Jun 2025 Club Meeting Minutes
- date
- 2025-06-21
- convened
- 09:30
- adjourned
- 10:34
Officers
- President: David Bailey (K5DKB) present
- Vice President: Tom Johnson (KI5ZPG) present
- Secretary: Matthew Barry (KG5LYE) present
- Treasurer: Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ) present
Attendees (34)
Quorum attained!
- David Bailey (K5DKB)
- Matthew Barry (KG5LYE)
- Roseanne Cunningham (KC5FGG)
- Jon Edwards (KI5YZR)
- Ron Estes (KJ5EFO)
- Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)
- Phil Gates (N5ZKF)
- Ron Hambric (N5SBN)
- Tom Johnson (KI5ZPG)
- Jim Laird (KF5YY)
- Garrett Martin (W5HVS)
- Gregg McCravey
- Russ McDonald (KL2PB)
- Jeff McDowell (KI5CES)
- Shawn McGee (KJ5HBA)
- Joe Napoli (KG5SDF)
- Bob O'Connell (KC5DWB)
- Wayne Pecena (N1WP)
- Rick Pfeil (W4RDP)
- Bill Preston (KZ3G)
- Larry Shiver (KJ5KFU)
- Elizabeth Shutt (KJ5IDP)
- Jason Shutt (KI5LGO)
- Brad Snyder (W5BLS)
- Mike Streiff (KJ5EEV)
- John Walker (W1JCW)
- Ken Wilson (KE5DFR)
- Mike Wisby (KA5HIA)
- David Snyder
- Kimber Pfeil 🐾
- Church Wilson
- Nathan Wood (KN4TTV)
- Chuck Wilson
- Michelle Wilson
Officer Reports
President
David Bailey (K5DKB)
- ARRL Field Day is next week, 2025-06-28/29
- Lots of planning to do, so I’ll hand it over to him as soon as possible
Vice-President
Tom Johnson (KI5ZPG)
- Samples of embroider hats from HamThreads.com to inspect
- Business cards available for you to order from them directly
Field Day Planning
In chronological order:
- Setup:
- Doors open Saturday, 2025-06-28 09:00
- Antenna setup can begin earlier since we don’t need building access
- Volunteers needed to help set up, move chairs and tables, etc.
- Whataburger has donated breakfast for you
- We’ll have pizza for lunch as well
- Radio Operations
- starts Saturday, 2025-06-28 13:00
- overnight to Sunday, 2025-06-29 13:00
- We’ll be a 2A station
- GOTA station (don’t use W5BCS callsign)
- Generators for power
- Radio equipment from estate of Ernie Laney (K5ENL) /SK
- W5AC will be here on Saturday, but not Sunday
- KI5ZPG got a HamClock and will have that going in the background
- Ham License Exam
- starts at same time as radio operations (13:00)
- Swap table starting after exam
- special thank-you to everyone who went to Lorna’s house to sort through it
- bring your own stuff to sell
- Presentations
- Antennas for beginners… the “for beginners” part is key
- Janelle Johnson returning (and will be taking her Technician exam!)
- Raffle prize: Yaesu FT-6DR
- Tickets are $1, available at Field Day entrance
- Drawing will be 18:00 with dinner to follow
- Saturday Dinner
- Pulled pork sandwiches for dinner Saturday
- $10 suggested donation
- Prepared by Rick Pfeil (W4RDP)
- Bring some desserts!
- Movie night, complete with popcorn!
- Overnight operations
- Door will be locked, but there will be a number posted on the front door
- Pancake breakfast Sunday 09:00
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)
- 75 members
- We now have a credit card reader from PayPal!
Last Month’s Statement
- Starting balance: $10,173.77
- Income: $141
- $86 Brazos ARES reimbursement for trailer tires
- $40 donation to cover logo digitizing fee
- $15 member dues
- Disbursements: $660.66
- $226 PO Box rental (going up next time)
- $40 HamThreads digitizing fee
- $66.20 Elecraft replacement cables (will be returned for partial refund)
- $103.53 laptop cases and mice for radio operations laptops
- $109.95 DX engineering for Raffle prize
- $114.98 for Veteran’s Coffee Kolache
- Ending balance: $9,654.11
Club Merchandise
- Winter Field Day stickers: $2
- Club logo pins (limited): $3
- Club logo stickers: $2
- Club logo window clings: $2
- Club logo patches: $5
- Club logo keychains: $2
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
Radio for Sale
- Elecraft KX3 Transceiver “Shack-in-a-Pack” kit:
- “The Cadillac of QRP radios”
- Transceiver
- PX-3 Panadapter
- Keyer Paddle assembly
- ES-80 Carrying Case
- Additional equipment:
- Box of cables, connectors, and brackets
- Microphone, but appears to need repair
- AX1 Multi-band Whip antenna
- Elecraft T1 Automatic Antenna Tuner
- Price is about $3,400 new
- Offered to club members for $2,500
- Additional Stats:
- Ultra-portable, all-band/all-mode, high-performance for home/mobile/field use
- 160 m through 6 m; 2 m with KX3-2M module (might or might not be included)
- SSB/CW/DATA/AM/FM modes; 10 W+ PEP (100 W with KXPA100 amp)
- Low current drain (150 mA); takes 8 AA cells
- DSP with dual-watch, noise reduction, noise blanking, auto notch filter, stereo effects, audio peaking filter (APF)
- Software-refined radio (SDR)
- Caveats to be aware of:
- Microphone is not functional (needs to be repaired or replaced)
Brazos County ARES (N5BRZ)
Ron Hambric (N5SBN)
- CEOC visits every Friday 09:00
- two Winlink I-Gates
- ICOM 706 with PACTOR-3 modem
- Bands yesterday were pretty bad, but we can try again next week
- ARES meetings 3rd Monday of each month 18:00
Robertson County ARES
Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)
- Thursday night nets on W5KVN repeater
- Previous meeting was to go through equipment
- There was ice cream!
- Fun fact: Most of the Robertson County ARES members actually live in Brazos County
SKYWARN
Ron Estes (KJ5EFO)
- Lots of potential in the atmosphere from this week
- The Atlantic is eerily quiet this hurricane season
- Lakes are very low… Texas needs a lot of rain right now
Madison/Leon County ARES
- Lightning strike: lost a lot of equipment!
- Thankfully, insurance will cover new radios and antennas
RACES
Mike Wisby (KA5HIA)
- Grimes County will have a Field Day location
- Carlos GMRS repeater for severe weather nets (and other emergency support comms)
- We also have a GMRS repeater (KD5DLW) on Tabor Rd
- 900 MHz repeater at RELLIS going up on 2025-07-02
- Will have radio programming info later
- Contractor still needs to install two more antennas
- For more info about RACES, visit TDEM’s website
Dang Squirrels! (Check your main electric drops)
Rick Pfeil (W4RDP)
- I had some squirrels chew through the main drop
- put 240 volts through the house
- Check your wires! If you see anything wrong, call BTU: they’ll fix it for free
- I lost everything that wasn’t on a surge protector!
Health and Welfare / Good of the Order
- If anyone needs help with anything please reach out to the club. You can contact any of the officers at:
- Visit us online at w5bcs.radio
Closing
Motion by Jeff McDowell (KI5CES):
to adjourn the meeting
Seconded by Ken Wilson (KE5DFR).
Outcome:
passes unanimously
Next Meeting
2025-07-19 09:30 at American Legion Post 159