Jeffrey J Beals WA4AW

Assistant Section Manager Jeffrey J Beals, WA4AW

I was first licensed in the early 60s as WN2OUK at age 12 in Long Beach, LI, NY , where I was active with the local radio club and ARES/RACES group. I hold an Extra Class license and FCC First Class Radiotelephone license (now called a GROL).

I'm proud to serve as the Southern Florida Section Manager. Previously, my activities with the Section included serving as the Affiliated Club Coordinator, Section Membership Coordinator, Technical Coordinator and Technical Specialist. I also previously served as Vice Director in the Southeastern Division of ARRL.

My service with emergency communications included serving as Section Emergency Coordinator for the Southern Florida Section, District Emergency Coordinator for the Gold Coast District, Emergency Coordinator and County RACES Officer for Lee and Palm Beach Counties and member of the ARRL National Emergency Response Planning Committee. I'm certified at all 3 levels of ARRL ARECC and advanced FEMA training. I'm proud to have received State of Florida commendations for service with Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina. I was also deployed at Hurricanes Frances, Jean and Wilma.

I am a life member of the ARRL, QCWA, Antique Wireless Association and a Senior Grade member of the Radio Club of America. Past President of the Fort Myers and West Palm Beach ARC and current member of the Old Old Timers Club, Palms West ARC, Port St. Lucie ARA, Gold Coast ARA , Florida Contest Group, FL East Coast DX Club, Fort Myers ARC, Edison Chapter of QCWA and life member of the West Palm Beach ARC. I am the Secretary Treasurer of our local Palm Beach Chapter of QCWA . I hold membership in the ARRL A-1 Operator Club, Old Timers Club & Royal Order of the Wouff Hong. I also was named " Ham of the Year " by the West Palm Beach ARC. I'm a CE and VE with the ARRL VEC and VE with the Laurel VEC.

In the business world, I was a licensed insurance broker in New York State and a licensed all-lines insurance adjuster in the State of Florida. My personal tribute to the fathers of electronic communications are memorials to Major Edwin H. Armstrong and Philo T. Farnsworth and hold the call signs of their pioneering FM and TV stations.

I retired after 25 years as the communications supervisor in SE Florida for the Florida Division of Forestry. My XYL, Myra, K3PGH and I reside in Royal Palm Beach, FL and Dothan, AL. My other interests include collecting and restoring classic radios, traveling to hamfests, antique cars and radio-TV history. Myra and I also volunteer at the amateur radio exhibit at the South Florida Fair held at West Palm Beach in January.

Look for you on the air or at a hamfest or club meeting. Thanks for visiting!

Very 73,
Jeff, WA4AW