The Radio Club of America and IWCE are pleased to announce the 2026 slate of Young Professionals. The Young Professionals program celebrates industry professionals 40 years old and younger who have a minimum two years experience in wireless communications. This program offers a unique opportunity to bring together our Young Professionals with senior executives, industry innovators, and distinguished guests from all areas of the wireless industries. This year’s Young Professionals will be feted at a breakfast in their honor during the 2026 IWCE Expo on March 19.

2026 Young Professionals

Precious Fodor

Precious Fodor was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Cornell University, where she also commissioned as a U.S. Navy Officer through the NROTC Program, building on a passion for science and technology that began on a FIRST Robotics team at Staten Island Technical High School. She has held multiple leadership roles during overseas deployments as a U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer, leading more than 105 electricians, and engineers in the maintenance and operation of ship-wide communications, radar, and electrical power systems and overseeing 200 Sailors responsible for quality assurance, repair management, navigation, and administrative program. Precious continues to proudly serve in the U.S. Navy Reserves.

Currently, Precious serves as the National Service Manager at Eastern Communications Ltd., overseeing a nationwide network of 15 service centers and 80 technicians supporting mission-critical Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems for public safety and government agencies. She is deeply passionate about the engineering and communications industry and its role in protecting and connecting communities, serves on the Radio Club of America Executive Committee as Secretary, and has been actively involved with organizations including the FIRST Robotics Alumni Association, Society of Women Engineers (SWE), the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and New York Veterans Associations, where she mentors

students, supports women in engineering and military careers, and strengthens veteran communities.

Andy Huynh

Andy Huynh is a Telecommunications Systems Engineer in the Interoperable Radio Systems Division of the County of Los Angeles Internal Services Department (ISD). He brings extensive experience in wireless and systems engineering, beginning as a Broadcast Engineer for AM/FM radio at iHeartMedia Los Angeles and later as an RF Engineer at Notora (now Centerline Communications), specializing in Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS). Andy transitioned to public service as a Radio Technician at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Network Operations Center before managing projects for low-voltage and Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems. In his current role on the Spectrum Management Team, he focuses on interference mitigation and supports mission-critical public safety communications. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology from Cal Poly Pomona and is a licensed amateur radio operator (KA6NDY).

Max Johnson

Max Johnson is an Electrical Engineer at Dark Wolf Ventures, a Colorado-based firm specializing in advanced radio and satellite communications systems for military, national security, law enforcement, and first-responder missions. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines with an emphasis in Information and Systems Sciences. At Dark Wolf Ventures, Max works with multidisciplinary engineering teams to design, integrate, and validate communication-centric electronic systems. His core responsibilities include schematic capture, PCB design and layout, and embedded firmware development. He develops robust hardware and low-level software that operates reliably in demanding RF and satellite communications environments, ensuring seamless interaction between complex electronic subsystems.

Sean Martin

Sean is a sales professional in the Aerospace and Defense Industry; joining VIAVI Solutions, Inc in 2023. Sean solves customer test & measurement challenges with solutions in the RF, LMR, Avionics, Fiber & Ethernet markets within Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. He is an Ohio University College of Business Graduate with a BBA in Management Information Systems and Certificate in Strategic/Technical Selling. Sean also earned a Post-graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning from Purdue University.

Chris Vargas

I have spent the last ten years working in sales, beginning in retail clothing, then transitioning into consumer electronics, and eventually moving into inside sales. Throughout that journey, I’ve grown not only as a salesperson, but also in how deeply I value the products I represent and the people I work with. I’ve been with Icom for about a year and a half now. Before joining the company, I had little to no experience in radio communications. One thing I take great pride in, however, is fully immersing myself in the products I represent. I believe that if you are going to stand

behind a product, you should truly understand it—inside and out. Over time, I’ve gone from knowing virtually nothing about radio communications to being able to confidently discuss and recommend communication solutions that best fit the needs of customers looking to upgrade or implement new systems. While I feel proud of what I’ve accomplished so far, I also recognize that my time in this industry is only just beginning. The more I learn, the more fascinated I become with communication technology, and I’m excited for the growth and opportunities that lie ahead. Although I’m not physically at IWCE this year to receive this award, I’m incredibly grateful to have been selected as a recipient of the IWCE/RCA Young Professional Award.

About RCA
Founded in 1909, the Radio Club of America is the oldest, most prestigious group of wireless communications professionals in the world. Members are dedicated to the wireless art and science for the betterment of society. The Radio Club of America is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit www.radioclubofamerica.org.

About IWCE
International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE) 2026 is the definitive critical communications event, uniting the complete ecosystem—from 911 centers to enterprise security—to accelerate mission-critical technology deployments.

Source: Radio Club of America

The following is an announcement from DXtra:

Here at DXtra we have developed a new free to use radio portal with a variety of frequency databases and visualization tools. We have computed Longley-Rice coverage maps for the entire US, Canada, UK and European fleets of FM stations (~50,000 stations). Also we have computed VOACAP coverage maps for most of the world's HF (shortwave circuits).

In addition we have a dedicated Reverse Beacon Network page at https://dxtra.com/sw/beacons

Source: DXtra

The following is a press release from the Hamvention Awards Committee:

The 2026 Awards team is pleased to announce the Hamvention Award Winners. It is always difficult to make our final decisions as we receive many excellent nominations. Please join us in congratulating these very deserving winners.

Michael Kalter
W8CI Award Chairman 2026

Technical Achievement Award Robert Famiglio K3RF

Robert B. “Bob” Famiglio, K3RF, has spent almost 60 years in amateur radio, blending technical expertise, legal knowledge, and leadership in emergency communications. Licensed at 13, Bob earned a BSE in electrical engineering and a doctorate in law, now admitted to practice in several states and before federal courts and agencies while working in the technology sector. For more than 40 years he has served as Volunteer Counsel, advising hams on PRB 1 matters, zoning, and antenna ordinances, RFI enforcement, and club governance; his technical understanding of station engineering and interference resolution has informed effective legal strategies and regulatory comments.

Elected to ARRL leadership for multiple terms (EPA Section Manager, Atlantic Division Vice Director, and later Director), he championed member rights, transparency, and representative governance. Previously, Bob served several terms as Vice President & General Counsel of the Radio Club of America and functioned as corporate counsel for the board.

In emergency communications he served as ARES District Emergency Coordinator for Greater Philadelphia, supporting regional response agencies applying technical expertise, message handling, and interoperability between amateur and public safety systems; his formal training as a professional firefighter enhances his ability to align ham radio technology with operational needs of served agencies.

A long-time mentor, Bob supports on-air training nets and club programs stressing technical competence, regulatory literacy, and readiness for public service. He believes that amateur radio’s core value lies in the skills, service, and technical capability of operators, not merely spectrum access, and he has worked to translate complex technical issues—spectrum coexistence, interference mitigation, and regulatory compliance—into clear, actionable recommendations for policymakers. Bob’s blend of engineering, legal acumen, and emergency response experience has encouraged continuous training, lowered barriers to participation, and inspired new generations of ham radio operators.

Amateur of the Year Award Dr. Jose “Otis” Vicens NP4G

First licensed at the age of sixteen, Otis, known to friends and fellow operators on the air as NP4G, developed a passion for amateur radio. Born and raised in Humacao, Puerto Rico, he is the only amateur radio operator in his family.

Otis later moved to the United States to study Biology at Purdue University, where he became active with the W9YB Amateur Radio Club. One of his early memories of service through amateur radio was in 1998, when he helped provide communications support in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Georges. In Puerto Rico he graduated from the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine. He then completed a specialty program in Pediatric Dentistry at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. In 2008, Otis returned to his hometown of Humacao to begin practicing orthodontics.

Early in his ham career Otis attended the DX Forum at Dayton Hamvention, where presentations on major DXpeditions inspired him to someday be a part of future adventures. He has now participated in many DXpeditions from all over the world including the very rare Bouvet Island (3Y).

Otis is very active in Puerto Rico ham radio. He is Past President of the Puerto Rico Amateur Radio League (PRARL) in 2012 and during the 2017 Puerto Rico hurricane disasters NP4G helped coordinate amateur radio emergency communications across eastern Puerto Rico following Hurricane Georges.

NP4G is now President of the International DX Association (INDEXA) and most recently was part of the all KP4 team to activate the very rare Desecheo Island with amazing technology as KP5/NP3VI.

Special Achievement Award Martha Fell N3QBE and Joe Fell W3GMS

Martha and Joe Fell’s journey began in 1966 when Joe earned his Novice license (WN3GMS) at the age of fourteen. Shortly thereafter, he met Harry I. Davis, W3FDY (SK), who mentored him for four years. Harry taught him to think critically, design circuits, and execute projects with precision. His guidance was life-changing, and Joe pledged to honor his request to give back to others just as Harry had done for him.

To fulfill this promise, Joe chose to retire at age 56, following a 34-year corporate career and the successful launch of his own company. The success of this mission is thanks to his wife, Martha, whose dedication to overseeing administration and logistics has greatly benefited their students.

Their program’s reach has grown significantly over the decades. In 1976, Joe designed and built a repeater for his mentor’s radio site which remains operational 50 years later, serving a group of approximately eighty-five operators. Their weekly technical net has become a primary resource for both new and seasoned amateurs, including many professional electrical engineers.

Today, they mentor students of all ages and interests. While their first student is currently pursuing a PhD in Electrical Engineering at MIT, their youngest started at just eight years old.

Club of the Year Long Island CW Club

Long Island CW Club (LICW) is an online Morse code training community built to help everyday hams become confident and proficient CW operators. We combine high standards with a welcoming culture: we teach real operating skills, we treat people with respect, and we keep learning for fun. LICW offers structured classes from beginner through advanced, a wide range of topical forums, and practice resources that help students move from “copying characters” to true conversational flow.  Our instructors are volunteers who remember what it felt like to be new, and who coach students through plateaus with clear, effective teaching methods, encouragement, and accountability. LICW is also proud to be a diverse community, with strong participation and leadership across generations - including more than four hundred women who serve as instructors and club leaders - along with programs that support youth and hams with disabilities. LICW is a community - people who show up for each other, celebrate progress, and share the joy of CW on the air.

Source: Hamvention