RARC Meeting Minutes for July 14th, 2015

Checking Opening Balance $4,547.28 Credits Dues $100.00 Debits RPU $41.56 Field Day Food $50.97 Gift Card $54.50 Closing Balance $4,500.22 Savings Opening Balance $4,692.35 Credits Interest $0.03 Debits Closing Balance $4,692.38 Cash on hand $40.00 Total $9,232.60

• Old business:
  
  • Public Service:
  • • August 8th is the Harvest Classic
    • August 22nd is the Healthy Human race - not a lot of people so may be canceled
    • September 19th is the Tour de Cure
    • September 20th is the Med City Fall Event
    • November 10th is Game Haven Cross Country run
  • ARES/Skywarn:
  • • Joint exercise between ARES and National Guard on August 4th
    • • Purpose is to make as many contacts between counties and National Guard HQ as possible
      • HF exercise due to distance from Twin Cities
    • Additional exercise in September called Bounce Day on September 26th
    • • Aimed at medical students, gives them field conditions/field experience in event of disaster
      • Out at Game Haven 
      • Scenario with actors - Zombies
      • Last year they had communications issues, would like RARC assistance with communications at 3 different stations as well as a public demo
      • Status reports from Mayo facilities in other states as well
      • Need HF stations for this exercise to communicate with Florida and Arizona
    • No Skywarn activity lately
  • Field Day wrapup:
  • • See additional detail below under new business
  • • Final score is 7,070 points
    • 1092 QSOs
    • Last year was 10,620 points with 1,602 QSOs
    • 100 contacts on GOTA this year and 240 total points
    • 1400 bonus points
    • Logging issues were a concern, next year look into logging with better error correcting
    • Go to M1MM log software versus existing log software - proposal?
    • Additional information is needed:
    • • Picture of items from the information table for proof
      • Minnesota Cup info is needed as well
  • Education:
  • • Class upcoming with several people in it
  • Tower improvements
  • • Still working on this, awaiting further contact from antenna climbers
• New business:
• • Proposal to nominate someone as leader of Field Day right now rather than in February before Field Day
  • • Allows more planning for new locations
    • Also allows potential to get catering covered more easily
    • Logging programs could also be examined ahead of time
    • Mentoring would be available for chosen person from previous field day leaders
    • Motion was approved and passed to nominate the 2016 Field Day chair
    • Nominations were accepted
    • • Kelly KE0EMJ will be chairmen of the Field Day committee
      • Peter will co-chair the Field Day committee
    • Suggestions from Pat:
    • • Good shelter is important
      • Places to put antennas are also important
        
      • Everyone in the club needs to assist with making sure these ideas can work
      • Steve Webke will assist with location finding as well through Rochester Public Schools and other Rochester location
• • • Concerns about the club issues in the past with KOA and not making contact about Field Day and other concerns
  • • • Picnic at this location
  • • Other location ideas besides KOA:
  • • • Fair grounds
      • At the new fire station
  • • Field Day committee status report at the beginning of the meeting the same as the other committee status reports
    • Equipment needs to be tracked and make sure we have complete stations for Field Day
    • • Lack of laptops was an issue - designated laptops would be nice rather than using individual's ones temporarily
      • Grant for equipment for this?
    • Schaeffer Academy rig has been returned, but needs some work done
    • • Radio was originally purchased through a grant with IBM
  • Rob inventoried equipment out at Pat's 
  • • Steve will be taking possession of the RF concepts amplifier assuming it makes it until the next meeting in lieu of payback from some Radio City charges
    • Motion passed for the above
  • Dave Sevie? (spelling) needs assistance with moving his antenna
  • • Steve will supply the ladder
    • Antenna moving will be this Friday the 17th around 6pm
    • See Steve if you are interested in assisting
  • Website will be updated to use WordPress
  • • Club officers can upload content more easily
    • More dynamic and modern website 
    • Club members will approve final design before replacement
    • No timeline or due date for replacement at the moment
• Introductions were performed
• Meeting adjourned at 7:32pm
  
• Program for this month was Fox Hunting information led by Steve Webke

Minutes recorded and reported by Drew, KC0CJP, Secretary.