Minutes of the East River Amateur Radio Club
September 6, 2004 Ryan’s Steakhouse Bluefield, VA.                
http://www.erarc.com
The September meeting of the ERARC was opened at 703pm by George Dietrich KF4YGL, ERARC President. There were 14 members and guests in attendance. 
George welcomed all.
Hooger Fisher W4OF read the minutes. There were no additions, corrections, etc.
Treasurer's report by Bob Frazier WB8NRK. Bob listed expenditures he had made. Bob has received 76 renewals for membership, there were 149 last year. 
John Riddle N8RIG asked if the liability insurance was fully settled and in place. Bob said that under Nationwide, we had paid $370.70 in April and then in May, paid an additional $226.00 for a surcharge for EACH member of the club. Now, with the ARRL insurance product we’re paying $325.00 with unlimited membership.
George: VHF contest this Saturday, Sept. 11-12. Hooger said that he and Ginny KF4YBU had gone to the Round Mt. site yesterday and that the place was very clean and the grass mowed. There were bear hunters planning on using the site and they welcomed us to use the site Sat-Sun. Discussion. IT WAS DECIDED THAT WE WOULD TRY THE EAST RIVER MT. OVERLOOK AREA, BLUEFIELD, WV FOR THE VHF CONTEST. Discussion over the tower trailer, coax, radios, antennas, generators, etc. We will plan on meeting on top of the mountain between 11am and 12pm. The actual contest starts at 2pm local time. John Riddle will bring his 10 element 2M beam, Jerry Connelly KC8TES will bring his new homemade 6M 3el beam and either John or Jay Belt K8CTI will bring a 440 beam antenna. Hooger Fisher will go by Bob Frazier’s house on Friday and get coaxial cables, etc.
George asked Jay Belt if the jumper between the 442.45 hard-line and antenna had been replaced. Jay said that he was still working on that project.
Gary Kadar N8GK mentioned the new SERA requirement for PL toning all repeaters. Dave Cox KG4MCC said that each state had a ‘set’ of PL tones assigned to them and that the tones for Virginia are on the SERA site. John mentioned that all of the club repeaters ARE in Virginia. There was much discussion. John said that we’d really never had interference problems before unless there was a band opening and that the control operators of the involved machines understood the rare band opening problems existed.
ARES net control for August: 7th Harold Hodges N8NCP, 14TH Hooger Fisher W4OF, 21st George Dietrich KF4YGL, 28th Jerry Connelly KC8TES.
Bob Frazier won the 50/50 for the flower fund.
The meeting was adjourned at 755pm.
Respectfully submitted, George “Hooger” Fisher 111, W4OF, Sec.