Mar 2024 Club Meeting Minutes
- date
- 2024-03-16
- convened
- 09:30
- adjourned
- 10:18
Officers
- President: David Bailey (K5DKB) present
- Vice President: Paul Bilke (KF5WGJ) present
- Secretary: Matthew Barry (KG5LYE) present
- Treasurer: Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ) present
Attendees (31)
Quorum attained!
- David Bailey (K5DKB)
- Gary Baldwin (KF5ZRT)
- Matthew Barry (KG5LYE)
- Paul Bilke (KF5WGJ)
- David Cooper (KI5JPG)
- Ron Estes (KJ5EFO)
- Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)
- Phil Gates (N5ZKF)
- Ron Hambric (N5SBN)
- Tom Johnson (KI5ZPG)
- Jim Laird (KF5YY)
- Jeff McDowell (KI5CES)
- Ray Meech (WA5IWB)
- Mike Mertes (KZ5M)
- Kerry Miller (WD5ABC)
- Becky Miller (K5BEC)
- Joe Napoli (KG5SDF)
- Bob O'Connell (KC5DWB)
- James Pfeffer (KJ5BRH)
- Rick Pfeil (W4RDP)
- Bill Preston (KZ3G)
- Brad Snyder (KG5SDE)
- Harold Turbyfill (KG5SDG)
- David Vickers (KI5WEH)
- Ken Wilson (KE5DFR)
- Mike Wisby (KA5HIA)
- Nathan Wood (KN4TTV)
- J.R. Hatton
- Lee Kuty
- Laura Cass
- Carson Cass
Officer Reports
President
David Bailey (K5DKB)
- 501(c)(3) IRS obligations for 2023 have been fulfilled
- Thank-you to Tom Johnson for agreeing to be part of our business committee!
- Thank-you to Dave Vickers for serving last year!
Vice-President
Paul Bilke (KF5WGJ)
- Field Day season coming up
- Will be begging for volunteers soon
- KA5HIA: Field Day is normally last full weekend of June, but this year is the week before
- 2024-06-22/23
- ARRL website says 4th full weekend in June (which just happens to be the last weekend much of the time)
- SkyWarn this week on Wednesday
Secretary
Matthew Barry (KG5LYE)
Approval of Minutes
- Hearing no corrections, minutes stand approved as sent out
- Minutes from this meeting will be sent out later today
Treasurer
Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)
Last Month’s Statement
- Starting balance: $9,011.14
- Income: $75
- $15 for dues
- $30 for club sales
- $30 for ARRL VE exam fees
- Disbursements: $106.32
- $30 exam fees
- $76 for American Legion Veteran’s (5th) Thursday Kolaches
- $0.32 Mystery service charge
- Field Day VISA gift card prize? (please use it up if you have it)
- Ending balance: $8,979.82
Club Merchandise
- Winter Field Day 2023 stickers: $2
- Club logo pins (limited): $3
- Club logo stickers: $2
- Club logo window clings: $2
- Club logo patches: $5
- Club logo keychains: $2
- Club logo buttons: $2 (New!)
Membership Renewals
Membership can be renewed in any of the following ways:
- online at Ham Club Online
- request PayPal invoice via email
- mail in cash or check (PO Box 4442, Bryan, TX 77805–4442)
- bring cash or check in-person at a meeting
Other Business
Brazos County ARES
Ron Hambric (N5SBN)
- Meeting this Monday, 2024-03-18
- Bring your HT go-kit
Robertson County ARES
Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)
- Meeting last weekend at KI5FIZ’s house to put up weather station
- Thursday night (20:00) net on W5KVN Repeater
RACES
Mike Wisby (KA5HIA)
- RELLIS update:
- Radio folks came from Austin
- New contractor walk-through
- measurements, photos, etc. for running hard-line from roof to radio room
- still waiting on coax and antennas
- Would like to have open house out there in the future
- 66,000 sq ft warehouse
- climate-controlled
- lots of emergency supplies in there
- planning to build several more around the state
- lots of army cots available for housing
Voyager 1 is still alive!
Ken Wilson (KE5DFR)
- NASA poked it and got a response
- the noise they’ve been seeing is a subprocessor memory dump
- WA5IWB: Worked JPL during Neptune fly-by, and they sent a package of 8x10 in photos in addition to a QSL card
Balloon Launch
Ray Meech (WA5IWB)
- Apologies again for the mishap during Winter Field Day
- Still have the package; will try again
- KI5FIZ: Planning another launch for Saturday of Field Day
- will have live tracking during the rest of Field Day
W5BCS Repeater Improvements
Phil Gates (N5ZKF)
- Thanks to Paul Bilke (KF5WGJ) for putting together all of the recent improvements on the W5BCS repeater:
- Echolink
- Broadcastify
- D-STAR
- Note: our gateway will be updated in the upcoming weeks/month
- Recommend registration on cloud site instead of our own host
- Yaesu has deal on repeaters:
- Can get an upgrade to the current rpeater for $700 (less than half the normal price)
- Can also get a “backup” for the same deal price
- For additional $200, we get Internet connectivity for control and C4RM (WIRES-X)
Motion by David Vickers (KI5WEH):
to budget $900 (with flexibility for taxes, shipping) to purchase a spare W5BCS repeater for the club
Seconded by Mike Wisby (KA5HIA).
Outcome:
passes unanimously
- W4RDP: Charlie Culver is getting close to retirement… What happens to the tower if/when that happens?
- not official, but Chairlie said would be willing to putt the support of our club as part of the terms
Radio in the Park
David Bailey (K5DKB)
- Radio in the Park (weather permitting) after
- Traditionally has been at Tanglewood Park
- Parks on the Air activation?
- Get in the truck to go to a state park after the meeting if anyone is interested
Health and Welfare / Good of the Order
- Congrats to Kerry Miller (WD5ABC) and Becky Miller (K5BEC) on their recent marriage!
- Mike Wisby (KA5HIA) hhas a second grandchild
- If anyone needs help with anything please reach out to the club. You can contact any of the officers at:
Closing
Motion by Rick Pfeil (W4RDP):
to adjourn the meeting
Seconded by Bob O'Connell (KC5DWB).
Outcome:
passes unanimously
Next Meeting
2024-04-20 09:30 at American Legion Post 159
- Radio in the Park after
After-Meeting Show-and-Tell
- Mike Wisby (KA5HIA): AM/FM/short-wave receiver for embassy personnel
- Phil Gates (N5ZKF): folded exponential horn “analog (sound) impedance matching amplifier”
- Tom Johnson (KI5ZPG): label maker in “wire mode” and megohmmeter (for measuring insulation on cables, winding on motors, etc.)
- David Vickers (KI5WEH): HF go-kit briefcase and backpack (in a backpack) w/ radios, wires, antennas
- Kerry Miller (WD5ABC): $100 (tr)uSDX kit and $10 Harbor Freight foam-insert case (Watch for counterfeits! Go to DL2MAN for list of authorized sellers)
- David Bailey (K5DKB): Also brought a (tr)uSDX!