FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NEW ENGLAND AND SECTION HAM OF THE YEAR NOMINEES ANNOUNCED
July 23, 2025—The ARRL New England Division is pleased to announce the results of the 2025 Ham of the Year Awards. The nominating committee and judges consisted of Section Managers:
• Douglas Sharafanowich, WA1SFH, Connecticut
• Jon McCombie, N1ILZ, Eastern Massachusetts
• Phil Duggan, N1EP, Maine
• Pete Stohrer, W1FEA, New Hampshire
• Nancy Austin, KC1NEK, Rhode Island
• Paul Gayet, AA1SU, Vermont
• Ray Lajoie, AA1SE, Western Massachusetts
New England Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI, and Vice Director Phil Temples, K9HI, participated as non-voting members.
The judges considered one nominee from each New England ARRL Section. Criteria included, but were not limited to, achievements in the areas of:
• Club leadership
• Ham class instruction / volunteer exams
• Emergency Communications / ARES
• Technical accomplishments
• Youth activities
In the Vermont Section, Alden Jones, KC1JWR was nominated for this prestigious honor.
For the 2025 New England Ham of the Year, I would like to nominate Alden Jones, KC1JWR.
As a past club president of the Southern Vermont Amateur Radio Club (SOVARC), Alden was very active with club activities. These included a meeting where he taught members to build their own fox hunting antenna.
He bought the supplies ahead of time, and only charged a small fee for the needed parts to the members.
He then organized various fox hunts for the club. He has also led the club to do POTA activations during the summer months.
Alden is very active in both ARES and RACES, serving as an Emergency Coordinator, Digital Officer, and DMR Officer.
When inclement weather is upon us, Alden gathers the troops in local Nets to monitor for any emergencies.
In the past, Alden organized the ARES/RACES digital Nets, utilizing MK63-2KL and THOR22 on both 80 Meters and UHF linked repeaters.
Although no longer the club president, Alden held the club together during the difficult time when COVID was upon us.
He kept members updated with news via emails, and made sure that the club newsletter was distributed to everyone. He even organized the holiday party when it was safe for everyone to get together again.
It is for these reasons and probably more that I can’t think of, I nominate Alden Jones KC1JWR to be “New England Ham of the Year”! For his service to Amateur Radio in Vermont, Alden Jones, KC1JWR has earned the honor of the Vermont Section Ham of the Year.
The New England Ham of the Year awardee will be announced in the near fu ture. This individual, along with the Vermont Section Ham of the Year, will be acknowledged at the New England Division (“HamX”) in Marlborough, Massachusetts, in late August.
For additional information, contact Paul N. Gayet ARRL Vermont Section Manager.
AA1SU@arrl.net (802) 734-7500
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ARRL Vermont Section
Section Manager: Paul N Gayet, AA1SU
aa1su@arrl.org
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