[SMCARA] SMCARA minutes for February 24, 2011

[Walter Rupp]

CQ SMCARA members and friends,

Please find attached the minutes of our last meeting and plans for field day.

de W3GYT Walt, SMCARA Secretary 2011


Minutes SMCARA meeting 2/24/11 @1930 hrs
 
President Pete Butt (WA3UMY) opened the meeting of the St. Mary’s County Amateur 
Radio Association at 1932 hrs. on Thursday night, February. 24, 2011, at the 
Patuxent River Naval Air Museum Board Room. 

 
The first order of business was to have all the attendees introduce themselves.  
We took turns providing our name and amateur radio license call.  

 
The January minutes provided by Walt Rupp (W3GYT) via email were approved.  
 
The Treasurer, Lee Jameson (N8HGT), presented his report.  We have approximately 
$2,000 in the Treasury.  The only outstanding bill is to pay for a $900 HF beam 
antenna to be erected on the tower behind the museum.  Pete mentioned that the 
progress on this antenna acquisition and installation will be posted on the 
SMCARA web sight.  

 
Pete also stated that scholarships, through the ARRL are available for college 
tuition for 2011 high school seniors.  One of the requirements of the recipient 
of the tuition fund is to hold an amateur radio license.  Apply for the tuition 
applications to the ARRL in Newington, CT.
 
The repeater report was provided by Tom Clarke (W4OKW).  To eliminate 
interference, from  other repeaters on the same frequency of 146.64 MHz, we will 
continue to have the repeater accessed by the use of a PL tone of 146.2 Hz.  
From now on the tone will be switched on.  

 
David Spore (KB3UBD), the Field Day Coordinator, discussed his plans for 
organizing our activities.  He needs help with publicity for our Field Day 
Event. In June 2011  Field Day, as in the past, will be held at the Hollywood 
Fire Department and the new electronic sign on Rt. 235 will be programmed to 
announce this event.  One suggestion for other publicity efforts is to use the 
Face Book Family page.  Boz (KG3BOZ) volunteered to set up the Face Book page.  
Another idea for publicity was to list the event in the “County  Times” and in 
the “Enterprise” in early June.  Volunteers are needed to make sure that 
publicity efforts happen and to coordinate with Bob Spore (KB3UBD), the Field 
Day Coordinator.
 
Eric Heard (N3UN) will conduct a test session to license new amateurs on the 
12th of March.  Eric is always looking for volunteer examiners to assist him in 
this effort.  Contact Eric, if you are available.  

 
Pete Butt (WA3UMY) stated that he had the rotator ready to go up on the tower 
for the new beam antenna.  Pete wants to organize a working party some Saturday 
morning when the weather breaks to hoist the rotator to the top of the tower.
 
The HF radio station located in the museum is operational and provides long 
distance communication in the event of disasters.  The station is available for 
all amateurs to operate.  All licensed amateurs are invited to come to the 
museum and use the radios during its hours of operation from 10 a.m. until 5 
p.m. every day except Monday.  To obtain the key to the station, contact either 
Pete Butt (WA3MUY) or Tom Clarke (W4OKW).
 
Steve Frank (K3EZ) is in the process of designing an interactive communications 
display for the radio and communication area in the museum.   When the design is 
better formalized Pete Butt will put the concept on the web sight for our 
SMCARA.
 
With all the SMCARA business concluded, Boz (KG3BOZ) gave an excellent power 
point presentation on the process of obtaining and collecting QSL cards.  Boz 
presented information on the meaning of putting “green stamps” ($2.00) in an 
envelope to defray the expense of your contact’s QSL card return.  Boz discussed 
the function of QSL managers in various countries.
 
Be sure to attend our exciting and informative Amateur Radio meeting on March 
24, 2011, at 1930 hours at the museum.
 
Respectfully Submitted,
 
Walt Rupp (W3GYT)  assisted by Jan (KB3BAW) 031311