March 2008 Meeting Minutes

Meeting called to order by Chris Cochran, KB0WZC, at 1804 on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at the Nixa Fire Department General HQ

Members Present: Chris Cochran, KB0WZC; James Adkins, KB0NHX; Dean Gaines, KC0SQD; Jerry Johnson, KE0KI; Ralph Baldi, KF6AHT; Randy Jordan, KC0UKB; John Kreymer, N5LKM; Thomas Harper, KD0CUT; Robert Kentch, KC0WSE; John Copelin, KC0QNM; John Perkins, W6OQS; Jim Adkins, KC0IYI; James French, KC0TQD; Kim Adkins, KC0GKP; Al Gallo, W0ERE; John Bonnot, WB0LTE; Bill McNamee, KB0WHN; Richard Vogt, KB9YZE; Fred Bell, N0LU; Jeff Morrissey, KB0WVT; and Chris Raymond, KC0TLE.

Visitors Present: C.W. Stiver, KC0VNT; Jim Young, WA6NFY; Pat Barner, KB0UTY; and Michael Vogt.

Open Business

a) Club HF Station: Dean Gaines, KC0SQD, gave the report. City of Nixa ordinance requires a $100 fee for a ham tower 60' in height. He advised the HF committee would like to get membership involved and build a multi-band HF antenna. Station to be used for training and as a backup for the Nixa EOC to give Nixa HF amateur options during a disaster. The Fire Department EOC station will also consist of a VHF / UHF station. Mike Rains, K0RFI, has volunteered to assist in the running of coax when the time comes. Fred Bell inquired if anyone has experience pouring concrete for tower bases. If you would like to help dig the hole and pour the concrete or know someone that could help out, e-mail [email protected]. John Bonnot, WB0LTE, has several antennas we could use for the station.

New Business

a) Field Day 2008. Dean Gaines, KC0SQD, has obtained approval for our normal spot at Fountain Plaza in Nixa. James Adkins, KB0NHX, has obtained approval from the State of Missouri to use their DPS command bus again for 2008. More to come in following months.

b) Sucker Days Special Event Station. Operation is one day from 0800 to 2000 on May 17, 2008. Jim Adkins, KC0IYI, advised a booth fee of $45.00. The sucker days committee is willing to waive the $15 fee for electricity since we are a 501(c)3. We hope to obtain a booth in front of Crossroads Auction. Looking to have one HF station and an HF vertical with a tripod on the roof in front of Crossroads. Also want a VHF / UHF station on hand to show off local communications. Anyone with a "go kit" they are willing to show off is welcome, too. Ralph Baldi, KF6AHT, recommended we contact the ARRL for some handouts. James Adkins, KB0NHX, and Jeff Morrissey, KB0WVT, to work on a club handout and Skywarn information.

c) Treasurer's Report by Jeff Morrissey, KB0WVT
Beginning Balance $243.34

$1834.00 Credits
$84.00 Dues
$250.00 Donations ($50 KE0KI, $100 WB0RJR, $100 McKesson,)
$1500 Grant Nixa Community Foundation

$1472.20 Debits
$63.39 RF Connection (For Mini UHF to N-Female adapters for CDM radios0
$36.27 Lone Mountain Communications (Polyphaser Lightning Supressor)
$169.20 Pro-Comm Systems (4 Motorola CDM1250 Control Heads)
$45.96 Paul Cornett (Ebay) (10 Motorola CDM Mounting Brackets)
$57.95 Panda Communications (5 Motorola CDM Power Cables)
$20.97 Chrissy Amburgey (Ebay) (Motorola Hand Microphone CDM radios)
$29.53 Stayonline (Middle Atlantic U1-19in. W x 11in D x 1U H Flush Solid Mount Rack Shelf)
$271.49 (2 Motorola CDM1250 UHF Radios for 927.5375 link & IRLP at Cox South)
$120.95 (8 PolyPhaser IS-B50LN-C2's for link radios & club HF station)
$450.00 (Sinclair Q2330E 220 MHz Repeater Duplexers for 224.280 repeater)
$206.49 (1 Motorola CDM1250 Radio for IRLP node at KC0VGC's residence)

Ending Balance $605.14

d) Linking Repeater project update. James Adkins, KB0NHX, advised the linking repeater project is complete, all radios have been installed. The repeaters now link through the 444.275 repeater instead of using a simplex frequency. The 53.270, 145.270, 444.275, 224.280 and 927.5375, EchoLink and IRLP can all be linked together now. The links are set to come on and turn off automatically for the Tuesday night Bible Belt Christian Fellowship net at 8:00 p.m. and for the Thursday night NARC net at 7:30 p.m. Any two or more repeaters can be linked together at will now as needed. For further details, contact James Adkins at [email protected].

Open Floor Discussion:

a) Rich Vogt, KB9YZE, and Al Gallo, W0ERE, invited operators to log into the W0S website to log or operate. Shared a story of a high school teacher bringing 15 students that had upgraded to General or Extra as a reward for upgrading. They are coming from the Tulsa area. Teacher is bringing them in two suburbans, flipping the bill for the gas. Rich would like to be able to give the teacher some money for the gas expenses. Anyone willing to donate, contact Rich by going to W0S.org and following the "contact" link.

Meeting adjourned by Chris Cochran, KB0WZC, at 1854.

Minutes submitted by: James Adkins, KB0NHX

Minutes approved by: Chris Cochran, KB0WZC