Current Section Report (March 2026)
SM: Malcolm Keown, W5XX. Section Website at www.arrlmiss.org. Webmaster: W5UE, ASM: K5BAK, K5DSG, KB5HC, KF8PD, K0UPW, K5VOK, W4WLF, KB5YEE, PIC: K5RFL, SEC: KC5IMN, ASEC: AA1NA, W5DIX; SGL: AK5J; STM: WV5Q, TC: N5JGK.
***** From SEC KC5IMN. The 2026 Mississippi Section Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Simulated Emergency Test (SET), code-named “Operation Undead,” took place on Saturday, March 14, 2026, running for twelve hours from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The scenario was a severe disruption of commercial communications infrastructure coupled with a localized biological threat—a novel pathogen outbreak mimicking an “undead” scenario—requiring specialized public health coordination for quarantine and resource allocation.
The primary mission for Mississippi ARES was to coordinate Amateur Radio operators to support overflow and emergency communications for Public Safety, Public Service, and State and Local Government entities, focusing specifically on the Public Health sector. ARES members were instructed to deploy from home stations, mobile units, and portable setups, often strategically positioned at Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) and public health agency locations.
The purpose of the drill was to evaluate emergency preparedness strengths and weaknesses and demonstrate ARES capabilities to served agencies and the public. After-action summaries will show operational insights and provide guidance for future preparation efforts. All participants have been requested to submit online reports post-event, including Emergency Coordinator (Form A) and Net Manager (Form B) reports, as well as narrative After-Action Reports (AARs). Additionally, preparations for the 2026 SET included K5WZL, EC for Pearl River County, coordinating with MS State Guard communications assets, confirming their active participation and necessitating further meetings to ensure interoperability with civilian traffic.
***** From Event Coordinator W5UE. Similar to the 2023 Volunteers on The Air (VOTA), the ARRL is celebrating the Year of The Club, as well as the 100th Anniversary of the ARRL Field Organization, and is holding a Year-Long Worked All States (WAS-250) operating event to recognize the 250th Anniversary (Semiquincentennial) signing of the Declaration of Independence. During 2026 each state/US Territory has two weeks for Amateurs in each state/territory to operate using the W1AW/x, with x representing the state’s call area number.
Mississippi’s first week operating as W1AW/5 during this celebration is now concluded. We had 20 MS Hams sign-up to operate April 1-7 from their home stations signing W1AW/5 on CW, SSB and Digital on all bands. We are still awaiting for a few operators to report their QSOs, but as of this writing 4540 total QSOs with a good distribution across all 3 modes (1190-CW, 1975-SSB, 1375 digital) have been uploaded.
If you missed out on our April week and this sounds like something you would like to participate in, fear not, as our second week will November 18-24. Mississippi’s coordinator for this operation is Randy, W5UE. If you have any questions or interest in operating in November, please reach out to him at w5ue@w5ue.net
***** From the shack of W5XX. The twenty third Mississippi QSO Party is now history. Participation from Mississippi Stations was great. Scanning the logs received so far indicates that 47 Mississippi Stations were on the air. Conditions were odd. 10 and 15 sounded like winter time. 20 sounded like summer time with lots of sporadic E. 40 and 80 were afflicted by QRN as a result of storms from a cold front passing through the state Plenty of variety.
Many thanks to W4XK/5, K4ZGB/M, N5M, K5MDX/5, W5SGL/5, and WJ5ES/5 for going on county DX-peditions to put some rare counties on the air
Here are some upcoming events to put on your calendar:
- CMARA, 3rd Saturday, Apr 18, POC: K0UPW
- EMCOMM Checkin, May 7, 3862, 6 PM, POC: W5XX
- ARRL Field Day, June 26-27, see www.arrl.org
- W1AW/5 Second visit to Mississippi, Nov 18-24, POC: W5UE
- 2027 Capital City Hamfest, Trade Mart, Jan 29-30, POC: AK5J
Welcome to the following new Hams in Mississippi in March:
AJ5AT, Jeremy – Picayune; KJ5ORB, John – Woodland; KJ5OWP, Jack – Ocean Springs; KJ5OXN, Dennis – Foxworth; KJ5OXO, Carter – Carthage; KJ5PAD, Joshua – Columbus.
KJ5PBA, Matthew – Madison; KJ5PDA, Greg – Lucedale; KJ5PDC, Jason – Brandon; KJ5PDL, Victor – Gulfport; KJ5PDS, Kristopher – Braxton; KJ5PET, James – Olive Branch; KG5PGG, Steven – Starkville; KJ5PGK, Johnmark – Picayune.
KG5PGZ, Zachary – Madison; KJ5PIF, Jeremiah – Picayune; KJ5PII, Josiah – Picayune; KJ5PIR, David – Hattiesburg.
WOW! 19 new Hams in Mississippi in March. Thanks to the Elmers, Class Instructors, and VE Teams, who make sure Ham Radio is alive and well in Mississippi!
Congratulations to the following upgrades in March:
KC5AWS, John – Union; KJ5ICZ, Marshall – Hattiesburg; KJ5LJI, Gregory – Purvis; KI5JFV – Charles, Olive Branch; KJ5LTY – Logan –Guntown;
KJ5NDF, Christopher – Brookhaven; KJ5OCP, James – Meridian; KJ5ODN, Robert – Columbus; KJ5OWP, Jack – Ocean Springs; N4UPX, Aaron – Gulfport; KJ5WGC, Dale – Carriere; N5ZDV, Joseph – Petal.
WOW! (again). 12 upgrades in March.
Welcome to the following new ARRL Members in March: KI4MCP, Michael – Biloxi and KJ5MSX, James – Kiln,
The ARRL Membership in Mississippi as of March 1, 2026, was 774 down 8 from last month.
Thanks for the Membership Renewals in March: KK4ADD, Stan – Pearl; KB5CDM, Larry – Pearl; KD5SM, Ben – Horn Lake.
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 31/1138/5 (KF5BA)
MS Baptist Hams Net 4/17/0 (WF5F) Sunday, 7263 at 4PM
MSPN 31/2347/23 (W5JGW)
Pine Belt ARA 10M Net 4/18/0 (K5TLL)
VHF Net Reports – sessions/QNI/QTC (Net Manager)
Capital Area Em Net 5/64/0 (K5XU)
Chickasaw/Calhoun County ARES Net 3/36/0 (KI5LKJ)
Jackson ARC Net 5/55/1 (K5XU)
Lowndes County ARES Net 5/32/0 (K5TCO)
NE MS WX Net 5/54/0 (W5BAQ)
Pine Belt ARC 2M Em Training Net 4/43/0 (K5TLL)
Pine Belt ARC Simplex 2M Net 1/7/0 (K5TLL)
Vicksburg ARC/MLEN 5/100/0 (KG5YEE)
Digital Net Reports
East MS Em Com Team 31/265/2 (K5TCO)
K5FIT WL2K Hybrid Gateway – 158 connections to pass traffic.
MS WL2K Net QNI 57 by 5 stations (K5FIT)
NE MS DMR Net – 21/440/0 (KI5LKJ)
Traffic: WV5Q 70, AE5MI 23, W5XX 6
PSHR: AE5MI 129, WV5Q 110, W5XX 77
