Photo by Roger Morgan

Dale Finley is a “Digital Ham,” regularly using DStar, DVMEGA, BlueStack, DMR, Fusion, BlueDV for Windows, DVSwitch, Allstar, Echolink, Winlink, Packet, Fldigi, SDR, Openwebrx.  I use  Linux Operating Systems on laptops and RASPBERRY Pi. I’ve been a ham operator for over 25 years. My memberships include: ARES/RACES, Red Cross Dallas, and ARRL North Texas ASEC.  

Since 2012, I helped spread ham radio enthusiasm to any Scout, staff and visitor at Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron, NM. Philmont radio contacts included Scouts at  the National Jamboree,  World Jamboree and Field Day.  This year my 501(c)(3) is supporting  a Philmont Scout Ranch Conference from July 10-16th. Thanks for any support you can contribute to this effort.

I am a former member of Richardson Wireless Club.

I have participated in a number of public service efforts including: ARES, RACES, Red Cross Dallas,  ARES/RACES,  ARRL North Texas Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator (ASEC) and a storm spotter .

I have worked in  a PC Computer Integrated Technology for over 40 years. I began at Texas Instruments operating a vacuum tube computer,  called DARC (Data Analysis Reduction Computer) doing earthquake and seismic data analysis. After six years at Texas Instruments, I became a co-owner of Finley Enterprises,  a business doing steel fabrication in Carrollton, TX (Dallas area).

I was a field applications engineer at the OEM disk drive manufacturers including:  Maxtor, Conner and Seagate. I provided support for Dell, Gateway, Compaq, and Tandy/Radio Shack customers for over 15 years.

I am a former member of the Texas Air National Guard and the Drum and Bugle Corps of Keesler Air Force Base. I served as a fireman for  Denton, TX.  I worked at FEMA  (Dept. of Homeland Security) doing disaster IT support, Denton, TX

To support our Ham Radio Scouting Outreach, we inherited a  501(c)(3), HamVentures, Inc., to  support am radio outreach to any group, club or organization. Please consider supporting us at: https://www.gofundme.com/ham-radio-outreach.   We appreciate any donations and NO DONATIONS go to the Boy Scouts of America.  We use these funds to buy equipment and literature to promote amateur radio to Scouts and to support other ham radio related events. 

Dale Finley, President of HamVentures, Inc. 214-244-2100

Demetrios “Demi” Pulas, Jr., K4BSA, was first licensed in 1965, in Mt. Vernon, New York, as a Novice Class Licensee WN2QKT.  Less than a year later, Demi earned his General Class Licensee as WB2QKT.  During his time in high school, Demi was an active member of the Mt. Vernon High School Amateur Radio Club.  Demi was also a member of the Hudson Amateur Radio Society.  While in High School Demi became an avid DXer having earned the DXCC award, WAS, WAS, and WAZ awards.  By the time Demi graduated High School in 1967, Demi had 211 countries confirmed and 244 worked.

Following graduation from the American University in December 1970, Demi enlisted in the U. S. Army, where he was trained in HF communications and as a cryptographic specialist.  During his time on active duty, Demi was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he served in the 82^nd Airborne Division and subsequently the 18^th Airborne Corps Headquarters.  Following his enlistment from Army active duty, Demi returned to Washington, D.C. to attend Georgetown University Law School in 1974, and enlisted in the active reserve, in the District of Columbia National Guard and reserves. In the reserves, Demi became the Battalion Communications Sergeant of the 163^rd Military Police Battalion.  

During his time in Law school, Demi was employed by Robert Booth, W3PS, General Counsel of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), and Senior Partner of the law firm Booth & Freret, LLP.  While law clerking at Booth & Freret, Demi was responsible for drafting Petitions for Rulemaking, and various pleadings for filing with the Federal Communications Commission, as well as drafting various Briefs and pleadings for filing in the Federal Courts on matters of interest to the ARRL.

Following graduation from law school, Demi had a distinguished career continuing in public service in both the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.  During this time Demi earned his Amateur Extra Class License (the “hard way” with the 20-WPM Morse code requirement).  Also during this time, Demi reactivated his registration with the Boy Scouts of America, as an adult volunteer and obtained the vanity call sign of K4BSA. 

Demi was one of the founding adult leaders of Explorer Post 80 in the Colonial District of the National Capital Area Council (NCAC) in 1991, which subsequently became Venture Crew 80 when the Venturing Program was initiated by BSA in 1998.  During this entire 31-year period, Demi has been the Crew’s Adult Advisor.  Venture Crew 80 also has the club Call sign of W3BSA.  Crew 80 is an emergency response Venture Crew, where all of the adults and Venture Scouts are licensed amateur radio operators or are studying to obtain their licenses.  Coupled with amateur radio, Crew 80 also is heavily involved in wilderness medicine where all of the adult volunteers have some level of wilderness medicine training.  This training includes American Red Cross (ARC) Wilderness and Remote First Aid, as well as certification as  Wilderness First Responders or have advanced training, such as Wilderness EMTs or Wilderness Paramedics.  Venture Crew 80 is also an ARC Authorized Provider that conducts CPR/AED and Wilderness First Aid training to senior scouts, adult leaders and members of the interested public.  Venture Crew 80 also has a licensed trauma doctor, paramedic, and EMTs on its adult staff.  The Crew has also received search and rescue training from several organizations including the Potomac Valley Search and Rescue Group, Shenandoah Mountain Rescue Group, and the Fairfax County, VA, Community Emergency Response Team.

Crew 80 provides Radio Merit Badge Counselors, conducts an annual technician Class Amateur Radio Licensing class, and participates annually as the Jamboree On-the-Air station in connection with the Colonial District’s Fall October Camporee.  Crew 80 also incorporates QRP station deployments in connection with its unit camp-outs and training weekends. Finally, Crew 80 also participates in the annual ARRL Field Day as a 2A station.

Finally, Demi is also active at the Council level serving as the Chairman of the NCAC Shooting Sports Committee.  Demi also serves at the Bechtel Summit Reserve on the Faculty of the National Camp School, training Shooting Sports Directors.  Demi is also an avid NRA firearms instructor focusing on training adult scouter volunteers in pistol, rifle and shotgun.  Demi has also served on the IST adult staff at five National Scout Jamborees on the K2BSA staff, and on the IST amateur radio staff at four World Scout Jamborees.  Demi is also the recipient of training awards including the Silver Beaver, Woodbadge, Sea Badge, Philmont Training Center Award, Venturing Leadership Award, and the Vigil Honor.