Greetings all. My name is Joe Safranek, K4JJS, of Gloucester County, Virginia. Originally born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I entered the US Air Force in 1971 and married my wonderful bride, Joy, W2JMS, in 1975 while assigned to Cannon AFB in Clovis, New Mexico. Upon completion of a tour of duty overseas we were assigned to Langley AFB in Hampton, VA, in 1982, and have been living in Gloucester County since 1983. We were both licensed as amateur radio operators in 2001 and have been active in a variety of events, most of which involved ARES and emergency communications. We have two adult children and two grand children, the older one of which received her technician class license at age 11. I retired as a civilian police officer/firefighter/EMT. Joy is employed as a civilian budget analyst for the USAF.

I have served in a variety of local amateur radio club positions plus have been appointed as an Official Emergency Station, formerly served as Assistant EC-Gloucester County, Assistant SEC - Development for Districts 5 through 11, Assistant SEC for Training, Assistant SEC-Districts 6, 10, and 11, Section Public Information Coordinator and, most recently, as the Section Emergency Coordinator. I also currently serve as RACES  Officer for Gloucester County and am an original member, instructor, and board member for the county CERT Team. I have completed a variety of emergency communications courses including all three levels of the ARRL Emergency Communications Courses plus numerous FEMA/ICS/NIMS courses. I enjoy instructing and periodically teach technician class licensing classes. My wife and I are also active volunteer examiners being certified as such with both ARRL and W5YI. I am also the US Coast Guard Auxiliary serving as Flotilla Commander, Flotilla Staff Officer-Communications, and Flotilla Staff Officer-Information Services for the Gloucester County Flotilla, 054-06-04.  I also serve as a communications watchstander at Coast Guard Station Milford Haven in Mathews County.

Assuming the duties of Assistant Section Manager (ASM) for the Virginia Section is going to be a challenging task.  Having worked very closely with the former ASM-At Large Ron Sokol, K4KHZ, one could not ask for a better mentor.  The team of Section Manager Carl Clements and former SEC and ASM Ron Sokol has produced a lot of positive things for the Section and I am extremely honored to be chosen to carry on the duties of the ASM position with Carl as Section Manager.  I intend to carry on the projects that are in progress plus ask for your assistance is creating new tools and ideas to enhance our emergency communications capabilities in the Commonwealth.  I intend to work closely with the Section Leadership while keeping lines of communication open with the members and especially former members and new amateur radio operators who are willing to serve their communities.  

I look forward to working with everyone across the section. I can only be successful in these positions with your support.  New ideas are welcome so please send them through your leadership chain and they will all be carefully reviewed.

Thank you, Carl, for this opportunity to serve.

Rick Ross, KG4TAX - Public Information Coordinator

My name is Rick Ross, KG4TAX, and am the newly appointed Public Information Coordinator (PIC).   I live in Newport News with my wife, Julie, and my daughter, Jenny, and work as a research engineer at NASA Langley Research Center.  I became licensed in 2002 as a result of my volunteer work that began on September 11, 2001.  The day of the attacks, I went to the Red Cross to donate blood and asked if there was anything else I could do to help, and I have been helping ever since.

A few months after joining the Red Cross and serving as a Disaster Action Team (DAT) member and later as a team captain, I found the greatest need during an emergency was for reliable communications.  I began studying for the Technician test and got my ticket the following month.  I continued studying and worked my way up to Extra three months later.

I am the Emergency Coordinator (EC) for Newport News, an ARRL-certified Volunteer Examiner (VE), and actively participate in public service and special events.  I am currently the Vice President (and a former president) of the Peninsula Amateur Radio Club (PARC).  I have completed all three ARRL Emergency Communications courses, have taken several FEMA online and instructor-led classes, and have completed numerous Red Cross disaster services, CPR, and First Aid classes.

While this position will be a challenge,  my other volunteer work has helped prepare me for that challenge.  I served as a board member for four years with Newport News Special Olympics and am currently a board member for SMART-One, Inc., a non-profit corporation for special needs individuals and their families.  As the newsletter editor/reporter/photographer for these organizations, I promote the good deeds of these organizations and recognize the hard work of the individuals that make it happen.  As the Virginia Section PIC, I will apply these same skills to showcase the efforts and achievements of hams throughout the Virginia Section.  I encourage each of you to submit articles and photographs of your activities and accomplishments and I will do my best to post them on this website.

 Position Vacant - State Government Liaison

 Position to be filled. 

My name is Rue Stuteville, KA4PLH but I go by the nickname of Rudy. I'm the Assistant Section Manager for Scouting and Youth and am retired from the federal government as a Maintenance Supervisor.

I have been married to my wife Barbara for 48 years this year. We have one son, Gerald, an electronic engineer and a ham that lives in Fort Worth Texas.

I got my first taste of amateur radio while serving with the 3rd Marine Division in the 1960s. I tried to learn Morse code from a radio operator but he could not bring his over 35 words a minute down to my level, but it was fun trying.

I became an amateur in 1980 when my scout son decided he wanted his amateur license. We went together and got our licenses. His call is KA4OXI. I have enjoyed building a lot of Heath kits and other homebrew items over the years. I also enjoy DXing, but I'm still learning how to do it. I'm thinking about trying my hand at contesting.

I have been involved in Scouting since 1949, I earned my Eagle Scout Award in 1954, and I also earned the Explorer Scout Silver Award in 1957. The Tidewater Council BSA has awarded me the District Award of Merit for outstanding service to youth and the Silver Beaver. I am a member of the Wood Badge Fox Patrol.

I am also a member of the Virginia Beach Amateur Radio Club. I feel very honored to be selected Asst. Section Manager for Scouting and Youth. I will work very hard to get Virginia Scouts and Youth involved in Amateur Radio. Please feel free to contact me on any ideas you may have or how I may help you.

I'm Brian Cochran, the Official Observer Coordinator for ARRL VA Section. I am originally from North Carolina and transplanted to VA in the late 80s.I became interested in electronics at a young age when I discovered my Dads stereo speaker would shock me so as a curious one I plugged it into a ac outlet 60hz for 1.2 micro seconds! From then on I was fascinated in how stuff works and took everything from the TV to the microwave apart to see what was inside. I obtained my Technician ham ticket while in high school during 1993. My first station was a Drake TR-4c and Star Duster converted CB antenna on the chimney. Finally getting my Extra in 2001.

I enjoy operating CW, RTTY, SSB from 160 to 2.4ghz and I like to chase DX. I have opened my station to all local hams to come by and operate and hardly a contest goes by with out my call giving out some QSO Points. First appointed to AEC in Warren County under my Elmer KR4DO in 1995 and have been active in ARES and ARRL Field operations ever since. I currently hold several appointments and am certified in most NIMS and ICS courses. Active in public service and training in the local Ham Community.

I hope to hear you all down the log,

73 Happy DX
Brian Cochran WC4J
www.wc4j.com

David Collins, N4WDC - Affiliated Club Coordinator

My name is David Collins, N4WDC, and I live in King George County, VA.  I was first licensed KA4ZHQ in 1982 as a 5 wpm Novice.  I was living in Birmingham, AL at the time working for the local cable TV company.

My name is Christine Chris Sokol, K4CES.  I first became interested in ham radio in my teens, as my grandfather was a ham, along with an uncle and several cousins, but I didnt get my license until after I met my husband Ron.  I received my Technician license in 1997 (KF4RGC), upgraded a few years later to Tech plus, and upgraded again to General in 2002.  I got the vanity call K4CES in 2005.  I am a charter member and one of the founders of the Virginia Appalachian Wireless Association, a Special Service Club of the ARRL and served a term as Secretary.  I served as Emergency Coordinator for Giles County and Im currently an Assistant Section Manager for Administration for the Virginia Section.  My main duty right now is collecting data from the ARES/RACES registration to develop a new ARES/RACES member database.

As an ARES/RACES member, I have cross-trained with a variety of American Red Cross disaster courses, have taken two of the ARRL Emergency Management courses, and Im a Skywarn spotter.  As soon as I have time, I may even be able to complete some of the FEMA courses!  I have participated in numerous SETS in and around southwest Virginia.

Im an avid reader, gardener, horse person (horseless at the moment) and closely supervised by two Shetland Sheepdogs (shelties).  I love to fish with my husband (when he can get away from SEC business).  Im the bulletin lady at my church, and also am on a committee that works for the poor of our county.  I have an Associate in Applied Science degree in Human Services/Mental Health and I have worked at Virginia Tech for 22 years as office manager for the Family Therapy Center of Virginia Tech, a training facility for family therapist

As a new member of the Virginia section I would like to introduce myself. My Name is John Johnson. I was first licensed in 1955 in Wisconsin as KN9BGB and upgraded a year later and got the K0IBS call while living in Northern Minnesota. Held Advance License for several years and now hold an Extra Class License. I moved here June 1960 at the request of Uncle Sam as a Seaman Apprentice fresh out of boot camp. Schooling at local Navy schools in Virginia Beach and assignments to several bases and ships over the years I liked it here (a lot warmer, than Northern Minnesota) and I married a Portsmouth girl and decided to make it home. Have been involved in traffic since 1995 and have earned BPL IN 2002. I have been Net Manager for VLN and VSBN and hold appointments as ORS and OES. Use Airmail program for handling traffic into the commonwealth and bring traffic from SVTN local net and packet traffic for distribution throughout Virginia. Looking forward to working with all operators in Virginia.