[FPARC] MINUTES OF JULY MEETING

[Kd4spw]

           FORT PIERCE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB - MINUTES -  7/13/2011
 
      The regular monthly meeting of the Fort Pierce Amateur Radio Club was chaired by President, Kevin Walker, W4KKW.  Attendance was 18. All attending are club members.
 
      MINUTES: The minutes of the June meeting were approved as distributed, after motion by Keith, W4RPE, and seconded by Harold, N3UY.
 
      TREASURY: Treasurer Carl, KF4KCI, was absent, but sent his report for distribution. His report was approved after motion by Bob, KC0KAC, and seconded by Harry, KJ4SRY. Carl also sent along a Field Day accounting. 
 
      Kevin, W4KKW, asked Steve, N4SGL, to talk about Field Day. Steve thanked the Field Day committee for their work, especially Don, W4KTD, and Kurt, W4KFH. Steve discussed some of the Field Day expenses. Steve said that our ARRL Section Manager David Fowler, K4DLF and Assistant S.M. Jeff Beals, WA4AW, said that ours was the most impressive Field Day site that they visited. Steve said that we were short on operators. Kurt, W4KFH, said that both clubs were represented evenly at Field Day. Steve and Don received a Field Day proclamation from the St. Lucie County Commission.
      Steve, N4SGL, told of all the support given to our Field Day event by IRSC's Dr. Paul Forage. Steve said that Dr. Forage would host Amateurs at an open house July 20 at IRSC’s Public Safety Training Complex.
      Kurt, W4KFH, talked about the generator on the club trailer. He said we should have a working generator. Harold, N3UY, said that He and Jody, W4SLD, looked at the generator and found that the engine is frozen. Harold has offered to purchase and donate to the club a used generator for the trailer. Steve, N4SGL, made a motion to accept Harold's offer. Kurt seconded the motion and it passed. Kurt said that he and Greg, KB4VVE, will work towards borrowing a large generator from St. Lucie County to use at next year's Field Day.
 
      Don, W4KTD, said the he believes it is important that we regularly run the generator. He suggested once a month. We discussed using the generator and tower trailer throughout the year, maybe to participate in DX contesting. We have talked of the FPARC and the PSLARA clubs getting to know each other more, this would give us the chance to do so. 
      Steve, N4SGL, said that the FPARC club is invited to the PSLARA picnic BBQ Saturday October 22, 2011 at the PSL Yacht Club on Prima Vista Blvd.
 
      Kevin, W4KKW, thanked all that attended the farewell dinner for John and Gail Stevens, W8RAT and K4LOL. 
 
      We talked about turning the club's other trailer into a tower trailer, maybe with a portable repeater mounted.
 
      Kevin said that he would like to get a plaque to honor Archie Ham, AD3N, as a lifetime member and for his contribution of his repeaters to the FPARC. Steve, N4SGL, made the motion. Harold, N3UY, seconded and it passed.
 
      HAMFEST: After discussion, testing will be at 12:30. There will be 3 forums. An ARRL Section forum, hopefully a D-STAR forum, and Sherri, W4STB, will put on a forum called "Getting publicity for your club". Pete, KD4SPW, will finish mailing the post card flyers this week. Kevin will order prizes soon. We discussed selling admission/raffle tickets at a discount for purchasing multiple tickets. The consensus was 5 for $20. Next month's meeting will be held at the KSU Student Union Cafeteria.
      
      Rocky, KI4UUT, said that Ray Stilwell, WA4MLD, is now out of the hospital after suffering a severe kidney stone infection. 
 
      ATTENDANCE: KD4SPW, KJ4LWZ, W4DUC, W4RPE, KJ4SRY, MARTHA BLANCO, WY5I, KD4BTG, W4KFH, N3UY, W4KTD, W4KKW, N4SGL, KCOKAC, KD4BTD, KI4UUT.
 
                              Submitted by Secretary Peter Amar, KD4SPW.