Minutes of the East River Amateur Radio Club October 3, 2005 Ryan’s Steakhouse Bluefield, VA. http://www.erarc.com The October meeting of the ERARC was opened at 700pm by Gary Kadar N8GK, ERARC Vice President. There were 15 members and guests in attendance. Gary welcomed all. Hooger Fisher W4OF, ERARC Secretary, read the September minutes. There were no corrections or additions noted. Bob Frazier WB8NRK, ERARC treasurer gave his report. He said that he has received several membership renewals but ‘WE’RE ONLY AT 98 MEMBERS NOW COMPARED TO 137 AT THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR’. << PLEASE RENEW, IT’S ONLY $10 PER PERSON AND AN ADDITONAL $1 FOR EACH FAMILY MEMBER AT THE SAME ADDRESS >>. Gary gave a report on the September VHF contest, held on East River Mt. below the site that the club used for Field Day. Dave Cox KG4MCC, Jerry Connelly KC8TES, Jay Belt K8CTI and Gary participated in the event. Gary said that he figured a 6-hour total contesting time over Saturday and Sunday with a total of just over 2000 points. Dave found out that he’d been running QRP on 6M and did better on Sunday. All of them used ‘Armstrong’ rotors. Gary said that if we plan on continuing to work VHF that we consider purchasing a better 440-antenna system. John Riddle N8RIG said that he was in North Carolina that weekend and heard AA4ZZ drumming up contacts on 2M FM simplex. Dave Cox worked the Dominican Republic, Caracas and Puerto Rico, 6M DX. Gary mentioned that the next VHF contest was in January 2006. John said that the DAREN packet network and the APRS networks were working although Don Anderson was still trying to burn a new EPROM for the TNC for the DAREN packet system. Jay Belt said that the PL tone for 6M (and 444.45) was not needed anymore as they found that the switching power supply in the building had a harmonic at the same input frequency for the 6M machine. The power supply was replaced. John and Jay said switching out the PS caused the noise on the 50.37/444.45-linked system to vanish. Jay also said that he had repaired the 442.45 by replacing a bad driver. Betty Viers KG4CTL asked about the Christmas dinner. Hooger Fisher will make sure that we have the room at Ryan’s reserved for December 5 at 6pm for the dinner. Hooger asked when the membership could get together to setup the smaller (15 x 20) tent made up from some of the poles that we already have. Russel Taylor KC8GBE said that we could use the same 6 leg and 6 (shorter) poles that go to the peak, and cut 3 new 5 or 6” sections from the very center (longest poles that we have but ‘never’ used) leg poles to make the 15” side and middle sections up. He said that the 5-6” section will allow for the 15” length to work but needed to be cut to allow for the bungees to fit well. WE DECIDED TO MEET AT BOB’S ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 AT 11AM TO MAKE UP THE 15 X 20 TENT. OFFICERS: Bob Frazier and Hooger Fisher said that they would keep their present offices. Lonnie Underwood KI4EED said that he would be interested in running for Vice President. Elections are next month. Gary: Jamboree on the Air, October 15, 2005. Discussion. Hooger had sent Roger Stefancic KC8LGR an email inquiring if he would like to run a JOTA station but he’s heard no reply. Lonnie said that he would do it but then remembered that he’ll be in Florida at that time. Discussion. Unless something changes, we will not participate in JOTA this year. Lonnie: FOR SALE: ICOM V800 2M 75 watt mobile radio and ‘a handheld’ 2M. Contact Doug Burnett at Bluefield Regional Medical Center in the Housekeeping Department. Radios were used by James Willis KC8ZOT, SK. ARES net control for October: 4th Lonnie Underwood KI4EED, 11TH Jerry Connelly KC8TES, 18th Hooger Fisher W4OF, and 25TH George Dietrich KF4YGL. The 50/50 drawing for the flower fund was won by Jerry Connelly KC8TES. The meeting was adjourned at 748pm. Respectfully submitted, George “Hooger” Fisher 111, W4OF, Secretary. Jerry Connelly, Mercer Co. ARES Emergency Coordinator handed out information packets and ARES applications for all ARES members in attendance.