HEMARC April 10, 2003 Meeting eMinutes

Historical Electronics Museum Amateur Radio Club
Minutes of the meeting of April 10, 2003

The meeting was called to order by President Ed Myerson AA3XY at 6:00 PM.

Present on the sign in sheet were (28): Heru W3WVV, Chip W4PBG, John Paul
AA3WI, Tom KB3GHC, Fred AI3Z, Jim KB3GSA, Jim N3GOO, Jim N3ZPS, George
KB3IVE, Nick K3NY, Gene W3BAB, Gary W3GMY, Charles AA3FB, Mike KB3CPV,
Marc KB3JJR, Don N3XOO, Ed AA3XY, Les WR3X, Charles N3EYV, George W3MPN,
Jules K0ZMA, Joe K3JIS, Rusty N3WKE,  Bill WT3B, Gary N3BYN, Sam KB3CYL,
Gary W3DTN, Steve WA3ZWC.

Minutes
A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of the March 2003
meeting as published.  The motion was approved by voice vote.

Treasurer's Report
Fred AI3Z reported that the Club has $900.42 in current assets and $78.89
in debts last month giving $821.53 in Funds Available.  There is an
outstanding bill of $134.95 giving us a net of $686.58.  A motion was made
and seconded to accept the Treasurer's Report.  The motion was approved by
voice vote.

Operations
Les WR3X reported that the Northrop Grumman net on Wednesday at 3 PM is
successful in contacting the west coast stations.  Beth Page, NY has been
running mobile and has been hard to hear.  There are 8 regular
stations.  The net is open to NG club stations, employees, retirees and
associated companies.  Operators are needed to serve as net control.  A
450 MHz P2 computer has been installed at the station, but a 17" monitor
is needed to complete the installation.  The old PC will be used for
packet.

Heru W3WVV reports that TV is working okay.

Antenna
Gene W3BAB says that last month's trip fell through, other weekends had
conflicts and that the weekend of April 12-13 was not good.  The rotor
controller has arrived and Gary W3DTN will assemble.

Training
Les WR3X said that 13 new licenses resulted from the class that just
ended.  24 people signed up for the new class and 14 showed up for the
first class.  Les expects 12-14 will show up for each class.

FISTS
Nick K3NY said that the Club acts as a clearing house for matching Elmers
with students who want to learn CW.  The effort slowed over the past month
and that there were only 10 applications in the last 2 weeks.  Elmers are
needed.  Please contact Nick if you can help.

Submarines on the Air will take place on April 26-27 on the TORSK in
Baltimore's Inner Harbor.  It is scheduled to start Saturday Morning at 9
AM and will run through Sunday.  Nick will be operating and anyone from
the Club is welcome.  There will be an opportunity to stay on the TORSK
overnight.

The next Robotics Day at the Museum will be May 10.

The D-Day Special Event will be June 7-8, 9 AM to 5 PM.  Nick will be
unavailable and will need someone to take charge and open the Museum, look
after the logs, etc.  About 8 people will be needed for the event.  Mike
KB3CPV plans to operate on D-Day, June 6th.  The W3GR call will be used.

FAR
Chip W4PBG reported that Auto Call is breaking even for the year to
date.  The Railroad Convention is going to be held in early July despite
the snow damage to the B&O Museum.  Hams are needed for the five excursion
trains and 3 bus trips.  Contact Chip for additional information.  FAR is
compiling a field day section for the June Auto Call and needs planning
input from all the clubs by May 1st.  Several Trustees from other clubs
complimented HEMARC on Jules' spark system at the Timonium Hamboree.  Tom
Abernathy W3TOM, candidate for ARRL Section Manager, appeared and all ARRL
members are urged to vote for Tom.  He has supported us.  HEMARC has
signed up for the Equipment Test Table at the Fall Fest this
September.  Chip needs the names and calls of members planning to help so
he can get the right number of free tickets.  About 6 people are needed.

By Laws
The Committee has not met.

QSL Cards
Mike KB3CPV has been sorting QSL cards and says that the Club station is
missing only 2 states needed to qualify for WAS.  W3GR needs DE and
RI; W2W needs AK; N1S needs ND, SD and HI.  The three calls have worked
all states, but not all of the QSL cards have arrived.  A list of needed
states will be posted at the station.

Ed said that members have access to the Club station and can operate as
their licenses allow, but a copy of your signed license must be on
file.  See Les for additional information and instructions on operating
the station.

Jackets
Sam KB3CYL is rebuilding his list of orders for Club jackets.  If you
ordered a jacket previously or would like to order one now, please send
your name, call, size and number of jackets to Sam at
KB3CYL@highstream.net.

Old Business

New Call
Heru W3WVV said that he agreed with Gary W3GMY who opposed using W3HEM due
to the significant cost of replacing QSL cards.

Ed reported that Rol has filed for W3HEM.  There has been no decision on
its use.

Les said that the Franklin Museum no longer has an amateur station because
of insufficient operating hours due to difficulty in finding operators.

Gary suggested that we operate the Club station as much as we can to prove
our value to the Museum.  Chip pointed out that Kate is particularly
interested for us to operate on Saturday.

The discussion on the use of the new call continued.  It was pointed out
that W3GR was the call of a former member who passed away.

Gene W3BAB said that Westinghouse used to supply QSL cards and suggested
that NG or the Museum might be willing to share the cost 50-50.  Nick said
that it would cost $360 to replace the QSLs with W3GR printed on them.  Ed
suggested that we could keep the cards we have and add an additional set
with W3HEM printed on them.

Ed AA3XY said that we could continue this discussion as a group or appoint
a subcommittee to make recommendations to the group.  The members present
preferred the subcommittee.  Ed asked for a volunteer to head the
subcommittee.  Rol was highly recommended by members to chair the
subcommittee.  Jim N3GOO, Gary W3GMY, Sam KB3CYL, Fred AI3Z and Gene W3BAB
volunteered or agreed to serve on the subcommittee.  Ed asked that the
subcommittee report back in the next one or two meetings.

New Business

Ham Radio Research
Les WR3X reported that the Museum had received a request from a researcher
in Chicago for Ham Radio information for the period 1930 to 1950.  Photos,
stories, cards, comics, TV, popular magazines, pulp novels, etc. are
needed.  Heru said he knew of a recording made during World War II of the
hams shutting down by time zone across the country.  The recording might
be helpful to the researcher.  Members suggested several individuals, the
Antique Wireless Association and the QCWA as good sources of
information.  Chip said that he would place an announcement in Auto Call
asking people to respond directly to the researcher..

Thanks
Rusty expressed thanks from the Baltimore Amateur Radio Club for HEMARC's
display at the Greater Baltimore Hamboree and Computerfest.

Public Service Event
June 10, 2003.  Parade, 4:30 to 7:00, 3-4 hams needed with 2M HTs to help
coordinate parade.  If you can help, please give contact information to
Les.  Location in Lakeshore (near end of route 100 near Mountain
Road).  Approximately 3 hours. 

Membership Update
Chip W4PBG circulated a copy of the Club database listing member
information, and he asked everyone present to review and update their
data.

New Member
New member, Marc Perlmutter KB3JJR, was welcomed and received his
membership card.

Adjournment
A motion was made and seconded to adjourn.  The motion was approved by
voice vote and the meeting was adjourned at 6:49 PM.

Technical Program

Station Operating Instructions
Nick K3NY distributed a draft copy of Station Operating Instructions that
he developed.  Nick reviewed the instructions in detail with the members
and received a "lot of good notes."  Plans call for instructions to be
available for each piece of equipment.

Field Day
Field Day runs from 2 PM June 28 to 2 PM June 29.  Set up usually starts
about 9 AM Saturday.  Rule Changes: New Class F station (ARES and RACES
stations at emergency sites); GOTA: 100 points for 100 contacts (up to 400
points)

The members thought that last year's Field Day site (Andover Park) was a
"great site" and would like to return there.  The site is located at
Andover Road and Main Street in Linthicum.  We will remain a 2A site (100
W).  Sam says that he has batteries available again.  Consensus was that
we will operate at 100 W and will not operate QRP.  There will be a public
table.  There was a discussion on gaining extra points with demonstrating
modes and for having a visit by an elected official.  We had 22 people
last year.  How can we do better?  Food will be available.  Logging
computers and software will be on site.

Respectfully submitted by Jim Smith N3ZPS, Secretary
4/22/2003