Category: News

It saddens us to announce that CVARC member Dave Arata-KA9WMI passed away on April 10th after a brief illness. Below is a tribute message from his friend and fellow ham, Casey Cryer-KJ6GSV:

In our unique hobby, everyone seems to find something special that they enjoy above the other aspects of ham radio. Some love the tech, some love the versatility, and others love the people. For me, Dave Arata was all about people. Dave and I met at Winter Field Day 2023, which was my first field day and introduction to the social side of ham radio. Dave and I instantly hit it off and it felt great to chat about radios without feeling like I was speaking Mandarin.

Dave comes from a family of hams. His dad, Russell Arata (KA3RRS), his brother, Joe (KZ4DN), and his son, Matthew (KB9IVG). Their love for ham radio shows the legacy Dave leaves behind.

Dave and I had a great time at the 2023 Visalia DX Convention. We explored all the latest ham radio gear and enjoyed the seminars together. Dave’s upbeat spirit and wealth of technical know-how made him a truly unique person. He was always ready to help tackle any radio question I had. Folks like Dave leave a lasting impact on those around them and his presence will be truly missed by everyone at CVARC.

The memorial service for David will be held on Monday, April 29th at 10:00 AM at Holy Cross Catholic Church, located at 13955 Peach Hill Rd in Moorpark. All are welcome to attend.

73,

Casey-KJ6GSV

Shannon Porter-KO6BSK was the winner of the 2023 CVARC “Big Raffle.” Shannon now has the pleasant task of deciding how to spend the $300 DX Engineering gift certificate.

Martin Hickey-AJ6CL has been selected by the CVARC Board of Directors as the recipient of the 2023 Hugh Bosma Legacy Award. Martin was recognized not only for his leadership with club operations and Filed Days, but also for his efforts to foster interest in the club’s MORSE Group and portable operations such as Summits on the Air.

NEW PHOTOS FROM THE PARTY

James Smith-KK6YAM recently picked up a copy of Ham Radio Boost written by a German ham Lucien Koch-DH7LM.

James said “although it is a non-technical book, I think many hams can find it helpful to get some pointers on ham radio, keep motivated to make contacts, and not get drawn down into the nuts and bolts of the hobby. I found that I picked up some great ideas on focusing on enjoying ham radio and not over engineering things.”

James added that “if you find yourself buried in projects and parts as I have, this book can be your way back to being a ham station operator.”

Whether you are an experienced ham or just beginning your amateur radio journey, this book encourages you to try new things, and think differently about the hobby. Koch reflects on his own radio lessons and provides tips and tricks to overcome your stumbling blocks – and bring your ham radio experience to a new level.

The book is available in paperback and e-book formats on Amazon.

The 2024 CVARC Board of Directors was elected by acclamation at the November 16, 2023, General Meeting. Board members serve for a one-year term beginning January 1, 2024.

President: Daphne Vandervalk – KN6TXX

Vice President: Ed Zimmermann – N6XEW

Secretary: Craig Grimm – KD6NFD – (Keith as backup)

Treasurer: Christian Ylagan – K6CAY

Operations: Martin Hickey – AJ6CL

Technical: James Smith – KK6YAM

Publisher: Andy Ludlum – K6AGL

Social: Mike Felio – K6MJF

Education: Keith Elliott-W6KME

Public Relations: April Taylor – KN6QQW

Member at Large: Zak Cohen-N6PK

Member at Large: Warren Wegerer-K6WKW

Member at Large: Huston Herman-KK6WT  

Member at Large: Ron Topolinski-K6CPR

CVARC past president and longtime club member Tim Wheeler-K6POI has passed away. For the last several years he has been living with increasing problems due to Parkinson’s disease. He was 81.

Tim is remembered by Norm Campbell-AB6ET as a friend, mentor, and “all around good guy” both in person and on the air. James Smith-KK6YAM recalled, “Tim was the first person I met when I joined the club. He saw I was new and came over and welcomed me.” Wendy Joffe-WB6ADC, who attended the ham radio classes he taught remembered Tim’s “kind smile and the twinkle in his eyes when he’d share a joke.”  ACS Area 2 Emergency Coordinator Zak Cohen-N6PK described Tim as a good friend and regular dinner companion who was knowledgeable and helpful in his role as an Assistant Emergency Coordinator.

Memorial plans have not been announced. Tim’s family has created a tribute page on the Michael J. Fox Foundation website. Contributions in honor of Tim to the foundation’s Parkinson’s research would be welcome.

David Arata-KA9WMI and Casey Cryer-KJ6GCV attended the 74th International DX Convention April 21-23 in Visalia. They enjoyed a number of events including the Contest Forum and the DX Forum and enjoyed looking at the latest ham radio equipment in the exhibit hall.