KBØCIR James E. 'Jim' Aho Stanley, ND QCWA # 36827 Chapter 102

In 1967, I was born in Crosby, North Dakota to Lyle "David" & Audrey Aho. My family moved to Stanley, North Dakota in April 1969 and I have lived here since.

I married Pat Peters, of Powers Lake, North Dakota in 1985. She is also a ham. Her call is KBØFJM. Our daughter, Kristal, got her license in August 2003. She originally was licensed as KCØQJG, but now holds my late Father's Call - KCØBET.

I have been very interested in Ham Radio and SWLing since a very young age. My uncle in Iowa, WAØFBX, had demonstrated his radios many times but he was never here long enough to show us how to get our license. My Dad was also interested in Ham Radio back in the 1950s, but never had the opportunity to take the test. We always had a short wave radio and listened to hams on it. In October 1987 a local club had a station set up in the shopping mall, for the JOTA. I got the info and studied for my Novice. I passed the test on 15 March 1988 and got my ticket on 18 April 1988. My Dad finally got his ticket in August 1997. He became an SK in February 2002.

On 27 December 1988 I got my Technician Class License. In the spring of 1989 I founded the Prairie Hills Repeater Association (KBØYGP) amateur radio club. On 22 May 1990 I got my General Class Ham License. On 18 September 1990 I got my Advanced Class Ham License. The PHRA was disbanded, in 2004, due to falling membership. Most of the members either moved away or died.

I enlisted in the USAF MARS Program in 1991 and completed my training in December 1991. I completed MARS Net Control Station (NCS) Training in May 1992. I was the USAF MARS North Dakota State Emergency Coordinator from 1992 to 1998 at which time I resigned from the USAF MARS Program, due to time conflicts.

I joined ARES in 1988. I became the ARES Mountrail County EC in 1990 and the ARES ND Dist. 1 DEC in 1993. I have been the Mountrail County RACES Coordinator since 1991. I have been a Certified SKYWARN Spotter since 1992 & am currently the Mountrail County ARS SKYWARN Operations Coordinator.

I resigned as an ARES EC, in 2014, due to deteriorating health. For the foreseeable future, I will remain a Reserve Member of ARES and, if able, will help in an emergency. I have also chosen to remain the County Coordinator for RACES & SKYWARN, as those organizations are not as physically demanding as ARES.

Unfortunately, I have been inactive from home, for a couple years now. I lost most of my antennas, in a March 2014 storm. I am not able to do climbing, so I have not been able to get them back up. I have been trying to find someone to put them back up for me, with no luck. A couple weeks ago, some hams that are new in town, said that when it gets nice, they will come over and put my antennas back up and install my HF antennas on our van. I look forward to getting back on the air, both from my base and mobile.

I am still able to volunteer for some of the positions that do not require a lot of physical activity. In addition to the Emergency Services, I am an ARRL Registered Instructor and a Volunteer Examiner for both ARRL and W5YI.

On 1 May 2012, the Prairie Hills Ham Radio Association 'PHHRA' Association Charter was adopted.

I am the Founding President of the PHHRA.
The PHHRA is for the purpose of promoting, utilizing, & enjoying all aspects of Ham Radio.

On 29 October 2013, The PHHRA received the Call Sign KDØWYJ.

On 11 November 2013, The PHHRA received the Vanity Call Sign KØPHH.
In May 2015, I became a LIFE MEMBER of the Prairie Hills Ham Radio Association.
On 16 September 2015 the PHHRA 146.79 - Repeater, near Stanley, came on the air.
On 30 December 2015 the PHHRA 443.25+ Repeater, near Stanley, came on the air.

In addition to being the PHHRA President, I am also the CEO/Station Trustee and now the Treasurer. Pat resigned from the office, in October 2015, due to time conflicts. None of the other members were interested in the position, so I was appointed, by the Board of Director, to complete Pat’s term.

Applications for anyone interested in running for one of the PHHRA Offices, must have been submitted by 15 January 2016. Although the Official PHHRA Elections are not until June 2016, all of the current officers are running unopposed.

Due to some serious health issues, I am no longer able to work. I am now on Social Security. Over the past couple of years, my health has continued to deteriorate. The R.A., A.S., & Spondylosis is progressing faster than expected. I am now only able to walk very short distances of about 10 - 20 feet, with the use of a multi-leg cane or forearm crutch. For longer distances, I must use a wheelchair. I've had to get an electric wheelchair & a regular wheelchair, for those places where an electric wheelchair cannot be used. We also had to get a van. It is due to the fact that I no longer work, that I can donate some of my time to ham radio. Yet, there is very few absolute obligations to fulfill, as there is with a job. If I am having a bad health day, I can, almost always, put off anything that I had planned for that day.

In August 2015, as a result of receiving my Social Security back-pay, I finally had the funds to join the QCWA as a Life Member and after 27 years of ARRL Full Membership, I became an ARRL Life Member. I have also been a 10-10 Life Member for over 20 years.

I am looking forward to getting my base and mobile stations back on the air. I miss getting on some of the nets, just rag chewing, and even participating in some of the contests.

I have enjoyed ham radio for more than half of my life and I am sure that I will continue to enjoy ham radio for so long as I am physically able to be on the air.

73 & (99 = God Bless)

Jim Aho / KBØCIR
QCWA LIFE MEMBER
ARRL LIFE MEMBER
10-10 International Net Inc. LIFE MEMBER
ARRL & W5YI VE
ARRL Registered Instructor
PHHRA / KØPHH LIFE MEMBER, President, CEO, Station Trustee, Treasurer

March 25, 2016