Pacific County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES) Volunteer Honored

South Bend, Washington - Pacific County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES) volunteer, Frank Wolfe, was honored at the 2009 Governor's Volunteer Service Awards Ceremony at the Executive Mansion in Olympia on April 20, 2009.  Frank has been the RACES training officer since 2008 and has successfully trained over 60 amateur radio operators in Pacific County. 

In addition to volunteering with RACES, Frank is the owner/operator of BeachNet, the infrastructure supporting an amateur radio communications network that serves Pacific, and Grays Harbor Counties and areas of Thurston, Wahkiakum, and Lewis Counties.  Frank spends many hours of his personal time managing and maintaining the network, which is available for emergency communications to governments, agencies, and individuals in all areas the network serves.  Frank has expended his own time and funds to build this network, coordinating with various owners of radio sites, including government and private radio site owners.

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Frank began this effort in 2000, and continues to build out the network in 2009 reaching further and providing additional coverage areas.  Frank has also developed a website that provides information in regard to the BeachNet radio network www.qsl.net/nm7r.

Frank continually makes trips to the mountain tops to install, service, and maintain equipment, in all areas of southwest Washington.  He does so entirely on a volunteer basis, in his own vehicle, and at his own expense.  Frank volunteered a total of 446 hours and drove in excess of 6,300 miles in support of emergency communications in 2008 on behalf of Pacific County.  He has worked hard to serve the citizens of Pacific County and southwest Washington and is deserving of recognition of his efforts.