W5ECO - Houston ECHO Society - Meetings

Because amateur radio is such a broad hobby you will find ECHO members involved with just about every aspect of it. Besides repeaters ECHO participates in various contests such as the ARRL field day and provides communications for the Tour DuRouge bike ride. Members participate in many other area public service events. As for personal hobbies, members are involved in everything from kit building to WSPR to FT8 to raspberry PI to helping (elmering) newcomers. Everyone is welcome to attend the club meetings and are encouraged to join in on the fun.

• Next club meeting -- Monday, May 11 at the American Red Cross, with pre-meeting dinner at 5 p.m. at Goode Company Taqueria, Westpark at Kirby. Our meeting will feature a zoom presentation by Randy Shirbroun, ND0C. Randy was first licensed in 1968 as a Novice (WN0VBW) when he was 14 years old living in western Iowa.  Since 1980 he has operated exclusively QRP from hias home station using either an old Ten Tec Argonaut 509 (3 watts) or a Yaesu FT-897D (running 5 watts). After retiring those rigs, he moved up to a Yaesu FTdx3000, which he runs only at 5 watts. His zoom presentation will be all about operating QRP. Zoom link will be sent out with the meeting reminder.
• Upcoming presentations - June will have an in-person/zoom presentation on scanner radios and how P25 changed emergency communications for goverment and private businesses. July will focus on the world of GMRS. August will be on JOTA and September on the Texas QSO Party.
• ECHO is always looking for amateur radio presentations. If you have a specialty contact martingblaise at gmail dot com. Presentations can be in person or by ZOOM.