RARC Meeting Minutes for September 8th, 2015

Checking Opening Balance $4,500.25 Credits Dues $50.00 United Way $67.86 Debits RPU $42.92 RPU $43.20 Field Day Restroom $112.22 Radio Supplies $9.99 Shelter Rental $80.72 Closing Balance $4,329.06 Savings Opening Balance $4,692.38 Credits Interest $0.04 Interest $0.03 Debits Closing Balance $4,692.45 Cash on hand $40.00 Total $9,061.51

• Reports:
• • Technical Committee Report:
  • • All of the equipment is operational, however .82 repeater has a lot of static
    • Some potential for a new location on the NW side of town - they would charge us a non-profit rate that has not been determined yet
    • Additional equipment considerations (Heliax, antenna) if .82 was relocated
    • High speed link to Twin Cities also being considered
    • Power supply from Digipeater has been tested and possibly has issues with RF exposure
    • Schaefer power supply has also been tested and works great
    • Need to determine if we can stay at current location and add new antenna, versus moving to new location
  • Public Service:
  • • 2 events left
    • Tour de Cure on September 19th
    • • North/NW now - routes have totally changed
    • Med City Fall Half Marathon on September 20th
    • If you are interested in working at or observing a public service event, please contact John and sign up
  • ARES:
  • • SET - 1st weekend in October (3rd and 4th)
    • • May get moved to 10th and 11th
      • State has not replied yet, so far just RARC
      • Couple exercises/ideas for this are being worked on
    • Mayo Clinic Drill (Bounce Day) - September 26th
    • • RARC providing communications
      • Start at 7a, ends at 12p
    • Airport drill takes place this Thursday
  • Education:
  • • No classes for the rest of the year, please continue to forward people to Bill however
    • Community education has a class about soldering, Arduino, etc.
  • Contesting
  • • VHF contest this weekend on Saturday through Sunday
    • • 50Mhz and up
      • Last big contest of the year
      • FM category is present as well
      • 146.55 or 58 is popular 2M frequency
    • Dstar contest
    • • Starts on the 19th, runs through the 20th
      • Can make any kind of Dstar contact (repeaters, simplex, etc.)
      • There is a form, everyone who enters has a chance to win prizes.
  • Social gatherings:
  • • Last Thursday of the month at Wildwood
  • Field Day
  • • Discussion of the three objectives of Field Day and how the club would rank any of this
    • • Contesting
      • Emergency preparedness
      • Public relations
    • Idea of increased community education participation (Ham Radio 101 or similar title)
    • • This could increase new ham participation in Field Day
    • Location will change the public relations aspect of Field Day greatly
    • Steve W0STV went over location possiblities
    • • Pat's Farm
      • Assisi Heights - several issues that make this not a great site
      • Game Haven - Kelly will get a hold of management there to get more details
      • Fairgrounds - just west of EOC
      • • Possibility to store equipment at EOC garages rather than Pat's farm
      • Fire Station where meetings are currently held
    • Of the above options, Fairgrounds has a lot of attractions
    • We also need more operators for Field Day, particularly CW and HF
• New business
• • New website is in progress, may need to move the existing website due to security concerns and cost
  • • Currently pay $12 a month, there are hosting options that are much cheaper and better
    • Custom email addresses may also be an option
    • John Scott will check when our contract is up with the company, and investigate alternatives
  • Preamble has been updated, if you are doing net control make sure you use the updated one
  • Radio City is having a sidewalk sale on September 12th
  • If anyone would like to be net control, Steve is volunteering to shadow and help anybody who would like to learn this
• Meeting adjourned at 730pm
• Program for this month was a tour of the new fire station/EOC by Ken Jones, Director of Emergency Management

Minutes recorded and reported by Drew, KC0CJP, Secretary.