HAM RADIO CLUB
Meeting Notes
Officers Present:
- President - Adam Radel KE7CJL
- Vice President - Harry Evans N/A
- Treasurer - Matt V KE7SBS
- Secretary - Cliff Murphy KE7PHG
Notes:
This was the first meeting for the club for the spring semester. Attendance was 7 people.
- Club Officers (3)
- Jasper Nance KE7PHI
- Josh Nelson KE7MTF
- Mike Meehan W6MM
- Harvey N7SIF
The agenda for the meeting topics included:
- ASUI Funding Proposal Status
- VAST Launch
- Idaho QSO Party
- Club Workshops
During the meeting other topics were brought up:
- Battery Backup / Emergency Power Proposal
- Communications Log To Improve Operations
- Availability for the QSO Party
We began by talking about the status for the ASUI Funding Proposal. We are seeking about $2000, the maximum allowed per school year and need input on what needs addressing around the club. One of the major things we’re thinking about is a battery backup system, and how it influences our emergency preparedness and operations. Other things of interest are LCD monitors and maintaining the equipment that we already have.
We talked an emergency scenario. If no power was available, a battery backup would let us operate and pass messages to inform parents that their students are in good health, by using ARRL message handling procedures. It is expected that the university will provide us with power to operate if the outage is an extended one since we are next to the steam plant and they have generators. So a large battery backup wouldn’t be necessary, just one to make us mobile. In being mobile we might also want VHF/UHF HTs, but the scope of our backup power wouldn’t need to include these if power is provided to us by the University and most of our communications are in HF out-of-area messages.
We also talked about the VAST Launch. This was the first time that VAST used radios, and with W7UQ’s help it was a nice experience. The only concern was the usage of a repeater without telling the regular users of it about our plans in advance and asking permission from the repeater trustee. We used the Moscow Mountain (146.820-) and linked Mica
Mountain (147.240+) repeaters. We did leave enough time between transmissions for people to get a hold of contacts while we paused, but in the future we need to inform the trustees of our plans so people can plan in advance and be prepared for our use of their repeaters.
From the mission we were able to establish simplex communications between the launch site and Steptoe Butte with 5w HTs. The Yagi used at the W7UQ Ham Shack was pointed the wrong direction to see if communications could be established between the ground station and the Butte, but the radio model showed that it should have been possible.
The Idaho QSO party is this Saturday/Sunday from noon to noon. Jessica, Dwaine, Josh and Adam might go, and Harvey might show up and Mike is willing to help. With the repair of the TH7 rotor, and some work identifying antennas, we should be ready to make some contacts.
Update 3/16: About 50 contacts were made.
We also discussed more about the antenna repair. We have other antennas that need to be adjusted, such as our “inverted Vee” and a slanted dipole. But these require climbing the tower. To avoid students getting injured in the event of a fall, we should not allow them to go up the tower. As an example, Bennet requires OHSA tower climbing certification to service ham antennas on their tower. The University might have the same policy (keeping students safe), but it should also be something that we also do.
We also talked about workshops we were interested in doing. Some topics of interest included APRS, Radio Propagation & Mapping, Q-Codes, and on-air protocol.
One thing we talked about was tactile call signs. After identifying, we can assume tactical call signs to simplify communications – ie “base” “launch” etc. We still need to identify every 10 minutes with our FCC assigned call signs, but this could simplify communications in the future.
We also wanted some help with relays, in the context of requiring a relay to check into a net. It seems that as long as the information is relayed, the way we’ve been doing it works. Basically, net control asking someone to relay a message, or someone stepping forward with the message to be relayed.
As far as Q-Codes, Harvey told us to google ACP131. It will have everything we ever wanted to know about Q-Codes and then some.
With Radio Propagation & Mapping, Cliff wants to do a workshop after spring break. It will go over the Radio Mobile program, and will take place at the W7UQ Ham Shack. Those interested in learning should attend.
END.
Meeting Minutes Mar 5th, 2008
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