BOARD MEETING MINUTES – April 13, 2022
BOARD MEETING MINUTES – April 13, 2022
Stillwater Amateur Radio Association
This was a Zoom online meeting.
Roll Call of Officers – Present: Joe KCØOIO, Bob WØGAF, Rich ADØSN, Zack AAØU, Shel NØDRX, Dave N9JNQ, Brad VE3MXJ
President: Joe KCØOIO
The meeting was called to order at 6:38 pm.
Secretary’s Report – Dave N9JNQ
The March 2022 Board meeting and the April 2022 Membership Meeting minutes can be found posted to the club website.
Treasurer’s Report – Rich ADØSN
Beginning Total Balance: 04/01/2022 $18,465.79
- SARA
Balance: $6,362.45
Income:
Expenses:
Ending Balance: 04/12/2022 $6,250.45
- RBF
Balance: $11,757.34
Income: $0.00
Expenses: $0.00
Ending Balance: 04/12/2022 $11,757.34
Ending Total Balance: 04/12/2022 $18,007.79
The SARA income represents the receipt of $21.00 from the April Membership Meeting 50/50 raffle, and the donation of $21.00 of the raffle winnings. The $500.00 expense reflects the purchase of the Icom IC-7300 from the estate of John N5JLZ.
Trustee’s Report – Shel NØDRX
Shel NØDRX notes that the club’s fee for web hosting from MidPhase is coming up next month, noting that he had inquired about paying for the club’s fee for MidPhase early to take advantage of the current rate but was told that we could not due so. Thus, SARA will be paying the increased rate when due.
Shel also noted that uploading WØJH logs to LOTW is not easy when it comes to working from multiple states, such as with the White Rock Special Event. He has to upload three logs, each one representing one of the three states. He also ran into the issue when uploading logs for the Ice Station event as we had a DX entity, WØJH/VE3. While there is some requests to log to QRZ, Shel has no plans to do so at the moment.
Reports of Committees/Work Groups:
Website: Collin KEØIYN & Bob WØGAF
Collin KEØIYN noted that the site needs a WordPress update, which he will get to when he is not so busy at work.
Activities & Events: Dave WØOXB
Field Day is next on the calendar, with planning to take place later.
M.A.P and NHRG: Dave WØOXB & Brian NØBJE
Dave WØOXB reports that there have been a few discussions on upcoming antenna projects.
Brian NØBJE is out of town, so nothing to report on the NHRG.
Meetings & Programs – Joe KCØOIO
Monthly Meeting at Boutwells -Joe KCØOIO reports that Steve KAØOBI will be presenting a program at the May 2022 Membership Meeting on his year in the Antarctic as a Station Manager at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.
Tech Topic Thursday – Tim Duffy K3LR is lined up for the May session with a presentation on coax. This wraps up the sessions for this season; we will reassess our approach for TTT next fall.
Thursday Eyeball QSO Party – Eyeballs are now back at the Stillwater Library meeting through May 12, 2022, at which time they will be moved outdoors. The May 12 Eyeball will be our New Hams session, two weeks after our VE session.
SARA’s “Summer in the Parks” outdoor sessions will be located at Valley View Park in Oak Park Heights, MN. The dates are: May 12; June 2 and 23; July 14; August 4 and 25; and September 15, 2022 (every third week). The sessions will include a few POTA activations as well burgers and hot dog picnic nights. Joe will promote the New Ham night at the upcoming Tech Class.
Virtual Manhattan Project – A virtual Manhattan Project is scheduled for Friday April 29, 2022.
Board Meetings – The next virtual Board Meeting is scheduled for the Wednesday May 18, 2022.
Room Reservations – Dan KFØIYF
All room reservations are in place.
Education and Training – Bob WØGAF
Bob WØGAF reported we down to the last two weeks of the Tech Class. In response to Bob’s question, Shel NØDRX said it would be helpful if the students who plan on testing have the FCC Form 605 printed out and partially filled out, and have acquired their FRN from the FCC. Bob will inform the students to do so. Bob reports 11 folks in the class, with about 6 going as new Techs. Bob will inquire who among the students plan to test. Shel already has six folks on his list for testing.
VE Team – Shel NØDRX
The upcoming VE session is scheduled for April 28, 2022, at Boutwells Landing.
Newsletter – Pat WAØTDA, Dave WØOXB
Nothing to report.
Repeater – Henry KØHAS, Shel NØDRX, Doug N9TOW
Nate Timm from Washington County had inquired of Joe KCØOIO whether anyone from the club had been up the plant smokestack. They are apparently missing a piece of equipment. No one from SARA has been up to the repeater in some time.
Remote Bases Technical Committee – Pat WAØTDA
Pat WAØTDA had posted an inquiry about purchasing a new antenna for the WØEQB remote station to try to address the 40 meter RFI problem. A discussion was had as to whether this was an antenna issue or a tuner issue. It was pointed out that 40 meters has always been tough to tune with the WØOXB center-fed Zepp special. Dave WØOXB will ask Pat what type of tuner they are using at the station. Rich ADØSN offered to donate a W5GI Mystery Antenna he has new and unused rather than purchasing a new antenna; this would allow them to determine whether the issue is with the antenna. Rich will drop the antenna off with Dave so he can have a look at it. There was also a discussion of changing the length of the open-wire feed-line to change the SWR on the various bands, including 40 meters. A piece of window line could be sent up to Park Rapids with ring terminals to be added to the line coming into the shack as a test. The elements could also be shortened to see if that has any effect, although that would involve having to lower the antenna ends. It was suggested that we give Pat and Bill NØCIC various options, i.e. new antenna, different antenna tuner, additional feed-line, etc., and they can choose an option.
Unfinished Business
SARA Club Equipment Inventory – The inventory will take place on Saturday April 30 at 9:30 AM at the QTH of Dave KØAIF (if Dave gives the OK).
Sale of the club’s Kenwood TS590 – Joe KCØOIO dig out the radios when he has the time and determine which of the two radios has the hanging relay for antenna switching; the other will be made available for sale.
Google Workspace (G Suite) – Joe KCØOIO thanked Collin KEØIYN for his hard work on the switch from the G Suite over to MidPhase. Collin reported that there is no mail list option at this point, although it may be available as a paid add-on option. Collin will contact MidPhase possibly next week to determine whether there is an option and let the officers know. Collin reports there is unlimited email forwarding.
Collin discussed the various options for file sharing, including on the SARA website, Dropbox, or self-hosted options. You can share a document from your personal Gmail Drive, which may be the best option at this point.
Collin set up a @radioham.org email forwarding for Joe, Keith AGØH, and Dave WØOXB.
Inventory of N5JLZ (SK) John’s Equipment – Dave WØOXB reports that there are still a few odds and ends, such as an artificial ground, hamsticks and Hustler elements/antennas, and a heavy-duty antenna tripod. Dave will drop off the Icom 7300 and microphone with Joe KCØOIO.
There is nothing to report at the moment on the W9LHG and AD6QT inventories.
New Business
New Ham Night– Discussed earlier.
SARA’s Summer in the Parks– Joe KCØOIO would like to set up a schedule for the POTA evenings and the cookout dates. It was agreed that one POTA session would take place on Saturday June 11, 2022, with a special visit by Brad VE3MXJ.
Joe KCØOIO made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by Bob WØGAF ; the motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 PM.