November 11, 2004             attendance 14

 

The Secretaries minutes of last months meeting were read by Steve Low, KB9QFT.

The Treasurers report was read by Lois Winterberg, KA9IOS.

 

The report on the C4 440 repeater is that the controller has been repaired and the firmware has been updated.  Mike Riley, N9LTT, is looking for a good deal on a 20 amp minimum power supply to replace the one which had been used on the repeater; one borrowed from their HF rig.

 

The E.O.C. has a new dual band two meter/440 radio.  The Yaesu FT-8800 is still in need of a dual band antenna.  The E.O.C. also has approval for the purchase of an HF antenna.

 

 

SKYWARN NEWS:

 

  There was discussion about the recent and current status of the Indianapolis Carmel Experimenters Group repeater used for Skywarn operations during Indiana weather nets.

 

This is the latest excerpted from the group’s website, http://www.w9ice.com.

 

[ Updated 11/3/2004]

We are presently in the process of moving several of our repeaters to new locations.  We have been ask to remove systems from TV40's towers because of the stations requirement for tower & building space for expansions they are doing.  They seem to no longer have any interest in providing sites for even a couple of repeaters, even though they are used heavily for public safety at times.  So at this time the 146.97 repeater is still in operation but at a much lower profile location on the north side of Indy.  It should be back to comparable coverage as before by the end of the month at a new location after it's antenna has been removed and reinstalled at the new site…It might take a few month or so to get all the equipment and antenna's moved on all these systems, but First and Foremost is the installation of the 146.97 repeater used by Skywarn to it's new location that will be done No Later then the end of the month. (November ’04)
Again... after 97 gets to it's new location the coverage of the system Will Be The Same If Not Better because of higher antenna, larger feedline, improved receiver sensitivity & more power output  at the new site.

Related is this note from the w9nws.org site:  “If you are located in the Lawrence, Jackson, Jennings, Bartholomew, Brown, and Monroe county areas we would encourage you  to use the new Freetown remote base on the frequency of 147.435 with a PL tone of 77 Hz. This remote base is simplex and will be activated only during SKYWARN net activity.

 

Freetown is approximately 26 miles from Columbus, Southwest heading 216 degrees

 

 

Marion Winterberg reports that the club’s Insurance List of covered items has been reviews and updated.  A few additions and subtractions have about balanced leaving us with  about equal value.  Note is made that coverage for the repeater antenna is unavailable.

 

Hamfest (April 2, 2005) plans are ongoing reports Marion.  He made a motion the club purchase the same radio as for several previous years for the event’s door prize, a Kenwood dual band mobile transceiver, the TG-707A, at the price of $250.  Motion seconded and passed.  Actual purchase may be delayed until January but hamfest flyer design may need to be set before that time.

 

Marion reports good news on our local 146.790 repeater.  By making a no cost swap of the repeater, an updated unit will provide both a courtesy beep at the end of transmissions and also allow remote control of the PL tone on/off function.  This should occur before the end of the month.

 

Nominating committee for the club’s 2005 officers will consist of Noel Taylor; N9CJT, Scotty; KB9WCQ, Alvin Koffman; KA9QLQ, and Joe LaFauci; KA9OPL.

 

Marion made a motion that the club make a donation to the local Cheer Fund in the amount of $150.  Motion seconded and passed.

 

Net Control “volunteer” for December is Sarah Bartlett, KA9WBG.

 

Note:  We will discuss the need to make reservation of Mill Race Park for the 2005 Field Day event at our next month’s meeting.

 

Meeting adjouned.