Location: Briarcliffe College, Bethpage, N.Y.
John, W2GW, the LIDXA President, called to order the meeting of October 17 at 8:30 PM. Members present (per sign-in on the blackboard) included W2GW and XYL K2MAU, KC2OPX, W2FGD, WB2ZHB, KA2D, N2DXJ and XYL Tanis.
Ed, K2MFY, the LIDXA Corresponding Secretary, could not be at tonight’s meeting so Karen, KC2OPX, would be taking the meeting minutes and forward them to Ed for editing and distribution.
In terms of DX, specific activities were highlighted:
· Propagation is starting to pick up with good conditions on 20 meters, and brief openings on 17 and 15 meters during the daytime. The solar flux finally started to increase from 67 to 72, although some geomagnetic storms noted.
Starting the business portion of tonight’s meeting was the approval of the September 19 meeting minutes. Except for a couple of minor corrections, the minutes were accepted as presented. In addition, the minutes were prepared in advance by K2MFY, and sent out to the membership with the October meeting notice. Thanks to the efforts of KE2LJ, Pat, the minutes appear in the LIDXA web site at: http://www.qsl.net/lidxa.
W2GW gave the monthly Treasurer’s report. The big expense in October was the payment of our annual liability insurance premium.
John mentioned that he got a request from Frank, N2FF, for the club to sponsor an ad for the Annual 2008 Hudson Awards. This year the dinner would be held at Biagio's Restaurant in Paramus. NJ on November 8. Details are provided at http://www.hudson.arrl.org/pages/awardsdinner2008.htm. The LIDXA voted $50 to place a ˝-page ad in the Awards Journal. John said he would contact K2MFY about resubmitting the same ad which the cub sponsored in 2007.
Tom, KA2D, mentioned that the Great South Bay ARC would be setting up a station for the weekend of November 1–2, at the Fire Island Lighthouse. There will be hosting two days of special events and activities to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the lighting of the present Fire Island Lighthouse.
A brief discussion then developed on the club’s annual Holiday party. After some suggestions it was decided to have the part at the same restaurant from last year, namely the Star Diner in Hicksville. John said he would have Ed contact the diner regarding arrangements and costs. Details of this investigation would be announced to all members on the Sunday night net and also by e-mail. By a show of hands, it appeared that about 10 members with/without spouses/guests would be attending this dinner.
Marv, W2FGD, reminded the membership to check-in at the LIDXA weekly nets on Sunday night at 9 PM local time on the Grumman Hauppauge repeater at 145.330/144.730 MHz (with 136.5 Hz PL), to get the latest information on club matters and events.
With the business portion of the membership concluded at 9 PM, John then presented a DVD on the very successful January 1999 DXpedition to Campbell Island, near New Zealand, as ZL9CI. This group amassed over 96,000 QSOs.
The meeting concluded at around 10 PM after all the scheduled business and entertainment had finished. The next meeting of the LIDXA will be held on Friday November 21, 2008.
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Ed Whitman, K2MFY
LIDXA Secretary
(from notes submitted by Karen, KC2OPX)