Forums / 2023 / November minutes - NC4AR Tri-County Amateur Radio Club

NC4AR Tri-County Amateur Radio Club :: Forums :: NC4AR FORUMS :: Minutes of Meetings :: 2023		<< Previous thread \| Next thread >>
November minutes

Author

Post

admin

Sat Nov 25 2023, 04:40pm

Webmaster

Registered Member #1

Joined: Tue Apr 22 2008, 11:38am

Posts: 144

Tri-County Amateur Radio Club
Minutes of Meeting: 18 November 2023

A regular monthly meeting of the Tri-County Amateur Radio Club was held on Saturday, 18 November 2023 at 11:30 am EST at Tres Amigos restaurant, 108 Randolph Street, Thomasville, NC, with the president, NL7UP-MeLinda, being in the chair. The meeting was called to order at 11:32 am.

Members Attending: KX4CAM, Camille; W8LWX, John; KK4RR, Richard; NL7UP, MeLinda; KJ4UYR, Janice; N2WOB, Susan; and KO4WXR, Fred.

Guests: None.

Adoption of Agenda

A draft agenda had been distributed prior to commencement of the meeting. Members were invited to propose changes or additions if desired. Certain amendments, tendered by W8LWX, were adopted. The draft agenda, as thus amended, was then adopted by unanimous consent.

Approval of Minutes from Previous Meeting

Without objection, reading of the draft minutes of the October 2023 meeting was waived and they were adopted.

Reports of Officers and Committees

Report of the Secretary. -- There have been no changes to the roster since the previous meeting.

Report of the Treasurer. -- For the month ending 31 October 2023, we still had $356.06 left over from our initial operating budget of $850. We had a total of $1,281.34 in "cash on hand," which includes the balances of our checking, savings, and PayPal accounts, plus any currency, coins, and checks awaiting deposit. After setting aside the funds dedicated to the operating budget, this means that, as of the end of the month, we had a net total of $925.28 in uncommitted resources available for other uses. For the 2023 membership year, we have received $585.14 in dues, donations, and interest, and have spent $508.27, resulting in net income of $76.87 as of month's end.

Report of the President. -- NL7UP stated that there is now a functioning link to the club's 145.290 MHz repeater on 445.975 MHz. The president further reported that an unrelated personal TARPIN link at the NL7UP shack is not yet operational.

Open Motions from Previous Meeting

There were no open motions from the previous meeting.

New Business

The 2023 Nominating Committee made the following nominations for terms beginning at the conclusion of the next annual meeting in December: for president, NL7UP; for vice president, N2WOB; for secretary, W8LWX; and for treasurer, W8LWX. In making these nominations, the committee noted that, in each instance, the committee's nominee was the only member who had indicated a willingness to serve, despite repeated solicitations to the membership via the Groups.io member mailing list for expressions of interest.

Additional nominations were then invited from the floor. There were none. Nominations therefore became closed, as required by the club's bylaws.

No other new business was identified on the agenda, so none was conducted.

Program and Announcements

KK4RR reported on the 2024 schedule for the Zoom-based license test prep courses that he, as our Education Committee, teaches for NC4AR cooperatively with members of the High Point club and other local hams. Instruction alternates between Technician and General class courses, each of which runs for six sessions, on consecutive Tuesday evenings except as noted, from 19:00 to 21:00 Eastern, as follows:

Technician: Jan. 9, 16, 23, 30; Feb. 6, 13
General: Feb. 20, 27; Mar. 5, 12, 19, 26
Technician: Apr. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; May 7
General: May 14, 21, 28; Jun. 4, 11, 18
Technician: Jul. 9, 16, 23, 30; Aug. 6, 13
General: Aug. 20, 27; Sep. 10, 17, 24; Oct. 1 (week of Labor Day is skipped)
Technician: Oct. 8, 15, 22, 29; Nov. 6, 12 (Election Day class shifted to Wed., Nov. 6)

KK4RR stated that, during 2023, these courses have attracted over 70 students, locally and from as far away as Hawaii and Maine. All classes are free of charge.

KK4RR also reported on the experience he, KX4CAM, and other local hams had, about once a month in the past year, teaching Morse Code to young children (typically about 20 per session, ranging in age from 4 to 7) at the Nido & Mariana Qubein Children's Museum in High Point. The youngsters proved to be quick studies and usually ended up conversing in Morse Code by the end of the course. Following a change in leadership, the program was recently dropped. It is hoped that it will be revived and possibly also extended to older children. Members interested in pursuing this should contact KK4RR or KX4CAM, who can help with preparation of the application for a background check which the museum requires of all volunteers.

KK4RR also provided an update on post-pandemic plans to reopen his "club shack" to club activities. He hopes to get started with this in January, opening it up to members of the High Point club as well, and welcomes any ideas on topics for instruction or projects.

In his role as quartermaster, KK4RR noted that one of the two donated oscilloscopes owned by the club has turned out to be completely nonfunctional. It would take some skill and investment of time to diagnose it.

The president announced an intention to open up the NL7UP shack, starting in January, to any members who might want to "play radio" there. It includes 13 radios.

All present at this meeting agreed that, at the December meeting, the club's traditional low-value gift exchange should be continued. Those wishing to participate should bring one gift with a value of $10 or less. There is no minimum. Participation is voluntary.

Reminder

Mailing list: The club mailing list on Groups.io is available for each and every member to use whenever he or she wishes to send out a radio-related announcement or information to all other club members. It's easy to do: just address the e-mail to members@nc4ar.groups.io and it will be automatically forwarded to all subscribed members. Just make sure the communication relates to ham radio (i.e., no politics, chain letters, advertising, religious proselytizing, etc.).

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 12:12 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
/s/ W8LWX-John
Secretary


Jump: Back to top