Current Section Report (January 2026)
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 was struck by a severe winter storm on January 24 primarily impacting many areas north of I-20 with a coating of ice. SEC KC5IMN reports that ARES activated emergency communications networks state-wide starting at noon on Friday, January 23, to provide critical storm reporting and support for served agencies. Operators utilized a combination of DMR talkgroups, HF frequencies (3862 KHz and 7238 KHz SSB), and local VHF/UHF repeaters to monitor conditions and prioritize life-safety traffic throughout the duration of the event.
***** The 2026 Capital City Hamfest and Mississippi ARRL Convention was held on January 30 and 31, 2026, at the Trade Mart on the fairgrounds in Jackson. Hamfest Charman AK5J reports that more than 150 tables were reserved for vendors and flea market (see www.arrlmiss.org) and a good crowd attended the Hamfest, considering the ice storm and extremely cold weather.
The Hamfest was sponsored by the Jackson Amateur Radio Club and dedicated to the memory of K5RWB. Hams from the Central Mississippi Amateur Radio Association, Vicksburg Amateur Radio Club, and Scott County Amateur Radio Club assisted with the event.
ARRL Representatives were K5UZ, Director, Delta Division, and W5XX, Mississippi Section Manager. AE5SK was in charge of the VE test session which resulted in one new Technician, two upgrades to General, and two upgrades to Extra. The Grand Prize was won by of NI5I of Richton.
Forum presentations included: ‘Drones and the FAA’ by N5KLT, ‘Simple Antennas: EMCOMM and POTA’ by N5CMA, KJ5ET and W5PFR, ‘Digital Mobile Radio’ by KD4VVZ and KC5IMN, ‘Repeaters in Mississippi’ by K4FMH & AF5OQ, ‘Useful Ham Radio Websites’ by KG5OVR, ARRL Forum by K5UZ & W5XX, ARES by KC5IMN, Mississippi Section Nets by KF5BA and W5JGW, and ‘Public Libraries as a Training Ground for Young Hams’ by KJ5KEX and K4FMH. .
Hams, who participated in the setup or worked at the Hamfest, included the following: K5XU, K5KKD, K5TDD, AE5SK, AK5J, K5MPM, W5XX, W5TWZ, AC5Z, K4FMH, KG5ZDZ, KJ5ET, KI5URY, N5WDG, N5KLT, KI5TOL, KI5TRX, W5DBM, KG5OVR, AD7KJ, KC5IBO, KG5YEE, KJ5JRK, KC5NJA, KF5YGG, K5TMA, K0UPW, KJ5KEX, KC5NJA, and N5ZNL. A number of non-hams also helped with the Hamfest.
***** SEC KC5IMN advises that the upcoming Mississippi Section Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Simulated Emergency Test (SET), codenamed ‘Operation Undead,’ is scheduled for Saturday, March 14, 2026, from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The scenario involves a disruption of commercial communications infrastructure, coupled with a localized biological threat that requires specialized public health coordination for quarantine and resource allocation. The mission for Mississippi ARES will be to coordinate amateur radio operators to support overflow and emergency communications for Public Safety, Public Service, and State and Local Government entities, focusing on the Public Health sector. The exercise will utilize various Amateur Radio networks including HF, VHF, UHF, Analog, SSB, and Digital modes, with the primary goal being to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of emergency preparedness and demonstrate Amateur Radio capabilities to served agencies and the public.
***** Mississippi W1AW/5 Chairman W5UE tells us that in a fashion similar to the 2023 Volunteers on The Air (VOTA), event that the ARRL will be celebrating the Year of The Club, as well as the 100th Anniversary of the ARRL Field Organization, and will be holding a Year-Long Worked All States (WAS-250) operating event to recognize the 250th Anniversary (Semiquincentennial) of the Declaration of Independence. Additional details about the event and awards that will be available can be found at: https://www.arrl.org/america250-was .
As an operating event, W1AW/portable will be on the air twice during the year from each State (and US Territory). Each state will activate two (2) 7-day weeks (beginning midweek on a Wednesday at 0000 UTC and running through the following Tuesday at 2359 UTC) activating as many bands (excluding 60 Meters) as possible (on the three modes of CW, Phone and Digital). Mississippi’s turn will be April 1-7, 2026, and November 18-24, 2026. W5UE will be coordinating the activity and can be reached at w5ue@arrl.net.
Mississippi stations wishing to participate will operate from their home stations signing W1AW/5. You MUST contact W5UE to sign up and obtain access to an online scheduling spreadsheet to reserve band/mode/timeslots to operate as W1AW/5. ALL Mississippi hams are encouraged to participate as much as their personal schedules allow. Note that our April week will coincide with MS QSO Party. Operators may choose to participate in MSQP using the W1AW/5 callsign if they wish. W5UE will be sending detailed information and guidelines for operators as our first date in April draws closer.
Operators MUST utilize some form or electronic logging capable of producing an ADIF formatted log. Some popular examples are: N1MM+, N3FJP, WSJT-X/JTDX as well as many others. There will be an online form for operators to submit their ADIF logs to ARRL for uploading into LoTW. Individual operators WILL NOT directly upload to LoTW, and no individual certificates are needed on your end.
Please feel free to reach out to Randy, W5UE at w5ue@arrl.net for any questions you may have.
***** Are you a history buff that may be interested in the genesis of CDR/Hy-Gain rotors from the beginning in Farquay-Varina, North Carolina to Hy-Gain in Lincoln, Nebraska to MFJ in Starkville? Check out the informative You Tube presentation by K5LLZ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8I4T7027qE
***** The Central Mississippi ARA visits a park each month on the third Saturday for fellowship and EMCOMM preparation. In January they visited Lake Lincoln State Park near Wesson. In addition to being a POTA activation (US-2542), the Southern Ham (KJ5GKK) visited the site to interview the club members. Check out the video at
Contact k0upw@arrl.net to find out about the next monthly CMARA activation.
***** And in EMCOMM news AEC KG5RRG reports from Carroll County that ARES has purchased a backup repeater and a crossband radio which will go on a 200-foot tower linked to the Delta ARA repeater. This will provide HT And better mobile comms. The backup will go on a 350-foot tower in Holmes county on a high hill next to the Delta. Further, our district MEMA director for the Delta wants at least a 2-meter radio in all EOCs in his 12-county district. Lastly, ARES is planning for a DMR repeater for the Delta, probably on the tower that now covers 12 counties
Here are some upcoming events to put on your calendar:
- ECOMM Checkin, Mar 5, 3862, 5:30 PM, POC: W5XX
- SET, Operation Undead, 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 www.arrl.org
- W1AW/5 Second visit to Mississippi, Nov 18-24, POC: W5UE
- Capital City Hamfest, Jan 29-30, 2027, POC: AK5J
Welcome to the following new Hams in Mississippi in January: KJ5NUD, Matthew – Coldwater; KJ5NUI, Ross – Long Beach; KJ5NVE, Phillip – Sumrall; KJ5NWK, Michael – Perkinston; KJ5NYR, Jody – Hickory Flat; KJ5OBJ, Fredick – Smithdale; KJ5OBQ, Anthony – Pass Christian; KJ5OCP, James – Meridian; KJ5OCS, James – Flowood;
Congratulations to the following upgrades in January: WP3JM, James – Tupelo; KJ5MWT, Andrew – Hattiesburg; KJ5NNS, Anthony – Canton; KJ5NUD, Matthew – Coldwater; KF5ZVU, Patrick – Wiggins.
Welcome to the following new ARRL Member in January: W3LEL, Leon – Vancleave.
The ARRL Membership in Mississippi as of February 1, 2026, was 787 down 11 from last month.
Welcome to K5WZL as EC for Pearl River County.
Club Newsletters (Editor): the Meridian ARC Spark Gap (W5MAV), the Mississippi Coast ARA Splatter (N5OCT)
Regret to report the passing of
Steve Earnest, WV5D, of Soso. Steve spent his career in law enforcement retiring as Director of Public Safety at South Central Regional Medical Center. In addition to being a very much into Ham Radio, he was active in Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church and involved with several community projects.
Clay Waterman, AC5Z, of Brandon. Clay was a retired professor at the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson. Prior to this he was a missionary in Portugal (CT1AFP) for 14 years and in the Ukraine for 25 years. He was a member of the Jackson ARC and played a major role in organizing and conducting several work areas at the just past Capital City Hamfest.
HF Net Reports – sessions/QNI/QTC (Net Manager)
Magnolia Net 31/1065/6 (KF5BA)
MS Baptist Hams Net 2/12/0 (WF5F) Sunday, 7263 at 4PM
MSPN 31/2499/19 (W5JGW)
Pine Belt ARA 10M Net 4/20/0 (K5TLL)
VHF Net Reports – sessions/QNI/QTC (Net Manager)
Bluff City ARC Em Net 4/82/0 (WJ5ES)
Capital Area Em Net 4/37/0 (K5XU)
Jackson ARC Net 4/38/0 (K5XU)
Lowndes County ARES Net 4/36/0 (K5TCO)
Mississippi Coast ARC 4/103/0 (N5GQ)
NE MS WX Net 4/30/0 (W5BAQ)
Pine Belt ARC 2M Em Training Net 4/38/0 (K5TLL)
Pine Belt ARC 2M Simplex Net 1/8/0 (K5TLL)
Vicksburg ARC/MLEN 4/83/0 (KG5YEE)
Digital Net Reports
East MS Em Com Team 30/290/6 (K5TCO)
K5FIT WL2K Hybrid Gateway – 241 connections to pass traffic.
MS WL2K Net QNI 71 by 5 stations (K5FIT)
Traffic: WV5Q 108, AE5MI 56, W5XX 4
PSHR: AE5MI 150, WV5Q 110, W5XX 70
