Mar 2011

Mid-South Amateur Radio Association - Club Meeting Minutes March 17, 2011

Location: Northeast Police Precinct (Appling Farms Parkway) 6850 Whitten Bend Cove, Memphis, TN 38133

Attendance: President Tony Brignole (WA4KHN), Vice-President Del Earnheart (AJ4EM), Secretary Linda Ware (KJ4ELL), Treasurer John Parish (KD4EUZ). Attendance: approx 33.

Welcome: Meeting called to order by Tony at 7:00 p.m. Introductions; introductory comments. Happy St. Patrick's Day! Sandwiches, cake, cookies, and snacks on the back tables. Tony opened with the story of Saint Patrick, revered patron saint of Ireland.

Minutes for previous meeting posted on MARA website and printed copies available on front table. Motioned (Lance N4GMT), seconded (Bill KB4SQV), and accepted as posted by attending membership. Treasurer's Report read by John Parish (KD4EUZ), copies also available on front table. Motioned, seconded, and accepted as read (viva voce).

Old Business: Additional check given to Treasurer for sales from the Dick Barnes estate.

New Business: FREEFEST - Sign-up sheet for volunteers to work the event. Need at least 8 to cover tables and a couple to help Ham Hilliard set up sound system the Friday before (April 8) from 1 to 4 p.m.; Vendor load-in assistance 4 to 6 p.m. Then Saturday (April 9) need to rope off the flea market spaces 6 to 7 a.m.; Vendor load-in and (doors) direct people to tables starting at 7 a.m.; need 3 or 4 to help Lance and John w/concession, cooking, and kitchen duty; need 6 to issue free tickets, stamp hands, sell prize tickets 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tear down and clean up and out 3 to 5 p.m. Will work in short shifts depending on how busy it is so everyone will have a chance to shop and have fun. Prize tickets are available here to take for pre-sales to friends and family, including non-hams. Tickets need to be completely filled in as they don't have to be present to win the big prizes. We hope to sell a hundred books of tickets before FreeFest. 100% goes to LeBonheur.

Program: Tony Brignole (WA4KHN) presented a very interesting and comprehensive program on repeaters - a historical perspective; terminology, trademarks, development and evolution of radio technology and deployment over the (modern) era: 1950-60 large tube type radios, 1960-70 the hybrid radios with more features, 1970s forward solid state and the modern h/t with many to choose from, more channels, better selectivity and sensitivity, and the introduction of repeaters - how we got to where we are today in the amateur repeater system. Explanations covering area proliferation, bandwidth constraints, frequencies, PL tone, CTCSS, squelch, quieting, band plans, coordinating agencies (SERA), repeater types + much more. Followed by Q&A and discussion.

Motion to close (Helen KI4OTC), seconded (Jeff AJ4GY), adjourned by Tony at 8:20 p.m.

Notes: John Cummings (N4BKN) as former secretary turned over box of archives at the meeting. New membership cards were handed out by John Parish. Next meeting will be April 21st.

Respectfully submitted by Secretary Linda Ware (KJ4ELL)