[FPARC] MINUTES OF MAY MEETING

[Kd4spw]

  FORT PIERCE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB - MINUTES - 5/11/2011
 
      The regular monthly meeting of the Fort Pierce Amateur Radio Club was chaired by President, Kevin Walker, W4KKW. Attendance was 16. Visiting was Bert, VE3KBW.
 
      MINUTES: The minutes of the April meeting were approved as distributed, after motion by Steve, N4SGL, and seconded by Jack, K4JAK
 
      TREASURY: Treasurer Carl, KF4KCI’s discussed his report. His report was approved as distributed after motion by Keith, W4RPE, and seconded by Kurt, W4KFH.

 
      President Kevin Walker, W4KKW, said that a Vero Beach group will be holding Technician Class Licensing classes later in May. He also said that at the VBARC meeting tomorrow David Morris, N5UP, will have a presentation about his software program E-QSL.
Kevin, W4KKW, said that he has asked Joe, KD4BTD, to ask WQCS engineer Randy, that during the next tower climb at WQCS, to have the climbers dis-connect and re-connect our feedline connectors at our antennas, to make sure they are in good shape.

 
      FIELD DAY: Kevin, W4KKW, said that this year our club is participating in an St. Lucie Co. EOC ARES group Field Day, along with PSLARA. He said that Harry, KJ4SRY, Don W4KTD, and Harold, N3UY, will represent FPARC on the Field Day committee. Kevin asked Don and Steve, N4SGL, to talk about the event. Steve told why he has asked both clubs to join together under an EOC ARES event. Steve said he wants to hold an event in an area that will have public traffic nearby, in hopes that many will stop by and that ultimately we can persuade more people to become Hams and support local clubs and the ARES EOC group. Steve said that the committee is looking at having the Red Cross and CERT set up displays at F. D. Steve said the committee is looking at a hopeful site at Tradition in Southwest Port St. Lucie. Kevin, W4KKW, said that he had hoped for a more centrally located F.D. site. They plan to run 2A, with a GOTA station, 6-meter, and use computer logging. Quite a F.D. discussion followed.
      There will be a F.D. antenna trailer work day at the old EOC Saturday, May 14.
Steve, N4SGL, said that instead of an ARES EOC meeting for May, there will be a retirement party for Greg Bunting, KB4VVE that evening, May 18, at the PSL U.S. 1 Golden Corral.
 
      Kevin, W4KKW, asked about the March of Dimes Walk. Pete, KD4SPW, said that like last year, the event was quite short on Amateur participation. He said that just 6 hams came, but other than that, the event went well. Pete wondered if we might get more local ham support if we got our local hams more used to public service by participating in more of these types of events.
 
      Carl, W7RCW, asked Steve, N4SGL to discuss ARES group participation in Red Cross shelters, since we have such limited Amateur support already. Steve said St. Lucie Co. runs the Red Cross shelters at the schools and would like to improve support for those shelters, including Amateur Radio Operators.
 
      HAMFEST: We held a short Hamfest discussion. Steve, N4SGL, made a motion to spend up to $750 for Hamfest prizes. Harold, N3UY seconded and it passed. Pete, KD4SPW, will contact ARRL Section Manager David Fowler, K4DLF about interest in an ARRL forum.

 
      ATTENDANCE: KD4SPW, W4KTD, W4KKW, K4JAK, W4RPE, N4SGL, KJ4LWZ, KI4UUT, N3UY, VE3KBW, W4KFH, KD4BTD, W4ZE, KC0KAC, W7RCW.
 
      Submitted by Secretary Peter Amar, KD4SPW.