About W9JAM
Hi, I’m Jeremiah Mulford, also known as W9JAM.
I’ve been involved in Amateur Radio since 2009 and working with DMR since 2016. W9JAM grew out of years of helping people troubleshoot radios, computers, hotspots, codeplugs, networking, and all the strange problems technology finds new ways to create.
My goal has always been pretty simple: explain technology in a way that actually makes sense, without talking down to people or pretending there’s only one “right” way to learn something.
W9JAM.com is where I bring together Amateur Radio, computers, technical guides, livestreams, projects, downloads, and the occasional experiment that probably started with the words, “I wonder what happens if…”
My Amateur Radio Journey
My journey into Amateur Radio started in 2009 when I earned my Technician class license, followed shortly afterward by my General class license.
Like a lot of people in the hobby, what started as curiosity quickly turned into a deeper interest in radios, antennas, computers, networking, and understanding how all these systems work together behind the scenes.
Over the years, I’ve explored everything from HF and portable operations to APRS, hotspots, digital radio systems, and ham shack computer setups.
In 2016, I really dove into the world of DMR. What started as learning the technology for myself eventually turned into helping other operators understand radios, codeplugs, hotspots, and the sometimes confusing mess that comes with digital radio.
Through online communities, troubleshooting discussions, videos, livestreams, and one-on-one help, I’ve spent years helping people get systems working and making the technology feel less intimidating.
Why I Teach This Way
Technology has a bad habit of being explained by people who already understand it and have forgotten what it felt like not to.
I try to approach things differently. A huge part of why I put so much effort into helping others today is because somebody once did the same for me.
If somebody doesn’t understand DMR, networking, Linux, APRS, or why Windows has assigned the same radio COM47 for reasons known only to Microsoft, telling them they “should already know this” doesn’t accomplish anything.
Good technical education should make people more confident, not make them feel stupid for asking a question.
Sometimes the problem really is complicated. Sometimes Windows is being Windows. And sometimes I’m convinced there’s a tech-support raccoon somewhere behind the desk unplugging USB cables, changing settings just to see how long it takes us to notice, or even stealing the programming cable and our radio!
That philosophy influences everything I do through W9JAM, whether I’m writing a guide, troubleshooting a radio, hosting the Coffee, Coax & Computers Zoom Meeting, or helping somebody figure out why a piece of equipment absolutely refuses to behave like the manual claims it should.
My Elmer
Kevin Williamson, W7XF, was not only a friend that helped me when I got into driving truck for a living, he was also my Elmer. In Amateur radio, an Elmer, is someone that takes someone under their wing, shares their knowledge and skills and ignites that passion to learn and grow in the hobby and to inspire them to share what they learn with others in the future.
Learn more about Kevin W7XF here
A Ham Radio Operator at Heart
At the end of the day, I’m a Ham Radio operator at heart, and I always will be.
W9JAM grew out of my interest in Amateur Radio, computers, DMR, networking, troubleshooting, and the endless number of technical rabbit holes that somehow connect all of them.
My goal is to be a useful resource for people who need guidance, whether that means figuring out a DMR radio, troubleshooting a computer, setting up a hotspot, learning something new, or just sitting down with a cup of coffee and talking through a problem until it finally makes sense.
I don’t expect everyone to know everything, and I don’t think technical knowledge should be treated like some secret club. If I know something that can help, I’ll do my best to explain it in a way that is practical, useful, and easy to understand.
What I never imagined was how many people would eventually come up to me at Hamvention, or hear my voice and callsign on a DMR talkgroup, and tell me that something I did helped them finally understand DMR, get their hotspot working, or solve a problem they had been fighting with for days.
Those moments still catch me off guard, because most of the time I’m just trying to help somebody get something working. I don’t always realize what that help might mean to the person on the other end.
One experience in particular has stayed with me.
A gentleman was going to be in the hospital for more than three months recovering from surgery. A friend had gotten him a radio and an MMDVM hotspot so he could stay connected while he recovered, but they couldn’t get everything working. They reached out to me, and in less than an hour we had the hotspot connected through his phone’s Wi-Fi and had him on the air.
At the time, I didn’t realize how much it would mean. I was just happy we got it working and moved on to the next problem.
Then he found me at Dayton Hamvention.
With tears starting to fill his eyes, he told me that the radio and hotspot had helped him through those months in the hospital. He told me that being able to talk to people kept him from feeling alone during one of the hardest periods of his life, and that without his friend getting him that equipment and me helping them get it working, he didn’t know how he would have made it through the experience.
I still tear up thinking about that.
It was a reminder that sometimes what seems like a simple technical-support call isn’t really about a radio, a hotspot, a computer, or a setting buried three menus deep. Sometimes helping somebody get connected actually means helping them stay connected to people.
That’s really what W9JAM is about.
Turns out Wilton Knight was right when he told Michael:
“One man can make a difference.”