Board of Directors

Michael Blake

Michael Blake – NØNQW

Founding Board Member – NØNWS

Founding technical lead and trustee of the 49 Repeater Group, responsible for building and maintaining the NØNWS linked system.

Chris Gaut

Chris Gaut – KFØJFW

Board Member – NØNWS

Chris brings decades of fire service and emergency-management experience to the NØNWS board, supporting regional preparedness and public-safety coordination across southwest Missouri.

Clayton Watson

Clayton Watson – KBØWZI

Board Member – NØNWS

Clayton supports the NØNWS mission through communications leadership, public outreach, and regional coordination, helping connect amateur radio, public service, and community readiness across the Ozarks.

Honored / Former Board Member

Skip Crane

Skip Crane – AKØC

Honored / Former Board Member – NØNWS

One of the original technical founders of the NØNWS / 49 Repeater Group who continues to contribute to and support the system.

×

Chris Gaut – KFØJFW

Chris Gaut, KFØJFW Region D Coordinator – Missouri State Emergency Management Agency

Chris Gaut has been involved in public safety for nearly 30 years, beginning his service in 1995 as a volunteer firefighter in Eureka, Missouri. Two years later, he transitioned into a full-time role as a fire inspector, launching a long career committed to fire prevention, emergency response, and community protection.

After relocating to Branson in 2013 with his family, Chris joined the Branson Fire Department as a Reserve Firefighter. In 2017, he moved to the Western Taney County Fire District, where he currently serves as Captain for Station 10. He also holds an Emergency Medical Technician license and continues to support multiple aspects of regional public safety.

In addition to his fire-service leadership, Chris works for the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency as the Region D Coordinator, assisting county and local emergency managers across 18 counties in southwest Missouri. His responsibilities include preparedness planning, training support, disaster-response coordination, and serving as a key link between local agencies and state-level operations.

Chris entered amateur radio in 2022 and is active on 2 meters and DMR under the callsign KFØJFW. He maintains memberships with TLARC, Kimberling City ARC, and Nixa ARC.

Driven by a desire to help others, Chris brings a unique blend of emergency-management insight, public-safety experience, and amateur-radio enthusiasm to the NØNWS board — strengthening the regional communications network and supporting its mission of community readiness.

×

Michael Blake – NØNQW

Michael Blake, NØNQW, is one of the original driving forces behind the NØNWS System and the 49 Repeater Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to public service communications in southwest Missouri and eastern Kansas.

Based in Willard, Missouri, Michael holds an Amateur Extra class license and has been deeply invested in building reliable communications infrastructure for the region. His work includes designing, installing, and maintaining multiple Skywarn-linked repeaters that form the core of the NØNWS emergency communications backbone.

From fundraising and system design to equipment installation and ongoing maintenance, Michael has repeatedly put in the hard work required to keep critical sites operational across the Ozarks.

As a founding board member of the NØNWS System, Michael is widely recognized as the primary technical steward of the network — ensuring the system remains robust, resilient, and ready when severe weather and emergencies impact southwest Missouri.

×

Clayton Watson – KBØWZI

Clayton Watson serves on the NØNWS board with a strong focus on communications, public outreach, and building partnerships that strengthen the network’s mission across southwest Missouri.

With decades of experience in emergency communications and public-service support, Clayton brings both technical understanding and real-world field perspective to the organization.

His work helps bridge amateur radio, community preparedness, and public awareness — highlighting the importance of reliable communications before, during, and after emergencies.

Through media, outreach, and regional engagement, Clayton works to help tell the story of the NØNWS system and its role in keeping the Ozarks connected.

×

Skip Crane, AKØC

Skip Crane, AKØC, is one of the original founding members of the NØNWS / 49 Repeater Group and continues to serve as a key technical contributor to the system.

As the trustee and primary maintainer of the 147.330 MHz repeater in Walnut Grove, Skip oversees one of the longest-running and most essential links in the entire NØNWS network.

Throughout the system’s history, Skip has played a critical role in tower work, repeater maintenance, equipment upgrades, and technical troubleshooting across the network.

His dedication, expertise, and long-term commitment have helped build and sustain the communications infrastructure that serves operators, storm spotters, and emergency managers across southwest Missouri.