[FPARC] May minutes

[Cheryl and Dash Lenartiene]

FORT PIERCE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB - MINUTES - 5/11/2005

The regular monthly meeting of the Fort Pierce Amateur Radio Club was chaired by President, Art Lindell, W4ZEF. Attendance was 20. Visitors were Corinne, WK1B, and Ladd's daughter Nina.

MINUTES: The minutes of the April meeting were approved as distributed, after motion by Mel, W4DAQ, seconded by Paul, KG4MCE.

TREASURY: Treasurer Carl, KF4KCI's report was approved as distributed after motion by Mel, W4DAQ, seconded by Paul, KG4MCE. Carl said we got the check from our ARRL insurance for hurricane damage. Pete, KD4SPW, gave a breakdown of the insurance amount. Carl said the members had been repaid the loans to get the coax installed.

Total funds: $2266.85.

OLD BUSINESS

Art, W4ZEF, told of needing more coax for Field Day. He and Mel, W4DAQ, said that Greg, KB4VVE, is checking to see if the county can help. Gig, WB4NOZ, said he has some he would like to get rid of.

ECHOLINK: We discussed some good practices such as allowing more time between transmissions and letting the repeater tail drop more often. Art, W4ZEF, said that we need to improve our repeater practices even when ECHOLINK is not being used. Art said that Kevin, W4KKW, has been switching the ECHOLINK over to the 2 meter repeater for our Tuesday night nets. We discussed how net control ops might handle ECHOLINK check-ins. Cheryl, N9SRO, said that she and Joe, KD4BTD, will be away the first week of June. She will need someone to run the net the first Tuesday of June. We also discussed needing other members to become experienced with net control operating. We still have need for an operator for one night.

IRLP: Art, W4ZEF, said IRLP would be at a later date. 

REPEATER: Art, W4ZEF, said both repeaters are now on the air and working well. He turned the floor over to Mel, W4DAQ, to tell the group about the repeaters. Mel said he had to pull the 440 repeater out of the rack to stop the interference. Now the repeater is sitting on the floor next to the rack. He said the plan is to try Randy's suggestion of separating the rack into 2 halves by installing a horizontal piece of sheet metal in the middle.

FIELD DAY: Carl, KF4KCI, will be in Cuba until late Saturday, so we will have to arrange food. Toni, K1TS, agreed to be head cook this year. Keith, W4RPE, said he has all his station captains lined up. Art, W4ZEF, asked Erin, KG4YQK, about PSLARA participation. Erin said all set, but he did not yet know how many would join us. 

HAMFEST: Mel, W4DAQ, said we will have testing this year at the Hamfest.

Art, W4ZEF, asked Pete, KD4SPW, if we had increased the dollar amount of our property insurance yet. Pete said not yet and suggested we get together and decide on new amounts, maybe after a meeting or test session. 

Art, W4ZEF, said we still had a few computers available. 

Carl, KF4KCI, asked about March of Dimes tee shirts. Pete, KD4SPW, said that he should have had them by now.

ATTENDANCE: KD4SPW, W4ZEF, K1TS, K4RS, W4DAQ, KC4GXF, KG4MCE, KG4YQK, 

KI4DUY, KF4IHX, WB4NOZ, N9SRO, KD4BTD, W2KGV, NINA DILLON, 

W K1B, W4RPE, WA4NGR, W4KKW, KF4KCI.

Art, W4ZEF, closed the meeting at 20:57 hours after motion by Mel, W4DAQ, seconded by Roger, K4RS.

CLUB WEBSITE: must use the www www.qsl.net/w4akh

TO JOIN CLUB EMAIL LIST: mailman.qth.net


Submitted by Secretary Peter Amar, KD4SPW.