Western Technical College

   When Randy Kuykendall, Board Chair and CEO of Western Technical College (WTC), asked Paul Wilson, a Communications Technology Instructor in the Electronic Engineering Technology (EET) Program at WTC, if he needed anything to help in the area of his teaching, Kuykendall surely wasn’t expecting Wilson’s playful reply. “I could use a hole in the wall,” said Wilson who really meant that he wanted to run cables into the building and put up an antenna to be able to operate on a radio frequency.   Wilson says Kuykendall graciously coordinated the professional installation, so now, Wilson and students could develop an amateur radio club.  Today, the installation is complete and the Amateur Radio Club has ten members and is already growing. Elected club officials include: President Antonio Ramirez, Vice President Joseph Rodriguez, Secretary Wilfredo Cordero, and Treasurer Ricky Roster.   

   Wilson earned his radio communication license just this past October, so he could sponsor the club by acting as the club’s trustee, but he has been a long time radio enthusiast and advocate in creating a club, along with Steve Boyce , another EET Program Instructor. “Having a club license allows us to provide students with the opportunity to use the equipment in a real life scenario in addition to the classroom instruction.  In class, students learn to test and connect equipment, but they couldn’t operate it without a license,” says Wilson.  The club’s license was obtained through an FCC application and examination process.

   Club President Antonio Ramirez says, “This club allows us to actually apply what we are learning; this is the hands on aspect of operating radio equipment.”   Joseph Rodriguez, the club’s Vice President, says, “It also allows us to meet new people over the airwaves. Just this morning Mr. Wilson was communicating with someone from the Westside of El Paso.” Wilson has spoken with individuals from around the world including, Japan, Argentina, and Korea, using his radio communication license.  

   Interested in joining this new club or would just like more information? Contact Paul Wilson by e-mail at pwilson@westerntech.edu or by phone (915)253-4952. Club meetings are tentatively scheduled on every first Friday of the month at 1 p.m.