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Chesapeake Amateur Television Society (CATS) W3BAB

Meeting Minutes

March 10, 2012

Vice-President Grady Ball, WB3JUV, called the meeting to order at 9:17 AM. President Bob Curry arrived about 15 minutes after the meeting started.

The meeting was held in the offices of Ball and Ball Communications, 14213 Cherry Lane Court, Laurel, Maryland.

15 people attended the meeting.

Bob Curry KC3VO (President)

Grady Ball WB3JUV (Vice-President)

John Watson NY3K (Treasurer)

Al (Brownie) Brown KZ3AB (Secretary)

Ken McCue K3UQQ

Heru Walmsley W3WVV

Betty Walmsley KA3RRK

John Hagland KA3ZTC

Tom Farrell W3RCJ

Bob Martin KC3FI

Bill Pemberton WB3WJI

Tony Miller K3AIN

Bron Kidwell N3AGB

Rich Moellmam N3MOB

Kevin Craven WV3D

Secretary's Report: Since Secretary Brownie, KZ3AB, did not attend the last meeting, there was no secretary's report.

Treasurer's Report: Treasurer John, NY3K, distributed the CATS financial report via e-mail a few days before the meeting. He also gave a verbal report at the meeting.

Old Business:

* A Tabco situation report was given by Ken, K3UQQ and John, KA3ZTC.

The 900 MHz ATV Downconverter, an RCH3 video converter to take the channel 3 output from the downconverter and convert it to baseband video for input to the ATV repeater controller, and a 900 MHz antenna to pick up the BRATS ATV repeater's 900 MHz ATV output has been installed.

A motion was made, seconded and passed to reimburse John, KA3ZTC $29.00 for cabinet locks that he bought in December for the TABCO site.

* Kevin, WV3D, reported that President Bob, KC3VO, Jim Cross, WI3N, and he plan to move the 145.430 MHz repeater from Ball and Ball Communications to a temporary location at the Laurel EOC in the Municipal Building, located at 8103 Sandy Spring Rd, on Tuesday, March 13th at 10:00 AM.

Then, after the City of Laurel Engineers approve the antenna location on their new tower, the repeater will be moved to the Laurel Police Department headquarters on 5th Street.

New Business:

* Bob, KC3FI, who headed up the nominating committee, presented their report.

A motion was made, seconded and approved to accept their report.

The nominees listed on the ballot are:

President - Al (Brownie) Brown, KZ3AB

Vice-President - Bob Curry, KC3VO

Secretary - Vacant

Treasurer - John Watson, NY3K

The attendees were asked for additional nominees for each office. The silence was deafening.

There was a discussion about how to fill the vacant office of Secretary. The club agreed to ask for a volunteer at each meeting to fill the duties as an Acting Secretary.

A motion was made, seconded and approved to accept the proposed ballot.

The club thanked Bob, KC3FI, Mike Birdseye, K4DUM and Grady, WB3JUV who served on the committee.

* A motion was made, seconded and approved to reimburse Heru's brother, Tony Miller, K3AIN, $10.00 for a sync detector to be used at the "West Side" ATV repeater.

* President Bob, KC3VO, showed one of the transmit "wheel" antennas that had been removed from the Laurel Regional Hospital ATV repeater site. It had sustained severe damage.

Announcements:

* The next CATS meeting is scheduled for Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 9:00 AM in the offices of Ball and Ball Communications, 14213 Cherry Lane Court, Laurel, Maryland.

* A motion was made, seconded and approved to adjourn the meeting at 11:06 AM.

Respectfully submitted,

/s/ E. Allen (Brownie) Brown, KZ3AB

Secretary

May 12, 2012

President Al Brown, KZ3AB, called the meeting to order at approximately 9:30 AM.

The meeting was held in the Laurel Municipal EOC, 8103 Sandy Spring Rd., Laurel, MD.

13 people attended the meeting.

Al (Brownie) Brown KZ3AB (President)

Bob Curry KC3VO (Vice-President)

John Watson NY3K (Treasurer)

Mike Birdseye K4DUM (Secretary)

Bill Boston N3DCI

Ken McCue K3UQQ

Heru Walmsley W3WVV

Betty Walmsley KA3RRK

John Hagland KA3ZTC

Tom Farrell W3RCJ

Bob Martin KC3FI

Bron Kidwell N3AGB

Fred Merker K3TAZ

Secretary's Report: The Secretary (Mike, K4DUM) presented the minutes from the April

meeting. They were accepted.

Treasurer's Report: Treasurer John, NY3K, distributed the CATS financial report via email

on May 10, 2012. He also gave a verbal report at the meeting.

The CATS charter has expired as of 2008. John presented the following trade-offs:

1. Rejuvenate the charter by paying five years of filing fees and associated penalties.

2. Revise by-laws without a requirement for incorporation.

If option 2 is selected, the club should obtain club liability insurance. Bob, KC3VO,

recommended ARRL-sponsored insurance that will have a nominal yearly cost. Bob is to

provide the information to John, and John will contact ARRL attorney Chris Imlay. A

motion was made, seconded, and carried to pursue option 2.

Coffee John, KA3ZTC raised a concern about distribution of club financial data to nonmembers.

After a discussion, the club agreed to distribute minutes in the normal fashion

with an extended mailing list of members, past members, and supporters while only

distributing the financial data at the club meeting in hardcopy format.

Old Business:

 The Tabco situation report was given by Ken, K3UQQ, and John, KA3ZTC. The

repeater is still functioning.

 W3BAB antenna repair

o 180W out of amplifier, 120W to feed line, 80W to antenna

o Inside and outside cameras working

o Work went well at the repeater site. Some tweaking is still needed on the 1.2

GHz link

o The club wishes to recognize and thank Bron, Bill, Bob, John, and Ken for

hours of work in repairing antennas and the repeater.

 Access to the hospital

o Al talked to Jim Cross. He is working on getting passes for Bob, John, and

Bron.

 At the previous meeting, Bob, KC3FI, asked that we look at the requirements for

committees. He suggested that we establish a Repeater Committee and a

Technical Committee. He pointed out that the president can establish any

committee he sees fit. Al, KZ3AB, agreed to review the bylaws concerning the

establishment of committees.

New Business:

 Fred, K3TAZ, made a donation of equipment to the club. Fred will email a list of the

equipment to Mike. Thank you very much, Fred.

 BRATS Repeater Antennas – The repeater antennas were removed by

construction workers at the site. No apparent damage occurred, and they were laid

flat on the rooftop surface.

Announcements:

 The next CATS meeting is scheduled for Saturday, June 9 at 0900 at:

Laurel Municipal Center

Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

8103 Sandy Spring Road

Laurel, MD

 A motion was made, seconded and approved to adjourn the meeting at

approximately 11:00 AM.

Respectfully submitted,

/s/ Mike Birdseye, K4DUM

Secretary

Chesapeake Amateur Television Society (CATS) W3BAB

Meeting Agenda

June 9, 2012

 Call meeting to order

 Introduction of attendees

 Secretary’s report

o Additions or corrections

o Motion to approve, second and vote.

 Treasurer’s report

o Motion to approve, second and vote.

 Old business

o CATS checking account

o Club insurance

o TABCO report

o Access to the hospital

o Repeater and technical committees

o BRATS repeater report

 New business