spacecraft.
This is why astronauts aboard the International Space Station have occasionally played short bits of music during amateur radio contacts with schools.
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 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
| Oklahoma QSO Party | 1500Z, Mar 14 to 0200Z, Mar 15 and 1500Z-2200Z, Mar 15 |
| Idaho QSO Party | 1600Z, Mar 14 to 0400Z, Mar 15 and 1400Z, Mar 15 to 0200Z, Mar 16 |
| North American Sprint, RTTY | 0000Z-0359Z, Mar 15 |
| Wisconsin QSO Party | 1800Z, Mar 15 to 0100Z, Mar 16 |
| Virginia QSO Party | 1400Z, Mar 21 to 0400Z, Mar 22 and 1200Z-2400Z, Mar 22 |
| Sasquatch Stomp | 1900Z, Mar 27 to 0300Z, Mar 28 |
| Louisiana QSO Party | 1400Z, Apr 4 to 0200Z, Apr 5 |
| Mississippi QSO Party | 1400Z, Apr 4 to 0200Z, Apr 5 |
| New Mexico QSO Party | 1400Z, Apr 11 to 0200Z, Apr 12 |
| Missouri QSO Party | 1400Z, Apr 11 to 0400Z, Apr 12 and 1400Z-2000Z, Apr 12 |
| Georgia QSO Party | 1800Z, Apr 11 to 0359Z, Apr 12 and 1400Z-2359Z, Apr 12 |
| North Dakota QSO Party | 1800Z, Apr 11 to 1800Z, Apr 12 |
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
- Monday Night 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
- Spring Technician License Class – Wednesdays Starting on March 4, 2026
- March Mentoring Session and Training – Tuesday, March 10th at 6pm at Edmond Fire Station 5, 5300 E Covell
- March Board Meeting – Tuesday, March 10th at 7pm at Edmond Fire Station 5, 5300 E Covell
- Stockyard’s City St. Patrick’s Day Parade – Saturday, March 14th – Sign up on the Parade Page
- Oklahoma QSO Party – March 14-15, 2026 – See announcement above for details
- Skywarn Training in Norman – Thursday, March 26th at 6:30pm
- Altus Hamfest – Saturday, March 28th
- EARS Licensing Testing – Saturday, April 4th – Sign Up on License Testing page
- Edmond Siren Test – Saturday, April 4th at 11:30am – Send email to sirens@k5eok.org
- Green Country Hamfest – Friday and Saturday, April 10-11
License Test SessionRepeating Event
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
