Present were
Gary Anger W7GFA
Ted Iverson N7NSL
Mike Orcutt KF7STP
Pete Candlish
Michael Abernathy KG7UAV
Kandi Hall
Barbara B. Hicks KB7DRI
Maurice Rogers KA7EJS
Don Magee KD7CEM
Joel Hinshaw KD7JG
Graham Hicks W4PJS
Joe Nolan KB7WDI
John Shown KG7WQM
Meeting opened at 1902. Rob Robin introductions.
Gary read minutes from last meeting.
Membership at end of 2015 was 21 paid members.
Mike Orcutt gave a Treasurer’s report. Treasury has $2046.60. This amount does not count 2016 dues collected so far this year, primarily tonight.
Mike Abernathy has updated the Club Repeater’s firmware. We will hold off on purchasing/installing new firmware for now as we’re assessing input and feedback from other users of similar repeaters. Joel asked if our repeater is working ‘barefoot’. Yes. We discussed its footprint and its power settings.
Ted reported that he did get our repeater registered in repeaterbook.com listed under ‘niche’, and then under Fusion.
Ted will try to get our repeater registered in another directory named REPEATERS. Ted will drop the repeater output to 20 watts and see if that is sufficient. Discussion of power amplification ensued.
Ted is working on ARES. There are bureaucratic problems with ARES presently but those problems may be on the way to being resolved. For those interested in ARES go to FEMA.org, find topic ICS. Take the training classes ICS 100, 200, and 700 and then take the exams. For more information contact Ted, N7NSL.
Club insurance. Gary will redo the application since we still have no insurance.
By-Laws changes. Ted will discuss later in the meeting.
Christmas Party was terrific. At the raffle Joel bought a handheld.
We brought up the subject of our repeater again. It functions on Analog and Digital. It is in AMS mode (Automatic Mode Selection). It can also connect to the internet via nodes, similar to Echolink but the nodes can handle digital which Echolink cannot.
We would have to upgrade our repeater to get that capability and it would require resolution of a lot of technical issues .
Ted discussed other repeater systems i.e. DSTAR, DMR, P25, and ?Motorobo?
Election of new club officers. Ted asked if anybody present would like to be our next club president. Nobody accepted. One member not present was volunteered and discussion ensued. Graham nominated Steve Hendrix for president in Steve’s absence, pursuant to Steve’s acceptance. Most members voted in favor of the nomination and proposal. Gary asked for clarification of club rules on this motion and discussion ensued. More below.
Nomination for Vice President. Ted volunteered to serve as Vice President for one year (and one year only).
Secretary position. Ted asked for volunteers to replace Gary who has served two years. Mike Abernathy volunteered. Graham accepted Mike’s acceptance to serve and the club voted in favor.
Treasurer position. Our By Laws are to be changed to allow the Treasurer to serve more than the two consecutive year limit, if approved by quorum tonight.
Graham stated that it was his 80th birthday.
Field Day 2016. Ted would like volunteers to help organize it.
We discussed our use of the La Grande Fire Station. Some members of the club will meet with our Interim Fire Chief to look into our continued use of the Fire Station with his permission. We discussed other potential venues for our meetings if needed.
Gary found some references to changes in the By-Laws in the minutes of the meetings from March, April, May, June 2012 that indicated that changes to our By Laws were approved. However, the minutes did not indicate what the changes were and what By-Laws were changed. More discussion ensued on the By Laws and the reasoning behind them. Members were able to read the proposed changes to our By-Laws and voted to accept them.
Graham motioned that we accept the proposed changes to our By-Laws and the motion was seconded and the changes were voted in.
See notes at end of these minutes which indicate the changes to be made.
Joel put out a request for more members to become ARRL Volunteer Examiners. He stated we would be better served by having more VE’s locally. Certification and Exam can be found on the ARRL website.
Gary plugged the Eagle Cap Extreme sled dog race held each January in Wallowa County, and also informed the group that fellow amateur operator Charles Gillis is running for Union County Commissioner and has a desire to get ARES up and running.
Ted discussed ARES and RACES functions again.
Joel presented his Single Tube CW transmitter that he is in the process of building.
Mike Abernathy presented his homebrew iambic Morse key.
The meeting adjourned at 2030 at which time Graham expressed his deepest thanks to Ted for serving three years as president, which Graham said were ‘mostly good’.
The following proposed changes to the By-Laws were accepted.
Article II Section1: The officers of this club shall be elected for a term of one year by ballot of the members present, provided there is a quorum, at the annual meeting. If there are no willing candidates for the positions of President, Vice-President, or Secretary, the current member may be elected for up to three terms. The position of Treasurer will have no time limits on tenure. An officer vacating an office may be elected to another office immediately, without the one year hiatus.
Article III Sec.4. The Treasurer shall receive and (give) receipt for all monies paid to the club; …..
Article IV: The By-Laws shall provide for regular and special meetings. At meetings, a minimum of one-third of the membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. For administrative and constitutional purposes, the (January) meeting shall be considered the annual meeting.
Article VII: This Constitution or By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the total membership. Proposals for amendments shall be submitted in writing at a regular meeting and shall be voted on at the next following meeting, provided all members haven (notified) by (email) of the intent to amend the constitution and/or By-Laws at said meeting.
One more proposed change is as follows:
3. Meetings. Regular meetings shall be held on the (third Wednesday (or as assigned)) evening of each calendar month……
