MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES – January 9, 2021
MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES – January 9, 2021
Stillwater Amateur Radio Association
Virtual membership meeting held via Webex due to the COVID-19 and the unavailability of Boutwells Landing meeting room.
President: Joe KCØOIO
The meeting was called to order at 9:05 AM.
Joe KCØOIO welcomed all to the on-line virtual membership meeting using Cisco Webex. The business meeting portion will be streamlined, look to the SARA Broadcast for details of weekly events.
Secretary’s Report: Dave N9JNQ
The general minutes from the December Membership and Board meetings are posted on the SARA website.
Please report any corrections or additions to: Secretary@radioham.org
Treasurer’s Report: Rich ADØSN
Beginning Total Balance: 12/01/2020 $17,166.47
- SARA
Balance: $4,941.96
Income:
Expenses:
Ending Balance: 12/31/2020 $5,321.96
- RBF
Balance: $12,224.51
Income: $325.00
Expenses: $0.00
Ending Balance: 12/31/2020 $12,549.51
Ending Total Balance: 12/31/2020 $17,871.47
Income into the SARA account was $570.00 from dues and a $10.00 donation. Income to the RBP account reflects the sale of the Kenwood TS-570 held by the club.
Rich AD0SN reports that the financial health of the club is A+, with sufficient funds in both accounts. The PayPal feature for membership dues found on the SARA website is very convenient, and it appears members have paid dues more promptly with the option.
Activities & Events
Webex Eyeballs
There will be a virtual Tech Topic Thursday on Thursday January 14 7:00 PM.
There will be a virtual Board meeting on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at 6:30 PM. All are welcome to join in.
On the schedule is a Virtual Eyeball QSO Party “Manhattan Project” on Friday January 22, 2021 beginning at 7:30 PM.
Last, the Thursday January 28, 2021 Virtual Eyeball QSO Meeting will address “Working a Pile-up”, to prepare members for the upcoming club special event, Ice-olation station W0JH.
If you missed it, or want a refresher, all Membership Meetings and Tech Topic Thursdays can be found on the unlisted SARA YouTube Channel playlist found at youtube.com/ playlist?list =PLoaYHzHAObWTib9y95HDRybbRIw cfiMW
And do not forget SARA’s social media presence on Facebook (SARA-Stillwater Amateur Radio Association) and Instagram (@sararadioham).
Training and Education
Bob WØGAF reported that the virtual General class will be kicking off on Webex on Wednesday January 27, 2021. The class has been moved to Wednesdays so as to to allow students to participate in SARA’s Thursday virtual club activities. Thanks goes to SEMARC for providing a testing session for the class graduates.
Tech Topic Thursdays – Mike KFØCCL
Mike KFØCCL has done a great job organizing and scheduling speakers for our Tech Topic Thursdays. Coming up in January will be a presentation by Tom WØTFG, a long-time ham who put together his first shack at the ripe old age of 13, entitled “Setting Up Your Shack.” Tom has a background in robotics, has taught the subject, and had a student that was involved in capping the BP Gulf oil spill.
Mike also made a great “get” for the February Tech Topic Thursday – Martin F. Jue K5FLU, founder of MFJ, to discuss using the MFJ 259/269 antenna analyzers. Joe KC0OIO noted that SARA has invited members of SEMARC and the Thunder Bay Radio Club to attend this session.
Mike asks that members send him an email with any other topics you would like to see addressed. Recent suggestions have included trying to get a representative from Yaesu and/or Icom to discuss their product line.
Thanks again to Mike for the hard work.
Ice-olation Station WØJH – Joe KCØOIO
The next special event on the SARA calendar is the Ice Station on-the-ice operation scheduled for February 13-15, 2021. A SignUpGenius sign up page will be coming soon. As noted above, a “working a pile-up” Thursday virtual session has been scheduled for members who have not had a lot of experience working pile-ups to pick up some tips and ask questions. Joe KC0OIO noted that the inexperienced should not feel intimidated, there is plenty of opportunities to work the special event during quieter times of the day on specific bands where you would be less likely to be swamped with stations calling, participants can be scheduled for those less intimidating times. Joe also suggested that you get on the air and listen to some nets to see how the net control operators handle check-ins, and perhaps jot down call signs as they come in to tune your ear.
SARA Nets & Ragchews – Dave WØOXB & Joe KCØOIO
Joe KC0OIO suggests you look to the weekly SARA Broadcasts for days and times of the club nets and ragchews.
M.A.P.: Dave WØOXB
Joe KC0OIO noted that recent antenna raising activities are discussed in the January Signals Newsletter. Dave W0OXB is currently out of town, but has reported that antenna raising has been put on hold for the winter, although planning moves ahead, do not be afraid to ask for help. So please contact Dave WØOXB or a SARA officer if you need help, antenna or otherwise.
New Ham Resource Team: Brian NØBJE and Mark KEØQQN
This group is an outreach program providing help to newly licensed and veteran hams alike. Brian N0BJE reports that there has been a steady demand for the Team’s resources. The KDØOTB Memorial Loaner HF Station, which includes an Icom
IC-718 HF rig, manual tuner, power supply, and antenna, available for loan. We now have a Yaesu FT-840 with accessories available for loan as a part of the KBØOHI Loaner HF Station. We also have two Yaesu FT-70DR VHF/UHF HTs available for loan. There are also various parts and pieces available for antennas, etc., available for loan. Contact Brian or Mark KE0QQN if interested in any of the equipment.
Washington County ARES: John KAØHYR
Check the www.mnwashcoares.net web site regularly for current events, net schedule, and other items of significance. The ARES Net is held every 3rd Wednesday of month 6:30 PM, then next scheduled for January 20th, on the 147.180 repeater. The Newport site has a 74.4 PL, and the Forest Lake site has a 100.0 PL.
DX News: Mike NØODK
Bob W0GAF mentioned that the SKCC (Straight Key Century Club) CW contest is active all this month. It is a low stress contest that provides a great opportunity to work on your CW.
Get the latest DX news by subscribing to the ARRL DX News. And check out www.ng3k.com for the DX calendar. Also see the WA7BNM Contest Calendar at contestcalendar.com.
Upcoming Contests:
North American QSO Party, CW: beginning at 1800 UTC January 9 through 0600 UTC January 10.
North American QSO Party, SSB: beginning at 1800 UTC January 16 through 0600 UTC January 17.
ARRL January VHF Contest: beginning 1900 UTC January 16 through 0359 UTC January 18.
Winter Field Day (see winterfieldday.com): beginning 1900 UTC January 30 through 1900 UTC January 31.
Remote Base Project (RBP): Pat WAØTDA
Pat WAØTDA reports that the remote bases are all running well. There has been tremendous up-time this past month for all the remote stations. Pat checks the stations twice a day and usually finds at least one person using them when he checks. Pat would like to get a couple of new laptops with solid state drives for the remote stations, but prefers to inspect the equipment in person, and with COVID, that is not an option.
If you would like access to the remote stations, go to RemoteHams website to download the program, and contact Pat for permission to use the three remote base stations available.
Newsletter: Pat WAØTDA & Dave WØOXB
The deadline for the February issue of SARA Signals is the weekend of February 6-7. If you have an article, please avoid Pat’s Comcast email address; rather send them to WA0TDA@arrl.net or WA0TDA@gmail.com. Drop box is also a good option.
A continuing thanks to Pat WAØTDA and Dave WØOXB for their work on the newsletter.
Wearables
Do not forget that SARA-labeled hats, shirts, jackets, and other wearables are available from www.hamthreads.com. SARA members will receive a discount on all orders.
Club Business:
SARA Dues: Joe KCØOIO noted that 2021 dues, which run from January 1 through December 31, can be sent to the club address:
Stillwater Amateur Radio Association
1618 Pine Street W
Stillwater, MN 55082
The online application and PayPal payment option is also available at the SARA radioham.org website.
Please go to the website and complete an application as we need to know if you are a member of ARRL as the club needs that information for our continued association with the League.
If you have not paid yet, please do.
Shel NØDRX reports that we currently have 95 paid members for 2021, which is ahead of last year’s numbers.
Officers election: 2021 Club officer elections were held. Joe KC0OIO turned the election over to the SARA club Trustee, Shel N0DRX.
A slate of candidates were nominated at the December 12, 2020 Membership meeting:
President: Joe Heitzinger KCØOIO
Vice President: Bob Jensen WØGAF
Secretary: Dave Iverson N9JNQ
Treasurer: Rich Smith ADØSN
Director 2021 – 2022: Zack Zaccagnini AAØU
Shel called three times for additional nominations for any or all of the offices. No additional nominations were offered.
A motion to close nominations was made by Greg K0GW, seconded by George K0GCP. Motion carried.
A motion to elect the slate of candidates was made by Greg K0GW, seconded by Jim KI0B. Motion carried.
Joe KC0OIO thanked Dan KE0IYF for his service as Director, and welcomed Zack AA0U as the new Director for 2021 though 2022. Doug N9TOW is the current Director holding the second two year term, and will be up for election next year. The appointment of the Trustee, currently held by Shel N0DRX will be considered at the next Board Meeting.
On the motion of Bob W0GAF, seconded by Greg K0GW, the business portion of the meeting was adjourned at 9:35 AM.
Program:
Amateur Satellites, AMSAT, & ARISS by Frank Karnauskas N1UW.
Frank is the AMSAT Vice President of Development and AMSAT News Service Rotating Editor. Frank provided a highly entertaining discussion of the history of amateur radio satellites, described the difference in orbits, the various modes of communication, and what the future of AMSAT entails. Interestingly, Frank described the fierce competition to get a ride from NASA, which has led to the relationship between AMSAT and Universities to incorporate experimentation into the satellites to interest NASA. Frank described what you may “need to play” with the satellites. Of interest is the current transmission of SSTV by the space station through the ARISS program.
The entire program is available at the SARA YouTube Channel playlist found at youtube.com/ playlist?list =PLoaYHzHAObWTib9y95HDRybbRIw cfiMW, and Frank’s slide deck can be found on the SARA website front page. You are strongly encouraged to give it a look if you missed the meeting, or if you would like a refresher.
Thanks much to Frank for the informative presentation.
The program was concluded at 10:22 AM.
Meeting attendance: 34