Board of Directors Meeting March 3, 2021
With the help of Geoff KA9QGH’s ZOOM-enabled call, Burt Schultz AB9CV called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
Attendees:
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Secretary’s Report:
Cliff Sowka K9QD: February 2021 BOD Minutes approved as published in the RHG.
Treasurer’s Report:
John Zietlow K9WIC provides the following report:
Bank Balance 1-Feb $6,568.75
INCOME MEMO $0.00
DISBURSEMENTS MEMO $542.82
Checks cashed 27-Feb 18-Feb $300.00 Liability Insurance
$62.82 data line
$180.00 Field Day Awards
Checks Outstanding $150.00
Deposit not included $0.00
Account Balance $5,875.93 plus petty cash – special accounts
Funds Available $5,970.13
28-Feb Bank Statement $5,875.93
Petty Cash $169.20
FD Donations $75.00
104 members with new member, Andrew Zasadny, KD9RJQ
Treasurer’s report approval: Ed Lishka AC9SD moved, Geoff Stevens KA9QGH seconded, so moved.
Public Service:
QST QST QST ! ! !
The Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club has assisted with communications for the Natural Multiple Sclerosis Society’s MS Walk for years and years. They usually schedule the event about the first weekend in May. It’s usually on the same weekend as the Sandwich Hamfest, which is why I haven’t been to Sandwich before.
They have kind of an unusual event planned this year, due to the COVID pandemic mitigation. Instead of having a single event with hundreds of walkers at a single location, with food, music, mingling, superspreading, merriment and desired ham radio communications assistance, they planned a program where each walker will walk around his/her block (or as far as he/she wishes) in his/her own neighborhood. This will eliminate the large group gathering, at least much of the superspreading, as well as the need for music, tents, food, a fixed route, and amateur radio communications assistance.
Thus, we will not be supporting an MS Walk event this year. (:^{ )
The good news is, I might be able to get to Sandwich, if that event will occur. (We will see. . .)
73 de N9MVO, Rob
EMCOMM:
John Zietlow K9WIC updated there are three upcoming EMCOMM events:
- Illinois Simulated Emergency Test scheduled as a statewide exercise May 1st to be held 0:900 ~14:00 hours as a 6.8 earthquake hits southern Illinois.
- Chicagoland Marathon May 23rd in Busse Woods requests SARC participation as in past years.
- Hoffman Estates July 4th celebration is likely to hold a parade with SARC assistance but may not have fireworks.
Repeaters:
Rob N9MVO received a recent report our 44o machine appears about 2.5KHz below frequency. Roberto WA9E explained FM’s unique capture ratio ability would easily mask any offset. Since the machine is a commercial unit, and since it is housed in the tower’s access tunnel, it resides at ambient temperature and could be susceptible to some drift. SARC repeater team plans to place our Fusion Radio at the Plum Grove water tower; Roberto WA9E reported a few northern Minnesota repeater’s performance of Fusion radios performing well in -20F weather.
Mike K9KQX has offered assistance with donating and installing his surplus link hardware that will enable feature installation for the Fusion Radio. The repeater team will contact Mike to begin plans once better weather arrives.
SD Card refresh (replace potential NAND FLASH tunneling wear weakness) was discussed and Roberto WA9E reminded we should copy the current cards onto new media before we might suffer data loss.
ECHO Link performance has been going well but the verbal annunciations hinder flow. The set-up for system configuration likely has a method to suppress unnecessary IDs being repeated on every transmission. South African and Israeli participants have joined the morning drive time and we’ve had up to four stations work the repeater with little disruption. Our $68 per month data line fee is thought to provide speeds of about 3Mb down and about 256K up which is adequate for voice; we know it handles 3 to 4 stations well enough.
Construction Project:
| Sessions open with a limitation of 10 SARC Members. The membership limitation is due to the Park District’s logging procedure where they have possession of our roster and perform individual check-ins. One the state’s restrained meeting guidance is lifted we’ll be able to allow general public attendance. We’re currently hosting 4 to 6 per meeting and wonder if fear or lack of interest is causing low participation. Opinion tonight indicates exposure fears are limiting attendance because the risk is more than the reward. Pavlov would be pleased.
Roberto WA9E informed that N9VWC has offered to donate 100 Blue Tooth modules that can be used to interface with Raspberry Pie (maybe Arduino?). The Board confirmed we could accept these modules for use in Construction Projects. |
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VE Testing:
Ed Lishka AC9SD informed the VE Team is utilizing the Construction Project basement venue this coming Saturday for their second testing session this year. The candidate winning Extra during the last test session found his FCC registration to be valid after about a 2-week delay and was happy to have SARC’s VE support.
Nets:
No report.
Radio Hill Gazette RHG:
Mike K9KMV No Report.
Recurring Calendar:
None.
Membership:
Geoff KA9QGH hasn’t received any traffic and now that Daryl KB9RHR has assumed responsibility the website’s link will need updating.
Publicity:
Dennis C. Calvey KD9HIK Publicity Chair mentioned our Construction Project re-opening could be announced in the press but hesitant to make public since the Park District limits attendance to SARC Members only at the moment. There may be opportunity to announce SARC participation in the up-coming Chicagoland Marathon as well.
Social:
John KD9KSH; no report.
Education:
Leo N9NBH. No Report.
Programs:
No Report.
Old Business:
Robert W9RKK wished to know if previously-tabled item should be brought forth: Idea to utilize club funding two new radios for Field Day. Question of Village approval of our water tower site this spring and question of where the club’s assets would be stored were discussed. It’s an appropriate use of the club’s resources but may be premature to authorize such a substantial purchase at the moment.
New Business:
Bob Langsfeld WB9TZC has delivered 100 masks and a gallon of hand sanitizer donated to SARC by the Salvation Army to be utilized during the reopened Construction Project gatherings.
Ed Lishka reminded us about a previous charitable donation possible with Amazon purchases: purchases can be ~0.005% if smiles.amazon.com has SARC in the purchasing-person’s profile. John K9WIC and Dennis KD9HIK will check to determine bank-routing and/or 501c3 documentation has to be loaded to begin the benefit mentioned by *IJS during a previous meeting.
Motion to Adjourn:
Meeting adjourned 8:19PM. Submitted March 4, 2021. Cliff Sowka Secretary