BOARD MEETING MINUTES – February 24, 2022

Stillwater Amateur Radio Association

This was a Cisco Webex online meeting.

Roll Call of Officers – Present:  Joe KCØOIO, Bob WØGAF, Zack AAØU, Shel NØDRX, Dave N9JNQ, Brad VE3MXJ, Rich ADØSN

President: Joe KCØOIO

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 pm.

Google Workplace Suite – The Board meeting was called to have discussion regarding the need for a @radioham.org email replacement for the Google Workspace.  As discussed at the February 17, 2022, Board Meeting, Google is now going to begin charging for the use of the Suite to the tune of $6.00 per email address per month, equaling over $600.00 per month for the club.  The cost is prohibitive.  The change is to take place March 29, 2022.  Bob WØGAF has already sent a notice to membership, notifying members of the need to change emails addresses, emphasizing that users of the email address will lose all old emails unless backed up.

Collin KEØIYN explained that Google began offering the Suite to subscribers, including business users who created custom domains, for free back in around 2007 to compete with Microsoft, etc.  Google phased out the offer in around 2012 other than for individual gmail subscribers, beginning to charge for new business subscribers.  Google “grandfathered” in those who set up business accounts before that date.  Now Google is ending the legacy accounts and will begin charging.

As an alternative, Collin has found that our Midphase website hosting plan (which hosts the SARA website) includes an “unlimited emails” capability.  The consensus was that this option sounds like it may be the best option for maintaining some @radioham.org functionality for officers and other situations.

Collin reported that cPanel (an online Linux-based graphical interface (GUI) used as a control panel to simplify website and server management and allows one to publish websites, manage domains, organize web files, and create email accounts) provided the creation of up to 999 email addresses at no cost.  Collin does not think it will take much work to convert to Midphase.  We will need to do a DNS rerouting (DNS, or Domain Name System, is the phonebook of the Internet where users access information online through domain names, where such names are translated to IP addresses so browsers can load Internet resources) and pull everything off of Google.  Consequently, the radioham.org domain name could be retained.  Collin noted that we would need to create the email accounts, sent the users a temporary password to get into the account, and provide a link to the mail account.

Shel reported that we do not have many members using the radioham.org email address.  It is primarily being used by officers and two or three other members.  Bob noted that after the conversion we only really need the email system for officers, for use by the NHRG, for special event purposes, etc.  So not that many address would be needed.

There will need to be some research into how to import the current Google mailing lists into the cPanel system.  There may be a cost to do so, but a nominal cost would be acceptable.  Collin (who is heading off to the Southeast coast to tie the knot – Congrats Collin!) is available on or after March 7, 2022, to look into this further.

It was noted that cPanel is a legacy control panel; Midphase now offers another version that provides up to 50 email addresses per year at a cost of $36.00.  If the club needs to go with Midphase, that price would be acceptable.

Collin will need to work with Shel to get the Midphase code.  Collin and Shel will connect up after Collin’s return to explore this option further.  Collin will need to talk with the Midphase tech, who has been helpful in the past.

Midphase annual subscription – Shel noted that our Midphase annual subscription comes due June 4, 2022, and Shel has received an email from Midphase that the rate will be going up to $119.40.  If we pay within thirty days of receiving the email, we can get a discount, most likely at $107.40.

Bob made a motion to authorize payment for renewal of our Midphase subscription in order to take advantage of the discount; the motion was seconded by Dave N9JNQ; the motion passed unanimously.

Bob WØGAF made a motion to adjoin the meeting; the motion was seconded by Shel NØDRX; the motion passed unanimously.  The meeting was adjourned at 8:06 pm.