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 Previous: Surfin': Parties and PCBs |  Next: FCC Amateur Radio Enforcement Letters for the Period Ending September 18, 2004 |
By Norm Fusaro, W3IZ
ARRL Affiliated Club/Mentor Program Manager
September 25, 2004
Back in 1995 June Jeffers of Gardner, Kansas earned her amateur call KB0WEQ and it was not long until she became involved in emergency communications and eventually was appointed ARES Emergency Coordinator for Johnson County. "My lack of technical knowledge made me hesitant about accepting the appointment." says June, but soon she found a knight in shining armor in the form of Jim Andera, K0NK. Officially Jim is the Assistant EC and Technical and Logistics Counselor for the group but to June he is a friend and mentor.
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Jim has been an active ham for over 31 years and has been involved with ARES for more than 20 of those years. As with any local group or club, some years are more active than others and June says that Jim has helped her increase the activity in the Johnson County ARES group. "Words cannot describe the value he has brought to our group with his knowledge and experience." June tells us, "His personal attention to the new hams has been extraordinary."
In addition to working with the ARES group Jim also teaches Amateur Radio licensing classes for the Santa Fe Trail Amateur Radio Club. The irony of this is that before June earned her ham license through self study, June's sister and mother attended one of Jim's classes and passed their Amateur Radio exams. Her mom is Elizabeth Richards, KB0GGK, and her sister is Nancy Branum, KB0GGG. Her son, Jason, attended one of the classes taught by Jim and is now KC0DWQ, rounding out a family of hams that includes June's three brothers, Chester Richards WB0MDF, Tim Richards, K0TWR, both in Kansas and Danny Richards, WD5KEO who lives in Orlando Florida. Danny experienced a lot of property damage from the recent hurricanes that devastated Florida.
Although she did not attend a class to earn her first license, June says "If it wasn't for Jim I would have never passed my CW and made Advanced." She credits his patience and ability to explain complex material in simple terms for her success in upgrading.
Jim has been featured in ARRL articles and in local newspapers along with his dog Buddy that he takes along when hiking in the Rocky Mountains. Jim takes his HF radio with him so he can stay in touch with his friends back in Kansas. At the 2004 ARRL State Convention in Salinas, Kansas, Jim and Buddy made a nice presentation of hiking and radio gear and answered questions from the many interested visitors. ARRL staffer, Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, was at the convention and says that Jim had quite an impressive display for the crowd.
Jim's is a very active ham and is a member of several local clubs and a Life Member of ARRL. Other activities include an annual ham radio demonstration for fourth and fifth graders at the Meadow Lane School and operating the Pony Express Special event station for the Kansas State Historical Society with fellow Crown Amateur Radio Association (go to the bottom of the page) members. CARA members even dress in 1860s attire to add a bit of realism to the event.
 Johnson County ARES EC, June Jeffers, KB0WEQ, operating from her home station in Gardner, Kansas |
While fun is always the focus of Jim's ham radio activities it is preparedness that is the message. With Jim's help, June has been able to involve her ARES group in many drills and exercises including a night drill held in a local park. Jim developed this drill and with the cooperation of park officials the group was permitted access to the park after hours in order to practice working in unknown territory. The scenario that was set for the drill was that two campers had gotten lost in the woods. The hams worked together as a team and relayed information via radio until the two actors were located. Had this been a real emergency there is no doubt that the outcome would not have been any different.
 ARRL is committed to support Affiliated Clubs in their efforts to mentor new hams. [Full Story] |
When the Olathe School District needed emergency communications support they contacted June and her ARES group. The school district provided radio equipment and antennas at several school locations and Jim has assumed responsibility for coordinating the maintenance of the sites.
Along with fellow hams, George Mc Carville, WB0CNK, and Ken Shubert K0KS, Jim spearheaded a project to convert a donated trailer into a portable communications vehicle. This trailer can be deployed for any type of emergency and carries a full compliment of gear from HF to VHF & UHF radios and antennas as well as a portable generator for emergency power. The club uses this for Field Day as well as for any of the practice drills that they perform during the year.
Jim Andera has a zest for life and whenever you meet him he
has a big smile and a kind word. He is always will to share his years of
experience with a new ham and takes the time to explain things so that that the
new ham will have as much fun with Amateur Radio as he has had over the years.
June Jeffers says that "He is the best Elmer, the best ham and the best
friend. We are fortunate to have him."
| Previous: Surfin': Parties and PCBs | Next: FCC Amateur Radio Enforcement Letters for the Period Ending September 18, 2004 |
