Current Section Report (May 2024)
SM: Malcolm Keown, W5XX. Section Website at www.arrlmiss.org. Webmaster: W5UE, ASM: K5DSG, KB5HC, KA5ICO, KF8PD, K0UPW, W4WLF, KB5YEE, AG5Z, ACC: W5VMS, PIC: K5RFL, SEC: KC5IMN, ASEC: AA1NA, W5DIX; SGL: AK5J; STM: WV5Q, TC: N5JGK.
The 21st MSQP is now history. The 249 logs submitted have been checked. 79 Mississippi Stations were on the air in 38 of Mississippi’s 82 counties. Here are the results:
Single Op Fixed (Top Ten): W5XX, W5UE, AG5Z, K5TLL, KG5AZL, W5BAM, N5CW, NA5DX, WB5SKM, KI5F
Single Op Portable: WQ5L, W5DUI, AB6Z, W5SMN, N2PKW
Multi Op Fixed: W5YD, K4UNK
Multi Op Portable: W4XK, W5SGL, W5NO
Single Op Mobile: K5RFL, KI5ZQZ
Most MS Counties Worked (Top Ten): AG5Z (23), W5NO (22), W5SGL (22), WB5SKM (21), W5XX (21), WQ5L (20), W5YD (19), K5TLL (16), KI5F (16), WA4CB (12)
Interest in FT4/FT8/RTTY continues to increase. Of the 42 Mississippi logs submitted 19 stations operated some digital and 7 of these were digital only.
Free ARRL Student Membership is now available as a membership option. The student membership was established to increase student participation and long-term involvement in Amateur Radio. Student members may access some ARRL membership benefits including the digital version of ARRL magazines, and the extensive courses and training materials available in the ARRL Training Center. See www.arrl.org/membership.
George County (GC) ARES hosted a program on radio communications and Amateur Radio for cadets of the Lucedale Civil Air Patrol Squadron. GC ARES was represented by KO5F, WA5MVG, KD1VVZ, and KD4VVZ presenting the main program. Discussion was had on the similarities of Ham Radio and the Civil Air Patrol regarding public service and as an auxiliary resource for served agencies. KO5F spoke on the aviation side of things such as GPS/APRS, vectoring and VOR. KD1VVZ highlighted the importance of correct phonetics both in Ham Radio and the Civil Air Patrol. The Cadets were able to get hands on action by talking to several Hams around the state utilizing DMR technology, which the group found exciting. Thanks to N6PJW, NI5I, and K5YVA for speaking to the Cadets.
Plans are being made to have the Cadets attend Field Day. There were several Cadets and even a few adults who stayed late to ask questions and were eager to learn more about our great hobby. (Thanks to KD4VVZ for this report on ARES and CAP activities in Lucedale)
K4FMH in Ridgeland reports that the Jackson ARC donated two 3D printers with a retail value of $3,000 to the Library System in Madison County (MCLS).
MCLS Director Tammie Terry responded by saying; ’Thank you, Jackson Amateur Radio Club, for all you have done for our library system. We so appreciate you. Further, another $2,000 donation of Amateur Radio books a few months ago is already in circulation.’
JARC President AK5J, added, ‘We enjoy our hobby a great deal, but public service and teaching the public about it is an integral part of our 75-year history here in the Jackson metropolitan area. We have worked out a formal partnership between our club and the Madison County Library System. We are making our next donation of material and equipment and STEM-oriented programming to Madison County’s libraries. Our intent is to make this support an ongoing project of our club.’
Attached for your information below is the current status (updated from last month) of known upcoming Ham events in and around Mississippi:
- EMCOMM Checkin on 3862, 6:00 PM, Aug 1. No Checkin on July 4
- ARRL Field Day, June 22-23, see arrl.org for rules.
- SET, Aug 10, POC: KC5IMN
- ARRL Day in the Park, Oct 5, Old Trace Park, Ridgeland, POC: AK5J
- Capital City Hamfest, February 1-2, 2025, Trademart, Jackson, POC: AK5J
- Mississippi QSO Party, April 5-6. 2025, POC: W5XX
In EC Reports from around the State …
From Leake County, KG5OVS is working on establishing a new club/ARES group for the county.
From Hinds County, KG5SQZ reports that on May 18 ARES members met at Crystal Lake for our monthly third Saturday Ham Day in the Park. Several portable stations were set up and contacts were made using various digital and voice modes with a variety of homemade antennas. These outings provide a chance to fellowship and test our equipment and adjust the contents of our go-kits.
From Harrison County WX5RJ reports the ARES is trouble shooting antenna issues at our primary operations for HF digital. They are also designing and building multiple go kits and training AECs to take control when necessary.
And on the national level the ARRL digital system has been partially down since Mid-May. As a result, there is no information available on May new Hams in Mississippi, upgrades, or new ARRL Members. We’ll catch up when new info is available.
SEC/DEC Reports for May 2024: KC5IMN (SEC), AG5ND (Golden Triangle), KD4VVZ (Gulf Coast), W5VMS (West Central MS), and KF5WVJ (NW MS).
EC Reports for May: N5AAS (Forrest), K5DSC (Newton), AE5FK (Walthall), NI5I (Perry), N5MIS (Pontotoc), AG5ND (Oktibbeha), KI5OVS (Leake), WX5RJ (Harrison), KG5SQZ (Hinds), KB5SZJ (Lauderdale), KC5VCB (AEC) (Stone), W5VMS (Warren/Claiborne), KD4VVZ (George), KF5WVJ (DeSoto), and AB6Z (Pearl River).
Club Newsletters (Editor): the Meridian ARC Spark Gap (W5MAV)
Regret to report the passing of:
KC5LK of Brandon. John was a retired Navy Vet, EMT, mechanic, and marathon runner, but his real passion was Ham Radio. He was on the ARRL DX Honor Roll (mixed and phone), and 5BDXCC and 5BWAZ among his operational achievements. Off the air he was a Past President of the Jackson ARC, CQ Worked all Zones Manager, ARRL and CQ card checker, volunteer Examiner, and letter sorter for the W5 Bureau., W5XX remembers him best for helping him to man the ARRL Table at many Capital City Hamfests.
HF Net Reports – sessions/QNI/QTC (Net Manager)
Magnolia Section Net 31/1168/13 (Tnx W5JGW)
MS Baptist Hams Net 2/4/0 (WF5F) Sunday, 7263 at 4PM
MSPN 31/2302/13 (W5JGW)
Pine Belt ARC 10M Net 4/24/0 (K5TLL)
VHF Net Reports – sessions/QNI/QTC (Net Manager)
Capital Area Em Net 3/28/0 (K5XU)
Central Mississippi ARES Training Net 6/135/0 (KQ5SQZ)
DeSoto County Training and Information 4/78/0 (KF5WVJ) one Skywarn Net
Forrest County ARES 2/17/0 (N5AAS)
George County ARES 5/65/0 (KD4VVZ)
Harrison County ARES 1/11/0 (WX5RJ) two Skywarn Nets
Jackson ARC Net 3/29/0 (K5XU)
Lowndes County ARC 4/48/0 (K5TCO)
Mississippi Coast ARA 4/114/0 (W5JGW)
Meridian ARC EM Net 4/23/0 (KB5SZJ)
Northeast Mississippi Skywarn 4/52/0 (W5BAQ)
Oktibbeha County ARES 4/8/0 (AG5ND)
Pearl River County ARES 4/32/0 (AB6Z) one EM Op; one Skywarn Net
Pine Belt ARC 2M Net 4/52/0 (K5TLL)
Pine Belt ARC 2M Simplex Net 1/8/0 (K5TLL)
Pontotoc ARES Skywarn WX Net 5/48/0 (N5MIS) four Skywarn Nets
Stone County ARES 2/29/0 (KC5VCB)
Vicksburg ARC/MLEN 4/78/0 (KG5YEE)
Walthall County ARES Net 4/60/0 (AE5FK) one emergency operation
Digital Net Reports
Central Mississippi ARES Digital Net 3/21/23 (KI5JCL)
(1 VHF net and 2 HF nets)
East MS EMCOMM Net 31/302/174 (K5TCO) One priority message
MS WinLink Net QNI 84 by 7 stations (K5FIT)
Traffic: WV5Q 87, AE5MI 23, and W5XX 2
PSHR: WV5Q 147, AE5MI 73 and W5XX 72
