MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES – October 13 2018
MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES – October 13, 2018
Stillwater Amateur Radio Association
President: Joe KCØOIO
The meeting was called to order at 9:01 AM.
Secretary’s Report: Collin KEØIYN
The general meeting minutes from the September 18, 2018 meeting are posted on the website. Please report any corrections to: Secretary@radioham.org
Treasurer’s Report: Rich ADØSN
Beginning Balance: 9/1/2018 $2.880.03
Income:
Expenses:
Ending Balance: 9/30/2018 $3,016.13 (Not including RBP income/expenses)
$17,179.40 (Including RBP income/expenses)
Education and Training: Bob WØGAF
The General Class License Course started on September 13th and will run to November 1, 2018. A thanks to all instructors for helping with the class.
The VE exam session will be held on November 8th at Boutwells.
An Extra Class License Study Group that is running at the same time as the 2018 General classes will be a participant-led cooperative learning also at the library.
Activities & Events: Dave WØOXB (Not Present)
Thursday Night Eyeball Sessions are held at the Stillwater Public Library at 6 PM.
October 18th – SARA Board Meeting.
Tech Topics (a new feature) will be the 1st Thursday of each month. A Topic Coordinator is needed. Anyone can volunteer to be a Topic Leader. Just pick a topic you want to learn about; study up; then lead the discussion. There will be no topic for November as it will be the Thursday before Split Rock and many will be preparing their final packing for the trip.
Skill Sessions will be on the 4th Thursday of each month. Anyone can suggest and lead a Skills Night. The next skill session will be on October 25th on logging and operating for special events. This will have the bonus of simulating the QRM/QRN found in a real special event environment.
Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald Split Rock Lighthouse Special Event: Nov 2-4, 2018. This will be the 14th consecutive year. 20 people have tentatively signed up so far. The Thunder Bay group has already RSVP’d. Please notify Dave by e-mail if you are planning to attend so he can send you a note with this year’s details. We will have three stations this year – two in the activity center and the trailer will be set up for digital modes. The Northern Lights Roadhouse (where we had our Friday night fish fry) had a dryer fire in June in a second floor apartment. Their phone number is currently disconnected. So we may have to make alternate Friday dinner plans. Bob’s wife, Connie, has volunteered to cook meatball hoagies for the evening meal on Saturday.
M.A.P. – Dave WØOXB
This has been a very active year for new and replacement antennas. A future projects list is maintained by Dave WØOXB and Joe KCØOIO.
Work was recently completed with Holly KEØRRZ on getting multiple antennas up at her QTH.
A community wire antenna will be installed soon at Hazelwood Park, just off Beam Avenue in Maplewood. Anyone will be able to access the antenna by parking beside it and hooking directly to your portable or mobile rig.
Remote Base Project (RBP)
Both of the remote stations are currently up and running and are 160 meter capable.
Washington County ARES: John KAØHYR
The ARES net takes place on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. October 24th will be the next net on 146.985 SEMARC repeater at 6:30 PM.
There is upcoming AUXCOMM training available on November 17-18, by signing up. It is required to have taken all the FEMA courses (ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-700, ICS-800) before attending. Please see John KAØHYR for more information.
Check the web site www.mnwashcoares.org regularly for current events, net schedule, and other items of significance.
SARA Nets & Ragchews: Joe KCØOIO
2 meter ragchew is held every Wednesday night at 9 PM CDT. You can find us at 147.060 MHz DCS code 026N.
160 meters SARA Top Band Ragchew is at 1.966 MHz or close by depending on band conditions and interference. They operate every night except Tuesday & Thursday at 8 PM CDT.
SARA Tuesday evening Round Robin RagChew – Will now be operating on 75 Meters 3.803 MHz LSB starting at 7PM CDT.
SARA Monday morning Round Robin RagChew – It will be operating at 3.856 MHz at 9:00 AM CDT.
The Digital Net will return On Sunday, October 21st at 7 PM CDT. The frequency will be 3.582.15 USB or as directed by the NCS. The Net Coordinator will email details (mode, frequency, & NCS) on the day of the net.
Newsletter & Website: Pat WAØTDA & Dave WØOXB
Thanks to Pat and Dave for putting together the newsletter! Additional contributors are always needed. Deadline for the next issue is October 24th due to attempting to meet deadlines for Split Rock. Many thanks to Holly for joining the newsletter team to assist with proofreading and other work.
DX News: Mike NØODK (not present)
The VP6D – Ducie Island 2018 DX-pedition is on schedule. The equipment is already in Tauranga, New Zealand. They are expected to be up and running October 20th – November 3rd. Ducie Island is an uninhabited atoll in the Pitcairn Islands in the South Pacific Ocean.
The ARRL School Club Contest will be running October 15-19. More information can be found on the ARRL.org website.
The 61st annual Scout Jamboree will be taking place October 19-21. Look for information from K2BSA, the official call of scouting.
Check out www.ng3k.com for DX & Contest Calendar information.
Wearables:
SARA wearables are available from www.hamthreads.com. You can order individually just be sure to give the club name since they have all our logos prepared and on hand.
Program Schedule:
Oct: System Fusion with Chris K9EQ
Nov: What’s with this FT8 –Joe KCØOIO
Dec: Electronic Keyers – John W9LHG
Jan: S.W.E.E.P.
Currently taking suggestions for February through May 2019
Old Business:
SARA coffee mugs are on sale for $3 each – See Keith AGØH.
The SARA Oval Sticker/Decals are on sale for $1 each or you can get the reflective one for $2 from Rich ADØSN.
Purchase of an FTM-400DR –
After club approval, a Yaesu FTM-400DR was acquired for use with club gear for events. It is currently being prepared for service during Split Rock Lighthouse special event station.
New Business:
Officer Nominations –
The annual nomination of Officers for the SARA board will be held at the December meeting. Positions include President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and one general director seat available. President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer serve one-year terms, with the general director seat serving a two-year term.
Good of Association:
SEMARC Meeting – their next meeting will be October 30th at 7 PM at the Zion Lutheran Church located at 8500 Hillside Trail in Cottage Grove.
The SEMARC monthly breakfast is scheduled for October 20th at the North Pole Restaurant in Newport at 7:30 AM.
SEMARC’s VE session is held on the third Saturday of month (except December) at 9 AM at the Zion Lutheran Church, 8500 Hillside Trail in Cottage Grove.
A metro-wide HAMS in the Park will be on the 2nd Saturday beginning at 12 noon. The North location will be at Long Lake Park, 1500 Old Highway 8, and New Brighton. For more info go to www.hamoperator.com/park. The South location will be at Farquar Park, 13266 Pilot Knob Rd, Apple Valley. For more info go to Minnesota Ham Radio 147.5 MHz Group on Facebook.
Upcoming Hamfests:
None at this time.
50/50 Drawing:
$66 was collected. AG0H won $33 and donated the winnings back to the club.
Program – System Fusion – Chris Petersen K9EQ
Chris Petersen brought in several Yaesu radios, discussing the origin of Yaesu and the beginnings of System Fusion. This included discussions of the many ways to make Fusion work in multiple environments. A demonstration was had about using hot spots and WIRES-X to create local nodes to the Fusion network, along with a few demonstrations on various systems using even simple Fusion capable radios for control of rooms and other items pertaining to Fusion digital mode.
The program and meeting concluded at 11:13 AM.
Meeting attendance: 33