The board met at Coco's, with 4 members, Van Kichline KD7QIT, Don Hickman WF7Z, Charles Beckmeier W7CEB, and Doug Bell KD7KKR.

For the first time, Doug handed out copies of minutes of the previous PARS board meeting.

Doug mentioned that the Evergreen Intertie Information and Technical Net is every Wednesday night at 8 PM, on K7NWS [145.33 MHz]. There is supposed to also be a Digital Modes Net every Thursday night at 8 PM, but they hadn't done it recently.

Van mentioned the Mike & Key Handbook has a listing of nets.

Charles asked what blogging is. Doug explained that blog is short for web log. A blog is an open diary kept on a [World Wide] Web page. Typically, other people than the person keeping the diary can also post comments.

Charles mentioned his wife would be joining the meeting for dinner at 7:30 PM.

Don asked if anyone had called to see how Dick Schwanke W9HXM is doing. He had fallen in front of Don's house while leaving the Christmas party and cracked a rib. After that he went to Texas for the holidays, and should have been back by the time of this meeting.

Van asked why Ron Verschuyl K7AAE had missed the November meeting when he was supposed to have given a presentation. The tape didn't catch the answer.

Doug described the art project he is working on for the next dorkbot exhibition, People Doing Strange Things With Electricity II.

Don asked Doug whether he had found his HT yet. Doug hadn't had a chance to look for it. Don has been cleaning out stuff he doesn't need for the last year.

Don will miss the next general meeting.

Doug and Van discussed how Van's new telescope could be modified to carry a satellite antenna and scan for satellites.

Van planned to write an article on his modifications to his satellite antenna.

Van had planned to do something about the repeater, but hadn't turned out to have the time.

Don had been looking over recent Mike & Key Arc newsletters for possible speakers for our meetings.

Van mentioned that we haven't shown a video tape recently, so we could always do that. Van would like to see the video tape on amateur radio astronomy again. Van has found a society of amateur radio astronomers.

Doug mentioned he has a friend that plans to come to the next PARS general meeting and learn to be a ham.

There was discussion about the entry for our repeater in the Repeater Directory, and about needing to get our repeater re-coordinated.

There was discussion about what HF contest we might work in the near future. We should discuss it at the next meeting.

Doug reminded that we don't need to set up a yagi antenna to do a contest.

Van asked whether Ron would be able to speak at the February meeting. Don will find out.

Don will be taking trip on a cruise ship and one on a Mississippi river boat.

Doug had heard something about that it would soon be possible to use cell phones in commercial airlines. Van explained that it will take new cell phones that can be disabled on demand by the pilot, and will use a cell station in the plane.

There was discussion about possible door prizes. Charles suggested a computer microphone, suitable for Echolink. Charles asked where more raffle tickets could be bought. Don suggested Office Max.

Doug mentioned his modem is probably not good enough to run Echolink. Van mentioned he has a stack of modems he's removed from computers, and could bring one to a meeting.

Van talked about setting up Echolink for our repeater by using a net connection at his house. Doug thinks they must do something like that at K7NWS, since it supports only getting on the air from a computer, not getting on the net from a radio.

There was discussion about whether we should have a table at the upcoming Mike & Key Arc Swap Meet. Charles will be there with another group. Doug mentioned the country store as a possible way to sell a few items without having a table. Van mentioned that the visitor that came to the Christmas party was talking about donating an antenna.

Van mentioned it's time to pay dues. Charles will bring it up at the general meeting.

Doug talked about the problems of the newsletter and his plans for putting an index to Amateur Radio Newsline on our website.

Respectfully Submitted -
Doug Bell, KD7KKR
PARS Secretary