The Joe Simonet WØTBC Memorial Award
2020 S.A.R.A. EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
SARA Work Party 1
Split Rock Lighthouse 2012
2017 SARA Officers
Split Rock 2013
SARA Field Day 2011
2021 W0TBC Memorial Award
Fitzgerald Crew 2012
SARA Does Skywarn

BOARD MEETING MINUTES – December 20, 2018

BOARD MEETING MINUTES – December 20, 2018

Stillwater Amateur Radio Association

1618 Pine Street West

Stillwater, Minnesota 55082

Roll Call of Officers – All present.

President: Joe KCØOIO

The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM.

Secretary’s Report – Notes are up on website.

Treasurer’s Report – Rich ADØSN

Beginning Balance      11/01/2018                 $2,385.67

Income                                                               $538.00

Expenses                                                             $666.63

Ending Balance           011/30/2018                 $2,257.04 (Not including RBP income/expenses)

$16,889.64 (Including RBP income/expenses)

(No December expenses reported.)

Reports of Committees:

Activities & Events:  Dave WØOXB

Ice Station W0JH – Planning is progressing and notes will be going out soon.  Dave K0AIF assures us there will be ice.

White Rock 2019 – Working on planning.  Mayor Rudy needs to be contacted yet.

MAP:  Dave WØOXB

There are a few antennas that can be worked on.  Devin in White Bear Lake has requested his antenna be put on hold as the wife is pressuring for a move.

Meetings & Programs – Joe KCØOIO

January – S.W.E.E.P.

February – Operating Roundtable

March – Baluns, Ununs, and Chokes – Dave WØOXB

April – Logging Programs for Mac and Linux OS – Collin KE0IYN and Bob W0GAF

May – SDR Dongles and SDR Software – Doug N9TLW and Collin KE0IYN

Future Ideas:  Special interest clubs, SKCC (Straight Key Century Club), County Hunters, QCWA (Quarter Century Wireless Assoc.), 070, OMISS (Old Man International Sideband Society), YLRL (Young Ladies Radio League), Diagnostic tools – analyzers, DMMs, and other gizmos, Propagation-Can I get there from here?, Station grounding, Tuners-Manual vs. Automatic and Care & Feeding, Setting Up Your Shack, New Technicians – Here’s what you can do now.

Room/Park Reservations – John N5JLZ

Doing fantastic job. Skywarn class has room booked, working on getting tech classes booked. 4 of 8 booked so far.  But there’s availability issues, looking at other libraries for other 4.  Still working but might be a problem.  But if have any ideas let John know.

Eyeball Sessions – Tech Nights

Future ideas – Using toroids to reduce noise and RFI, SWR Bridge calibration (KØGW); DX Labs Suite, Logger 32 & N1MM (NØODK); Diagnostic Tools – Using an Oscilloscope;  Hand tools for your workbench; How to read the Solar Reports; The “Tech” in Technician; Antenna Lab: Theory & Design Discussions

Education & Training – Bob WØGAF

Skywarn Class 2019 – The room has been booked.  Need to contact the Skywarn folks yet.

Spring Tech Class 2019 – Tentative dates picked with 4 people already signed up; classes starting 28th of February.  See above for issues with rooms.  New books need to be obtained.  Dave will have new flyers to Bob by mid January.

VE Team – Shel NØDRX

Next session is April 25th, 2019.

Newsletter & Website – Pat WAØTDA & Dave WØOXB

The January deadline is December 29th, for publishing Jan 5th.   Want to introduce a tech article – not all on antennas but things like dB vs power vs gain and such like that.

Rag Chews – Dave WØOXB

Propagation has continued to be poor.  Experiments will commence on 6m with some homebrew antennas.  The simulcast Tuesday night net will be pulled for lack of attendance.

Repeater – Henry KØHAS & Shel NØDRX

There are some noise issues that are being troubleshooted.  Collin and Doug are working on setting up means to record all transmissions and track data to see if there are common environmental factors.

The APRS Digipeater will be tested just prior to installation at the stack.  It is currently on hold.

Remote Bases Technical Committee

All committee members – Pat WAØTDA, Keith AGØH, Eliot KDØOTB, Bill NØCIC, and Henry KØHAS.

Both remote stations are currently operating OK.

Builders Group

There is a potential for a project for homebrew low power WWV-B style NTP interface/transmitters for home use.  Looking at this more deeply with proposed shutdown of WWV/-B.

Portable antenna building is also considered here.  A design for 6m homebrew antennas are currently considered.

Unfinished Business

The equipment trailer is yet to be completed.  Tire and jack were obtained by Bob W0GAF, with thanks to him.  A heater install will be done this spring with a carbon monoxide detector.  Red interior lighting will be done this spring as well.

The equipment inventory is being worked on.  Sent the forms again to the necessary folks to get filled out.  Dave has reviewed, Joe will review.

The 501(c)3 application is being researched along with best forms of transition.  This is on hold for the time being due to the holidays.

Nominations have been made for 2019 –

  • President: Joe KCØOIO
  • VP: Bob WØGAF
  • Secretary: Collin KEØIYN
  • Treasurer: Rich ADØSN
  • Director 2019-2020: Dan KEØIYF

New Business

The club was gifted from a secret santa a iPower 2000 watt inverter generator.  Shel will register the warranty as at his address.  A gas can and oil will need to be purchased for it.

Lanyards – there are 15 lanyards left.  Doug makes a motion to purchase more, with Bob seconding.  The vote is unanimous.  Collin will order.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:56 PM.