Larry Vandewater N0BKB is the recipient of the Des Moines Radio Amateurs’ Association’s 2010 Winthrop Mager Award.

Vandewater, of Greenfield, is an Extra-class amateur radio operator that has a hand in many aspects of amateur radio in central Iowa, and was recently featured in an article about amateur radio in The Iowan, where he was accurately described as a “spark” in the radio community, for introducing new technology to the community and for elmering new hams.

He maintains various amateur radio repeaters in central Iowa, and was instrumental in bringing D-STAR digital voice to Des Moines, primarily as a hardware engineer for the repeater. He has also given several demonstrations on D-STAR digital voice around central Iowa. Other interests include APRS and amateur radio ballooning.

Aside from maintaining amateur radio repeaters, he is also the engineer for an FM broadcast radio station in Greenfield.

The self-described semi-retired farmer and aircraft pilot regularly participates in Polk County ARES events and Skywarn activations. He has also participated in amateur radio examinations as a Volunteer Examiner.

The award was presented by Wynell Mager-Kisner, the daughter of the late Rev. Winthrop Mager, for whom the award was named after, at the annual DMRAA Christmas Party on December 7 in Des Moines. The purpose of the Winthrop Mager Award is to perpetuate the memory of the Rev. Winthrop Mager W0MJH, and to stimulate the activity in all fields of amateur radio in the central Iowa area. Any radio operator with any class license who is a member of the Des Moines Radio Amateurs’ Association is eligible. Nominations are due by the end of the November meeting each year. Nominees are those amateur operators that have shown outstanding support for amateur radio, promotion of the amateur radio service and have done so with the utmost respect for the community and fellow operators.

Look for more information on the award and the DMRAA holiday events in the upcoming issue of the Static Sheet.