II. Introductions & Upgrades
Two Visitors were
introduced – Richard Barrett KB8TWA & his XYL.
The following
call upgrades were announced:
Wes
KD8DHS – General Class
Copies of the minutes from the 20-Mar-07 meeting were available at the meeting
and on the GMARC Web Site. Joe N8OZ
noted that Bob KZ8N’s call sign was shown incorrectly on Page 3. Bobby N8CY noted that the minutes approved
were for the February meeting (not January) as published.
Appropriate
corrections will be made.
Motion to approve the March Minutes (as amended) by Mike N5WCS and seconded by Rich K8OX. Motion passed.
IV. Treasurer’s Report
Joel WU8Y, our Treasurer, reported that the February bank balance was $1,577.89. Including deposits and checks not cleared,
the total bank balance as of this meeting is $1,357.89.
Motion to approve the Treasurer’s Report by Scott W1BIC and seconded by Larry N8WJ. Motion passed.
V. Membership Report by Bobby N8CY
We have 73 members in good standing, and 46 have also paid their 2007 dues
(including those noted below).
VI. Nets and Newsletter (Discussion)
There
will be no April Newsletter has been published and copies were available at the
meeting. WU8V noted that he expects to
have the May edition published by the third weekend in May prior to the next
meeting.
Scott W1BIC
noted that check-ins to the Monday night InfoNet are down a bit. The average in recent history has been about
12. We still need one permanent NCO for
the 2nd week of the month, and at least one more stand-by NCO.
VII. Club Liaison Report
No report given.
VIII. Tech Committee Report
Jeff N8XN reported that both repeaters are running without their respective
power amplifiers (15/25 watts output).
The P.A. failures were caused by antenna failures on both 440-MHz and
2-meter repeater. The club has replaced
(6) antennas in the past two years, and non-commercial
grade antennas are “doomed to recurrent failures”. Jeff N8XN recommended that the club invest in
two Telwave
commercial antennas at an approximate cost of $1,800. Jeff does not recommend repair to the P.A.
until the new antennas are in place because it is likely that they will fail
again.
IX. Old Business
None.
X. Vice President's Remarks
Kurt Wu8V noted that the Michigan.UHF/VHF Society will meet at the Milford Swap on
21-Apr-07 at 9:00 AM. www.ad8u.com is the web site for the
Society.
It was also noted that
COMDAC will be closing as of June, and the Milford Swap may be one of your last
chanced to buy from COMAC.
The May meeting will be a
combination presentation of CW Keys (featuring a left toe contest), and QSL
cards. Members are encouraged to bring
in their favorite QSL cards to show at this meeting.
XI. New Business
Scott W1BIC suggested that the club
invest in a “fishing tackle box” to be stocked with needed miscellaneous
connectors, and items of interest that can be purchased by members of the
Club. With
Motion to spend up
to $200 to stock a box with parts to be purchased by members by Mike N5WCS, 2nd
by Rich K8OX. This motion will be automaticlaly
tabled and voted on at the May meeting.
Volunteers for a committee to develop a proposed list of items and
report at May Meeting – Scott W1BIC, Chuck N8ZA, Mike N5WCS.
Jeff N8XN noted that Chuck N8ZA is
his “right hand man”, and has made the same sacrifices for the club to keep our
repeaters running. Motion
to provide a free membership to Chuck N8ZA and reimburse N8ZA for his
reasonable expense. Seconded by Dave WD8IFL.
Motion passed on a voice vote with one Nay vote.
There was a discussion about the
need to have ability for club members to communicate among themselves on the
Internet. Don K7SDF volunteered to establish
a shell for pictures and eMail addresses for GMARC members at Yahoo! Groups and
inform members how to access it at the May meeting.
There was considerable discussion
about the need for funds to replace our two repeater antennas. It was generally agreed that multiple
fundraisers and/or special donations by club members will be needed to provide
for the $1,800 expenditure. Various suggestions
were made including members soliciting prizes that could be raffled off. Dave WD8IFL stepped forward and offered to
match up to two $100 donations from other club members. The club is most appreciative to WD8IFL for
his generous show of support for this vital expenditure by the Club. Members are encouraged to share their ideas
with other members and donate according to their ability to the Antenna Fund.
Treasurer Joel WU8Y will segregate
the funds donated to the Antenna fund and make an accounting to the membership.
The 50/50 raffle winner was Bobby N8CY - $21.00. ($21 to the
Club).
The donations to the Coffee Fund by
those present were $8.00.
XIII.
Presentation – Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) – Bobby N8CY & Don
K7SDF
Bobby N8CYmade an overview
presentation on Automatic
Position Reporting System (APRS) and Don K7SDF showed his 2-meter handy-talkie,
Tiny-Track3 TNC (from www.byonics.com), and
portable GPS unit for transmitting position data.
A copy of
the presentation and other information on APRS can be found at http://www.n5oom.org/aprs/index.htm
21 Members
attended, and there were 2 Visitors.
Total
Collections delivered to the Treasurer:
50/50
Raffle - $ 21.00
Antenna Fund - 141.00
Coffee
Donations - 8.00
Total
-- $170.00
XVI.
Meeting adjourned at 9:10 PM. Motion by Joe N8OZ, seconded by Bill W8WRB.
Motion passed.
Respectfully
submitted,
Bobby Corr N8CY,
Secretary –
GMARC
N8CY@gmarc.org