Current Section Report (December 2025)
SM: Malcolm Keown, W5XX. Section Website at www.arrlmiss.org. Webmaster: W5UE, ASM: K5BAK, K5DSG, KB5HC, KF8PD, K0UPW, K5VOK, W4WLF, KB5YEE, ACC: W5VMS, PIC: K5RFL, SEC: KC5IMN, ASEC: AA1NA, W5DIX; SGL: AK5J; STM: WV5Q, TC: N5JGK.
Mississippi Hams welcomed in 2026 on 3862 with our annual New Year’s Eve On-the-Air Party. Special guests ARRL President K5UR, Delta Division Director K5UZ, and Delta Division Vice Director emeritus WB4RHQ all checked in and passed along New Year’s greetings and updated current ARRL events. NCS W5XX reported 35 check-ins with several more later check-ins by email. WJ5ES provided commentary on major events in 2025. For those that couldn’t make the On-the-Air Party, the commentary on 2025 Events is available from w5xx@arrl.org.
Hamfest Chairman AK5J reports that final preparations are being made for the 2026 Capital City Hamfest scheduled for Friday and Saturday, January 30 and 31, at the Trade Mart Building on the Fairgrounds in Jackson. This year the Hamfest is in Trade Hall A which is very near the entrance to the Trade Mart. The hours on Friday are 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm and on Saturday, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.
We are pleased to announce that arrangements have been made for a dealer in new Ham Radio equipment to be at this Hamfest. All indications are that there will be a very good crowd. Table reservations are being made at a brisk pace. There will be a number of very fine door prizes given away hourly. VE exams will be given on Saturday at 8:00 am.
The following Forums have been scheduled at this time:
Friday night: Drones and the FAA; also Simple Antennas: EMCOMM and POTA
Saturday morning: Digital Mobile Radio, Repeaters, ARRL Forum, and Red Cross
Saturday afternoon: ARES, Sideband Nets, and Libraries as a Training Ground for Youth in Amateur Radio.
Drawing for the Grand Prize will be Saturday afternoon at 3:00 pm. Table reservations may be made online at hamfest.msham.org. For further information email: hamfest@msham.org or call or text AK5J at 601-709-6740. We look forward to seeing you there!!!
From the Meridian ARC Spark Gap: On December 7 the MARC was hosted by the Collinsville Fire & Rescue department at the Collinsville Christmas Market festival where they operated radios under the MARC banner as special event station W5C. HF radios on a long wire off-center fed dipole antenna and a portable HF antenna made over 100 contacts during the festival. This was an effective demonstration of Amateur Radio in view of the several hundred people present at this event. MARC has been invited to return and set up a radio booth at the Fire and Rescue Department sponsored Collinsville Day on the first Saturday of May.
Club President AF5OQ reports that the Vicksburg ARC celebrated its 50 th anniversary at its Christmas Party on December 15. Charter members were invited but only charter VP W5XX was able to show up.
Our VE Teams don’t get much credit for the effort it takes to make arrangements for a test facility, conduct the test, and then send the results to ARRL Headquarters. In Mississippi we have 14 VE Teams (see listing in arrlmiss.org under the VE Testing Tab) We have one VE super star: K5MCK in Gloster has participated in over 1,000 VE sessions, which is first in the Delta Division and 17 th in the USA. Keep up the good work Buddy!
Here are some upcoming events to put on your calendar:
CMARA, 3 rd Saturday, Jan 17, Lake Lincoln Park, POC: K5FIT
- 2026 Capital City Hamfest, Trade Mart, Jan 30-31, POC: AK5J
- EMCOMM Checkin, Feb 5, 3862, 5:30 PM, POC: W5XX
- SET, Zombie Attack, Mar 14, POC: KC5IMN
- Jackson Co. Hamfest, Mar 20-21, Ocean Springs, POC: N2PKW
- W1AW/5 on the air from Mississippi, Apr 1-7, POC: W5UE
- Mississippi QSO Party, Apr 4-5, POC: W5XX
- ARRL Field Day, June 26-27, see arrl.org
- W1AW/5 Second visit to Mississippi, Nov 18-24, POC: W5UE
….. and in EC Reports from around the state.
From DEC AG5ND in North Mississippi. The Magnolia ARC held our annual Christmas gathering at La Terrazza Mexican Restaurant December 11. About 30 folks attended, gifts were exchanged during a session of “Dirty Santa”, and a good time was had by all.
December marks the end of AG5ND’s term as Oktibbeha County EC, and January will see a new EC take the reins, KJ5V, Andrew Fountain. Andrew has been an AEC for years, he knows the routine well, and will be a splendid EC. AG5ND will be devoting more time to working as the North Mississippi District EC.
AEC KD5NDU reports from Yalobusha County that the Water Valley repeater is now set up to link up with Memphis National Weather Service on Allstar for severe weather events
AEC KG5RRG reports from Carroll County that ARES is working on a linked repeater north of Greenville that will give seven hams in that area better mobile and hand-held capability. Also, working on a DMR repeater at the DARA site in Carroll County.
From Chickasaw County KD5KMKO is working to start back in person meetings – hopefully this month.
From Alcorn County EC W5OA reports that ARES is working on adding Allstar to the Club VHF repeater.
SEC/DEC/EC Reports: KC5IMN (SEC), K5DSC (Newton), NI5I (Perry), KD5KMO (Chickasaw), AG5ND (North MS/Oktibbeha), KD5NDU (AEC) (Yalobusha), W5OA (Alcorn), WX5RJ (Harrison), KG5RRG (AEC)(Carroll), K5RTW (Lee), AA5SG (Jones), KC5VCB (AEC)(Stone), WB5SKM (Choctaw), W5VMS (Central MS/Warren/Claiborne), KD4VVZ (Gulf Coast/George/Greene), KF5WVJ (DeSoto).
Welcome to the following new Hams in Mississippi in December: KJ5NJK, Madelyn – Brandon; KJ5NJZ, Joseph – Madison; KJ5NKJ, Alexander – Starkville; KJ5NNS, Anthony – Canton; KJ5NQD, Ryan – New Albany; KJ5NQR, Nathan – Saltillo; KJ5NRX, William – Ellisville.
Congratulations to the following upgrades in December: KJ5HMT, James – Walls; N9LVB, Don – Madison; KJ5MJK, Sheila – Biloxi; KJ5MKR. James – Hernando; KJ5MKS, James – Holly Springs; KJ5NDF, Chris- Brookhaven; KJ5NMO, Michael – Jackson; KJ5NRX, William – Ellisville.
Welcome to the following new ARRL Members in December: KJ5BSB, Robert – Lucedale; KJ5KBT, James – Brandon; KJ5MVU, Samuel – Flowood; KJ5NRX, William; Ellisville.
The ARRL Membership in Mississippi as of January 1, 2026, was 798 Down 5 from last month.
Club Newsletters (Editor): the Meridian ARC Spark Gap (W5MAV), the Mississippi Coast ARA Splatter (N5OCT)
HF Net Reports – sessions/QNI/QTC (Net Manager)
Magnolia Net 31/1148/17 (KF5BA) In 2025 365/13,514/111
MS Baptist Hams Net 3/14/0 (WF5F) Sunday, 7263 at 4PM
MSPN 31/2421/26 (W5JGW)
Pine Belt ARA 10M Net 4/15/0 (K5TLL)
VHF Net Reports – sessions/QNI/QTC (Net Manager)
Alcorn County ARES Net 5/34/0 (W5OA)
Capital Area Em Net 4/39/0 (K5XU)
Chickasaw County ARES 4/19/0 (KD5KMO)
Choctaw ARES Em Net 4/35/2 (WB5SKM)
Delta ARES Em Net 4/64/1 (KG5RRG)
DeSoto County Training and Info Net 5/59/0 (KF5WVJ)
George County ARES Net 3/32/0 (KD4VVZ) 1 exercise
Chickasaw/Calhoun County ARES Net 4/29/0 (KI5LKJ)
HARCO ARES/Skywarn Net 5/16/3 (WX5RJ) 1 Em exercise
Jackson ARC Net 5/47/0 (K5XU)
Lowndes County ARES Net 5/43/0 (K5TCO)
Mississippi Coast ARC 5/122/0 (N5GQ)
NE MS WX Net 5/30/0 (W5BAQ)
Pine Belt ARC 2M Em Training Net 4/35/0 (K5TLL)
South Central MS Skywarn Net 5/42/0 (AA5SG)
Stone County ARES Net 2/21/0 (KC5VCB)
Vicksburg ARC/MLEN 4/55/0 (KG5YEE)
Yalobusha ARES Net 1/3/0 (KC5NDU)
W5YD Monday Night Net 5/20/0 (AG5ND)
Digital Net Reports
K5FIT WL2K Hybrid Gateway – 203 connections to pass traffic.
MS WL2K Net QNI 77 by 6 stations (K5FIT)
NE MS DMR Net – QNI 445 (KI5LKJ)
Traffic: WV5Q 91, AE5MI 29, W5XX 7
PSHR: WV5Q 110, AE5MI 104, W5XX 77
