K9JPS Named Recipient of the WVRA's Excellence in Amateur Radio Award for 2004
posted 28 March 2004

Lewis L. Sheerar K9JPS was awarded the second annual Excellence in Amateur Radio award for 2004 by the Wisconsin Valley Radio Association. The award was presented at the WVRA's EAR Banquent, held Saturday evening, March 27th, at the American Legion Clubhouse in Wausau. Previously called the Ham of the Year Award, this is the first time the award has been made under its current name. The recipient was chosen from among three nominees by ballot of the WVRA general membership.

Lew was born Feb 12, 1916, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He graduated Omro High School in 1934, and the University of Wisconsin Madison in 1938 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He began 63 years of marriage to Marie in 1940. Lew found employment at the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company in Wausau in 1941.

During World War II he was granted a leave of absence, during which he attended the Naval Officers Training Center, in Norfolk Virginia. He graduated in 1944 and was commissioned as a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the United States Naval Reserve. He served with the 111th Construction Battalion (Seabee) from March 1944 to April 1946, participating in the Normandy invasion and was subsequently awarded the Purple Heart.

After the war he returned to Wisconsin Valley Improvement where he rose to the positions of Corporation Secretary, Assistant Treasurer, and Vice President of Operations. He retired in 1981.

During his career he authored several professional papers. Lew taught courses in surveying, drafting, and geometry at NCTI and UWMC in Wausau. He was a member of the Wisconsin Society of Professional Engineers from 1940 to 1960, and the Golden Kiwanis Club from1983 to present.

Lew was first licensed as an Amateur Radio operator in 1957. He has been a continuous member of the ARRL and WVRA since that time, and an "Elmer" to many local Hams. He scratch built his first radio, an 80 meter CW transmitter. His first QSL card was a "yellow card" from an Official Observer in Green Bay who said his second harmonic was louder than his fundamental.

On April 15,1972, Lew gathered 15 area Hams in basement to discuss the practicability of erecting a two meter repeater in a new facet of the hobby called VHF FM. The result was the charter meeting of the Rib Mountain Repeater Association. For this reason, many consider him to hold the unofficial title of "The Father of the RMRA". He was a Charter Member of RMRA and served 3 terms as its Secretary. He is a member Tomahawk Repeater Association.

In the late 1960¹s when the Amateur community was requested to assist with a cattle rustling problem, he served a two year duty on the Marathon County Sheriff¹s Surveillance Patrol.

He has been a constant fixture of the Badger Weather Net since the early 1970¹s, where he now serves as the regular Wednesday net control, and the pick-up station liaison to the National Weather Service office at Sullivan, Wisconsin. Active in the local ARES, he has been and continues to be a regular participant in the Marathon County Severe Weather Net.

Lew holds the coveted Worked All States and Worked All Continents awards. He is active in the local chapter of the QCWA. He was a pioneer in HF mobile work, often assisting county hunters by providing multiple county contacts as he drove cross-country. He recalls during one trip through Kentucky in the 1950's, he helped one hunter by confirming contacts in eight counties.