SnoVARC

Snoqualmie Valley Amateur Radio Club

March 2017 Meeting Minutes

by · June 17, 2017

Meeting called to order at 7:00 pm at the Duvall Fire Station by Pres. Tom Needham (WA7TBP)

 2016/2017 Members Present:  Robin Amundson, Sam Baker, Rowland Brasch, Paul Butzi, Joe Carpenter, Nancy Carpenter, Dick Freiheit, Lindy Friedlander, Mike Jacob, Ken Kosters, John Lento Jr., Jim Myers, Tom Needham, Bengt Norum, Dan Pflugrath, Barb Powrie, Chuck Powrie, Shawn Somers, Chuck Woolfolk

Guests Present:  Michael Gutmann, Tom Redmond  

Initial Announcements – Tom (WA7TBP)

  • Welcome/Introductions
  • Those who wore credentials got candy!
  • Wants to set up Saturday Elmers for training
  • Modify Winlink NET Check-in: We’d now like to have this check in with Jim Myers before EVERY Thursday NET. This will give practice prior to the May communications exercise (discussed later).

Secretary/Treasurer’s Report –  Lindy (KG7IFA)

  • Minutes from the February meeting were reviewed electronically prior to the meeting and approved at the meeting. A motion was made and seconded
  • Current Bank Balance $2,623.99 estimate as of February 28, 2017 (not yet presented to CDCCC Board).
  • Need someone to take minutes in April. (THANK YOU Robin for volunteering to do this!)
  • Discussion on equipment inventory, insurance & club spending:
  • 2017 Club dues donations (tax deductible*): Currently 25 members in 2017 as of the end of the meeting.  NOTE: Checks made out to CDCCC may be mailed to CDCCC, PO Box 644, Carnation WA 98014, with membership application (available on Yahoo) – or bring to meeting.

Committee Reports

  • Repeater Task Force / Technical Committee –Shawn (K7ATA)
  • To upgrade our IRLP servers at Cougar, a motion was made to spend up to $450 to purchase a Raspberry IRLP radio controller plus UPS battery. The motion was seconded and approved.
  • Emergency Planning and Mobilization – Ralph (KC7QXD) — Not Present

 No Update

  • Regional Network – Tom (WA7TBP) — No update at this time. Jon Bromberg indicated this was going nowhere fast.
  • Education & Community Outreach – Larry (N7ART) — Not Present
  • Spring Tech Class – Larry had sent an email out to the Yahoo Group that the class has been scheduled for May 13 and 20th and would be held at the Duvall Fire Station.  Online Registration is being set up.  More to follow.
  • VE Training: Many hands raised when asked how many in the room were currently VEs.
  • Carnation Space — Paul (KG7STV)
  • No progress. The temperatures are too cold, wet, and/or rainy to venture out on the roof at this time.  It is felt that with four volunteers it would only take a day to put up the loop antenna when it is a little warmer.

Old Business

New Business

  • Upcoming events — Kathy (K7KJB) — Not Present
  • The first CERT class was postponed due to snow on Monday. So there is another opportunity for folks to start the class Monday the 6th.  Lindy will Email this notice to SnoVARC members for Kathy in her absence.
  • April Elmer will be an opportunity to learn about antennas, and in particular to build a directional antenna for a Fox Hunt. But it may be interesting to align this with CERT to locate an injured person.
  • April Quarterly CERT Meeting will include a tabletop cribbing exercise. The meeting will be 2 hours from now on and will include a hand-on activity such as this one.
  • Shawn reported that he got the programming figured out for a bunch of donated Motorola radios that could be used as loaner radios for 2 meter. They have no real value, but could also be used for Winlink.
  • Rowland and Tom will go to fire stations (Duvall, Big Rock, Mountain View) and test all radio equipment. Shawn will help with programming Motorola radios if needed.  There may be funds for antennas.
  • ARES Activity to be covered under their umbrella. Rowland will be going to a meeting with related groups (Red Cross, ARES) and will be back with more information.
  • Additional Training Opportunities — Tom (WA7TBP)
  • HANDOUT was distributed for WEEKLY SnoVARC Winlink NET Check in. The May drill will follow the CERT class.  Each CERT Team will have a Ham as part of the team.  There will be 2-3 damage assessments all at once plus a couple of urgent things thrown in.  The idea will be to use Winlink for batched assessments and voice for the urgent ones.
  • Major earthquake evacuation drill in September in Carnation involving schools, hospitals, fire department, etc. More to follow.

 

Open Discussion

  • Rowland (K7RWB): Brief description of the Georgia tornadoes while he was there for the Red Cross. He brought back an interesting charger (using solar power) that has 2 USB ports and can charge 2 phones four times AND it costs only $39.

Meeting adjourned at 7:40 pm.

ELMER SESSION: “E51AMF, New DXPeditioner’s Impressions” — Bengt (K7ADD)

 

Respectfully submitted,

Lindy Friedlander

Upcoming Events

  • 03/9,16,23,30/17: SnoVARC Winlink NET Check in prior to the 8:00 NET.
  • 03/11/17: Annual Mike and Key ARC Electronics Show @ 9AM — Washington State Fair Grounds Pavilion Exhibition Hall
  • 04/06/17: SnoVARC Club meeting — Thursday, 7:00PM, Duvall FS. ELMER: Antennas UHF-VHF (Theory; Parts needed to build a directional antenna) — Dan (KA7GPP)
  • 04/13,20,27/17: SnoVARC Winlink NET Check in prior to the 8:00 NET.
  • 04/08-09/17: “Texas State Parks on the Air” event – tspota.org. Questions to Tim Curtiss, KC5DCT at KC5DCT@ARRL.net
  • 04/18-20/17: Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference, Greater Tacoma Convention Center (see Kathy for info.)
  • 04/20/17: SnoVARC Winlink NET Check in prior to the 8:00 NET.
  • 04/27/17: CERT Quarterly meeting – Thursday, 6:30PM-8:30PM, Carnation Library — Tentative Topic: Family Preparedness + Table Top Cribbing Exercise
  • 05/04/17: SnoVARC Club meeting — Thursday, 7:00PM, Duvall FS. ELMER: Build YAGI Antenna for Fox Hunt
  • 05/13/17 (9AM-5PM) & 5/20/17 (9AM-3PM + Exam 3PM-5PM): Spring Ham Tech Class, Duvall Fire Station

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