Murray State University Amateur Radio Club

Club Minutes                                                     3 May 2005

 

The meeting began with introductions at 7:05PM. 

 

John Hart, KO4ZE                                  Bill Call, KJ4W 

Whipple Walker, N4STW                        Bill Slayman, KY4NU

Matthew Freeman, WX4MET                   Kelly L. Freeman, KI4JVV

Bill Husfield, K9MMW                            Mary Husfield, KI4HYI

Valerie Barrett, KG4OCJ                         Don Fogt, KG4NCZ

Terry Ward, KD4WCE                            Robin Jones, KF4GCD

John Dillon, K4JFD                                 Alice Dillon, KI4EFZ

Ray Bradley, KN4ZL                               Marvin Kiehl, W9EFT

Mark Garland, K4SDI

 

Hambits

Mark Garland discussed the need for members to get certified in the National Incident Command System.  You can get certified by taking an online course and the associated exam.  If we are to go for grant money we will have to be IS-700 compliant which means that all members must take this course.  Members can go to www.fema.gov/nims

 

Program

There was no program.

 

Reports

Minutes of the March meeting had been emailed.  Acceptance moved by Bill Slayman, 2nd Don Fogt.

Treasurer – Bill Call, KJ4W – We spent $417.65 for equipment (motion approved at last meeting), $16 on supplies and $135 on the new antenna for the Hamlin repeater.  Deposits were $150 and VE fees of $21.  The current balance is at $1571.02.  Report accepted.

University Advisor – John Hart, KO4ZE, reported that the Rig Blaster and the footswitches were in but the headsets were back ordered..

Systems – Bill Call, KJ4W

.94 Repeater – The existing repeater is working well.  The upgrade repeater has seen some progress but is moving slowly.

.24 Repeater – Bill climbed the tower and found lightening damage to the antenna.  The antenna was replaced with a new diamond antenna.  It still seems to desense with rain but the performance is much improved.  The plan is to get the donated commercial antenna on top and the new antenna on the side of the tower.

440 Repeater – Working well.

Echolink Node – Working well.

APRS Digi – Still seems to have intermittent desense problem.

VE – Bill Call, KJ4W.  The exam session saw three new examinees and all three passed.  Licenses were issued the next day.  There is some interest in an exam before June 15th.  Test date was set for June 14th, 7pm in IT237.

QSL –no new cards

Nets - Matthew Freeman, WX4MET, 0 messages, 50 checkins, 94 minutes, 76 operator hours.

Webmaster - Matthew Freeman, WX4MET, No changes except routine maintenance.

ARES – No Report

ARES DEC District 1 – Bill Slayman encouraged all to have a go-kit put together and to review storm spotting training materials.  He also asked that spotters not work alone at night, reminded all of us to keep our transmissions brief and succinct, and reminded us that the NCO ONLY is in charge of the net.


 

Old Business

Local Comms Committee – The LBL horse race went very well.  Routine operation on Friday and Sunday while Saturday was very busy with 4 horse ambulance dispatches.  The next race is the LBL Run Between the Rivers in October.

 

Club Station Reorganization:  No change

 

Sale of old Equipment:  No progress.

 

Field Day -  We will utilize the Incident Command System for field day in order to learn this system.  Mark went through the ICS structure for Field Day.  Bill Slayman made a suggestion to purchase a first aid kit to travel with equipment for events.  Tabled until new business.  Members were asked to check the club web page for ICS assignments.  There was a discussion of operating a satellite station this year.  Bill Slayman offered to provide the radio for this operation.  Whipple Walker moved to operate full power using the Collins station, 2nd by Bill Slayman.  Discussion followed about interference issues between stations at high power.  Bill Call move to amend motion to require a test of the stations for interference at full power before Field Day and to make the decision to operate full power conditional based on the results of the test.  2nd by Bill Husfield.  Motion to amend passed.  Amended motion passed.

 

New Business

First Aid Kit:  Bill Slayman suggested the purchase of a first aid kit to travel with club equipment to operations.  The kit would contain nothing that required training to use.  Motion by Whipple Walker, 2nd by John Hart to detail Bill Slayman to determine the contents of the kit and report at next meeting.  Motion passed.

New Membership Application:  Marvin Kiehl, W9CFT applied for membership.  Motion to accept by Bill Call, 2nd by John Hart.  Motion Passed.

 

Motion to adjourn by Whipple Walker, 2nd by John Hart. Voted with feet.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:42PM.

 

Respectfully submitted,

John Hart