Oklahoma and the community

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Ham (amateur) radio is much more popular than most people know.  In Oklahoma, there are many amateur radio stations and clubs that from time to time help out our state during disaster situations.  The wireless communication has been traced back to the early 1900's.  The term "amateur" reflects the principle that amateur radio and its skilled operators are committed to helping communities without financial compensation; whereas commercial radio operates for profit.  The first club I joined was the EARS (Edmond Amateur Radio Society) in Edmond, Oklahoma.

I can remember several times in my short experience as a ham radio operator that cell phones did not always work for what ever reason, and ham radio was the only source of wireless public communication.   A lot of hospitals across the state have ham radios in position, with licensed radio operators on call for emergency situations.  The Salvation Army, and Red Cross also has volunteers that are licensed operators.  All you need for ham radio operation is a 12 volt power supply, a ham radio, and an antenna connected to the radio.  Antennas can be made using easily acquired and inexpensive materials. You can spend as much as you want on the hobby, or you can operate your own station for less than $200.  I have seen individuals study and get their license in less than 2 months.

Ham radio has always been an effective method for storm tracking. It has been used for search and rescue, to recruit volunteers, and to identify storm damage.  The art has proved itself through floods, tornadoes, and other natural, as well as man made disasters.

The Federal Communications Commission governs and protects the frequencies that ham radio is used on. Unlike Citizen Band radio, Ham radio can legally use much more power and it promotes good will toward men.  It can not be used for commercial advertisement or playing of music.  Call signs (station identification) must be spoken in the English language, and profanity is not allowed.  There are different levels of licensing of ham radio operators allowing different degrees of privileges.  Morris Code is one of the most affective and efficient forms of ham communication.  Signals can be transmitted across the world with very little power.  However, for some reason, Morris code has been pretty much phased out as a requirement for ham radio licensing and is quickly becoming art of the past.  At the time of my General's test, I was only required to copy and translate 7 words per minute.  I have heard some of the older and other proficient hams communicate at the rate of a normal conversation.

I could ramble about ham radio for hours.  There are many interesting things to know about the subject.  I have talked to other operators in Japan, Hawaii, Alaska, Italy, and some islands that I had never heard of.  I have logged pages of contacts from many places.  If you are interested in ham radio and would like to know more, please contact me.  I would be glad to help you in any way that I can.  Ham Radio is one of the few privileges we have that we don't have to pay monthly rates for air time to communicate with.

written by: Rick Jackson

Dreams Do Come True

It's been the wildest Christmas I can remember since I moved to Oklahoma.  It started Christmas Eve, when I left Downtown Oklahoma City to return to my home on the northwest side of the City.  The snow was coming down hard and the wind was blowing.  There were some problems getting away from work, and they became worse as I entered the Oklahoma City Metropolitan traffic on North May.  It seams that everyone was getting off work early at the same time.  Many motorist were already stuck, and many were spinning out along the way.  I chose to take Reno as apposed to I-40.  I will never know if I made a good decision or not.  It took me around 5 hours to get to my home in Northwest Oklahoma City from Main Street near downtown.

Nancy and I had planed our family Christmas on Friday, which was Christmas Day. We had family coming from Tulsa, Chickasha, and Binger, Oklahoma.  The occasion had to be delayed at least one more day.  As Saturday December 25, 2009 approached, the roads had made very little improvement.  After contacting everyone, it was decided to wait until Sunday to proceed with the festivities.

However we did show some homes in at the Grove Addition in Edmond, and a couple of houses in Yukon.  It was interesting to see how the different neighborhoods dealt with the piles of snow from the driveways.  We saw many families out shoveling the sparkling white substance. 

Finally, Sunday the 27th, we all got together to eat and exchange gifts.  Our time together was short, but very cherished.  The blizzard of Christmas 2009 did not stop us from having Christmas, it just made it last longer.

We hope your Christmas was long and delightful,

Happy New Year,

Rick and Nancy

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Christmas in Oklahoma is one of my favorite things to blog about.  In Oklahoma the weather can vary from 75 to 0 deg. on December the 25th.  Today it's really nice.  Some of my friends up north are snowed in their houses and I'm very thankful for the weather today in Oklahoma. I've been chatting with friends on Face Book, and Nancy has been busy sending out Christmas Cards.

We went to a wonderful party last night with some friends from Church, and got our picture taken with Santa. Today we went to see Avatar in 3-D at Oklahoma City's Tinseltown Theater located near Remington Park.  There were a lot of people out enjoying the movies.  The best movies seem to always come out just before Christmas.

The City was alive with shoppers, and movie goers.  Traffic was a little heavier than normal in the Oklahoma City Metro for a Sunday afternoon.

We still have a lot to do before Christmas Day.  There are presents to buy, presents to wrap, dinner to plan, and events to attend.  With Christmas being on a Friday this year, a lot of us will be blessed with a long weekend.  It feels like Christmas has jumped on us this year without much warning.  

It's hard to believe it's been almost a year since our new President took office.  The economy really has spun up and down.  It's good to see that it really hasn't had an affect on the most precious time of the year. I'm sure a lot of us are a little more cautious with our spending, but it hasn't broken the spirit of America.  If anything, I believe it has made us stronger.

I'm not going to get political at this time of the year.  Right now, it's time to think about are troops, friends, clients, and family.  It's time to think about why we have a Christmas, and how it began.  It's time to put the world on hold, and cherish the things that money can't buy.  It's time to get ready for the Friday in the big town.  Santa is coming.  

Merry Christmas and best Wishes to All,

From:

Rick and Nancy

From the desk of Dreams Do Come True

Fall is in the air and It's another weekend for me, as Thanksgiving in Oklahoma approaches. The Face Book poles, to me, indicate a split in our country's ideas about what Christmas should be about.  But the Oklahoma Network seems to agree that Christmas in Oklahoma is about Christmas Trees and Merry Christmas, not Holiday trees and Happy Holidays. Being a Realtor, and the spouse of an Oklahoma Realtor, I catch myself holding back my thoughts about our country and the changes that I see.  A lot of people indicate they will settle for a country being less than what its potential could be.  They seem to have forgotten who formed our nation and the principals that made it possible to be super nation under God.

At least Thanksgiving hasn't taken any heat.  What could anyone want to rename Thanksgiving to?  Ungrateful Taker I guess. 

The Oklahoma housing market has held up very well.  The holidays doesn't make life any slower for my spouse.  In fact, with business days limited with the holidays coming up, it can give a little extra time to those looking for a home, and inspire some to want to upgrade to help accommodate holiday company. It also means that Oklahoma title companies, appraisers, and lenders will have less time to play their role.

Anyway, back to being the spouse of Realtor.  I wonder if it's anything like being the spouse of a Politician?  Do Politician's spouses have to hold back their opinions on delicate issues.  I would think they would.  It must be really tough if they don't agree with their spouse.  It would apply to the spouse of a business owner as well.  Everyone has threshold with boundaries of speech.  I'm still learning mine.  I don't know what politically correct is. 

I'm very thankful that for Nancy, and the effort she puts into putting up with me and taking care of her clients.  There are many times when I miss her because she is working late with clients, inspectors, and appraisers.  There are times when I am glad to help her with Real Estate just because I enjoy being with her, and I also enjoy seeing the new home owners smile, and hearing about the dreams coming true.  I also bear witness to the unfortunate situations in Real Estate, when a house falls through on an inspection, or a client has a credit issue.  Some clients need coaching and reminding of their obligations to ownership through the entire process up until they are handed the keys.  Some listing Realtors can be a little behind the times and not operate professionally as expected.  The same can be said for some of the lenders.  There are many kinds of mistakes that can be make through the selling and buying process.  A Realtor is the lubricant that keeps the wheels turning until everyone involved is satisfied. All the players work as a team on some transactions, and not as well on others.  It's a tough act to follow.

After all she goes through, Nancy still has the strength to be a loving wife. She fixes food, does laundry, goes shopping, and everything else a man could ask for.  That's what it's like for this spouse of an Oklahoma Realtor.  I am very thankful for the title.

I encourage any comments from spouses that can relate.

Rick Jackson

Dreams Do Come True 

 Rick and Nancy's Home Page

Edmond Broker Paradigm Realty and the Realtors in Oklahoma City and the Edmond Realtors want to wish you a safe and fun holiday.  As Labor Day approaches, it always gives me that feeling that summer is almost over and fall is just around the corner.  There are a lot of lakes to enjoy in Oklahoma not to far from Oklahoma City and Edmond.  We hope you enjoy the extra day off if you are getting one, and get to relax and enjoy yourself as well as your family.

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Something came to Oklahoma City a few weeks ago that I had never seen.  Our city was host to the International Harley Ralley. The Harley Owner's Group or (H.O.G) made their apperance and came with a lot of noice. There were a lot of really nice bikes. We got to meet some of the vendors that travel to different Harley events to promote their products. There were helmets, jackets, chrome air horns, and even custom paint booths where you could get a special touch painted on your bike.

I don't know how they counted all the motorcycles that came to the event that weekend, but the numbers were supposed to be between 15,000 and 20,000. There were special places in Oklahoma City's Bricktown for the bikes to park, and the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds had special event concerts for members and other entertainment.

What an event! It's good to see the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds used for something different. It's a big hot slab of hot asphalt when there is nothing going on, but when there is activity, it turns into a great place to spend the day and have some fun.

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As Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin expressed her independence Friday, July the 3rd, 2009,  my heart went out to her.  I feel, when she in fact steps down, it will not be out of fear.  She is doing it out of love for her family, neighborhood, city, and the State of Alaska.  Being an Oklahoma Realtor, I can just imagine what a Governor of one of our greatest states might be going through.  Just the thought of living that far away from the majority of the United States in the last frontier has stopped a lot of people from moving there to enjoy it's wildlife and beauty.  You have a lot of
real estate up there to take care of.

I'm sure the attacks have really stepped up from the opposition at the Nations Capital, and people dedicated to the powers of our new government have crept in on her and her family.  She makes an excellent target for the drive by media, with her patriotic actions, and Christian beliefs.    Being a republican makes you even a bigger target.  As Governor of Alaska, and a 2008 Vice Presidential candidate, you have caused fear in a party that wants to control it's people. 

This is why I would resign.
My hands were tied behind my back by the tangled web of politics.
My mind was consumed with business and time for my family was being reduced.
I had set out to accomplish an objective, and had been more than successful at it.
You trust your family, friends, and God to support you.

And most of all, it is a free country and as of yet, no one can make you work where you  don't want to.  Thank you for showing America this one thing.  Yes Governor Palin, you are free to choose a life style that fits you.  Hunting, fishing, surfing, movies, long walks on the beach, and all the other fun things that a lot of Americans are doing while the Government has been using you for a punching bag.  Live out a new dream.

I'm celebrating this Fourth of July (Independence Day) with you in mind.  An independent citizen of this United States of America, who can be thankful for the liberties we still have, and the opportunity to keep them.

LET YOUR FREEDOM RING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA
from: Rick and Nancy

Oklahoma High School Seniors of 2009

How to repair your credit and qualify for a low interest home mortgage rate, Oklahoma City  and Edmond Homes for Sale, Oklahoma Market conditions.  Rent or buy.  How to purchase a home in the Greater Oklahoma City area?  The latest Oklahoma  County housing statistics.  Gas price up. Gas prices down. Bethlehem MLS Search for a Manger. Top 5 Oklahoma City Area Holiday Lighting Displays. Is my guitar in tune?  Are we finished with our shopping and Christmas Cards?   I wonder what Nancy is getting me?  I can't Goggle the answerer to that.

Uh oh!  I went from work, to thinking about relaxing and enjoying the season in one paragraph.  It’s time to enjoy the season.  The Season with a reason to celebrate. The biggest event in the year.

The Real Estate Market is unpredictable.  Nancy and I have been working really hard this year with the ups and downs of  Oklahoma Real Estate.  However we know we are fortunate to live in Oklahoma where the market remains in good shape.  Our Broker, Paradigm AdvantEdge has been great to work with and we wish the Office Staff and all the Oklahoma City and Edmond area Associates a very Merry Christmas.  Many Realtors have dropped out and started other jobs, mostly due to the rumors that the media has started about the economy and the fear it puts into buyers.  A lot of family’s wanting to sell and get different homes have been discouraged by the poison of the media as well.

We have enjoyed, and are thankful for the clients that have given us an opportunity to be their personal Realtor.  We wish them a very Happy and Merry Oklahoma Christmas.

Shopping mostly locally, we completed the task early this year.  It has confused me a little, because I have been known to wait until the last week to do Christmas inventory.  It seems like everyone in the Greater Oklahoma City area started early also.  There were Christmas sales before  Thanksgiving was here.

Do yourself a favor and set aside some time to spend with your family and reflect on what has happened in your life the past year.  Get out and see some Christmas lights or go to a Christmas program.  Christmas 2008 is going to be a great time, with the New Year 2009 to look forward to.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,

 from Rick and Nancy

Do to the all too familiar word “bailout” it seems every type of business wants a piece of the action or they fear they will suffer.  If they are currently not running their business correctly, they probably won’t correctly run their business in the near future.

 Credit card companies are worried that they are not going to get a big enough piece of the pie.  Even though many bank owned credit cards are receiving money from the bailout program, they are still concerned they are not getting enough and recently have begun slicing credit limits. This practice seems to be across the board even when the card holders have not been late on payments and have a very low balance.

 I have heard news reports, and know some of these consumers personally, that have had their limits lowered. This in turn can cause them to have their credit maxed out when the week before they may have only been at 30%.  Because this puts them over or maxes out the new limit that the card company put into place, it then causes the card holders to receive a lower credit score. 

 Then because they have a lower credit score, caused by the credit card companies in the first place, the credit card companies are raising the interest rate on the cards that were already too high. This results in making it harder to get a good rate on a home mortgage. 

 I’m getting really tired of large, supposedly organized businesses and corporations asking for help, while the consumer is getting stepped on and expected to pay for the help.

 Joe the Plumber wouldn’t run a business expecting his customers to bail him out with money that has been paid as taxes.  He would expect the money to defend his country and help the veterans who have done so.  He would like to see help to  improve the schools where his children attend.  Funds to fix roads and bridges would be nice also.  Of course road improvements might make our cars last longer.  We might even be able to pay them off before we have to trade.  Maybe Joe would like to see more parks and wildlife refuges. 

 If we are going to bail anyone out, let’s start by helping the little businesses that are the backbone of America.  Better yet, let’s start with the people and the communities where these little businesses operate.  Speak up and let you thoughts be known.  Don’t let unattached politicians decide the fate of the nation without hearing from you and the people you know.  The wheel that squeaks the loudest gets the oil.  At this time, America can’t be heard at all for the squeaking at our Capital.

 American Dreams still come true

Dreams Do Come True Home Page 

As gas prices decline and have reached prices lower than it’s been in several years, I’m  waiting to see the other industries and products lower their cost.  According to the local news, higher gas prices resulted in paying more for our groceries, electricity, road repair, and construction.  Even my lawn company went up as a result in the last jump in gas prices.  I could go on and on about diferent products raising prices to compensate for gas, desiel, and oil prices.

According to the trend of gas prices being high, less people drive, which one would think might lower insurance premiums and reduce road repair.  If you have noticed any reduction in the cost of living due to lower gas prices, please share it with me.

Gas prices today, entice me to go out and get a high performance car.  A big V-8 that will burn the tires off for two blocks, although I haven’t seen tire prices come down yet.

I’m sure a big reason for the prices that were raised due to the fuel cost are remaining high to help recover from the damage done, but it only makes since to me, that if gas prices remain low, logically other prices will start to lower also. The offset is the thousands of Employees that have fuel related jobs, and people who stimulate our economy from the money they make from fuel, will eventually suffer and that will cause harm to our economic situation.  Fuel is very powerful when it comes to setting the standards for our economy.  If the lower prices help your business, please pass it on.

Dreams Do Come True

I welcome the changing of the leaves.  It’s not because I am looking forward to winter, but I will embrace it as the time comes.  It means Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here soon and we will get to see more of our family.  Although autumn officially began on or around September the 21^st, the leaves have been slow to start changing colors this year.

As I look around our neighborhood in Oklahoma City, I would speculate only about 10 -15 percent of the leaves have lost their green color.  It’s been a very warm fall in Oklahoma.  Soon we will have that really cold night and some wind, then they will alll be gone.

Feel free to share what it’s like in your area.  I know there are some spectacular views as you drive into southeastern Oklahoma into the mountains, but I have no clue as to when it peaks out.

Congresswoman Fallin currently serves on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Committee on Small Business, and the Committee on Natural Resources. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the National Republican Congressional Committee, and serves as Small Business Chair on the Republican Policy Committee and Vice Chairman of the Women’s Caucus.

                Nancy and I were impressed at her enthusiasm and desire to help the district she serves.  We wish to support her in anyway we can.  Congresswoman Fallin desires public feedback along with prioritization on subjects such as securing the safety of our roads and bridges, making healthcare more affordable, reducing gas prices,  balancing the budget, fighting the global war on terror, ending illegal immigration, and strengthening our economy.  Below is a link to her website.

Congresswoman Mary Fallin