RARC Meeting Minutes – May 2008

The May meeting of the Rochester Amateur Radio Club was called to order by Vice President Stan Cram, KDØBQ, at 7:00 p.m., May 13th, 2008. at the RCTC Campus.

 

Stan began the round-the-room introductions. Two people who passed the test recently but had not yet received their licenses were present.

 

Meeting Minutes:

The April 2008 meeting minutes were approved

 

Treasurer's Report:  Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Checking $2595.81
Savings $1485.78
CD @ 2.75% (note 1) $4354.41
Cash $20.00
----------
Total $8456.00

Transactions this period:
2008 Dues +$75.00
Interest +$0.01
Qwest -$16.33

Notes: 1 - CD is repeater reserve funds


Membership status:   93 club members  


Submitted by RARC Treasurer, Bob Hart, KCØGND.

 

Committee reports:

 

  • Technical committee – Rob KCØFOW was absent
    • The new amplifier for the 146.82 repeater is online.

     

  • Education – Bill NØNUV
    • The school year is ending, so activity at Schaeffer Academy is winding down for the summer.

     

  • Contesting – Stew WØSHL
    • The Chinese Radiosport Association has requested that the frequencies 7.050, 7.060, and 14.270 be cleared for and emergency traffic regarding the recent earthquake. If you interfere, you may receive a letter from the FCC.

     

  • Public Service – John NØHZN
    • The Stay Out of the Sun Run (May 16) has enough volunteers.
    • Eric, KFØS is heading the Med-City Marathon on May 25. He will need 15-16 people.
    • The Diabetes Bikeathon will take place June 7.
    • Steve WØSTV is heading the Rochesterfest Parade on June 27. Two additional volunteers are needed, and any additional volunteers would be welcome to provide back-up help. HTs are the only equipment necessary; headphones are recommended. They will use the 146.625 repeater.
    • A leader is needed for the Rochesterfest Triathlon on June 29.
    • Clipboards were passed around to sign up for some of these events.

     

  • ARES – Bob ABØBW
    • Representatives of the ARES group went to the Winona Amateur Radio Club meeting to get info on vertical bounce for communication between the Rushford area and Rochester. The Winona club may be included in future drills for emergency communication into Rushford.
    • ARES is working with Peter Cross to set up an emergency trailer.

     

  • EOC – Steve WØSTV
    • Mike Bromberg got a technician amateur radio licence.
    • Some additional equipment was installed at EOC
    • There will be a change in staffing, and they are looking for an additional staff member.
    • Members who ordered Skywarn signs for their vehicles may pick them up.
    • The EOC would like all storm spotters to provide their driver license number, insurance policy number, and plate numbers for all vehicles used in storm spotting. If you are a SKYWARN storm spotter, please get that information to Steve as soon as possible.

     

    Old Business:

     

    • Stan KDØBQ is writing a memorandum that will be sent via e-mail to RCTC students regarding the Amateur Radio Expo
    • A document of understanding with Schaeffer Academy is still needed. Bill, the chair of the Education committee, believes that Scott KØMD was responsible for that.
    • The following equipment was obtained for a ham radio station at Century high school:
      • Glass server case
      • Tower
      Help is needed to transport the tower
    • Stew WØSHL asked if anyone had the ground wire trencher that belongs to the late Curt Preuss. If you know where it is please contact Stew. Curt had loaned out the trencher, and he requested that when returned, it be donated to the club on his behalf.
    • proxy voting by the next club meeting.

     

    New Business:

     

    • Field Day

      Dave KØVH, head of the Field Day committee announced that Field Day will take place at Pat NØADQ's farm. Pat is in charge of facilities, and Scott KØMD is in charge of operating. A person to coordinate food donations is needed; interested volunteers should contact Dave KØVH. Dave is also in charge of public relations/publicity. Dave also suggested that a dry run setup is needed to test for interference and get publicity before the event takes place.

      Pat NØADQ announced that the trailer has new tires, but it needs bearings oiled and tuned. The other tower/trailer was damaged.

      Publicity

      • Don KCØTST suggested that we contact Randy Brock, the weatherman at KTTC to do some publicity tie-in with SkyWarn.
      • Joel KDØAFF suggested that we put something together to show in the movie theaters before the movies begin.
      • Bobby KCØNXB suggested that we contact the Rochester Buyer's Guide and Community News. This is a small paper that is mailed to all Rochester residents weekly, and an article on the front page would get good notice.

      Dave KØVH made further announcements relating to field day. The station will be 4A or 5A, but we need to really have all of them running 24 hours a day. We will need filters to run these stations on the same band at the same time. Multiband filters cost about $200. A single band filter costs $40, and could be used for the digital station.

      • Stew WØSHL made a motion to buy a single band filter.
      • Peter N8MHD listed out the various stations and concluded that we could use a single band filter for the digital station.
      • Pat NØADQ warns that if you use a single band filter you can burn it out by using it on the wrong band.
      • Bob ABØBW offered to stay off the principal bands, which would remove the need the filter.
      • Nevertheless, the club passed the motion to buy one single-band filter.

      Joel KDØAFF reported that the police department offerred to loan a trailer for Field Day use. The trailer is between 30 and 40 feet long.

    •  

    • Ham Radio Expo

      John NØHZN announced that the expo committee will be printing and mailing 5000 flyers to promote the expo. The flyers are 11 by 17 inches. The club will meet some time to fold and label these flyers. Postage for the flyers will cost $1000. The addresses they will be sent to were provided by Steve Gerosh. They are actual entrants in raffles at other hamfests in the region. Someone proposed that we instead e-mail the flyers to local ham radio clubs and get them to print and distribute them.

      • Pat NØADQ made a motion that the club supply John up to $1200 for postage for flyers for the expo and a five-year membership to Steve Gerosh in thanks for the list of names/addresses he provided.
      • Dave KCØUCN amended the motion as follows:
        The club will be reimbursed as soon as the expo has the money.
      • The motion was passed as amended.
      • Bob ABØBW announced that the flyers will be printed on KariAnn KCØWIP's commercial printer. She will need an ink cartridge (for printer model HP-5si) and paper.

      In a non-expo related announcement, John NØHZN said that we need to replace the club's trailers. Possible the club could obtain a civil safety donation to replace them.

      Dave KCØUCN made a motion that the club provide up to $300 for printing flyers with the understanding that the club will be reimbursed when the club has the money. The motion was passed.

      Dave KØVH suggested that we get some more help from the Visitors Bureau, since they said they would help with the Expo.

      Stan KDØBQ informed the club that the online ticket form will be in operation the following day, May 14.

      John NØHZN said that other printing companies quote around $500 for printing 5000 pieces, so the club is saving money.

     

    The business meeting was adjourned at 7:57 pm.

     

    Respectfully submitted, Bobby Ratliff, KCØNXB

     

     

    Program:

     

    The program was presented by Bob ABØBW. Bob talked about FDMDV, a new HF digital mode that uses 1.1 kHz bandwidth.

     

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    Last update: June 12, 2008