I was first licensed on Aug. 7, 1991, as a No-Code Technician, with the callsign of N5VLZ. I had gotten into the amateur radio hobby to help with Skywarn Severe Weather operations in central Arkansas. I've been under two tornadic funnel clouds, within a half mile of an EF4 rain wrapped tornado, been in swirling floodwaters, and have been indirectly struck by lightning twice. However, I carry no electrical charge, and can be handled safely (hi hi). I can't watch weather videos anymore, as they give me nightmares.

  Nearly 3 months after the FCC dropped the Morse Code requirement...on July 15, 2007, I signed up with HamTestOnline. I upgraded to General on July 29, 2007...then to Amateur Extra on Aug. 11, 2007...it was the best money that I had ever spent in amateur radio...going from Technician to Amateur Extra in under one month!!

  Shortly thereafter, I obtained my VE Accreditation with ARRL/VEC, and am currently a VE Team Liasion in central Arkansas. I administer VE Test sessions in the central Arkansas area...please contact me for dates, times, and locations. For these sessions, Pre-Registration Is Required... as the sessions are CANCELLED if there is a threat of either severe weather or winter weather in the area on exam day. I also help with other area VE Test sessions...as well as helping with VE Testing at selected Arkansas hamfests. When I travel, I try to be Amtrak Mobile from the Sleeping Car compartment, using Echolink with my laptop computer and aircard.

  On May 18, 2009...what would have been my 6th wedding anniversary, had my XYL not died of a heart attack 2 years and 3 weeks earlier...I applied for the vanity callsign AE5WX, and received it on June 5, 2009. The rainbow on the QSL card goes with the verses from the 9th chapter of the Old Testament Bible Book of Genesis, verses 12 through 16...where The Lord tells Noah that "the rainbow in the clouds would be His Convenant...that He would never again destroy the Earth by Water"...the next time, it will be by Fire.

  My main interests are VE Testing, Packet (using the OutPost packet program), PSK31, Talk-In with area Hamfests, and Nets...both RF and VoIP. I hope to soon add APRS capability with my soundcard and computer...as well as Echolink capability into the N5AT repeater of the Arkansas Radio Emergency Services *ARES) Club, in Little Rock, Arkansas.

  I am webmaster for the Arkansas Radio Emergency Services (ARES) Club, in Little Rock, Arkansas...and for the Cabot Nightflyers Net, in Cabot, Arkansas. I am also a member of the Portage County Amateur Radio Service (PCARS) Club in Ohio...and am Net Control for both the Arkansas Radio Emergency Services (ARES) Club, in Little Rock, Arkansas...and for the Cabot Area Simplex Group in Cabot, Arkansas...please contact me for the URLs for these amateur radio groups.

  Unfortunately, the apartment complex where I live does NOT allow outside antennas...and lightning dances around here like an ungrounded Faraday cage during thunderstorms. As a result,. I DON'T have an HF setup...and rarely operate HF, unless at a special event. And, if thunderstorms are in...or approaching the central Arkansas area, I won't be on the air...RF, VoIP, or otherwise.

  After doing a large amount of amateur radio traffic nets almost ever since I was first licensed in 1991, burnout is setting in. As a result, I no longer run, or check into as many nets as I did at one time...please email me for a list of these nets. Take note that last minute issues (health, weather, etc.) may preclude me from running, or checking into the nets.

  Plus, I have other hobbies, including an amateur radio and weather oriented computer bulletin board system (BBS)...The Thunderbolt BBS. However, it's temporarily down, due to a software upgrade, but it'll be back online as soon as possible, under GT Power BBS software...for both dial-up and telnet access.

  I have a page of Echolink and CQ100 Nets (http://tinyurl.com/cl439r)...times are listed in both UTC and USA Eastern Time...thanks to the folks at The Six Meter Millenium Net for suggesting that page. Note that I can NOT verify every net on that page...so, some nets listed may no longer be operational.

  I can be reached via packet at AE5WX@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA -- on the N0KFQ Packet BBS in Branson, Missouri...and I use the OutPost Packet Message Program. I am also available via Echolink, via the AE5WX single user node 51800 -- if my node is not up, please try again later. With numerous health issues that I have, I kindly ask for your patience on a reply.

73,

Daryl, AE5WX