March 2019 Meeting Minutes
Snoqualmie Valley Radio Club
Meeting Minutes for March 7, 2019
Business Meeting called to order 6:15 p.m. Duvall Fire Station 45 by Tom, WA7TBP.
21 members and guests present for business and meeting: Robin Amundson, Rick Burns, Paul Butzi, Joe Carpenter, Nancy Carpenter, Bill Condon, Robert Fanfant, Dick Freiheit, Lindy Friedlander, Ken Koch, Ken Kosters, Paul Lemson, Mark McClain, Irvina Mizell, Jim Myers, Irvina Mizell, Tom Needham, Chuck Powrie, Shawn Somers, Kirt White, Chuck Woolfolk.
Secretary Report—No corrections or additions to the February Minutes were requested. Approved.
Treasurer Report—Lindy, KG7IFA, reported the February ending balance is $4,199.89. Since February funds have increased by $75, including a $20 membership paid at the meeting. The annual insurance has already been paid. There are so far 28 paid memberships for 2019. There were 51 in 2018. Paul, W7PFB, moved and Joe, KI7EMB, seconded approval of the Treasurer’s report. (New application forms with signature and dues check are due every January. Please take care of it. Downloadable off SnoVARC website.)
Committee and Task Force Reports
Repeater task force—Shawn, K7ATA, reported the road to Cougar Mountain is open again for access. The club will be recipient of a substantial server rack donation offered to the local ham community. Robin reached out to the donor, Steve Toth of Woodinville, W7SJT, who said the club could have it if we can move it. Volunteers for the moving effort scheduled for Sunday, March 10, are Tom, WA7TBP; Joe, KI7EMB; Paul, W7PFB; and Shawn, K7ATA. Jim, W7ABD will bring his trailer for transport to a temporary Carnation storage space donated by Tom, W7TBP until the rack and its accessories can be installed.
Shawn asked for approval of a motion to pre-approve $499.99 to purchase a Kenwood TKR 850 repeater to be used as a backup and available for portable use. This is the same model repeater we currently own. The idea is ease of swapping out equipment in a failure. The model is extremely popular and gives excellent coverage. The model is occasionally offered used online and we need to be able to purchase one as it becomes available. Tom, WA7TBP; Ken, K7ECK; Robin, WA7CPA; Paul, W7TBP; and Irvina, K7IRM, all offered to float additional funds for a purchase ahead of CDCCC approval for additional funds to make a purchase.
Jim, W7ABD, reported all is well at the Bell site.
Emergency planning and mobilization task force—Joe, KI7EMB, reported on the meeting of the task force. Topics discussed were getting everyone badges and the repeater drop off in the recent snowstorm. Multiple solutions for preventing the power failure were offered.
Education & community outreach task force—Irvina, W7IRM, reported 41 students already enrolled for our April technician class. She said we will have seven instructors teaching 18 subjects. We are grateful for the assistance of Dave and Jane Wickert of Lake Washington Ham Club, who will oversee the exams and handle the money. We will not be ordering radios to sell this year. We will not be offering free memberships to new hams. Irvina suggested the May Elmer session be devoted to helping new hams how to use their HT radios. Irvina also volunteered to search for a public access venue for 2019 Summer Field Day.
Kirt, K7KDW, continues to run a growing new ham net at 7 p.m. on Thursdays except for meeting nights. It had ten check-ins the previous week and is running the full hour up until 8 p.m. when the regular SnoVARC equipment check net starts. Kirt’s net is also feeding new check-ins to the 8 p.m. net.
Carnation space—
Old Business—There will be a walkabout drill in Duvall on Saturday, March 16 for CERT and hams. The EOC will be inside the Duvall Fire Station where up to three hams may operate the amateur radio station.
Tom announced he plans to lead us for the April Elmer session explaining the King County address system and information on portable radios.
New Business— Ben, KG7BTU, noted that March is ‘radio month’ for CERTs beginning with the topic for the 3/13 Bi-Monthly Meeting for CERTs/Hams/MRC. This is followed by the encouragement for CERTs to get on the 3/14 net and then join hams on the 3/16 walkabout exercise.
Ben also discussed the development of a CDCCC Facebook Page which provides analytics and targeted advertising, differentiating it from the CDCCC Group, which is more for community. Some concern was raised regarding advertising.
Elmer Session: Robert Fanfant, N7QT, gave a slide presentation of the recent international Ducie DXpedition to Ducie Atoll in the Pitcairn group of islands.
Upcoming Events
3/13/19 Carnation-Duvall Citizens Corps Bi-Monthly Meeting, Wednesday, 7-9 p.m., Carnation Fire Station.
3/16/19 Communications Walkabout exercise, Saturday, in Duvall, 8:30 a.m. briefing. Drill to finish by 11:30 a.m. Possible pizza/hot wash session after. The Fire Department will allow up to three hams to use the amateur station as EOC. CERT and radio amateurs will participate.
4/4/2019 SnoVARC monthly meeting, Thursday, 7 p.m. Duvall Fire Station 45, For our Elmer session Tom, WA7TBP, will be explaining the King County address system and information on portable radios.
4/20, 4/27 SnoVARC technician licensing class and exams. Saturdays 8-5 at the Duvall Fire Station.Minutes respectfully submitted by Robin, WA7CPA
