Minutes of April 23, 2015
Post date: May 09, 2015 10:51:4 PM
Jack Garner called the meeting to order at 7:15 with pledges to the US and Texas flags. Rondel Stevens offered the prayer.
Rose Head read the minutes from the March meeting. Walter Kovar moved and Ronnie Head seconded that the report be approved.
Henry McKinney gave the treasurer’s report. We had $1014.00 at the close of last month. $30 in dues was collected. The electric bill was $18.05. Our ending balance was $1025.95. Rose gave Henry $60 that we received selling items donated by Bennie Owens and Alan Brown at the Belton HamFest.
Old Business:
Jack led a review of preparations for the Goat Cook-off. He will bring some T-posts and a driver. He will bring the club business cards.
Rondel will bring his shade canopy, table, 50’ extension cord, power strip, foot locker and stack antenna poles.
Ronnie will bring our framed WAS awards, the club banner, a 2 meter radio, some antennas and another extension cord.
Alan Brown will supply his HF radio, an amplifier, power supply and CW bug.
Walt Kovar has reserved our booth and put an article in the newspaper. A second announcement of our participation was on the front page. He will bring participation certificates.
Derek Pausewang will bring a visitors log.
Setup starts at 6 pm on Friday and then at 9 am on Saturday to finalize everything.
New Business:
Rondel reported on how Derek had handled communications with the National Weather Service by way of a link with Jerry KF5AOK out of Brownwood. He reported the weather to Mark Fox, KJ5RM at the NWS. The technology used was Echolink on Jerry’s PC and 2 meter radio through the 147.100 repeater.
Brownwood will share their 146.940 repeater with us to handle Echolink. Rondel, Ronnie, Rose, Jack, and Derek volunteered to be storm watchers for the system. We need to download Echolink to our computers and use the 147.100 repeater to increase our effectiveness.
Derek has found an online training site for SkyWarn. We have missed the local training time.
Field Day is June 27th and 28th. Jack encouraged us to try to win. We still don’t know who bought the site we have been using. Rondel and Walt have downloaded the Field Day Packet. Next meeting Rondel will do a presentation on it. Ronnie said the purpose of field day was to set up in 30 minutes and be on the air. ARRL points out that it is a demonstration. Walt said we prove by the number of our contacts that we can reach wherever needed in an emergency. He said field day is an opportunity to reach out to the younger generation. Jack said we made good use of propagation. Judge Fulk, our visitor, said he would be there at field day this year. He was impressed with our capabilities.
Walt asked about the sheriff’s department mobile emergency command unit. It is in the county already. Walt asked Judge Fulk if we could set up a ham station on the mobile command unit. Fulk thought it was a good idea. He also thought we should get a ham setup at the new jail. Jack suggested we give our specifications for a setup to Jeff Heflinger after the bond election passes.
Rondel described the NTX ARES test that will be held on May 1st and 2nd. Communications will be on 40 meters at 7.277 and the Texas State Net at 7.260. They are simulating a rolling power failure. They will practice communicating with the served agencies: Red Cross, Salvation Army and law officers.
Jack showed some slides demonstrating material he would like added to the website: chart of repeaters that can be accessed from Mills county and their access information, recommended books for hams, recommended websites for new hams. This spurred a conversation about creating a traveling go-box for materials. All of the books Jack listed are owned by several people in the club. Walt said he would come up with the box. The others volunteered to bring material for the lending library. Rose and Jack will work on the website additions.
Walt thanked Judge Falk for attending. Meeting adjourned at 8:30.