One-Day Crash Course Review

August 23, 2003

The Alamo Area Radio Organization (AARO) and the Southwest Research Institute Amateur Radio Club (SwRI ARC) joined forces for a second time to co-sponsor another Crash Course Review.  This class was aimed primarily at area emergency response personnel, but was again open to everyone, as with all of AARO's functions.  (L to R:  Lars KD5MQX, Brian WA3SKL and son, Adrian - the new KD5YZN - reviewing during a break.)

After Jack N5JAK welcomed everyone, established a few ground rules and gave an overview of the facilities, Don AC5XK opened the gathering with all of us introducing ourselves and briefly describing how each of us happened to be there or how we became interested in Amateur Radio.  Bob AD5NQ, a January 18^th Crash Course survivor, described how he got into Amateur Radio through working at an area hospital which participates in the National Disaster Medical Systems (NDMS) Exercise, and how he, at present, holds an Amateur Extra class license AND a commercial radio license now, too.)

Then the instructors fired up. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to wake up with Paul ND2X?  Well, a lot of us got to do just that Saturday morning, August 23rd.  He covered T7 Basic Communications Electronics, T8 Good Engineering Practices, and T9 Special Operations.  Then David KD5NNH discussed T2 Methods of Communication, and Walt K5WEP (shown here)  took T3 Radio Phenomena.  Don AC5XK was back to cover T1 FCC Rules, T4 Station Licensee Duties, and T5 Control Operator Duties, and Johnny K5POP covered T6 Good Operating Practices.  James KJ5QB finished the day with T0 Electrical, Antenna Structure & RF Safety Practices.  Others who assisted were:  Connie KD5UXU, Lars KD5MQX, Chris KC5PYG and Ray WB5RAY.  Thank you, all of you, for your invaluable assistance.  (Of note, the club bought seven new textbooks for the instructors to prepare new lesson plans.  The books are now available to be checked out to help get others licensed, and should be good through June 30, 2007.)

The Volunteer Examiners:  (pictured here) Charles WA3PAY, Bill WD5EDR, Pat AD5BR, Gil AA5XH,  Bob AD5NQ, and Bruce KA2ZGW - VEC, with (not shown) Mike K5MAF,  Bob W2IK, and Teri KC5BJI  got the testing underway.  Thank you.

Two people audited the class (Danny WA5KRP and Mickey K5CBT – thank you for your support), and 24 other students attended.  Sixteen folks earned their Technician class licenses.  New Technicians:  Cagla KD5YZO, Adrian KD5YZN, Tim KD5YZL, David KD5YZK, Steve KD5YZW, Claude KD5YZX, Shawn KD5YZS, Blake KD5YZR, Anna KD5YZV, Erik KD5YZU, Linda KD5YZY, Craig KD5YZP, Michael KD5YZQ, Kerri  KD5YZM and Gene KD5YZT; and Nick KB5NAB upgraded from Novice to Technician Plus.  YES!  Congratulations!

A few comments were received after the course: 

“First I'd like to thank you and AARO for your help yesterday at SwRI.  …  Mike Z.”

“Thank you for all that you all did during last weekend’s Amateur Radio class!  I really enjoyed it and have begun to study CW to get that portion of the license as soon as possible.  …  Thank you again for all that you are doing ... David G.” 

And, “On 8/25/03, you wrote:  Hi, Do you plan to offer another one-day Technician course anytime soon?  Sorry I missed the last one, only just learned of it.  Thanks, Shane O.”