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) on ZOOM on June 28, 2022. A quorum was present with 19 members (see Appendix A).
2) Pledge of Allegiance
3) Secretary’s Report – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) moved to approve the minutes from the last general meeting held on May 24, 2022, as posted on the website. Erik Olmer (W4EJO) seconded the motion, and the motion carried unanimously.
4) Treasurer’s Report – Erik Olmer (W4EJO)
The balance in the checking account is $8,939.22. Nothing is pending in the Stripe account. Three checks written out for SFD are still pending. Net for SFD is $ (21.42). So it almost paid for itself.
We have 72 current members; of that, 22 are Lifetime members. We show 26 in Grace Period. Considering those members in our active members, we have 98 active members.
5) VE Status Report – Jeff Stahl (K4BH)
We have test sessions at Church on Atlantic. The next test session is on July 9, 2022, at 10:30hrs.
6) Repeater Report – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) is asking whether to keep the Boca repeater in Boca or move it down to Broward. Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) said that this is a subject to be discussed by the Board first tabled the discussion.
7) Website Report – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) reported no new developments on the website.
8) WinLink
The club will have to purchase a laptop for WinLink. As Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) was going to initiate a vote, Joe McGee (NX4T) requested time for discussion. Barry Porter (KB1PA) mentioned that a VERA License is required to use WinLink on HF. Jason Olehm (KM4ACK) informed us that VERA is a modem working on HF and 2m. After a brief Q&A session Erik Olmer (W4EJO) made the motion to approve the purchase of the laptop up to $ 75.00. Barry Porter (KB1PA) seconded the motion. The motion passed with 16 YAEs.
9) Announcements
a) Volunteers for Shelters – Jeff Stahl (K4BH)
The county needs volunteers to cover all hurricane shelters. Shelter duty is not hard. For more information on that, see Erik Olmer (W4EJO) presentation in May. If you are interested in volunteering, please get in touch with Jeff Stahl (K4BH) or Carol Sjursen (KJ4AWB).
b) Next Club Dinner – July 24, 2022, at 19:00
9880 West Sample Road
Coral Springs, FL 33065
c) 2022 ARRL Summer Field Day
The SFD was a success, and the Board will do a brief review in their next board meeting. There are plans to create an Operations Manual for the event since there are so many moving parts to achieve it. Thank you to all those HAMS and non-HAMS who came out to help, learn to operate, or support the hobby! We are grateful for your attendance. Special thanks to Charlie Artner (KN4VDW), who made the form for registering for the event. It would have been helpful if more people had used this method to RSVP, especially for the food. It isn’t easy to judge quantities when you do not know how many are coming.
d) Memorial Bricks
Memorial Brick Replicas are in, and we will have a special Memorial at one of the dinners, hopefully attended by the family of the SKs we are honoring. Date to be determined. Barry Porter (KB1PA) will be doing the presentations.
e) New Club Address
Please be advised that we have a new address.
Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association
7378 W. Atlantic Blvd #147
Margate, FL 33063
10) Speaker of the month: Jason Oleham (KM4ACK)
The speaker for June is Jason Oleham (KM4ACK). Jason is an Amateur Extra, Raspberry Pi Enthusiast, Developer of Build a Pi, and YouTuber.
11) Adjournment
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) called adjourned the meeting at 20:40 EDT (00:40 UTC).
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 June 12, 2022. A quorum was present with six board members.
Members present: Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT), Ricki Witte (KJ4FSJ), Charlie Artner (KN4VDW), Erik Olmer (W4EJO), Jeff Stahl (K4BH), Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
Members Absent (Excused): Tom Savoca (K9TJS)
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. Erik moved to approve the allocation of up to $750.00 for the purchase of a computer for WinLink. The motion was seconded by Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR). The motion carried unanimously.
c) 2023 Winter Field Day / Summer Field Day
January 28-29, 2023, is penciled in for Quiet Waters Park. Erik Olmer (W4EJO) needs to work with Carol Sjursen (KJ4AWB) on the letter of intent (see sample) for both field days. The deadline for the letters of intent is July 15, 2022.
d) 2022 ARRL Summer Field Day
i) Technical Report – Jeff Stahl (K4BH)
Jeff Stahl (K4BH) reported that all the computers are synched up. We have a functioning router, and all the computers have been connected to the router. Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) will try to copy the Field Day message Friday before the Field Day.
ii) Web Report for SFD – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Everything is in place so people can register.
iii) Antennas for SFD – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
Jeff Stahl (K4BH) has the antenna from Joe McGee (NX4T).
iv) Food Shopping – Jerry Deitch (W$LST) / Ricki Witte (KJ4FSJ)
Jerry will handle the food shopping. Erik Olmer (W4EJO) will cut a check for Jerry on the field day. Jeff Stahl (K4BH) will bring coffee and donuts for Saturday morning.
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 again 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)
Dave Crane was asked to come and maybe help with the Information table, but he has not answered yet. Erik Olmer (W4EJO) suggested Tom Savoca (K9JST) for 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).
e) Moving Boca Repeater – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
We have not received any input for a new location. Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) will mention at the dinner tonight that we are looking for a new site and asking our members to help find a new one.
f) Move WX station from Boca to JKV – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
g) Remote HF Station – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
HF station is up and running. 80m and 40m are very noisy and cannot be used at all. Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR) will move the antenna to the other side of the building. Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) will be added as an additional Admin.
Joe McGee (NX4T) has removed himself as administrator. Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) volunteered to become an administrator for the remote station since he is the one using it the most. He is using the station every morning to check in at the FPTN and occasionally in the evening to check in at the Tropical Fast Net. When time permits, he is also using the station during the day for short periods of time.
3) Testing – Jeff Stahl (K4BH)
No Test Session Report for this meeting.
4) Was Boca Repeater replaced? – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
The repeater has not been replaced yet.
5) ARRL Grant Money – Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT)
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) sent an email with detailed information on the Grant Money. Unfortunately, we have missed the window to apply for a grant in this phase. We will try to apply for it in September or October of 20022.
6) Adjournment
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) adjourned the meeting at 15:50 EDT (19:50 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 May 24, 2022. A quorum was present with 20 members (see Appendix A).
2) Pledge of Allegiance
3) Secretary’s Report – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) moved to approve the minutes from the last general meeting as posted on the website. Erik Olmer seconded the motion (W4EJO) / the motion carried unanimously.
4) Treasurer’s Report – Erik Olmer (W4EJO)
The current checking account balance is $8,979.04. PayPal balance is ZERO. We have a new merchant account service with STRIPE, which is also at ZERO.
Membership: Currently, we have 76 members, of which 20 members are Lifetime Members. Twenty-two members are in a grace period.
5) VE Status Report – Jeff Stahl (K4BH)
We are up and running with the test sessions every second Saturday of the month. Due to Jeff Stahl’s (K4BH) unavailability, there will be no session in June. The next test session will be on the second Saturday in July again. Jeff Stahl’s (K4BH) contact information is on the ARRL test session page.
6) Repeater Report – Ricky Eaton (KD4HGR)
All repeaters are currently working fine. We are looking for a new site for the Boca repeater. Anywhere in the general area of the Boca Hospital is fine.
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) is working on the Pi-Star installation to add AllStar to our 70cm repeater, a JKV.
The antenna for the remote HF station has been delivered, and Ricky will try to install it this coming Friday.
The WX station will be moved from the Boca repeater to the .610 repeater at JKV. It was decided to move the WX station because it does not work in Boca with the repeater we have there right now.
Joe McGee (NX4T) was asking if there are other sources of funding
7) Website Report – Charlie Artner (KN4VDW)
Charlie Artner (KN4VDW) reported that we had replaced PayPal with Stripe, a new merchant account provider. The forms for the SFD and the club dinner are already transferred to the new merchant service. He also replaced the old SmartForm plugin with a much better and more robust plugin called from GravityForms.
Attacks on the site are under control, and currently, 14 countries are blocked from accessing our website.
8) Announcements
a) Service Award for Joe McGee (NX4T)
The Board of Directors approved a service award for Joe McGee (NX4T) for his longtime support of the Amateur Radio Community and his service on the GCARA Board of Directors.
b) Summer Field Day 2022
We need volunteers to help with the 2022 SFD. We need help with setup and breakdown. Setup is on Saturday morning, and coffee and donuts will be served. The breakdown will start after 14:00hrs on Sunday, and the club will serve sandwiches for those who are helping.
Additional comment by Jeff Stahl (K4BH): It is essential that we have volunteers to help with the breakdown; otherwise, the few people present may brake down into the sunset. We also do need people for the setup. We do have enough radios and antennas, but if you have spare coax cables, please bring them with you if you are coming.
c) Next Club Dinner
Due to Father’s Day and 2022 SFD the next club dinner has been moved up by two weeks and will be on June 12, 2022.
d) Fall Picnic
The board is planning a Fall Picnic for September 17, 2022, at Vista View Park. Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) has already confirmed the date with the park administration.
e) Carol Sjursen (KJ4AWB)
We are still looking for shelter operators. Tomorrow night Robert Molleda is going to give a presentation on the upcoming Hurricane season. Anybody who missed the presentation last month at the GCARA meeting, you are welcome to join tomorrow night on ZOOM at 18:30.
9) Speaker of the month: Erik Olmer (W4EJO)
The Speaker of the month was Erik Olmer (W4EJO), Treasurer of the GCARA, Net Manager of the Broward County Emergency Preparedness Net, and Net Control Station for the Southeast Florida Traffic Net. He will talk about what it takes and how to become a Shelter Volunteer.
10) Adjournment
Melanie Fernandez (KJ4VCT) called adjourned the meeting at 20:37 EDT (00:37 UTC)
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).
