Michigan QRP Club

Minutes of the Annual Meeting 2010

 

 

The Annual Meeting of the Michigan QRP Club held at the Michigan Crossroads Hamfest, Marshall, MI was called to order by President Tim, K8NWD at 11:00 a.m. in a meeting room of the Marshall Activities Center.  Other officers present including Vice-President Hank, K8DD, Secretary Ned, KD8FCB, and Treasurer Stan, AC8W, and Directors Pete, WK8S. Absent were Directors Ernie, W8XW, Jerry, K8JRO, T5W Editor Mike, WB8ICN, and Webmaster Scotty, KB8APS.

Introductions were made by the following members in attendance: 

 

Stan- AC8W

Trish – KA8AMX

Bob R – KB9IVA

Mike- KN8Z

Lee- N8LJ

Ned –KD8FCB

Hank K – K8DD

Frank – W8XI

Cortland – KA5S

Bernie- N8PVZ

Jim- KB8TXZ

Ron - N8KBG

Frank - KE8MM

Earl – W8KIU

Ed – AB8DF

Pete -WK8S

Tim – K8NWD

 

 

 

 

President’s Report:

 

Secretary: Ned, KD8FCB, asked that the minutes of the 2009 meeting be accepted. President pointed out that his call should be corrected from K8NLD to K8NWD. Subject to that correction Hank, K8DD moved acceptance, seconded by Lee N8LJ. The minutes were accepted.

Ned reported that current paid membership stands at 175 with 66% of e-mail addresses available, an improvement from last year’s 50%.

He again stressed the importance of providing your email address for club use so we can contact you regarding membership, errors, change of address and/or T5W mailing problems.

 

Treasurer: Stan, AC8W, reported $2,675.90 in savings and in checking. This is net of a loan of $900 advanced for materials for the 2010 Buildathon at FDIM. His report will be forwarded to Mike, WB8ICN for inclusion in the upcoming 5Watter.

Ned, KD8FCB moved acceptance of the Treasurer’s Report, seconded by Hank, K8DD. The report was accepted.

 

Weekly Net: 

Ed, AB8DF said the net meets on Tuesdays at 9pm (standard time or DST) on 3535 +/- QRN, usually +

Conditions have been improving noticeably since the beginning of the year.

Ed is QSL manager for WQ8RP so you can send your QSO’s, in any format, for inclusion in the master log. He currently uses XLOG on a Unix platform.

QSL cards are also available on request.

He is also working on implementing EQSL and LOTW.

 

Editor’s Report

Mike, WB8ICN was not present.

 

 

 

 

Contests/Awards:

Hank, N8XX, tendered his resignation as contest and awards’ manager, citing low participation in contests.

Tim, K8NWD will retrieve the material he gave to Hank for WAS, DXCC, WAMA, and QNI to the Net.

In general, participation in club contests has been declining and it is moot whether we should continue them.

Ed, AB8DF volunteered to take over the Net QNI award and we will revisit the whole awards program next year.

 

Webmaster:

Scotty, KB8APS was not present.

Some corrections are required on the site, notably the Net check-in time.

New pictures are also required, preferably later than the era when Tim still had hair.

Ed, AB8DF will send Scotty weekly notification of Net check-ins.

Now that Paypal is functional for club membership, Ned, KD8FCB undertook to liaise with Scotty to institute on-line membership applications and renewals.

 

 

Monthly Breakfast Meeting

The First Saturday Breakfast is now well under way in Flint. Another was held on the same day in Ann Arbor and was well attended. It is now suggested that the Ann Arbor breakfasts be held on the 3rd Saturday of the month to avoid clashing with Flint.

Ned, KD8FCB will take up this matter with Mike, WB8ICN.

 

 

FDIM: 

 

We have a table (or a bit thereof with ARCI) in our customary location.

Pete, WK8S presented the SMD keyer kit he designed for the FDIM Buildathon. He deliberately kept the design simple to minimize the “fear factor” for first-time SMD builders. All 30 Buildathon kits have been sold and a few surplus are available to MIQRP members.

A link exists on the ARCI website http://fdim.qrparci.org/content/view/63/78/ which explains the function of the keyer.

The Buildathon will be held on May 13 at 4:30 pm.

 

 

Old Business:

 

A donation of $50 will be made to qsl.net.

 

$65 will be donated to cover one of the Michigan QSO Party Plaques.

 

The 5Watter has been re-oriented and seems to be surviving the mail. However our printer is in hospital and this may cause some delay in getting out the next issue.

 

 

New Business:

Elections will be held next year so anyone who desires to run for ANY office is more than welcome and should let that be known as soon as possible.

 

 

Announcements:

 

KB9IVA  invited all to are interested to get involved  with the  Adventure Radio Group of the Michiana ARC.

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 12:55 p.m.

 

Ned, KD8FCB

Secretary, MIQRP