Board Meeting Minutes – April 21, 2016
Stillwater Amateur Radio Association
1618 Pine Street West
Stillwater, Minnesota 55082
Roll Call of Officers – All seven officers were in attendance.
President: Joe KCØOIO
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM.
Secretary’s Report – Steve KAØOBI
Minutes from the Board Meeting on March 24th, 2016 have been posted on the website. No additional comments from the group.
Treasurers Report – John N5JLZ
Beginning Balance 3/1/2016 $3,077.85
Income $207.00
Expenses $5.00
Ending Balance 3/31/2016 $3,279.85 (Not including HELP income/expenses)
$9,649.07 (Including HELP income/expenses)
Reports of Committees:
Activities & Events: Dave WØOXB (Not present)
Foxhunt originally scheduled for April 23rd has been cancelled due to a work scheduling conflict. Dan Franz has agreed to reschedule the foxhunt for Field Day, Saturday June 25th at Autumn Hills Park.
New Ham night May 19th – will be held in Brekke Park. The club will supply soda and water. Additional planning will take place just prior to the event on May 12th.
Mobile Portable, & Go-Kit Picnic w/WashCoARES – will be held June 11th in Brekke Park. The club will provide hot dogs and soda for the event.
Field Day 2016 – scheduled for June 25th & June 26th in Autumn Hills Park – reservations have been made and a broadcast will be put out for volunteers to assist with each aspect of the event. It was discussed that an additional station might be set up for digital but there is some question if we have enough people to man an additional station.
Radios in the Parks – is scheduled for June 9, July 7, July 28 & August 18. Locations for each scheduled date have not been decided. Valley View Park on Osgood Avenue in Oak Park Heights is one place being considered.
Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald is scheduled for Nov 4, 5, & 6. No details available yet.
MAP: Dave WØOXB (Not present)
So far there are eight new antenna projects where assistance has been requested for this season. A spreadsheet has been created to track these projects, assign volunteers, and schedule installation dates. Get your specific requests in and keep in mind that Dave will be gone most of April (8th thru 28th).
Meetings & Programs – Joe KCØOIO
May – SOTA (Summits on the Air) – Jim KDØIPI
Dan Franz WDØGUP may be interested in doing a program on microcomputers.
Additional ideas for programs: Antenna analyzers, DMMs and other Diagnostic Gizmos; Baluns, Ununs, and Chokes; Mobile Installation – Tips, Tricks, and Pratfalls; Maidenhead Grid Squares; Ham Radio Roundtable; Propagation; Station grounding; Sights & Sounds of Digital Modes; Tuners – Manual versus Auto & Their Care & Feeding.
Education & Training Report – Bob WØGAF
The Technician Class training’s last class is April 21st. Attendance has been very good since the local high school has been sending physics class students for extra credit. A VE Session will be held on April 28th.
New Ham Night will take place on May 19th at Brekke Park (Oak Park Heights) from 5 to 9 PM.
Newsletter & Websites – Pat Tice WAØTDA) (Not present, Dave WØOXB (Not present), Peter NØGRM
The May issue deadline is April 30th with a publishing date of May 7th. Since Dave will be out of town, please send articles to Pat.
Repeater – Henry KØHAS & Shel NØDRX
The Digipeater plan is to use a Kenwood D700 as the digipeater. A D700 will be replaced by a TM-V71 from HELP for use as a field station radio.
Unfinished Business
The Brainerd Hamfest was attended by Joe KCØOIO, Keith AGØH and Bob WØGAF. Equipment sales there totaled $2,860.
The Superior Hamfest that is scheduled for May 7th will not be attended since it is too far to travel given the small amount of equipment left to sell.
The final cleanout of the locker will be Saturday, April 23rd at 10:30 AM. Any remaining items will be moved to a barn on Dave KEØAIF property.
Ideas for Eyeball Session construction projects are still being considered – including baluns, portable wire antennas and Buddisticks.
ARRL 2016 National Parks Anniversary Special Event (NPOTA) – this could be a possible future special event that we will consider planning in July after Field Day is completed. Unfortunately, it appears the St Croix Boom Site will be closed this year.
The club should set up a Reserve Fund of about $4,000 for maintenance and upkeep of the Remote Base Operations.
Ideas for other uses of the HELP funds include: purchasing 100 feet of ladder line and UV resistant rope to get WØEQO up north back in good working order. The board voted to approve ordering these items.
It was also suggested that a Buddipole Deluxe antenna kit and accessories be ordered to be used for field operations. A motion was made, passed and approved. The items will total about $650.
There is also a suggestion that we consider donating to the ARRL Spectrum Defense Fund and perhaps the SEMARC Scholarship Fund.
A check will be issued to cover our upcoming meeting room rent at Boutwells for the period September 2016 thru May 2017.
Joe will print an updated copy of the New Members Welcome Letter and New Ham Night Flyer to be distributed at the upcoming VE session.
New Business
None
The meeting was adjourned at 6:58 PM.