The 2025 Award winners have been announced.
Technical Achievement Award Dr, Kristina Collins, KD8OXT
Dr. Kristina Collins KD8OXT serves as the Chief Operations Scientist for the HamSCI Personal
Space Weather Station Network. In this role, she collaborates with citizen scientists to pinpoint
significant events, organize campaigns, and ensure PSWS data is validated and curated for
scientific purposes. As of now, listeners can hear her voice on WWV at 8 minutes past the hour
and WWVH at 48 minutes past the hour, where she introduces the test signal for the WWV/H
Scientific Modulation Working Group.
Dr. Collins has been instrumental in organizing numerous workshops through HamSCI and has
guided many undergraduate and graduate students in radio science projects, including
instrument deployments, eclipse campaigns, and data analysis. She is a dedicated member of
the Case Amateur Radio Club, W8EDU, working alongside her colleagues to integrate amateur
radio into university teaching and research.
At the Space Science Institute, Dr. Collins employs virtual reality and sonification in her research
to explore Geospace and other interdisciplinary scientific questions. Her primary research
interests lie in using open-source hardware and software to enhance participation and
accelerate progress in science and engineering.
Special Achievement Julio Ripoll WD4R
Julio Ripoll, WD4R, received his first amateur radio license in 1977. His fascination with
hurricanes began in childhood, sparked when Hurricane Betsy in 1965 damaged his
family's home in Miami, Florida, causing water to pour into his bedroom. In 1980, Dr.
Neal Frank, then Director of the National Hurricane Center (NHC), requested an
Amateur Radio station within the NHC to facilitate communication with the Caribbean
during hurricanes. Julio was chosen for this important task. WX4NHC handled its first
hurricane that year, and Julio's initial two-year assignment with the NHC has since
extended to 45 years, covering over 100 hurricanes.
In 2010, shortly after the Haiti Earthquake, Julio was tasked with setting up and
managing operations between the University of Miami (UM) Hospital in Florida and the
UM field hospital in Haiti. He swiftly coordinated with US and Haitian officials, organizing
a team of amateur radio operators from across the US to run HH2/WX4NHC in Haiti.
Beyond the field hospital, the team provided vital communication links to the US Navy
hospital ship Comfort, facilitating helicopter and speed-boat patient transfers that saved
many lives. Julio and his team's use of Amateur Radio in public service demonstrated
significant merit, earning high regard for Amateur Radio capabilities.
Club of the Year RV Radio Network (RVRN)
The RVRN roots date back over 40 years to a chapter of the Texas Good Sam Club, which
included a few Ham Radio Operators. These hams started a net that drew in other Good Sam
RVers from neighboring states, leading to gatherings at campgrounds where their fellow net
members lived. The net quickly outgrew the Texas chapter, gaining members nationwide, and
thus, the RV Radio Network (RVRN) was born. Today, RVRN boasts over 450 members.
From the very beginning, our club aimed to organize activities that not only expand knowledge
of ham radio and related technology but also allow us to enjoy RV travel and meet fellow hams
and RVers across the country.
They keep in touch virtually through various ham radio nets and meet in person whenever
possible. They have 10 different HF nets each week, along with a weekly international EchoLink
multi-mode net and a video net over the internet.
They hold two major rallies a year featuring educational forums and seminars, tours of RV radio
equipment, and antenna configurations. If there's an interesting industry nearby, they might
invite a guest speaker to share insights about their operations. And, of course, they enjoy the
social events and entertainment common to typical RV rallies.
Amateur of the Year Neil Rapp WB9VPG
Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, from Union, Kentucky, earned his Novice ticket in 1976 at the remarkable
age of 5, making him one of the youngest licensed amateur radio operators ever.
Currently a visiting professor of chemistry at Xavier University, Neil has a rich history in
education. He previously taught high school chemistry and sponsored the amateur radio club for
28 years at Evansville (IN) Harrison and Bloomington (IN) High School South. During his tenure,
he introduced over 3,600 students to amateur radio in STEM classrooms, and Bloomington
South consistently excelled in the high school division of School Club Roundup.
In 2019, Neil co-founded and became the camp director of Youth On The Air (YOTA) Americas,
which connects young amateurs with peers through activities that encourage their continued
involvement in amateur radio. YOTA groups organize peer-led activities, such as summer
camps, contesting opportunities, and special events, for licensed amateur radio operators under
the age of 26.
Neil's contributions to the amateur radio community extend further. He is a contributing editor of
the Next-Gen Contesters column in the National Contest Journal, a member of the ARISS USA
Education Committee, a reporter and anchor for Amateur Radio Newsline, and the founder and
former host of the Ham Talk Live! webcast.
