[K3pzn-board] Club Meeting
Frank Rodski
k3mtt at verizon.net
Mon Feb 14 14:52:47 EST 2005
Steve et al.
Greetings on this rainy day!
I am not feeling well today and my making the meeting tonight is doubtful at
best. I am therefore going to share all of my comments in this Email since
I probably won't see you until the BoD meeting next week.
Steve, I agree with you that the BoD needs to discuss this matter. However
I feel the $$$$$, the mechanics (literally) of the vehicle, the fact that
only a select few could drive it, negative comments by some members and that
it was probably not the best way to go in the first place are the issues,
not a lack of interest. The time line for something real to occur was too
long; and that was a function of repairs, insurance, $$$ and probably some
negative attitude. The Board didn't give the MCC Committee a chance. Not
enough $$, some against the project and too much intervention and comments
on methodologys had a negative impact. If the $$ was allotted to finish the
job AND it was left up the Committee as originally planned to acquire and
install equipment with out Board intervention it probably could have gotten
done. In this case the Board was definitely a negative influence.
We took possession of the Van with an understanding that it was going to be
used as an MCC and if it didn't work in a year we would consider other
methods of providing that type of service. I feel we are obligated to
consider the alternatives at this point and wrote an Email to that effect a
week or so ago.
If we sell the van off without channeling that money into a better way of
doing (emergency communications) business, that is, we would be doing a
disservice to the club. The VAN was not the only way to proceed. There were
and are other options, better options I believe than a van. Using a trailer
that will be much less expensive to maintain and doesn't require any
insurance other than what would be required for a regular camper. This
would undoubtedly be much less expensive than auto insurance. As someone at
the Board meeting commented the other day, our treasury is in good shape.
What would we do with the $$$ from the sale of the van if we didn't use it
to put together the MCC in a different fashion. Would we spend it as wisely
with the same legacy. Probably not.
Given the current situation and the comments thus far leads me to believe
that if we were granted the funding for the emergency communications
network we are seeking, its completion would be even more unattainable as
that undertaking is a couple of orders of magnitude more complicated. It
would take a lot more continuous work to maintain and test and keep running
AND we only have a couple of people who have enough expertise to get it
going let alone maintain it. As happens all the time, people change jobs,
move out of town, have kids etc. that make them disappear from the club and
their favorite projects. And that is ok if we have enough people with the
right expertise to replace them. We have more expertise available to us
to set up an MCC than we have to build the complicated network that we
proposed. If we really don't have enough support for an MCC, do we really
think we will be able to get enough to support an undertaking such as the
network? or even the portable suitcase (shipping trunk) communications
systems for the shelters? I think not.
Certainly a communications vehicle is roughly equivalent to the portable
stations in knowledge required. Surely setting up a MCC in a camper/trailer
is probably less work than building and maintaining several iterations of
emergency communications systems for the shelters. Am I advocating we
abandon those projects also? No ... not at all. We must be careful that the
projects we do are attainable for the good of the WHOLE Club and not the pet
of any one individual. The Club is made up of many folks ... not just
Board members and a select few.
I don't feel we need a new trailer. My brother bought a used one and he and
the VHF/UHF contesters at K3YTL easily turned it into a contesting trailer
using cheap paneling, pre-made counter tops etc. The money not spent on a
new trailer can go into buying radios. Further, new trailers/campers tend to
be expensive. Again, this project can be done over time and does not have
the pressure of a vehicle that must be maintained or a network that must be
built and fine tuned. We surely have more people in the club that know
woodworking and metal techniques than there are mechanics and computer
communications network technicians etc. If we don't have the interest and
knowledge to build an MCC into a camper, is there any possibility we could
pull off a complicated network and multiple emergency communications
centers in a box?
I also feel that the MCC trailer would make a fine station's) at FD. It
would be larger than the Van, have more storage room and other than some
onboard batteries, there would be little to maintain. I keep hearing over
and over at the BoD meeting about how we need to improve our ARES; to get
integrated into the county and other organization planning. Well, if we
haven't seen the handwriting on the wall by now we are not looking and just
kidding ourselves. We can write all the plans and documents we want ... but
the ONLY thing that will count in the long run is a WORKING MCC that will
testify to just what we can do as opposed to all the gum flapping that has
been going on. Others have got grants because they have proven what they can
do, lately, in today's world, not years ago. When I worked for the Gov, the
best way to kill a project was to plan it to death. Planning is necessary
but should not kill a project. In a sense planning killed or is killing the
MCC. There was plenty of communications, lots of talk, and a number of
plans policies and procedures and strong suggestions to get better
integrated into the county. Well ... we have been there before ... and we
tried it again .... now is the time to can the bureaucratic crap ( I have
35 years of experience in that area) and just get the d---- thing done.
To abandon the plan because we shot for the stars and didn't quite make it
means that we are saying the moon is unattainable too. If we are unwilling
to try, shame on us. Shame on HAM radio and shame on the CCARC.
Repositioning and replanting are not a sign of failure, but quitting is.
There are plenty of other places to be associated with failure.
Now its time to put up or shut up. If we continue the project, I will remain
on the committee and would offer to continue to work as co chair even though
I truly would like to be associated with other club projects. I would take
the chair but I can't predict when my health is going to act up and for how
long. It is important that this project have continuous ongoing leadership
which I don't feel I can provide at this time.
Have a nice day.
Frank K3MTT
-----Original Message-----
From: k3pzn-board-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:k3pzn-board-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Stephen C Beckman
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 9:19 AM
To: w3mdc at arrl.net; Board of Directors of the Carroll County Amateur Radio
Club
Subject: Re: [K3pzn-board] Club Meeting
Greetings Keith;
The BoD should first discuss the option of turning the van into a trailer
before we bog the club down in this matter. If it's really a lack of club
interest and participation, then a trailer will have the very same issues.
73; Steve, N3SB
Keith Krichinsky
<kkrichinsky at gmai
l.com> To
Sent by: Board of Directors of the CCARC
k3pzn-board-bounc <k3pzn-board at mailman.qth.net>
es at mailman.qth.ne cc
t
Subject
[K3pzn-board] Club Meeting
02/14/2005 09:02
AM
Please respond to
w3mdc at arrl.net;
Please respond to
Board of
Directors of the
Carroll County
Amateur Radio
Club
<k3pzn-board at mail
man.qth.net>
Gentlemen;
My attendance at this evenings meet does not look favorable at this time.
Steve, please bring up the sugesstion that we abandon the van project
due to a lack of interest/participation by the club membership. My
suggestion is to sell the vehicle and consider the purchase of a NEW
trailer that we could customize from the ground up. This must have
club interest AND support to be persued.
Additionally, as we discussed on Saturday, I will run again for the
BoD. (Steve, you know the rest.)
Happy Valentine's Day to each of you and your spouses or spouse
equivalents.
--
Keith Krichinsky - W3MDC
"No genetically modified electrons were used in the
preparation of this e-mail."
-----------------------------------------------------BREAK------------------
-------------------------------
Next Board Meeting Wednesday, February 23, 7:30 PM at the FTC.
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BoD
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-----------------------------------------------------BREAK------------------
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Next Board Meeting Wednesday, February 23, 7:30 PM at the FTC.
_______________________________________________
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BoD
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