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!