Kilowatt Represents!
The Kilowatt Amateur Radio Club gathered for its annual Christmas Party with a wonderful turnout, great food, and an evening filled with fun, fellowship, and friendly competition. This year’s celebration proved to be one of our most memorable yet.
⭐ Business Meeting Highlights
During the brief business section of the evening, the club addressed an important board vacancy. Gary, KF0NXN, was officially appointed Treasurer, filling the unfinished term that runs through 2026. We are grateful for Gary’s willingness to step into this role, and the board looks forward to working closely with him.
Club President Tim Ryder, K0KWC, shared several announcements reflecting the club’s successes over the past year as well as exciting plans for the year ahead. His remarks highlighted the continued growth, activity, and community presence of Kilowatt Amateur Radio Club.
One of the evening’s biggest moments came when Tim presented the Ham of the Year Award. This year’s recipient—our 4th annual honoree—was Gary, KF0NXN, recognized for his outstanding dedication and achievement in amateur radio. Congratulations, Gary!
🗳 2025–2027 Officer Elections
This year’s elections were conducted electronically via HamClubOnline, making participation easy and efficient. Two positions were up for a two-year term:
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President
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Secretary
The voting members delivered a unanimous decision for both roles:
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President: Tim Ryder, N5STR
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Secretary: Peggy Bryant, AE0XD
Congratulations to both! The board is enthusiastic about the year ahead and eager to work with our continuing and incoming leadership.
After elections, the meeting was adjourned and the festivities began!
🍽 Potluck Dinner & Mini-Tower Build Contest
Following the business session, everyone enjoyed a delicious potluck dinner—always a highlight of our holiday gathering.
But the real entertainment of the evening came from our first-ever Mini-Tower Build Contest. Each two-person team received identical materials:
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One bag of dry spaghetti
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One bag of marshmallows
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One roll of tape
The goal: Build the tallest free-standing tower capable of standing for at least 10 seconds.
Competition was fierce, with teams engineering everything from solid structures to some truly spectacular collapses! In the end, the clear winners were:
🏆 Gary Troth and his wife, Anita
Their impressive 39-inch tower stood tall—beating second place by a full 10 inches. A fantastic accomplishment!
As the winning team, Gary and Anita earned first pick in the “Bring One, Get One” gift exchange, adding even more fun to their victory.
🎁 A Night of Friendship and Holiday Spirit
While the towers rose and fell, the real highlight of the evening was the camaraderie, laughter, and warmth shared by everyone in attendance. The combination of fellowship, food, creativity, and competition made this Christmas Party one of our finest ever.
Thank you to all who attended, contributed dishes, participated in the contest, and helped make the event an unforgettable celebration.
From all of us at the Kilowatt Amateur Radio Club—Merry Christmas, and 73!
Gary, KF0NXN, with winning tower!
Not all builds went so well.
1st place tower at 39″.
Major construction under way!
Building the base of their tower.
2nd place tower at 29″.
Nice try but Jim kept eating the marsh mellows.
The tower build begins.
He had High Hopes!
LtoR: Tim, N5STR, awards Ham of the Year to Gary, KF0NXN.
Hey, tower building makes you hungry and the champion digs in!
Great turnout.
Robert discusses the finer points of Hamdom with Tim.
Friend discuss friend things.
Pot luck was fantastic this year!
Fun had by all!
Awaiting the meeting.
Tim, N5STR, Kilowatt Club President!
Author: Chris Hunt
VE Team Lead - Facebook Manager - Webmaster - Club Vice-President
