Alexa Seleno
@alexaseleno

Ham Radio Operators Serving During California Firestorms

by

As the firestorms across Southern California continue to threaten millions of residents, trained amateur radio operators are serving critical volunteer roles to help officials spot fires before they get out of control. Dry conditions and wind gusts of up to 100 miles per hour have fueled days of devastating wildfires. Entire neighborhoods have been leveled by infernos.

Damage from the Eaton Fire. US Air National Guard Photograph by Tech. Sgt. Joseph Pagan.

The Eaton fire burned to the top of Mount Wilson, a critical logistical post for broadcast radio and television stations, as well as communications across the Southland. Federal agencies, air traffic control, local emergency responders, radio amateurs, and others all share tower space onthe mountain.

While the main fires have been burning north and northwest of the central section of Los Angeles, just to the south, hams are standing watch. Orange County Fire Watch (OCFW) is a program locally organized by the Orange County Parks Department and the Irvine Conservancy. During severe fire weather, volunteers go to preassigned locations within parks and open spaces to report conditions. Many of them are hams, using the amateur radio bands to fill in mobile network weak zones.

ARRL National Instructor Gordon West, WB6NOA, is among the deployed volunteers. He said hams are stepping up. “We’re all over the ARRL Orange Section on hilltops, reporting the wind and humidity, ash seen coming down, scanning for spot fires (none so far), smoke from the LA fires, guest activity at the parks, and being a presence at trailheads with reflective vests and vehicle signs indicating Fire Watch,” he said.

Ray Hutchinson, AE6H, is a retired firefighter who serves as the chief radio officer for Fire Watch. He says local clubs are key to providing the needed RF infrastructure. “Our local club, the South Orange Amateur Radio Association (SOARA), an ARRL Special Service Club, provides linked 2-meter and 70-centimeter repeaters: one high level and one coastal, for use by-OCFW hams during deployments. There is a formal OCFW Net Control Station (NCS) for the entirety of these events.

Radio amateurs are also ready and able to serve at evacuation centers, providing support as needed. Members of ARRL Headquarters staff have been in touch with ARRL volunteers and other ham radio groups around the affected area, and are offering material support for any activations. “It has been a busy start to the year for ham volunteers,” said ARRL Public Relations and Outreach Manager Sierra Harrop, W5DX. “Whether it’s firestorms or ice storms or any other need, ARRL volunteers selflessly serve their communities. We’re mindful that large-scale events like this impact the hams who are active serving,” she said.

ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, has been on calls with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other served agencies, offering ARRL resources. Efforts are being coordinated locally by Emergency Network Los Angeles (ENLA), the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) group in Southern California. Johnston urges hams in the affected regions to be ready to take care of themselves and their families before needing to deploy. He points to resources shared by ARRL’s Amateur Radio
Emergency Service® (ARES®) during National Preparedness Month last September. “These are stressful events for everyone, and being a ham volunteer is really second to keeping yourself and your family safe,” said Johnston.

SEE ARTICLES:
Resilience Through Amateur Radio for National Preparedness Month
National Preparedness Month: Ensuring Family Safety
National Preparedness Month – Station Readiness
National Preparedness Month – Get Involved
___________________________________________

Used with permission from ARRL Ohio Section

SWODXA Announces the DX Mentor Recognition Program

by

The Southwest Ohio DX Association (SWODXA) in conjunction with ICOM® America, Inc. is announcing a program to recognize and reward amateur radio operators who have played a key role in helping other amateur radio operators achieve DXCC. The purpose of this program is not to bring recognition to those that achieve DXCC but rather to recognize those amateurs that assist others in achieving their first 100 confirmed entities.

There is an application form and a judging committee staffed by SWODXA representatives and a representative from both the NCDXF and INDEXA. Those amateurs receiving the mentoring must be under 30 years of age during the calendar year for the award. The intent of targeting this audience is to attract and retain those amateurs that are most likely to remain engaged in the hobby after achieving DXCC.

SWODXA is uniquely positioned to bestow this award at the annual SWODXA DX Dinner®. The DX Dinner, held annually in conjunction with the Dayton Hamvention®, is arguably the largest gathering of active DXers in the world. We present the DXpedition of the Year Award®, the DXpeditioner of the Year Award, when applicable, and host the DX Forum there. CQ
Magazine announces their CQ DX Hall of Fame inductees at the DX dinner as well. As a technology leader in our hobby, there is no better partner to promote and celebrate this award than ICOM. Ray, N9JA, has been a constant promoter of ham radio, even coining the phrase “For the Love of Ham Radio”. ICOM has selflessly supported amateur radio over the years and is taking this opportunity to promote the mentors of DX. Thanks to ICOM for their support!

More information and the entry form can be found at www.swodxa.org/DX Mentor-Program or by emailing  hedxmentor@gmail.com. I wanted to repeat the above because this is a NATIONAL PROGRAM that comes from an Ohio
Section club! I also wanted to clarify that the deadline for your nominations is April 30th
.
Share the Magic of Radio. 73,
Tom Sly – WB8LCD
Ohio Section Manager
wb8lcd@arrl.org
330-554-4650

Application Now Open to Join FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council!

by

Do you know a young leader who is passionate about disaster preparedness and community resilience? Encourage them to join FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council (YPC).

The YPC is a nationwide program that brings together young leaders who want to make a difference in their community and build valuable leadership skills. Council members serve for one year and collaborate on projects that promote emergency preparedness, participate in engaging discussions with FEMA leaders, and gain insight into careers in emergency management.

Students currently in grades 8 through 11 may apply. Applications can be submitted in either written or video format by March 3 on FEMA’s YPC application page.

Former national YPC member Georgia Bukata, who served on the national YPC from 2023-2024, shared how her experience had a positive impact on her life. “My time on the Youth Preparedness Council taught me invaluable skills that continue to shape my life today,” said Bukata. “Collaborating with diverse peers from across the country, I learned how to harness different strengths and perspectives to tackle complex projects. The YPC taught me how to work efficiently, communicate clearly, and adapt to new challenges—all skills that have been essential in my academic and volunteer work.” Bukata also shared how the experience shaped and inspired her to take action. “The YPC deepened my passion for emergency preparedness and public service,” she explained.” It inspired me to pursue opportunities like teaching a course on preparedness at Duke and to explore the intersection of health policy and community resilience. The connections I made (…) opened my eyes to the broader impact we can have in shaping future preparedness efforts.”

Mark your calendars! FEMA will conduct two informational webinars to provide additional details about the YPC and answer questions. Both webinars will cover the same content.

Don’t miss this opportunity to make a difference and shape the future of emergency preparedness!

To learn more about the YPC, please visit the Youth Preparedness Council page on FEMA.gov

Disclaimer: The reader recognizes that the federal government provides links and informational data on various disaster preparedness resources and events and does not endorse any non-federal events, entities, organizations, services, or products. Please let us know about other events and services for individual and community preparedness that could be included in future newsletters by contacting 

FEMA-prepare@fema.dhs.gov.

FCC Upholds Record $34,000 Forfeiture Against Amateur Licensee

by

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assessed a record $34,000 forfeiture against an amateur radio licensee for “willfully and repeatedly operating a radio station without authorization and interfering with the radio communications of the United States Forest Service … while the U.S. Forest Service and the Idaho Department of Lands were attempting to direct the operations of fire suppression aircraft working a 1,000-acre wildfire on national forest land outside of Elk River, Idaho.”

As ARRL News first reported in 2022, the FCC proposed the fine against Jason Frawley of Lewiston, Idaho, for allegedly interfering with radio operations of the U.S. Forest Service during firefighting activities for the Johnson Creek Fire near Elk River in July 2021. The FCC stated in the Notice of Apparent Liability (NAL) that Frawley holds an Extra-class Amateur Radio Service license, WA7CQ, and is the owner/operator of Leader Communications LLC, licensee of eight microwave licenses and one business license.

In response, Frawley acknowledged that he operated on a frequency reserved for government use and for which he lacked authorization but argues that he did not cause interference to the government’s fire suppression activities that were being coordinated on the channel and acted with “good faith and non-malicious intent to help.” Frawley requested a reduction or cancellation of the proposed forfeiture based on the number and duration of the unauthorized transmissions, his history of compliance and corrective measures, and his inability to pay the proposed forfeiture.

In the Forfeiture Order released on January 3, 2025, the FCC rejected Frawley’s request and assessed the full proposed forfeiture of $34,000.

2025 ARRL Foundation Scholarships – Final Weeks to Apply

by

The ARRL Foundation Scholarship Program continues to accept applications for the 2025 scholarship cycle. The application period is open until 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on January 6, 2025. The scholarships are available to eligible amateur radio operators pursuing higher education. There are more than 100 scholarships ranging from $500 to $25,000.

The scholarships have been established by generous donors and can help fund a portion of a ham’s education. Descriptions of the scholarships may be found at https://www.arrl.org/scholarship-descriptions

In 2024, 135 scholarships totaling more than $715,000 were awarded. Young Hams throughout the country benefitted from scholarships ranging from $500 to $25,000 to assist them with college or university expenses. Funded entirely through the generous contributions of individuals, Clubs, and friends, the Scholarship Program is one of two areas of focus (the other being grants) for the Foundation, which is a separate organization that works closely in partnership with ARRL.

ARRL Director of Development Kevin Beal, K8EAL, is encouraged by the program. “Hams are always learning, and being able to honor that dedication to education through generously funded scholarship programs helps relieve some of the financial burden that students can experience,” he said.

All applicants must submit a completed online application. Transcripts and any additional required documents must be submitted with the application and not emailed separately. A number of scholarships require additional documents, such as a letter of recommendation from a sitting Officer of an ARRL-affiliated club. Applications without accompanying transcripts and additional required documents (if applicable) will not be considered. Scholarship recipients will be notified by early June 2025. Awards are mailed directly to recipients’ schools and will be awarded in July 2025.

ARRL’s mission is to promote and protect the art, science, and enjoyment of amateur radio, and to develop the next generation of radio amateurs. Through programs like the free youth membership and the ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology, ARRL is enabling futures in STEM-field careers through amateur radio.