N5VL Jimmy L. 'Jim' Wilken Corpus Christi, TX QCWA # 37467 Chapter 38 XYL Racehel K5RWW

"Jimmy Louis" Wilken
Jim has been in the music business since 1965. He has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who in Entertainment and is a member of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame. He was a top radio personality in every market in which he has worked,  with over 35 years in broadcasting, he was an air personality, music director, new director or manager of top stations.

He was an instructor at the Columbia School of Broadcasting and taught adult photography classes for Aransas County ISD. Jim is an award-winning Accredited Professional Photographer and has won three "Addy Awards" for his work on radio commercials. Among his accolades are the Associated Press' Mark Twain Award, Corpus Christi Press Club's Best Radio News and AP Best On the Scene Report. Jim has been involved in recording sessions in Nashville, Dallas, and Corpus Christi and has produced over a dozen records that reached the national charts as high as number two.

He is certified by the National Association of Radio and TV Engineers and Microsoft. As an engineer, Jim has designed many LP television stations across the country.  He has produced over 30 major concerts including Alabama, Willie Nelson, Charley Pride, Sylvia, Ronnie Milsap and many others. Jim comes from a long line of musicians, including his grandfather who at one time played with John Phillip Sousa's band.

Amateur Radio Station N5VL
Jim started his "ham" radio career as a novice class operator in 1962 with the call letters WN5HNZ when he was 13 years-old. Moving on to other intrests he let his license lapse and was relicensed as a technician class with the call N5AXZ and immediately upgraded to "Advanced." In 2007, Jim moved up to the top class "Amateur Extra" and obtained the call N5VL. Jim also holds a commercial FCC license and has been in broadcasting, as a DJ, general manager, chief radio engineer and Television design engineer since 1965.

"I had piddled with CB radio when i was 11 and got the bug. Radio has been my hobby and profession ever since." Being raised in the fire house in Nacogdoches, Jim has always been interested in emergency communications. He joined the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service in the mid 80's and has been the Texas RACES District 31 Radio Officer for 20 years.

July 18, 2017