N1CC USCG Auxiliary Experiences

This webpage was last updated on December 16, 2007

This page provides notes on N1CC's United States Coast Guard Auxiliary efforts from 1974-1978.

I was asked to form a USCGA Flotilla for communications in 1974. With a cadre of Dallas Amateur Radio Club members I became the first Flotilla Commander (FC) of Flotilla 5-12, named "Garza-Little Elm".

With ten members, we were an almost "boatless" organization that set up remote bases on 156.8 for distress services, helped maintain safety markers, such as bouys in navigable waters (such as Lake Texoma and the Red River), performed VHF radio watches, maintained antennas and radios for other USCGA Flotillas, conducted Courtesy Motorboat Examinations (Primarily inspection of radios, power measurement, frequency measurement to compliance to rules and regulations in effect at that time.

My USCGA Callsign was NA8BX (Later reassigned to the amateur radio service callsign pool) and we operated a 10-Meter net just outside of the FCC Amateur allocation and above the FCC CRS allocation on SSB and CW for training.

During this period I was appointed to the staff of the Division as Flotilla 5-12 representative, along with my Vice Flotilla Commander, Jim Haynie W5JBP. We took part in the meetings and were able to provide solutions for communications issue throughout the Divsion.

When I moved to Connecticut to accept the job at ARRL HQ I took my membership to inactive. Now that I live on a lake and have a boat, I am planning to become active again in the USCGA an organization with a very long strong history for America.

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