[ETS/PARC List] [RVRC] Please take the time to read this email

Tue Nov 20 08:01:19 EST 2012

 As president of ETS of NJ - I fully understand this issue. I have seen club
"participation" on the decline since I joined the club in 2006. I agree that
this is a problematic issue and one that we need to address.

Perhaps there are things that multiple clubs can do together to foster more
participation?

I'd be happy to meet with anyone who would like to discuss this further.
Because of the holiday and work - this is not a good week, but I will have
time between Thanksgiving and New Year's. I can be reached anytime at
908-704-1222 or jcash at joecash.com .

I hope that everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

73,

Joe
W2OZO

Joseph F. Cash, Jr.
Keller Williams Cornerstone Realty - Belle Mead
908-704-1222 - wireless
908-359-0893 - office
908-566-0778 - e-fax
www.joecash.com
jcash at joecash.com

-----Original Message-----
From: rvrc-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:rvrc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
Behalf Of drew Moore
Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2012 6:29 PM
To: RVRC
Cc: KA2OEE at arrl.net
Subject: [RVRC] Please take the time to read this email

Members,

Below is an email  Bob Grear, KA2OEE, President of W2CRA- The Cherryville
Repeater Association sent out to members of the club. This could be any of
the local clubs in NNJ.

At our last RVRC meeting we couldn't even make a quorum so no official
business could be conducted. The dwindling numbers of members attending
meetings has been going on for some time now so it isn't just HS Sandy. We
have a number of issues being addressed and we need the input of all the
club members to get through theses economically difficult times. Keeping the
repeater(s) on the air can be expensive. We are in the process of submitting
a claim for the damages we have incurred in the recent storm to our
insurance carrier. In any event we are going to incur some unexpected
expenditures and we'll find a way to raise the funds.

Once we raise the funds we have to be careful of how we restore our network.
We should address contingencies and we need people thinking out of the box.
Some realities we experienced is that when we have destructive storms and we
are in a JCP&L coverage area there's no telling how the duration of the
outage. Our current backup system was ineffective since we experience
outages well beyond the 8 hour of emergency power. The Asterisk network's
dependency on internet services and power. Perhaps we should look at a
fallback solution where everything can be switched to RF power employing a
generator and a rechargeable battery option. Rich, KB2LLM has some great
contingency ideas he wants to institute for ETSNJ. 

We need a way to attract new members and keep them interested. The 2 guest
that were at the meeting were looking for class instruction and help in
understanding how to use their VHF.UHF and HF equipment. Many members
offered help and John AB2XH offered to meet with one of the guest and help
him understand the Q&A of the study guide, great. There's a lot of
experience in the group. Because we have no current training classes I
referred the guest to W2CRA's group via K2PA.

I know many are concerned as to what the dues will look like for 2013
especially since they will be due by January1, 2013. There's talk about an
assessment. N2VM suggest we set the dues rate at a higher amount for 2013
and revert to the $36 amount in 2014 (e.g. at $72 for 2013 and $36 January
1, 2014).That way we'll know what potential incoming amounts to expect.
Knowing that it forces us to determine exactly what we need for operating
budget and what we have avail for capital expense for 2013. Any additional
needs will have to come from fund raising activities. I think we should
charge new members $20 for 2013 with proration. That's a start in so many
different ways.

Anyhow here's Bob's letter below Please take the time to read it and
recognize that's it's not unlike what we are fast approaching.

73

Drew

W2OU

Dear CRA members:
?
Over the last couple of week, I have been exchanging e-mails with some of
our members regarding the state of CRA, the .375 machine, the web page, and
our dwindling membership turnout.? This has touched a nerve with me, as I
have been a member of CRA since 1981, and I am frankly both distressed, and
angry about our current situation!
?
Folks, this club has been around a long time, and I am proud to be a member
and officer of a club with a great history of community service and amateur
radio spirit.? I am NOT proud of where we stand right now.? Our repeater
needs work, our web site needs to be revised and updated, we direly need
someone to publicize the club in traditional ways, and we need to recruit
new members!? The Executive Board has discussed each of these topics
repeatedly over the last two or three years, and we are not making
progress!? 
?
Executive Board members have been taking on increasing responsibility for
running the club's routine activities including the hamfest, the community
service events, the awards/holiday dinner, and even the education and
testing we sponsor.? The entire two member Technical Committee is made up
only of Executive Board members.? We have no standing committees at all and
when I or Michael before me have asked for volunteers for committees or work
parties to assist the technical committee, we have rarely had anyone raise a
hand to offer assistance.? It is as if the members attending the meetings
are totally deaf!? What will it take to get the members to step forward and
take part in the necessary functions of the club?
?
The few non-board members who turn out for club meetings don't seem at all
motivated to volunteer to make CRA grow and prosper!? Yes, we need to
recruit new members, but  the existing members need to get involved in the
process!? Yes, we need to fix the repeater "once and for all", but to do
that, the existing members need to get involved to make it happen!? How much
longer are YOU, the members, going to expect someone else to step forward
and do it?? CRA cannot exist much longer if YOU, the members, don't take on
the tasks of doing the club's work!!
?
I know all of us are not as young as we used to be, but I am not asking you
to put up towers at Field day, or for that matter do a whole lot that
involves physical labor!? All of us had to have enough of a technical
understanding to pass our license exams!? Most of us know how to turn a
screwdriver or take a voltage reading with a meter.? People, you don't need
to be an engineer with an advanced degree to help with the repeater
repairs!? You don't need to have a degree in public relations to contact the
news outlets to announce club events!? Any one of us can do that.
?
Where do you stand in all this?? I want to hear from you!? E-mail me!? Call
my home phone (908) 231-0746.? Talk to me on the air!? 
?
We are at a critical point in CRA's history.? Let's all step up and fix what
is broken.? Put aside your differences with personalities and volunteer for
the greater good of the club!? Let me hear from you!
?
Sincerely,
?
Bob Grear, KA2OEE
President, Cherryville Repeater Association II