Minutes of the East River Amateur Radio Club meeting. 
 November 2, 2009 Ryan’s Steakhouse Bluefield, VA.
 http://www.erarc.com 
The November meeting of the ERARC was opened at 700pm by Lonnie Underwood, ERARC President. There were 19 members and guests in attendance. 
   Roger Stefancic KC8LGR gave the Treasurer’s report. A $19.26 phone bill was paid. ( DON ANDERSON WD8OOR HAS EMAILED ERARC MEMBERS INSTEAD OF SNAIL-MAILING REMINDERS IN ORDER TO SAVE THE CLUB ABOUT $100.00 IN POSTAGE. PLEASE LOOK FOR HIS REMINDER IN YOUR INBOX, THANKS! dlanderson@citlink.net  <IF> you use “Bill Pay” or some other banking service, please consider sending your renewal to: ERARC, P.O. Box 1362, Bluefield, WV 24701. (You may want to use your call sign as your “account number” when using Bill Pay.) Dues are $15.00 per member per year with an additional $1.00 for each amateur at the same address. We appreciate your renewal to keep the repeaters on the air and insurance to cover them and us when we operate as a Club.  Don said that he would go ahead and snail-mail those that he doesn’t have email addresses for and for those emails that ‘bounce’.)  Don handed out membership cards for 2009-2010 tonight for those in attendance and asked for volunteers to hand deliver others to avoid paying extra postage.

 Hooger Fisher read the minutes from the October meeting.

 Lonnie gave his report on Jamboree on the Air held on October17 at Boy Scout Camp Roland. There were about 75 young people who got on the air and/or observed the event. He was grateful that Ed Evans WV8ED was there and fed the Hams in attendance there. The Club is indebted to Lonnie, Ronnie and others for putting on the event for the Club.

  Gary Kadar N8GK mentioned that there would be an ARRL VE test session on Saturday, November 14, 9am, at the Mercer County 911 Center in Green Valley. He destroyed two particular tests per the ARRL VE newsletter information due to bad questions in the tests.

 Don and Bob Hoge N8RIR, Mercer Co. 911 Director toured the building across from the Center that will house three offices and a storage area. The Club will be able to store its antennas, tenting, generators, feed lines, etc. there. The building will be heated and secure.

 Ronnie Childress KD8HBO, Mercer Co. EC mentioned that there would be a Mercer County ARES meeting at the Bluefield, Va. Pentecostal Holiness Church on Thursday, November 19 at 7pm. Square Street is beyond Meadows Street which is beside the Pop Shop Convenience store on Virginia Avenue close to the WV/VA border.

 Gary mentioned that he went to the October 17 Hamfest in Gray, TN and even with the cool weather and rain was impressed with the new radio dealers and attendees. He said that the Wireman® was even there. 

 Cathy Underwood KG4CTK, ERARC VP asked about the ERARC Christmas meeting/dinner. Discussion. She will get in touch with members via email closer to the December 7 date with particulars. Hooger checked with Ryan’s management tonight and confirmed the date and time for our using one of the meeting rooms. 

Drema Ritchey KD4NQF won the 50/50 for the flower fund and donated her part back to the club. There was also a $7.00 total donation to the Club in lieu of the 50/50. 

 The meeting was over at 800pm. 
 Submitted by Hooger Fisher W4OF, ERARC Secretary.

 TO DO LIST:

1) Equipment inventory with serial numbers for insurance reasons
2) Antenna for the Bluefield, Va. Rescue Squad
3) Cathy Underwood KG4CTK would like us to look into possible funding via the Office of Homeland Security.
4) The Communications Bus/ RV that the Club began to work on.
5) Communications class for the Mercer Co. Civil Air Patrol
6) Trailer for storing equipment. Also used for deployment.