WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #20-61
RANDY PAYNE K4EZM IS THE 2020 WHITE AWARD RECIPIENT
Randy Payne K4EZM, of Sebring, has been named the 2020 White Award recipient. The White Award, established in 2016 in honor of Ellen White W1YL, is to name the amateur radio operator who has made the greatest contribution to amateur radio in the ARRL West Central Florida Section.
Payne was first licensed in 1957 as KN4KTI, later upgrading to a Conditional Technician with the call of K4KTI, which he allowed to expire while in college. After Payne graduated from college in 1965, he passed his Advanced class license earning his current callsign of K4EZM. While living in Homestead in the mid 1960’s Payne participated in the local RACES/CD (Civil Defense) group, developing the main area of his interest in Amateur Radio: emergency communications. That interest led to his enrollment in ARES around 2002 in Highlands County. In March of 2005 Payne was appointed as the ARRL Emergency Coordinator for Highlands County ARES. In 2015, Payne was appointed as an Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator by Ben Henley KI4IGX, and as an Assistant Section Manager by Darrell Davis KT4WX.
Payne enjoys building antennas, small pieces of equipment including Morse code keys, and dreams of constructing an HF transceiver. Payne is also a Drake Radio equipment enthusiast which includes owning two Drake TR-7s and several Drake tube receivers and transmitters, all of which need some restoration.
Payne in his professional career was a school teacher, a church pastor and assistant pastor in several churches, and as an adjunct professor and Reference Desk Assistant at South Florida State College, from which he retired in 2012. Payne earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Stetson University in 1965, a Master of Arts degree in Theological Studies at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1975, a PhD in Church History in 1981, and a Master of Library Science degree from University of South Florida.
The ARRL West Central Florida Section congratulates Randy Payne K4EZM on being named the 2020 White Award Recipient. The 2020 White Award was presented at the ARRL forum during the Tampa Bay Hamfest on Saturday December 12, 2020. Payne will also receive a one year ARRL membership compliments of the West Central Florida Group, who operate the NI4CE Repeater System for the being the recipient of the 2020 White Award.
For all the details and history of the White Award you may go to http://arrlwcf.org/wcf-special-events/white-award/