The Quarter Century Wireless Association, Inc. has awarded James L. Laws, K0UWO, for his 65 year’s of service as a Licensed Radio Amateur.

 

    James started out as a Short Wave Listener in 1957, as a student in Jr. High School. Becoming very interested in the ham radio hobby, Jim took his FCC Ham Radio Novice license exam, 5 wpm cw code exam, and was awarded his operator license with the call sign, KN0UWO, in Lincoln, Nebraska on June 1959 .

    Before his 1st year Novice license expired, Jim and his brother, Jerry A. Laws, KN0UWP both drove to the FCC Field Office in Omaha, NE both tested for their FCC Amateur Radio General Class 13 wpm code and theory exam’s.

 

     In May 1960, both passed their exam’s and were awarded K0UWO for Jim, and K0UWP for his brother, Jerry.

 

     January 1963 Jim enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, and after basic training he received his first base assignment to Wheelus Air Base, Tripoli, Libyia, North Africa.  Jim obtained his Libyian Amateur Radio operator’s license, and operated under the call sign as 5A1TF. from his 2nd story barracks room from May 1963 until December 1964 operating on SSB and CW with a 90 watt transceiver to a High Gain 40m – 10m vertical antenna on to of 3 story barracks on block of the Mediterania Sea coast of Libyia, North Africa.

Jim and Jim

President James Moore, KC3BTV (left), James Laws K0UWO (right) with his Quarter Century Wireless Association, Inc.award

  Jim operated from many military assignment location’s he was stationed at, such as; Travis AFB, CA as K0UWO/Mobile 6.

 

   He then served a one year tour in Saigon, South Vietnam. 

 
   Jim operated as K0UWO/portable 4 in Charleston, AFB, S.C. 
 
   Family life caught up with him as he took a nine year hiatus while stationed at Andrews AFB, MD with Air Force One, marriage, and the birth of his two  children. They were born while at Andrews AFB with two moves off & on from off-base to on-base housing.  
 
   In 1974 left Andrews AFB to a change in assignment to Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage, Alaska operating as K0UWO/portable KL7 until he arrived at his last Air Force assignment at the Dover AFB, Dover, DE on July 4th of 1979.    
 
   His call sign as K0UWO had expired between June & July 1979 while moving from Alaska to Delaware, so he retested  for Novice & General Class and received a call sign KA3MJM, and N3SKG. The FCC came out with the 1st round of Vanity Call Sign program for so who held an original FCC call sign. Jim  immediately made application to FCC Vanity Call Sign program to reapplied for his original call sign as K0UWO.
 
   He has been an active member of the Kent County Amateur Radio Club of Dover, DE since January 1982. Jim has held club officer position’s such as; Club Vice President, President in the 1990’s, and as an assistant to KCARC Club Treasurer with his wife, Sandra KA3PJP, for 10 year’s from 2008 thru 2018.
 
Jim will be turning 81 year’s old soon, and it has been a long journey from being  a 15 yr old  Short Wave Radio Listener, a 24 yr U.S. Air Force active duty,  retired as a U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. and now as a civilian living here in Dover, and Milford, Delaware.

Jim with the KCARC Board

Back row: Secretary, Tim KC3OO, Vice President, Hunter W3CZ, President, Jim KC3BTV, Treasurer, Tom N3ARX, Jim K0UWO front and center