CARC Business Meeting Minutes for Monday, January 19, 2004

CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order at the regular time of 7 p.m. at the alternate location for our business meetings, the Nicoma Park First Baptist Church. We will meet here in the months of January, February, and March. Enter at the south door. Our first Thursday of the month technical meetings will still be at Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center (old name "Vo-Tech") at 7 p.m.

We said the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America. This is a regular procedure.

We thanked Duane Angles, KA5WRG, again for maintaining our web page. We owe him a meal or two because he won't take any pay.

OPENING COMMENTS

President C. Weilbrenner, W6NNH, and other members discussed again our need to find a way to attract new members, especially younger people. We older ones probably could answer many of their questions if they are new hams. The old and the new need each other.

Also, we are pleased that most of the members who have already paid their 2004 dues are also members of ARRL. Let's encourage members who don't come often to meetings to come back and also to join in our protest of Broadband Over Powerlines.

Duane, KA5WRG, told us that Dave Downing, WD5G, is now on shift work that will interfere with his attending our Monday meetings.

ROLL CALL

Oral introductions for the benefit of newer members were made, and a sign-in sheet was passed around. There were 11 members present.

REPORTS:

Sick report
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We welcomed back Bill Tarkington, K3YC, who has been away a long time fighting cancer. Bill has lost the weight that he wanted to, but would not have chosen to lose it that way.

Bill Hoag, K5URM, sent word that his wife Peggy is very ill now in fighting her cancer. On January 21 we heard again from Bill by e-mail that she has now been in the hospital 21 days and is very weak. He asked for our prayers.

Secretary's report
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Kay Holzman, KB5VJR, wrote the minutes for the December 15, 2003 Christmas meeting at Spencer Barbecue and they have been posted on the web page. Members voted to accept them as written.

Treasurer's report
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Larry Brewer, K5VVD, will not be able to attend our Monday meetings until May. He sent his December 2003 and January 2004 reports via your secretary, who read them to the members. There was a typographical error in the date of the last phone bill for the repeater. The members voted to accept the reports with that correction. Larry made the correction with your secretary by phone.

CORA report
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CORA President Chuck Kanach, KC5EZS, reported that CORA has set pre-registration for Ham Holiday to be May 15 through July 10. Ham Holiday is on July 16th and 17th this year. A copy of the flyer is posted on CORA web page. Need to talk up Ham Holiday on the air and off.

CORA will spend more for prizes this year. You will need to be present to win the Grand prize. Chuck would like suggestions for prizes.

Technical report
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No more complaints have been received through ORSI about our repeater. This project is closed.

Report on storm shelter location by GPS receiver
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In Choctaw we have completed 178, and there may be a few more to do later. Nicoma Park is about half done and we will do more on some of the warm days. Jones is on hold because of Bill Hoag's wife's sickness. Bill is our coordinator with Jones.

Next technical meeting 5 February, 7 p.m. at Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center
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We will try to have a presentation on sunspots and propagation, and also Jim Glover, WB5UBE, president of the MORI club, will be contacted by our president to talk about NVIS antenna systems.

Suggestions for subjects of future technical meetings: One could be demonstrating the use of the crossband transceiver when we get it. Another was suggested by Duane, KA5WRG--he and Dave Downing are planning to work with a wireless network and will tell us about it when they are ready this year. In April we might have more on using GPS receivers.

Saturday coffee
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Our next first-Saturday-coffee was called off because of sparse attendance lately. We will probably pick it up again when the members want it.

OLD BUSINESS:

2-meter crossband receiver purchase for the club
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This will still be done. Chuck, KC5EZS, proposed that when we get it, we should loan it to those members who would like to practice using it with their 70cm input. Members were in agreement. Also, it was recommended that if you plan to help with its use in disaster communications, you should have a 70cm handie-talkie and you should know how to set up the crossband operation.

Old tower sale
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There is one piece of tower left, condition unknown at this time, but it may be the rusty one. If so, we may not be able to sell it.

February meeting place
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Nicoma Park First Baptist Church, 7 p.m. Monday, February 16th.

NEW BUSINESS

Choctaw Fire Department is getting a new fire truck with wiring for radios. If the Chief will get himself a ham license, Bill Tarkington will donate a radio so he can communicate with amateur radio disaster helpers. A motion was passed to use money from our treasury to buy the ARRL book "Now You're Talking" for the fire department to get him started. The book won't be bought until Ron Earnest checks to see whether ARRL will donate such things to a fire department as part of their interest in public service.

CLOSE

A motion to adjourn was made and passed.
Submitted by
Bill Williams, K5JVD,
Secretary