Texas Comm Unit Leaders

Danny Shaver, N5NBK (Texas Baptist Men)
and
George Yarger, W5BRG (Southern Baptists of Texas Convention)

The SABA (San Antonio Baptist Association) Command and Communication Unit was made out of a 20 X 8 trailer. The unit (K5STB) was converted during the summer of 2004 on a ranch south of San Antonio by Ernie Rice, Ed Emmons (AD5VZ), and Walt Dubose (K5YFW).

The Texas Baptist Men Disaster Response Communication Team has also supported the 2005 Lake Stamford floods as well as multiple training events and the 2006 National Round table.

The radio room is equipped with 2 HF radios and 2 dual band (2M and 70cm) radios. One of the dual band radios is capable of cross band repeat operation. One of the HF radios has an automatic tuner attached.

The operations area has three small foot print computers with recently upgraded wall mounted flat panels. A printer and scanner are connected to the main computer and shared over the workgroup. We have satellite Internet capability that feeds a local area network that can be extended by WiFi.

(Note the Starband dish mounted to the front of the trailer.)

Typical radio operation is done with one dual band antenna at 35-ft and Inverted "V" on the same mast. A second 15-20 ft mast holds another dual band antenna. The antenna tuner generally feeds an Inverted L antenna on 40M or 75M or vertical on 20M.

K5STB has handled around 800 VHF/UHF messages, 200 HF messages and 500 e-mails during disaster deployments. The flexibility of the unit has provided information for food distribution, operational supplies, medical supplies, as well as coordinated Angel Flight landing instructions. Once the team was informed of the inbound flight to Bogalusa , a runner was sent to the local airport to have the runway lights turned on.

It has been deployed to several events. The major events were:

Costal Plains Floods – November 2004
Hurricane Katrina – Bogalusa , LA on September 2005
Hurricane Rita – Beaumont , TX on October 2005

Thanks to Walt DuBose K5YFW and Ken Mahnke WB9STU for the information from the Lone Star State.