[OKDXA] Ham Holiday Meeting Minutes (at least as much as I could keep on my iPhone, anyway)

[Kim Elmore]

I was the only officer at Ham Holiday as Bruce had to be out of town and 
Randy was attending the Central States VHF Conference. But, we didn't 
let that stop our meeting!

We actually accomplished a bit and got some good ideas for accomplishing 
more. First off:

1) If you want an OKDXA ID badge, here's where to go to order one Thanks 
to Coy, N5OK, for the link):

http://www.thesignman.com/clubs/okdxa.html

2) Coy also sent me a digital version of the artwork needed for an 
embroidery shop to embroider the OKDXA logo onto a shirt. Attachments 
won't make it through the reflector, so I'll have to have the artwork 
added to the OKDXA web site. If you want it right away, send me a 
request at cw_de_n5op at sbcglobal.net. I'm checking with Hard Edge Design 
here in Norman for the cost to simply embroider the design, name, and 
call onto whatever a customer brings in (shirt, hat, etc). I'll let the 
club know what I learn. Thanks to Coy, N5OK, for the digging up the 
digital artwork!

3) We decided that the club will donate $100 to the Ducie Is. DXpedition 
due to occur late this Fall. Ducie Is. is number 28 (I think) on the 
most-wanted list. There have been only four DXpeditions to Ducie Is., 
the last in 2008.

4) Bert Bertram, K2BA, suggested that we start an in-club ranking for 
cumulative contest scores as a way to encourage both activity and more 
communication among members. This is something that the Texas DX club 
does and that their members enjoy. The idea is that whenever you 
participate in any contest, report you score. Your score will be summed 
over time and, at certain level yet to be determined, you receive 
certificates and, at high levels, a plaque. No one that participates 
needs to do so in full-blown contester mode: if all you have is a couple 
of hours, track your score and mail it in. We need to work out a few 
details, such as who to collect the scores, but it's not a complicated 
process and sounds like fun. I suggest that we might initially ask our 
Secretary to track this, or we could simply track it through 
members-only access to an on-line Excel spread sheet hosted on the OKDXA 
web site.

5) OKDXA will reach out to the other Oklahoma radio clubs promote OKDXA 
membership and possibly make a brief presentation encouraging HF and DX 
operating. Randy can add to the presentation by discussing VHF DXing. 
The idea is to instill interest in HF operating, especially for new 
hams. Lots of good ideas were mentioned. In particular, if home owner 
associations and covenants don't prohibit flag poles, they make perfect 
stealth antennas: there are even commercial versions of flag pole 
antennas. We would provide information on various stealth antennas, both 
attic and outdoor. It's quite possible to make DXCC with stealth 
antennas, especially with the digital modes. Many new hams may ne under 
the impression that yagis up high on towers is the only way to work HF 
and DX and, if so, we want to dispel that myth.

All feedback is welcome!

73,

Kim Elmore N5OP

-- 

Kim Elmore, Ph.D. (Adj. Assoc. Prof., OU School of Meteorology, CCM, PP 
SEL/MEL/Glider, N5OP, 2nd Class Radiotelegraph, GROL)

/"In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in 
practice, there is." //– Attributed to many people; it’s so true that it 
doesn’t matter who said it./