1) Call to Order
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) called on ZOOM to order the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association’s Board meeting at 14:30 EDT (18:30 UTC) on May 22, 2022. A quorum was present with five board members. Members present: Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT), Charlie Artner (KN4VDW), Jeff Stahl (K4BH), Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR); Members Absent: Tom Savoca (excused), Erik Olmer (W4EJO)
2) Old Business
a) Echo Link – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
On hold due to other projects.
b) WinLInk – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
On hold due to other projects.
c) 2023 Winter Field Day
January 28-29, 2023, is penciled in for Quiet Waters Park. Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) needs to work with Carol Sjursen (KJ4AWB) on the letter of intent (see sample).
d) Replace PayPal
Due to ongoing problems with PayPal, Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) suggests switching to a different Plugin called Forms by GravityForms. He donated the cost of $159.00 for the first year. Forms are working with Stripe, a merchant account provider. Currently, the “Member Application” form and the “2022 Summer Field Day” form have been moved to Forms and are using Stripe to handle credit card transactions. The monthly dinner form has also been rolled out with Forms.
The contact form is still using the old form plugin, but since it does not use credit card charges, it is not as critical as the forms where charges apply.
e) 2022 ARRL Summer Field Day
i) Technical Report – Jeff Stahl (K4BH)
Jeff Stahl (K4BH) has required parts for the SFD. He has the antennas that Joe made and will test them to ensure they are working correctly.
ii) Web Report for SFD – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Everything is in place so people can register.
iii) Antennas for SFD – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
Jeff Stahl (K4BH) has the antennas from Joe McGee (NX4T).
iv) Food Shopping – Jerry Deitch (W$LST) / Ricki Witte (KJ4FSJ)
Jerry will handle the food shopping
v) Safety Monitor – Ben (N7BBE)
Ben is the Safety Officer for the SFD.
vi) Signs – Ben (N7BBE)
Ben will also do the signs, and Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) hopes that Mike Wolf (K2HXC) will be able to help.
vii) Banners
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) asked where the red Gold Coast banner with the yellow writing was. Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) will try to find it. He believes they could be in several places, including Charlie Artner’s (KN4VDW) garage. Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) said he only had framed pictures and equipment from the club in his garage.
viii) Log in Sheet – Erik Olmer (W4EJO)
Erik Olmer (W4EJO) will create the log-in sheet.
ix) Information Table – Mike Wolf (K2HXC) & Rhonda (or Hope)
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) hopes that Rhonda Pitone (KJ4FSJ) and Mike Wolf (K2HXC) will operate the information table. Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) has some material for the information table, but it is already three years old and might be outdated. Hope (WB3ANE) may also be on the information table.
x) Generator
Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) asked who would bring the generator stored at Jesse Shannon’s (KJ4FKK) house. Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) will check with Jesse Shannon (KJ4FKK).
f) Moving Boca Repeater – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
We are still looking for a repeater to replace the temporary repeater. We need to free this repeater because it is a dual-band repeater, and we keep it as a backup because we can use it for VHF or UHF. We also have a UHF repeater on Charlie Artner’s (KN4VDW) garage floor. That repeater was donated by Mike Spivak (WB4RFC) when he closed the store.
Regarding moving the repeater, Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) will contact Eric Rodriguez and find out if there are any other tall buildings we could put our repeater. Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) moved to start researching a new location for the Boca repeater and not wait until we must move.
g) Move WX station from Boca to JKV – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
The WX station is still at the Boca site. It is straightforward to move the station. Access to the repeater in Boca is now also easy. Jeff Stahl (K4BH) motioned to move the WX station to the .610 repeater. The motion was seconded by Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) and carried 6-0.
h) Remote HF Station – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) said that the remote station would be up by Friday, pending the delivery of the new antenna. The antenna is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. It seems the station is not doing too bad. The main problem is mostly on 6m. If that persists with the new antenna, we will block 6m on the HF station. The computer is working correctly. There is an issue with the tuner, which is locking up. Now the tuner is not talking to the radio anymore. Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) will have to get on location to restart all systems manually.
3) Testing – Jeff Stahl (K4BH)
No Test Session Report for this meeting.
4) Was Boca Repeater replaced? – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
We still don’t have a new repeater, so the spare repeater is still in place. However, Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) does not want to make this repeater the permanent solution. The reason for that is that this repeater is a dual-band repeater and can be used as a temporary replacement for both our VHF and UHF repeaters.
5) Picnic
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) asked if we should try to schedule another picnic?
After a brief discussion, the board agreed to schedule a picnic for September 17, 2022.
6) June Dinner
June dinner will be on June 12, 2022, due to SFD being on the usual Sunday, and the Sunday before is Father’s Day. The board meeting in June will also be held on June 12.
7) Service Award $65.00 for Joe McGee (NX4T)
Motion by Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) to award Joe McGee (NX4T) a $65.00 award for his services to the club and the HAM community. Seconded by Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR), motion carried 6-0.
8) ARRL Grant Money – Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT)
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) is looking for comments from Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) and Charlie Artner (KN4VDW).
Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) will send a list of equipment to Erik Olmer (W4EJO), so he can put a grant application together.
9) Adjournment
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) adjourned the meeting at 15:31 EDT (19:31 UTC).
1) Call to Order
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) called to order the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association’s regular meeting at 19:30 EDT (23:30 UTC) over ZOOM on April 26, 2022. A quorum was present with 22 members.
2) Pledge of Allegiance
3) Member Introduction
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) introduced Brandy Coolidge(N1HO), Alan Lisler (NT4AL),
4) Secretary’s Report – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) moved to approve the minutes from the last general meeting as posted on the website. The motion was seconded by John Cole (N1QFH) / motion carried unanimously.
5) Treasurer’s Report – Erik Olmer (W4EJO)
The current PayPal Balance is $448.10; The current checking balance is $8,000.81.
We had an issue with PayPal last few weeks. As new members signed up or existing members renewed, they were not sent to PayPal. Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) will look into this issue and try to fix it ASAP. The members who did not get redirected to PayPal will receive an invoice from Erik Olmer (W4EJO) for their membership dues. This invoice will include a link and instructions on how to pay.
6) VE Status Report – Jeff Stahl (K4BH)
Our new test site is at Church on Atlantic, and the address is listed at www.w4bug.org. Sessions start at 10:30 EDT.
The FCC is now collecting $35.00 for new licenses and Vanity Calls.
During our first session, we had a few issues. We only had two VEs showing up, and Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) had a problem with his schedule, and because he didn’t make it to church, we couldn’t use the facility. He is a member of Church on Atlantic and must be present.
Jeff Stahl (K4BH) also mentioned that in cooperation with Carol Sjursen (KJ4AWB), he is creating an online class for technician license.
The FCC is now charging $35.00 for new licenses. There are no charges for an address change, changing a name, or upgrading your license. Charges do apply to renewals and vanity calls.
Email address is now mandatory for all applications. The FCC will send you an email regarding the charges. The $35.00 FCC fees are not collected by the VEs.
7) Repeater Report – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
All repeaters are up and running. We are looking into purchasing a repeater to replace the .820 machine. The original repeater stopped working, and we currently have a spare repeater in place. The goal is to replace the .820 repeater with a Motorola repeater this time. We had a deal going with a gentleman, but the deal fell through. Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) is still trying to negotiate.
The remote station is moving to JKV and should be back up by the weekend. Ricky is still working on the computer for the remote station.
8) Election of Vice President
Ricki Witti (KJ4FSJ) is nominated for the position of Vice President. Barry Porter (KB1PA) called for any other nominations. None heard. Ricki Witti (KJ4FSJ) was declared elected by acclamation.
9) Announcements
a) SPRING Picnic
The SPRING picnic will be on Saturday, May 21, 222. All are welcome. Set up at 0900 hrs; picnic will start at 1000 hrs and end around 1600 hours. We will have a “show and tell” during the picnic” Bring your go boxes. Food will be served with a donation of $10.00
Please RSVP on W4BUG.org so we can plan on how much food to purchase.
Address:
4001 SW 142 Ave
Davie, FL 33330
b) Summer Field Day 2022
Summer Field Day will be held at Quiet Waters Park. We need volunteers to help with setup and breakdown. The SFD is on June 25, 26. On Saturday, coffee and donuts will be provided for the morning crew, and sandwiches for lunch for the breakdown crew on Sunday.
10) Speaker of the month: Robert Molleda
Robert Molleda talked about hurricane preparedness.
11) Adjournment
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) called adjourned the meeting at 20:37 EDT (00:37 UTC).
1) Call to Order
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) called to order the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association’s Board meeting at 14:38 EDT (18:38 UTC) on April 24, 2021, on ZOOM. A quorum was present with five board members. Members present: Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT), Charlie Artner (KN4VDW), Jeff Stahl (K4BH), Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR); Members Absent: Tom Savoca (excused), Erik Olmer (W4EJO)
2) Old Business
a) Echo Link – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) has not had a chance to work on it since he focused on the repeater issue.
b) WinLInk – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Still on hold.
c) ARRL Club Grant for projects
You have received a link from Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR), and after talking with Barry Porter, he said that almost everybody is getting approved. We need to define a project.
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) put a motion on the floor to advance the purchase of a laptop up to $700.00 to use this project to apply for the ARRL grant. Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) is seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) will research the laptop.
d) Spring Picnic at Vista View
The date for the picnic is May 21, 2022. We have to pay $75.00 because we applied as the club and not ARES/RACES.
Jeff Stahl (K4BH) moved to pay the $75.00 for the picnic. Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
e) Winter Field Day 2023
The date for WFD is January 28-29, 2023. The Letter of Intent has not been created yet, but the letter from last year has been sent to Erik Olmer (W4EJO) and Carol so they can work on it.
3) Summer Field Day
a) Antennas
Joe McGee (NX4T) is donating a Fan-Dipole that he made. This antenna covers 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m, and 10m. Jeff Stahl (K4BH) will build an antenna for 160m. Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) mentioned that the last time went on 2m, we only had a few QSOs. He is questioning that the low number of QSOs may not be worth the effort.
b) Start Prepping
Dan will do CW. Between Charlie Artner (KN4VDW), Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR), and Jeff Stahl (K4BH), we have enough radios available to the club.
The category we will be competing in will be 3A
We will have two generators. The club generator and Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) will bring his.
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) will put a form online so people can start volunteering for different SFD functions. He will also be co-chair for SFD.
4) Testing – Jeff Stahl (K4BH)
Testing issues have been taken care of.
5) Repeater Status / Boca Repeater – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) and Eric Rodriguez came across a refurbished Motorola repeater for $650.00, including shipping and 30-day warranty.
Jeff Stahl (K4BH) moved to go with the Motorola repeater for $650.00 from a gentleman in Nevada who refurbishes repeaters and is a Motorola certified service center. Seconded by Charlie Artner (KN4VDW). Motion carried unanimously.
6) HF Station Status
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) recommended moving the HF remote station to JKV.
Discussion: Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) will pick up the equipment from Joe McGee (NX4T) and try to have it back up by this upcoming weekend.
7) New topics to discuss?
a) ARRL page for the club
Tom Savoca (K9TJS) will update the club page since he is the PIO.
8) Adjournment
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) adjourned the meeting at 15:42 EDT (19:42 UTC).
Hello, all members of GCARA.
Spring is here and we are in the midst of a refresh and renewal of the Board. Due to the intense demands of his personal life at this moment, Vice President Joe McGee NX4T has requested to step down from the VP position. It is demanding a little more of his time than his personal needs allow. I fully understand the needs of all of us to balance the joys of working for the club with the attendance to personal duties and have decided to accept his resignation. That being said, I have also found that we can depend on our club members for stepping up to the plate in a time of need. Ricki Witte, KJ4FSJ, has graciously agreed to help us out to fill that post. Ricki was the previous Treasurer and after Roy Neiman’s death, stepped seamlessly into the Secretary position to finish out his tenure. No stranger to the Board work, she will take on the VP and Membership position and do us proud. We will hold a special election in our April meeting to fill the VP/Membership position.
I want to publicly thank Joe for all of the duties he took on for the club and enumerate a few of them for those of us that are not aware of the “behind the scenes”, day-to-day activities of the Board. First of all, he was the gregarious and joyful face to meet the new members. He even unselfishly stepped in to assist some members with their equipment problems and even provided some with equipment when it was determined that what was already owned by the member, would not meet the demands of the hobby. He was also instrumental in organizing quite a few Field Days for us. He planned and executed them well, organizing everything from communications to the workforce needed, and lent us his Beam antenna to use. He worked with Dan Vasilca AI4WW, to get the computers up to speed with N1MM so we could track our contacts during our competitions. A homebrewer of old, he successfully built and implemented several antennas, some for the personal use of members (like my window antenna which helps me get to JKV flawlessly and Barry Porter’s at his location) and the Field Days. He also supported Ricky Eaton on the Technical side with the Repeater, making it easier for Ricky to troubleshoot with Joe on the premises giving details. He has always been a beacon of kindness among many acts of kindness that most of you are unaware of. His service was not only valuable and made my job easier, but he is also commendable for his service.
I am not sure if you are aware of it but our current Board is a bunch of superstars in my estimation and I am going to use this time to pay them tribute. I could not be as successful at handling club business without any of these gentlemen.
First, there is our Treasurer, Erik Olmer W4EJO, who not only is so efficient at the performance of his Treasurer duties, that he NEVER leaves us in a bind, financially or otherwards. His impeccable reports for the club are always on time and present even if he is on vacation! He is also a font of progressive ideas for the club’s future growth and he assists in any capacity in which he is asked. He is a tireless volunteer in CERT of Margate, a volunteer of several community activities (MS BIKE RACE in Palm Beach lately) as well as an invaluable aide to Carol Sjursen KJ4AWB and Jeff Stahl K4BH at the EOC during Hurricane season and the practice of Winter Field Day. He is also a consummate member of the South Florida Traffic Net and runs the ARES/RACES Net, BCEPN. Whew, it is exhausting to recall all of the things he does while holding down a full-time job! Thank you for all that you do, Erik!
Next, we are pleased to have Charlie Artner, KN4VDW, our Secretary, whose notes on each general and Board meeting are flawless! On top of getting information absolutely correct, he also gives time to do the SEFT Net. He stepped into the position of getting speakers for the club that has been outstanding in their educational opportunities for the club. On top of that, he manages the information flow for the club, getting out the meeting info on Mail Chimp, as well as managing the Website, W4BUG. He has brought us into the 21rst Century, authoring forms for signing up for membership and events. He has greatly lessened the load for me by keeping track of everything we need to keep track of and he keeps me up to date without exception on anything from website security to speaker possibilities, on a daily basis. I cannot imagine trying to do my job without his help now. Thank you Charlie for your good nature and your spirit of goodwill towards others.
Then, there is Ricky Eaton KD4HGR, our repeater Trustee who, along with the help of Eric Rodriguez KF4LZA, keeps our repeaters in tip-top shape and responds to all of our requests to fix problems when they arise. Although Ricky and Eric work full-time jobs, they are so generous with their time and talent when it comes to our communications. Their jobs require ability and agility of thinking, as well as keeping their eye on the future growth of our communication footprint in the tri-county area. I absolutely LOVE Ricky’s ability to blend in with others and his amenable personality. He is happy to accommodate everyone on the Board and in the club as he also performs service activities for members who need them. He certainly can perform as the epitome of what HAM is all about as well as the aforementioned persons.
Jeff Stahl K4BH, has been a foundational character on the Board, serving as we request on odd duties as well as VE Coordinator for the club and Director/Parliamentarian. He has fully supported our club with all of his time and talent and is involved in various efforts in the community as well. He is a CAP leader, the Ares Chair and CO-chairs RACES to help Carol Sjursen KJ4AWB as well as works in the EOC and for WinterFest boat Parade. He takes responsibility for the announcements on the SEFTN net and is invaluable in keeping our meeting within Robert’s Rules of Order. Even though he is active in other clubs, he maintains his dedication to GCARA with indomitable fervor. He has been a good friend and a true asset since the beginning of my Presidency and I am forever grateful for his services.
Tom Savoca K9TJS, is new to the board but is already proving his mettle. He is getting our name into the community as our new Director PIO and we are getting more presence on Facebook as well as Instagram. He is practiced in web development as well as Social Media and is a perfect fit for our needs as a Board member. Welcome aboard Thomas!
It is my pleasure to serve GCARA with this group of energetic and talented people. I consider myself lucky to be part of the Board as I work alongside these professionals and I can say that I have learned a lot about radio from these gentlemen. Thank you so much.
I wish everyone a Happy Spring and a blessed Easter. May those of you with health problems heal fast and may those of you who are new to us not be strangers longer than necessary. GCARA appreciates and needs its members so let us know of any special way we can assist you in your hobby.
Until the next message, I remain, cordially yours,
Melanie Fernandez KJ4VCT, President of the GCARA
1) Call to Order
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) called to order the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association’s Board meeting at 14:40 EDT (18:40 UTC) on March 27, 2021, on ZOOM. A quorum was present with six board members.
2) Old Business
a) Echo Link – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) has not had a chance to work on it since he focused on the repeater issue.
b) WinLInk – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Still on hold.
c) ARRL Club Grant for projects
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) will call Jeff Beals to get more information on the grant program
d) Set up dates for Spring Picnic at Vista View
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) tried to contact the person who can book events but has not been successful yet. We are going to plan for May 7, 2022
3) Antennas for Summer Field Day – Joe McGee (NX4T)
Joe McGee (NX4T) is planning on building a fan dipole antenna for the Summer Field Day. Ricky built an end-fed antenna that could also be used.
4) Start Prep for Summer Field Day – Choose an FD captain.
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) will be FD captain for now.
5) Winter Field Day 2023
Tabled until April meeting.
6) Testing Sessions – Jeff Stahl (K4BH)
We are scheduled for the second Saturday of the month except for June and December. The sessions are posted on the ARRL website. Jeff Stahl (K4BH) will send out an email to all the VEs in the area. We need to post the information on our website as well.
7) Boca Repeater – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
The Boca repeater has been replaced with a Yaesu repeater. The ICOM repeater did not transmit anymore. Ricky will look into whether fixing is an option. To get an estimate, we need to ship the repeater to ICOM in Washington State. The shipping will cost around $100.00.
Another option is to purchase a new BridgeCom repeater.
The weather function we had on the .820 repeater is currently disconnected because it is not set up for the Yaesu repeater.
Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) was also informed that the room the repeater is currently located in is planned to be remodeled. At that point, we may have to move the repeater to another location. Every board member is encouraged to look out for a new site.
The board gave consent to move the weather alert system to the .610 repeater next time Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) is going to Boca.
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) made a motion to send the ICOM repeater for a repair estimate. The motion was second by Jeff Stahl (K4BH) and carried 6:1.
8) Speaker for a practical lesson
We are coming back to this suggestion. The problem is that this is a technical hobby, as Jeff Stahl (K4BH) mentioned.
9) HF Station Status
The HF station is working fine but is not used enough to justify its existence, according to Joe McGee (NX4T). The station is used only By Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) and John Cole (N1HQF). Joe McGee (NX4T) is suggesting to the board to take down the station.
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) put a motion on the floor to table this discussion until Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) is available to join the discussion. The motion was seconded by Jeff Stahl (K4BH) and carried 6:0.
10) New topics to discuss?
Joe McGee (NX4T) announced that he was resigning effectively at the end of this meeting. Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) accepted his resignation and thanked him for his service
11) Adjournment
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) adjourned the meeting at 15:51 EDT (19:51 UTC).
1) Call to Order
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) called to order the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association’s regular meeting at 20:08 EDT (00:08 UTC) over ZOOM on March 22, 2022. A quorum was present with 20 members.
2) Pledge of Allegiance
3) Secretary’s Report – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) put a motion on the floor to accept the meeting minutes from February’s General Meeting. Second by Jeff Stahl (K4BH). The Motion carried.
4) Treasurer’s Report – Erik Olmer (W4EJO)
We have 81 members, 13, who are in the grace period.
The beginning balance for this month is $8,292.46.
We have received our first revenue from the Amazon Smile Program – $26.71.
New members are Gary Metz (no FCC call sign yet), Joanna Cummings (N2QFT) with a plus 1, and Donald Thomas (AF4NR).
We had our standard bank fees and web hosting fees, and the ending balance is $8,419.93.
5) Membership Chair Report – Joe McGee (NX4T)
No updates from Joe McGee (NX4T).
6) VE Status Report – Jeff Stahl (K4BH)
Jeff Stahl (K4BH) reported that we would start to have in-person testing sessions every second Saturday of the month beginning in April. Charlie Artner’s (KN4VDW) church has agreed to let us host the testing sessions at their facility. The address is 4850 W Atlantic Blvd., Margate, FL 33063.
We should be listed on ARRL.ORG by now, and if people in our location are looking for testing locations, they should be able to find us.
Joe McGee (NX4T) asked how Jeff Stahl (K4BH) will acquire a quorum of VEs for each testing session. Jeff Stahl (K4BH) said that he would rely on volunteers and, if we do not have a quorum, don’t have one. Even if we have only one person to test, we will hold the test session. Jerry Deitch (W4LST) and Ben Echavarria (N7BBE) are VEs and offered to help with the testing.
7) Repeater Report – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
146.820 MHz repeater in Boca is not working, and Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) will have to do more investigating to find out what is not working. The repeater seems to transmit but does not receive.
8) Web Admin Report – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) keeps the events up to date to provide more value for the visitor and encourage users to come back. The security measurements are working well, and possible attacks are blocked successfully. Occasionally, a bot successfully creates a fake account, but since new accounts have to be approved by an administrator, the account never becomes active.
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) presented a report he receives daily on what is going on with the website. That report includes IP addresses from which attacks are initiated and other metrics.
If anybody has a question, please get in touch with Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) at KN4VDW@arrl.net
9) Announcements
a) SKYWARN Virtual Classes – Carol Sjursen
Saturday April 2, 2022, 10:00 – 12:30 hrs
b) Summer Field Day – Joe McGee (NX4T)
Joe McGee (NX4T) wants to simplify our antenna setup for the SFD. We will be at the Bald Eagle Shelter at Quiet Waters Park.
c) Free Flee
Free Flee will be held on March 26, 2022. For more information, please go to the events page at www.w4bug.org.
d) Nomination for Field Day Captain
Gary Mertz would take on this role, but because of his lack of experience, Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) respectfully declined. Jeff Stahl (K4BH) added that SFD is always the 4th full weekend in June. At this time, we have no nomination for the Field Day Captain.
e) Next month’s speaker – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Next month’s speaker will be Robert Molleda from the National Weather Service.
10) Adjournment
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) adjourned the meeting at 20:37 EDT (00:37 UTC).
1) Call to Order
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT)called to order the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association’s regular meeting at 19:30 ET (00:30 UTC) over ZOOM on February 22, 2022. A quorum was present with 18 members.
2) Pledge of Allegiance
3) Secretary’s/ VP Report – Joe McGee (NX4T)
Minutes will be approved in the next meeting
4) Treasurer’s Report – Erik Olmer (W4EJO)
In February, we have taken in $290.00 ($650 YTD) in dues and $140.00 in donations.
We had our recurring payment of $20.00 for our website.
Total PayPal fees this month are $21.22
We also paid $200.00 for our liability insurance. And $205.38 for the annual MoneyMinder fee.
The annual filing report with the state was $61.25.
We purchased a plugin called WordFence, which was $99.00 for one year for additional security on our website.
For Winter Field Day, after refunding all the money and money already spent, we showed a loss of $30.00.
At the end of this reporting period, the total fund available was $8,292.46.
79 current members, 19 LifeTime; 54 Singe, 6 Family members.
5) Membership Chair Report – Joe McGee (NX4T)
Joe McGee (NX4T) introduced some of the new members; Stuart Gallant (K3RZB) and Michael Mermigas (W3DDS). Joanna Cummings (N2QFT) applied but had issues with payment.
6) VE Status Report – Jeff Stahl (K4BH)
Jeff Stahl (K4BH) reported that we could start in-person testing every 2nd Saturday of the month at 10:30 EST. Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) will send Jeff Stahl (K4BH) the address of his church where the testing will take place so Jeff Stahl (K4BH) can publically announce the testing dates.
Jeff Stahl (K4BH) also reminded everyone that hurricane season is just around the corner.
7) Repeater Report – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
146.820 repeater is off the air. We are trying to get access to the hospital since the hospital has been locked down tight since Covid. We do not know why the repeater is offline. EchoLink is currently on the back burner until the repeater is back up and running.
Our contact at the hospital has retired, and we do not have any contact person at the hospital.
8) Web Admin Report – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) reported about additional security measurements on the website. The club’s site was attacked the past few weeks. We are now protected by Wordfence, the software mentioned earlier in the Treasurer’s Report.
We also are now posting the ARRL Audio News on the website. As time permits, Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) will broadcast the ARRL Audio News on the .610 repeater on Fridays or Tuesdays.
Certain areas are now password-protected, and members who want to access the roster, forum, etc., need to create an account. The account will not go active automatically. Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) is approving new users manually after a quick verification process.
9) Special Elections
Barry Porter (KB1PA) presented the two open positions to the membership. No further nominations have been brought forth, and the slate was accepted by acclamation.
Slate: SECRETARY – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Director/ARRL PIO – Tom Savoca (K9TJS)
10) Announcements
a) Skywarn Virtual Class
Carol Sjursen announced upcoming SKYWARN Virtual classes on Saturday, April 2, 2022, from 10:00 to 12:30 EST.
b) Sunshine Committee
Hope Smith (WB3ANE)—Sunshine Committee Chairman, and Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) are sending cards to people who are ill or need otherwise encouraging words.
c) Board Notes from VP Joe McGee (NX4T)
Joe McGee (NX4T) is starting to organize ARRL Summer Field Day. One significant change will be to work with more simple antennas in the future. Setting up the antennas is taking a lot of time, and simple homebrew antennas might give us a similar, if not the same, result with less effort.
d) Next Months Speaker
Next month’s speakers will be Josh Landewee and Code Cameron (W3AMG) from BridgeCom Systems.
e) Club Focus for 2022
Our club focus for the year will be to get people up to speed with their equipment and get volunteers for the community’s various needs. We would like to see a strong volunteer group in our club, so we are using our licenses and privileges thereof for the purpose they are meant to be used for in the community. We will offer help to those wanting to upgrade their license and provide several opportunities for practice.
11) Adjournment
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) adjourned the meeting at 21:12 ET (02:12 UTC).
1) Call to Order
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) called to order the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association’s regular meeting at 19:03 ET (00:03 UTC) over ZOOM on January 25, 2022.
2) Pledge of Allegiance
3) Secretary’s Report – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Meeting minutes from November’s General Meeting have been accepted as displayed on the website.
4) Treasurer’s Report – Erik Olmer (W4EJO)
LAST FISCAL YEAR
Membership Dues
Last fiscal year, we budgeted $2,000.00 for dues income, and we passed our goal. We brought $2,153.67 in dues in the previous fiscal year.
Other Revenues
In terms of other revenues, we brought in 3,300.00 dollars. In detail, we brought in $100.00 through auctions, $465.00 through general donations; $2,510.00 through the HF Project; and $225.00 through the name tags. The total spending in this category was $2,193.29
Total Income / Expenses
The total income for the last fiscal year was $7,572.63. About half of that income was straight donations. The expenses were $4,344.78. The full balance at the end of the fiscal year was $8.999.40.
Current Monthly Report
Dues collected for the current reporting period were $360.00, and along with the dues, we also collected $30.00 on additional donations. The recurring monthly service charges were $48.00. PayPal fees were $32.78.
The income for Winter Field Day was $390.00
The check for the memorial bricks for $898.70 has cleared
All the membership records have been updated following the updated bylaws and reflect the new due date of membership donations. For more information on how the due dates are now determined, please get in touch with a board member.
5) Membership Chair Report – Joe McGee (NX4T)
Joe McGee (NX4T) reported that we had about 84 members in November, and currently, we are down to 77 due to the membership being expired.
6) VE Status Report – Jeff Stahl (K4BH)
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) is checking with his Church if we can do testing there. Jeff Stahl (K4BH) has received updates on the questions from ARRL, and as soon as we have a location, we will start testing again.
7) Repeater Report – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
The question came up whether we have a 220 MHz repeater and the answer to that question is no, and we do not intend to get one. The updates to the repeaters with AllStar will be done on the 442.500MHz repeater. We are going to connect this repeater to the East Coast Reflector. The model we are using is the ICOM FR5000.
Joe McGee (NX4T) wanted to know if we have been given a 6m repeater as a donation. Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) explained that the repeater is not here yet. It was donated by Eric Rodrigues (KA4FLZ). The repeater is in repair because the tuning cans show signs of corrosion. They are supposed to be airtight, but moisture has still made it inside and built-up corrosion.
8) Web Admin Report – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
The website has been attacked the last few weeks. We have purchased a WP plugin to tighten up the security and prevent malicious access and accounts created by bots. New accounts on the website have to be approved by an admin. Without approval, the new account holder will not receive a confirmation email, and without that, the user will not be able to set a password.
If a member has an issue logging in, please get in touch with Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) at kn4vdw@arrl.net.
A new feature was added to the Home page, the ARRL Audio News. The ARRL Audio News comes out every Friday and will be updated by Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) at his earliest convenience.
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) reminded all members that we are on the Amazon Smile program, and it would help the club if members would designate our club as their non-profit when shopping on Amazon Smile.
9) Announcements
a) Marty Falk (KI4IQZ)
Marty Falk (KI4IQZ) has been selected for the SPECIAL SERVICE AWARD given by the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association.
b) Sunshine Committee
Hope Smith (WB3ANE)—Sunshine Committee Chairman, and Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) are sending cards to people who are ill or need otherwise encouraging words. If you know of somebody who needs encouragement, please inform the Sunshine Committee.
c) Winter Field Day – Joe McGee (NX4T)
Jesse Shannon has donated a generator for the off-grid power supply for WFD. Dan is operating separately and independently from the shelter/pavilion. Jerry Deitch (W4LST) is still in possession of the signs and will bring them to WFD. Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) will be looking for the banner.
We will have two people at the grill/food station.
Ben Echavarria (N7BBE) will meet with Mike Wolf (K2HXC) and Jerry Deitch (W$LST) at 09:00 hrs to set up the signs.
Due to the cold weather forecast, we plan to move the rigs into Charlie Artner’s (KN4VDW) tent at night to protect the operators from the frigid temperatures.
d) Club Dinners
The board has decided to have Club Dinners more frequently in place of the General Club Meeting in person. The Club Dinners will be monthly now, Sunday before the General Club Meeting. Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) will provide a way to RSVP on the website for those who would like to come.
e) Next Month’s Speaker
Next month’s speaker will be Bryan Fields (W9CR), and he will be talking about FASMA.
f) Club Focus for 2022
Our club focus for the year will be to get people up to speed with their equipment and get volunteers for the community’s various needs. We would like to see a strong volunteer group in our club, so we are using our licenses and privileges thereof for the purpose they are meant to be used for in the community. We will help those wanting to upgrade their license and provide several practice opportunities.
10) Adjournment
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) adjourned the meeting at 20:02 EST (01:02 UTC).
Happy New Year Gold Coast members and others!! May the Lord grant you excellent health and happiness in the coming
new year.
First of all, I would like to say GET WELL to all those who are presently infirm, whether we know about you or not. I am saying an open prayer for all of us to be healthy this year. Perhaps you can join me in that prayer for others.
I personally had the honor of working last December with Carol Sjursen KJ4AWB and Jeff Stahl K4BH on the Winterfest Boat Parade activities. It was the second time I served as a scribe and was privy to see the inner workings of the event. It was a joyful and exhilarating experience. Carol and Jeff do a fantastic job of mounting antennas for the event for use by police and Coast Guard in the Control Center where managing the parade, takes place. Carol is known for her cool-headed approach and ability to facilitate the messages coming into the control center from our hams on the bridges and parks as well as the Control Boats helping in the Parade. She gets logistics and problems and gets the appropriate department to solve the issues. She handled so much during the parade but never lost her positive attitude and willingness to communicate clearly with everyone involved. It was indeed a joy to watch her and Jeff handle the problems that arose in this, as in many big endeavors like this.
I want to thank everyone who volunteered for the bridges and parks, many of them are club members, who give of their time and talent every year for this effort. We love you and need you to volunteer for these slots to ensure a smooth operation. Perhaps for 2022, we will get a few more people interested in helping us.
Also, I would like to thank those hams who had offered to do community service by volunteering for the shelters during hurricane season. I want all of you to seriously think about supporting the community in 2022. Let’s show our abilities and practice our craft for the benefit of those who need our help. Your community is thankful for all you do behind the scenes to make life easier and safer for all concerned. Please volunteer and get your friends involved as well. We need each and every able-bodied person we can get. To learn how you can best help our community, see Carol Sjursen or Jeff Stahl.
Another area requiring help is the Southeast Florida Traffic Net which airs every evening at 6 pm on 146.610, PL tone 110.9, for the purpose of practicing sending traffic messages to people all over the US. It will be a helpful tool in emergencies to be well versed in passing and taking traffic and the practice will help you become a “smooth operator” on the air. Please give some serious thought to becoming a Net Control for the SEFTN. Please contact the Net Manager, Kenny Hollenbeck KE4NC, or go to SEFTN.net to get more information. Our club, again, is serving heavily in this capacity and we need more volunteers as Net Controls. It’s fun and you will be hearing ME more this year on the air, too. Bushels of thank yous go to Charlie KN4VDW, Mike K2HXC, Erik W4EJO, Dave KB4ICU, Jerry W4LST, and Kenny KE4NC and all those who support this effort in such a dedicated way. We love you all.
GCARA will have its first General Meeting on Jan. 25th, 2022. Please be aware that this meeting will be atypical as far as meetings go. First, we will meet at 6 pm so that our speaker in England can provide his talk in his own time zone before midnight his time. Second, we will start with HIS presentation BEFORE the business portion of the meeting. I am hoping to have a lot of people on board for the meeting and hope to see many of you there. Please try your best to accommodate this speaker. We will not be able to record this meeting as it is in direct conflict with the speaker’s own commercial interests but we will provide links to his Webpage. I am looking forward to a great year of speakers, thanks to Charlie Artner KN4VDW, who has agreed to help me in this effort. Charlie has been a true blessing to the club over his tenure as secretary. He has taken on so much responsibility with being webmaster, secretary and now arranging speakers, badges and helping me to keep track of projects that are ongoing. He is truly an energetic and giving soul who also volunteers in ARES/RACES, Winterfest Boat Parade, and the SEFTN 2 days a week. He has become the “wind beneath all of our wings” and we truly appreciate him so much. Thank you, Charlie.
It is sad to think there is no more Mike’s Electronics now. I am happy that Mike will be able to retire and spend more time with his wife Gilda in the years to come. Mike has been a sponsor of the GCARA for over 20 years and has always been responsible for making sure the South Florida Hams get what they need in the way of advice, information or radios, and gear. He has always been a pleasant partner with the club and has been an irreplaceable friend to all he has served. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, Mike, for ALL that you have done for us. You will be greatly missed.
Lastly, I want to thank all of our members who are so kind, sweet-natured, and generous in all they do for the club. I will not name names because I will probably leave some people out but you know who you are. You are the ham who volunteers for duty selflessly; the one who works behind the scenes to make sure this club runs well. It is that person who has seen a need for the club and filled it with a donation of money or equipment. It is that one person who cheerfully gives of his time and talent at Field Day or is cooperatively working to help others who need technical or physical help with equipment. I believe that this club has a heart for others and it shows big time. Thank you, all of you, who help show what community is and spread that cooperative possibility like a ripple in the water that continues to touch others. People often forget how far a little goodwill will go, both as an example to others and as a constructive tool for society as a whole. I am proud to be a member of the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association and look forward to the best year ever in 2022!! God bless everyone!
73
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT)
President
Gold Coast
Amateur Radio Association
P.O. Box 773, Pompano Beach, FL 33061-0773
