Minutes of the East River Amateur Radio Club meeting. March 3, 2008 Ryan’s Steakhouse Bluefield, VA. http://www.erarc.com The March meeting of the ERARC was opened at 700pm by George Dietrich, ERARC President. There were 24 members and guests in attendance. Lonnie was asked about Echolink and he said that it was working just fine. Gary Kadar N8GK was asked about the recent VE test session. Gary reported that Brian Leedy KI4URO and David Bailey N8DMB upgraded to General, one other upgraded to extra and there was one new Technician. He reminds all Volunteer Examiners that there is a new VE manual and suggests downloading it and reading it over. ( http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/vemanual/index.html ) Gary would like to get John Riddle N8RIG on the signature card to the VE Team checking account in addition to two others on the account. He also mentioned that as of his visit with the VE/Club’s bank for the checking accounts, we need to get Stephen Stefancic KD8EPJ, ERARC Vice President, on the Club’s signature card. George asked Jay Belt K8CTI for a repeater report. Jay said that the repeaters were doing well and that Don Anderson WD8OOR was still working on the 444.45. He mentioned that the ’49 was having random noise in the receiver and there was recently some local interference on the machine. He mentioned that there is a repeater back on the air on 145.25 with PL 100 Hz on East River Mt. Brian Leedy KI4URO and Nelson Linkous WZ8E worked to get it back on the air. George asked Don Anderson about Bob Frazier’s health. Don said that he’s basically about the same. He speaks in one to three worded sentences and is still having problems moving around. Hooger Fisher W4OF went over the February minutes and gave the Treasurer’s report for Bob Frazier WB8NRK. Hooger deposited two renewals and received one more renewal tonight AS WELL AS A $100 DONATION FROM FOUR SEASONS WIRELESS INTERNET IN BLUEFIELD, VA FROM BRIAN LEEDY. As of tonight, there are 112 members in the Club. George asked the membership present to discuss how we could cover the ‘other’ jobs that Bob Frazier had in addition to being Treasurer. Bob also took care of membership documentation, membership card printing and mailing, the Club’s Handbook printing and distribution and printing and mailing renewals for membership. Discussion. Don Anderson said that he would work with Bob to get the information, etc. needed to take over these functions until elections in November. Don will still keep up with auto patch assignments on the repeaters. Hooger will keep on with the financials for the Club in Bob’s absence. When asked about the generator repair, Don Anderson said that Russell Taylor KC8GBE is trying to see if one of his relatives would be able to work on the stator. Gary Kadar suggested that since we put any amount over $100 from the flower fund into the general fund, that we start to save the monies until we reach the $400 amount needed to purchase a new stator. Hooger said that as of months ago, we have been putting the flower fund monies into the general fund and when he looked into Bob’s checking account ledger, there are no notations of how much of deposited monies were from the flower fund. There were some notations as “deposited memberships and flower fund” but nothing specific. We will hold off on this subject again. Bill Sowers K8WBS asked if we were going to move Echolink from 145.49 to 147.06 as previously discussed. Discussion. Don Anderson suggests that we put Echolink on ’06 and see how it works out. Discussion. Don made a motion, seconded by Bill Sowers to make the move. Vote taken. Passed. Jay Belt said that he has everything in place at his business to make the move possible. Ed Viers KD4WOO said that those using Echolink need to cut it off when through using it. Don Anderson said that if the ’06 was not being used much, that we could consider adding it to the Southern WV KC8AFH linked repeater system but with the current use, and adding Echolink, should consider adding the 444.45 repeater to the linked system when it is on the mountain and working well. Gary Kadar said that an amateur stopped by his house last week and said that he was living with Lee Brooks K8BHG and that Lee wanted to get back into HF. Gary couldn’t remember the fellow’s call or name but said that if Lee got an antenna, could members of the Club get Lee on the air. Discussion. Lonnie Underwood KI4EED will help Lee out. Lee was the most recent past-trustee of the W8MOP licenses and lives on Hemlock Hill in Bluefield, WV. Lonnie said that D.M. Orr WB8FLE would like to again have an auction with the proceeds go to the Club’s coffers. Don Anderson mentioned that Roger Nisselrodt KI4SZA had mentioned having a trader’s net on the 147.06 after the weekly ARES net on 145.49 on Tuesday nights. Discussion. Don made a motion, seconded by Patty Dietrich KG4AYM to have the trader’s net. Vote taken. Passed. Janet Belcher, Trancy’s (KA8CFR) wife, won the 50/50 drawing for the flower fund and donated her winnings back into the flower fund. ARES net controls for March: 4th Lonnie Underwood KI4EED 11th Ed Viers, 18th Jerry Connelly KC8TES, 25th Lonnie Underwood, and APRIL 1st Stephen Stefancic KD8EPJ. The meeting was over at 755pm. Submitted by Hooger Fisher W4OF, ERARC Secretary. TO DO LIST: Equipment inventory with serial numbers for Bob for insurance reasons Go over repeater instructions in Club handbook for being current and complete. (Add weather radio information, check 911 autodials, etc.) Cathy Underwood KG4CTK would like us to look into possible funding via the Office of Homeland Security. The Communications Bus/ RV that the Club began to work on.