HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-03-24 Euless ArticlesWhat’s happening in H-E-B
Arbor Daze seeks vendors and volunteers
Euless is accepting applications for vendors for its annual Arbor Daze festival,
scheduled for April 24-25.
Volunteers are also needed for the festival, which features a tree giveaway, kids zone
play area, forestry village, food and beverages, arts and crafts and live entertainment.
The festival that celebrates all things trees is held from 5-10 p.m. April 24 and 9 a.m.-10
p.m. April 25 at Euless City Hall Campus, 201 N. Ector Drive.
Information: www.arbordaze.org
Euless ham radio operators step up
in times of need
BY TERRY EVANS
Archie Blanchard tests Amateur Radio Euless' equipment at the Euless Police Department. TERRY
EVANS SPECIAL TO THE STAR-TELEGRAM
EULESS
The world’s oldest electronic social medium continues to be most valuable in crises.
“It’s called rag chewing,” said John Deithloff, a member of Amateur Radio Euless. “I’ve
been in ham radio since 1954.”
The Euless club has about 20 licensed amateur radio operators and while the hobby is
certainly fun, it can become a critical form of communication during disasters, such as
tornadoes or floods.
“We promote public service as back-ups to the police department and communication
support for the Community Emergency Response Team,” which is a national
organization under the Department of Homeland Security, said James Knighton,
president of Amateur Radio Euless. “CERTS can do basic first aid, assess situations to
tell the city’s responders where and whether help is needed.”
Some club members are also Skywarn storm spotters with the Tarrant County branch
of Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES), among hundreds of North Texas
operators trained by the National Weather Service, Knighton said.
“We have eight or 10 members in RACES,” Knightson said. “We’re called up by the
county during bad weather. But we’re storm spotters, not chasers. We looking for wind
speeds above 50 mph, water coming up over curbs, and hail bigger than three-quarter
inch.”
Euless Police Lt. Joe Kraft recognized how vital amateur radio operators can be in
crises, so when he became the department’s emergency management coordinator, he
sought out and joined Amateur Radio Euless.
“At that time the Euless group didn’t have a place to meet,” Kraft said.
The club meets on the second Wednesday of each month in a room devoted to them
and some of their equipment, Kraft said.
“But they’re welcome to come in and exercise the equipment as they desire,” Kraft said.
“If there are National Weather Service alerts they’re encouraged to come in and operate
the amateur radio equipment for us and communicate with the storm spotters, if they’re
not out doing it themselves.”
Even more frequently, RACES operators provide communications for such public
service events as Fort Worth’s Cowtown Marathon and Euless’ Arbor Daze, Knighton
said. They set up booths to distribute emergency preparedness material titled
KnoWhat2Do, along with other ham radio-related brochures.
Knighton said he needed something to fill the hours after his kids grew up and he no
longer hauled equipment and kids for high school marching bands and drill teams.
Amateur radio did that and more.
“It’s a lot of fun and a good social activity,” Knighton said. “I meet new people and talk to
people I know all the time.”
Some members have elaborate “two-meter” radio systems with massive antennas
attached to their homes, Knighton said. But virtually all carry hand-held units that, with
boosts from area repeaters, have enough range to connect them across dozens of
miles.
“Some guys invest thousands and thousands of dollars into amplifiers, transmitters and
antennas,” Knighton said. “But you can get a hand-held radio for less than $100.”
There also are cell phone applications and software called Echolink — available only to
licensed operators — that combine the Internet and the two-meter frequencies so smart
phone users can communicate with people on the other side of the world, Deithloff said.
On a regular basis, however, when all you’re interested in is rag chewing, just reaching
the other side of town is OK.
“Sometimes we just want to keep up with each other, just talk,” Deithloff said.
IF YOU GO
Amateur Radio Euless (W5EUL) meets at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each
month in the Emergency Operations Center at the Euless Police Department, 1102 W.
Euless Blvd. Monitor 146.94 PL 110.9, emailinfo@w5eul.com, or go
to www.w5eul.com for information.
What’s happening in H-E-B
Students can get help with STAAR tests in Euless
With spring break a distant memory, students needing to shift their focus toward the
upcoming STAAR tests can get some help during special classes at the Euless Public
Library, 201 N. Ector Drive in Euless.
The STAAR Test Prep Series continues from 4 to 5 p.m. on March 24 and 31. Each
class will focus on a different test prep technique and will help aid students in mental
and physical preparations. Questions: 817-685-1480.