JULIE patterson KG7LZZ She met her future husband, business partner, and Elmer at a conference about underage drinking. She was attending workshops; he was moderating a discussion on underage drinking. She was a program manager for the Montana Board of Crime Control. He worked for the Pacific Institute of Research and Evaluation, providing training and technical assistance for several states that had received the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws block grant. She lived in Helena,Montana. He lived in North Carolina, but Montana was in his assigned territory. The first time he came to her office, she thought he was pleasant and knowledgeable. Just a few short months later, he swapped Montana for Wyoming, and Julie had a new technical assistance provider. But she still called Bill first. His knowledge, experience, and relaxed manner gave her more confidence in him than in any other provider PIRE could send.
One April night, while driving from Helena to Havre on business, she watched the full moon rise over the prairie, and thought, “Bill would really like this.” When her business trip concluded, she emailed him and suggested that they have coffee in August at his next leadership conference in Dallas. The coffee date turned into a dinner date at a quaint Italian family restaurant. Over a glass of wine and eggplant parmigiana they fell in love. Long distance dating had its challenges but both were ready to adapt. When Bill NC7MT discovered that Julie liked cycling, he went right out and bought a bike and all the gear. Together they have biked the Hiawatha Trail and are planning more cycling excursions in the future. When Julie saw how much ham radio meant to Bill, she started studying for her license. When Bill came to Montana for a vacation, she invited him to go the library with her (without an explanation) and sat him down to wait patiently while she took her Technician exam. Bill proposed marriage on their way to Elkhorn to work the Elkhorn Endurance Run in 2015. They were married in 2016. In addition to being Bill’s wife and the mother of three amazing young adults, she also left state government work and started a grant writing business with Bill. It was an excellent decision because she has the flexibility to work wherever she is, whether they are at home in Montana or in North Carolina for a doctor appointment. She and Bill purchased DMR radios so that they can stay in touch with club members no matter where they are! Although she has been a ham only a few short years, she has earned the Technician and General licenses and is studying CW. The Amateur Extra is in her sights, as well. She and Bill are active in MARS, or the Military Auxiliary Radio System. Julie has the MARS license and call sign and operates on the special MARS frequencies. Julie has also provided significant support for amateur radio as an ARES net control operator. She participates in many Club activities such as the Governor’s Cup Race, Field Day, Elkhorn Endurance Run, and the Glacier-Waterton Hamfest. She is the newsletter editor, reviving a position that had been unfilled for some time. In 2017 she was selected as CCARC’s Ham of the Year and proudly displays the plaque above her desk. Her favorite radio activity is providing support to the Governor’s Cup and Elkhorn Endurance Run. It’s a great reminder that ham radio is a fun hobby with a serious purpose. Text and photos by Julie KG7LZZ June 2019 |
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