Month: March 2025

 

Coming up:

The SAARC Spring Flea Market will be held on Saturday, May 3, from 10 am until noon at the Moose Hall, 1401 – 5 Avenue North, Lethbridge. Vendor setup is at 9 am.

Admission: $2 per person, $5 includes a raffle ticket (additional raffle tickets are 3 for $5).

50/50 tickets will be $1 per ticket, $5 for three tickets.

Vendor tables are $10, payable the morning of the flea market. Please let Renze know if you want a table.

 

We will be needing volunteers to help set up and clean up after, as well as to manage the admission and raffle ticket sales and the 50/50 ticket sales. Please let Renze know if you are willing to help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Present: Gary VE6CV, Larry VE6WL, Renze VE6DC, Steven VE6SCL, Barry VE6BGR, Cory VE6CYT, Jim VE6JMB, Dave VA6SYS, Don (no call), David VE6DRL, Spencer VE6SXR, Kalvin VE6KRO, Stan VE6SYS, Scott VA6JSR, Wayne VE6WEK, Penny VA6PJK, Tyler VA6TI, Blair VE6AGH, Peter VA6ARI,

Call to Order by: David VE6DRL at 10:02 am, seconded by Steven

 

Reading of the Minutes: Dispensed with the reading of the minutes which are available on the website.

Approval of minutes of Feb. 22 by Larry, seconded by Cory.

 

Treasurer’s Report by Barry VE6BGR

• purchased 2 solar controllers from Mike at half price.
• land use payment.
• purchased a gift certificate for Alan in appreciation for use of his land.
• replaced a battery $205.

Wayne moved to approve treasurer’s report, Cory seconded, all in favour.

 

Repeater Committee Report by Cory

• still have the noise.
• something loose at top of antenna (demonstrated by a Smith chart reading on very windy day).
• still working on power issues.
• will swap the inverters.
• clean up grounds on guy wires.
• thanks to Dave VE6DRL for putting the messages on the repeater.
• will ask Yaesu if the repeater can run off DC.

 

Election of 2025 Board:

• President: Barry Rushford – VE6BGR
• Vice President: Kalvin Kroker – VE6KRO
• Secretary: Peter Pankonin – VA6ARI
• Treasurer: David Laming – VE6DRL
• Three Directors: Renze Dam – VE6DC (Events), Cory Rushford – VE6CYT (Operations), David Sweetnam – VA6SYS (Training).

Election of Two Auditors:

• Steven LaHay VE6SCL, Penny Kostelny VE6PJK

Additional Comments: The new board will be installed at next meeting.

 

OLD BUSINESS

Spring flea market will be May 3 at Moose Hall

• charge $10/table, $2 admission, $5 admission with door prize ticket.
• will do 50/50 draw.
• club will provide donuts and coffee.
• Gary will ask about a door prize.
• if you want a table let Renze know.

Corn Roast and Christmas Breakfast

• Renze is working on it.

Possible September family BBQ?

 

FIELD DAY, June 28

• at Ft. Maclead Lion’s Campground.
• Saturday Pizza on your own, Sunday breakfast provided by club.

 

NEW BUSINESS

• tower work, replace the tower?
• do an inspection first and at minimum replace the jumper, remove lightening hardware.
• will leave it for a couple of years.
• grant funding?
• Steve suggested doing a casino.
• Tyler will research the casino process.
• Peter mentioned 44 Net and ARDC grants.

Penny moved that we apply to have a casino, Cory seconded, all in favour.

 

Next meeting: April 26, 2025.

Motion to close the meeting: Tyler at 11:45 am.

 

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Present: Terry VA6TMA, Renze VE6DC, Gary VE6CV, Willie (AFFRRCS), Scott VA6JSR, Penny VA6PJK, Steve VE6SCL, Larry VE6WL, Jim VE6JMB, David VE6DRL, David VA6SYS, Wayne VE6WEK, Cory VE6CYT, Blair VE6AGH, Barry VE6BGR.

Meeting called to order – Motion by Dave VA6DRL and seconded by Steve.

Reading of the Minutes – Outstanding items:

• Corey and Barry getting others familiar with repeater.
• Noise issues still occurring.
• Selling excess items. Blair moved we sell excess equipment. Scott seconded.

Treasurer Report – Presented by Barry:

• Outstanding item – GST on repeater and antenna parts.
• expenditures included charge controllers, misc. items, and land payment.

CAM repeater project update – presented by Cory: “It’s broken!”

• Replaced battery on Thursday as it died overnight so back @ 50 watts.
• Charge controller replaced as well. Went with smaller battery and should be good for 5-6 days. Cost approx. $200 for commercial battery.
• Spring Tower work – guide wires need spraying, replace rusty clamps with brass connectors, clean up grass and straighten fencing around guide points.
• Noise on Repeater – on VHF antenna, not on tower. Expensive fix down the road. Jan. 10 and 29 logged excessive noise. Plan to continue to monitor it until it has to be fixed.
• Cost to replace antenna – $2,000, replace feed line – $3,000, tower guide – $1,500. Feed line is 175 feet long and costs approx. $68/ft for cheap line.

Old Business:

• Emergency Communications – Penny reported she had received no response from County of Lethbridge communities for use of our services. Gary shared that the AB First Responders system is so robust that they don’t want to use our services. Steve suggested a contact list among our own members. Barry says we’ve been down that route so there was no agreement to initiate a contact list.
• IRL Repeater – have a spare repeater for Taber area so left with Taber members to consider. Could be linked with other repeaters. Willy Williams donated a Motorola 2000 Repeater to us but not running yet.

 New Business:

• March 22 is the AGM and all executive board will be changing. Roles and responsibilities for all members to consider serving in are:
  • President
  • Vice-President
  • Treasurer
  • Secretary
  • Special Events Director
  • Knowledge/Training Director
  • Operations Director
• Currently Barry is holding 3 positions by himself and encourages all members to consider volunteering to serve in these executive positions.
• Spring Flea Market Ideas – Send pictures to Peter of equipment to sell there. Need 3 Tables in Calgary. Last Flea Market was in LSCO and approx. 70 people came to it. Need to advertise on AORL. Barry proposes April 26 for Flea Market at Norbridge Sr. Centre. Discussion ensued re: providing a meal or BBQ at the market.
• Inventory – reviewed list on computer. Items are currently in Barry’s basement, all in working condition. Barry suggested we keep one of each system and sell the rest. Steve moved we sell all extra equipment and Terry seconded. Steve had donated an amplifier to the club. Thank you Steve. Apparently the equipment list is not on our Website and Barry will ensure it is put on there. Jim Gunther’s equipment is also still for sale.
• Delayed Item – Field Day Picnic Event at Fort McLeod campground. Some discussion ensued re: Family BBQ idea.

Steve made a motion to close the meeting at 11 am – all in favour.

 

Rest of time was spent with Guest Speaker: Willy Williams on AFFRRCS AB 1 st Responders Network. Initially their radio system launched April 1, 2016, with 338 towers.

Currently their system can hold 65,000 talk groups on it. Willy passed around several hand held radios from Motorola and other companies. Very impressive equipment and network system.

Thank you Willie.

 

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