Bob Vallio, W6RGG - Bob was the elected Section Communications Manager and Section Manager of the ARRL East Bay Section from 1978 to 2000, and Vice Director of the ARRL Pacific Division from 2000 to 2003. When his friend of over 40 years, Director Jim Maxwell, W6CUF, unexpectedly passed away in 2003, Bob took over as Director and has served continuously in that position since then.
Bob has served on every standing committee of the ARRL Board of Directors, most recently being elected by his fellow Directors to the Executive Committee.
During all of those years of service to the ARRL, Bob has also been involved in Emergency Communications with Alameda County RACES (now known as the Alameda County Sheriff's Communications Team) since 1975. He has served for many years as Chief Radio Officer and currently holds the position of Chief Radio Officer, Emeritus.
First licensed as a Novice, WN6RGG, in July of 1952, he upgraded to General Class as W6RGG in 1953. Bob has held an Extra Class license since its inception in 1968, and is an accomplished DXer and contester. His DX and contest operations include FO0XX (Clipperton Island--twice!), XF4L (Revillagigedo), 6Y5BF (Jamaica), 5W1AZ (Western Samoa), KP2A (Virgin Islands), 4U0ITU (ITU HQ in Geneva), VP5VW (Turks & Caicos Islands), 5V7A (Togo) three times, HC8N (Galapagos Islands) four times, OJ0/W6RGG (Market Reef), OH0/W6RGG (Aland Islands), and BS7H (Scarborough Reef), in 1997 and 2007.
He has also served in various capacities on the Yasme Foundation Board of Directors, was a member of the very first ARRL DX Advisory Committee, and is a long-time member and past president of the Northern California DX Club and the Northern California Contest Club.
Bob first made Top of the DXCC Honor Roll in 1982 and still holds that ranking. He has twice been named NCDXC DXer of the Year, and was elected to the CQ DX Hall of Fame in May of 1997.
Jim Tiemstra-k6jat Pacific Division Vice-Director
Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT, has served as the Vice Director of the ARRL’s Pacific Division for the past four years, and has served on both of the Board’s standing Committees as well as various sub-committees.
An Amateur Extra class licensee and ARRL Life Member, Jim was first licensed in 1970 as WN9ELU. Since then, he has also held the callsigns: WB9ELU, N6OIK, V26JAT and 3D2TJ.
Jim's favorite Ham Radio pastimes are contesting, DXing, and DXpeditions. He has operated as PJ2/K6JAT and KH6/K6JAT, and from V26DX. However, he also has long been involved in the public service aspects of the hobby.
He worked with Oakland, California hams and City officials to gain RACES recognition and was instrumental in forging a formal Letter of Understanding (LOU). In addition, he assisted Oakland ARES/RACES in successfully championing a proposal to use post-firestorm, bond Measure I funds to acquire and install amateur radio equipment in the City's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and each of its 30 firestations dubbed the Emergency Communication Ham Operation (ECHO) system. Jim served as Oakland's RACES Radio Officer for over 14 years. Also, he formerly served as the Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) of the ARRL's East Bay Section.
In 1998, Jim acted as the incorporator of the Oakland Radio Communication Association (ORCA), an ARRL affiliated club, was a founding director and became its first president. Presently, he remains trustee of the club's callsign: WW6OR. In addition, Jim is a member of the Northern California Contest Club (NCCC), contributes to the Northern California DX Foundation and holds the 10-10 number 7686.
