ADARC we will be meeting in the North Fire Station June 24th

May 18, 2023

Hello Roger,

When I retired several years ago one of the first things I did was throw anything away that might tempt me to get a job!  But I’ll send a short note to get things going for you.

 I attended the University of Arkansas studying Electrical Engineering until I realized that had nothing to do with what I enjoyed!  During the summer between my sophomore and junior year, I started as a volunteer fireman.  At that time, the Fire Department would send you to EMT school for free.  I did that just as a way to keep from having to get a real job.  Unfortunately, it did lead to a job at the first municipally owned ambulance service in the state.  I was then able to go to the very first paramedic class held in Hot Springs.  We started with 40 students, and 5 of us finished.  It was quite the experience.

As part of my duties at the ambulance service, I was assigned as the representative to the Local Emergency Planning Committee. The communications guy told me that I needed to be a ham radio operator, and I didn’t have any better sense so I said OK. I shortly became the ARRL EC for Garland County, then was appointed as the Southwest DEC.  I became the Section Emergency Coordinator when David Norris was elected as SM.  I enjoyed that position until David was elected as a Director.  The ARRL appointed me as the Section Manager when that occurred.  During that time I became responsible for all amateur and outside-the-box communications for what is now the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM).  I was appointed to be the Section Emergency Coordinator by our current SM, Jay Ferguson N5LKE.

Along the way I was able to attend the first Communications Unit Leader (COML) class in the state.  I am the chair of the Communications Unit Working Group (COMU) for the state, which is responsible for advising the Arkansas Wireless Information Network (AWIN) on qualifications for all ICS positions in the Incident Command structure, We also make recommendations about talk groups for Public Safety agencies. 

I teach ICS 300, 400, COML, and AUXCOMM for ADEM.  I am a member of the SAFECOM committee, which is a Federal Advisory Board.  I sit on two other committees for AWIN; Technology and the Policy Working Groups.  I’m also a voting member of the Arkansas Wireless Information Network Executive Committee.  I hold an amateur, SHARES, and GMRS licenses,  I live and breathe radio.

I am married to Debby KD5UPS, who is a retired airline pilot.  We live in Royal, Arkansas, where I am the 5th generation on the Lazy R Ranch.

ADARC in cooperation with the National Weather Service’s office out of Little Rock held a free class where residents and hams of the area could view a presentation on a large screen, and then by the end of the evening walk out the door as a trained weather spotter.

The event was held at the Workforce Training Center on the campus of UACCM

THE WINTERFEST IS OVER AND DONE FOR THIS YEAR.  STEWART AND I, ALONG WITH A LICENSED VERY YOUNG LADY WHO COULD NOT BELEIVE HER GOOD FORTUNE, HAD A VERY GOOD DAY AT WINTERFEST.  I WON A HANDHELD RADIO WHICH WILL BE RAFFLED OFF AT OUR NEXT MEETING.  MORE ON THAT LATER.  WINTERFEST IS THE THIRD WEEK END IN FTEBURARY.  PLAN ON GOING NEXT YEAR, IT IS WELL WORTH THE TRIP.  MET SOME OLD FRIENDS AND MADE SOME NEW ONES.

REMEMBER I NEXT MEETING IS APRIL 13th. ROGER AND I ARE WORKING ON A GUEST SPEAKER.  MORE ON THAT LATER.

MARCH 4th DARDANELLE COMMUNITY CENTER THE RUSSELLVILLE HAMfest.  HOPE TO SEE A BUNCH OF FOLKS THERE.

THE FIRST ANNUAL SWAPFEST ON THE RIDGE WILL BE SATURDAY APRIL 22 AT CROWLEY’S RIDGE STATE PARK, WALCOTT, AR.  SPONSORED BY THE CROWLEY’S RIDGE ARC.  MORE INFO AT http://www.crarc.net.  I PLAN ON GOING.  ANOTHER CHANCE TO SEE OLD FRIENDS AND MAKE NEW ONES.

DON’T FORGER THE STORM SPOTTER CLASS AT UACCM ON MARCH 9th 6pm.  IF YOU NEED MORE INFO, CONTACT ME.

WELL, I THINK THAT IS ALL THE DAMAGE I CAN DO FOR NOW, BUT I AM PLANNING MORE.

73

JIM   AF5EI

WOOHOO it’s finally time for some eyeball QSO’s.  The Hoxie Hamfest is this coming Friday and Saturday, 2/17 and 2/18/2023.  This is the website:  https://w5wra.org/index.php/2023/01/11/winterfest-2023/ It’s a wonderful get-together.  It’s the first Arkansas Hamfest of the year! The Russellville Hamfest is now known as the Arkansas River Valley Hamfest.  It’s scheduled for 4/4/2023. This is the website: https://sites.google.com/view/arv-hamfest/home Be sure to note the different location from previous years.  This Hamfest is always well attended and there is no doubt some radio-trading and story swapping (tall tales and leg pulling) will be going on! Repeater owners and Trustees take note:  The Arkansas Repeater Council will hold it’s yearly meeting at the Arkansas River Valley Hamfest.  I don’t have an agenda for the Hamfest yet, so I don’t know what time it will occur.  There will be a business meeting, so be sure to make time to be there.  This meeting was held at Queen Wilhemena Hamfest last year, and we heard from a LOT of people that wanted it to be closer to the middle of the state. Of course, our Section Manager N5LKE plans to be at both.  Jay and I both are looking forward to seeing everyone. Please let us know if there is anything we might help you with.

73,
J.M. Rowe N5XFW
AR Section SEC