May 2006

Amateur Radio Society of Dryden

 May 10th, 2006 Meeting Minutes

Dryden Fire Service Training Centre

Meeting was chaired by President Bryan, VA3BRY.

In Attendance were:

M.S.Arnie, VA3NOL; Dick, VA3DIK; the Minutes of the March 8^th Meeting, and the Financial Statement as at May 10^th be adopted as distributed.  Carried.

Dave, VE3LMU, reported that Modak Helicopters have not as yet contacted him to confirm that the towers at the airport are available for us to dismantle.

Bryan, VA3BRY, reported that 8 members had attended the CanWarn training course last Friday at the MNR Fire Centre.

Bryan, VA3BRY                         Bob, VE3YDN

Maurice, VE3MLF                      Alf, VE3EFT

Rick, VA3RGA                          Jan, VE3JNS

Dick, VA3DIK                            Dave, VE3LMU

To date, 58 members have renewed their membership with the club.  This is down from 64 last year, and is attributed to the increase in dues necessary to sustain the clubs finances.

Bryan, VA3BRY will contact the City to reserve the Barclay Hall for the June club Barbeque.  Subject to availability, we will meet there on Saturday, June 17^th.  Cocktail hour will start at 5 pm, supper at 6 pm.  Once firmed up, Scott will email the notice to the members.

Camp 807 will be hosted by Warroad MN this August long weekend.  Next year, 2007, is Drydens turn.

Patricia Region Antique Tractor Collectors is hosting their Annual parade and demonstrations at Vermillion Bay on June 18^thFathers Day.  If you are able to help provide communications for the parade (start time 10:45 am) please contact Dick, VA3DIK.

Walleye Mastersthe club will not staff the bar, because it would expose the club to a high liability.  Instead, the Rotary Club will be staffing the bar.  Radio Amateurs will be needed to provide communications for boat checks during the fishing derby portion of the weekend, June 24 and 25.  Please contact Arnie, VA3NOL, if you are able to help out.

July 1^st Canada Day Parade will also require amateurs to provide communications.  Please contact Arnie VA3NOL to volunteer.

Bob, VE3YDN is continuing to develop an Emergency Manual for the club.  Once Bob has finished the manual, it will be printed and a familiarization session will be held to brief members on the sites where we have antennas located for emergencies. 

The Dryden Regional Airport Emergency Response Plan has now been formalized.  The plan includes the call out of Amateur Radio Operators to provide umbrella communications during on and off airport incidents.

Scott, VA3EXT announced that the Thunder Bay club had been given surplus MT1000 VHF handhelds, batteries and drop-in chargers.  They in turn would distribute 6 to Dryden to be stored at the Emergency Communications Centre.  In the event of an emergency, the handhelds would be loaned to Amateurs who didnt have their own units to assist with communications.  There were also a number of MCX1000 mobiles available for members to purchase.  Scott will coordinate the purchase and distribution to those members who wanted one.  Our club will manage the financial aspects, coordinating collection and then send one cheque to Thunder Bay.

Thursday, May 11^th, Julian Fantino, Commissioner of Emergency Management Ontario, will visit Dryden as part of the Ontario Emergency Preparedness Week.

During his visit, Scott, VA3EXT, along with amateur radio operators from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay, will demonstrate our HF communications capabilities.

Scott reported back on his experiments using 2 Metres to link Ignace to Dryden.  Unfortunately, the repeater frequencies are too close.  Transmitting out on one repeater desenses the receiver on the inbound link.  A filter would not provide adequate isolation.  (Camp Rob and Bearpaw frequencies are spread apart far enough from VE3DRY that they dont cause this problem).  He will explore other methods, such as Voice over Internet between the two repeaters.

Scott has changed audio capacitors at the Sioux Narrows link site with a substantial improvement in audio quality.

Leo, VE3ASS moved the meeting adjourn.  Carried.

50/50 draw winner, Kim Fletcher.