The text of the file, as a machine read it. Open the original below for the layout, the pictures and anything the reading missed.
MAARS Club Meeting
10 March 2023
Officers in Attendance:
President – Ryan Benteman – AD0TZ
Vice Pres. – Craig Moore – WN0KS
Treasurer – Suzanne Asbury – W0MMA
Secretary – Jason Johnson – KB0EOD for Jim Foster – KS0VO
17 People in Attendance
Meeting was called to order at 18:30 hrs by Ryan Benteman – AD0TZ Club President Began with introductions
Officer Reports:
President and Vice President – NTR
Ryan Benteman – AD0TZ brought samples of various types of commercial grade coaxial cable and applications to share with the club.
Treasurer Report – Suzanne Asbury – W0MMA reviewed the February Treasurers Report as published.
Old Business
Jay Holmes – KS1EMS has not picked up the old GE Master Two repeater. Jim Foster – KS0VO will lead the 11 March 2023, Testing Session at the Manhattan Public Library in the Groesbeck Meeting Room, 0900 – 1200. VEs will include: Jim Foster – KS0VO, Craig Moore – WN0KS, Ryan Benteman – AD0TZ, Michael Moore – N0PVU, Michael Asbury –
W9MPA. Jim Foster – KS0VO reports that there are 3 to 4 individuals confirmed for Technician or license upgrade testing at this time.
John Kovac – K0VAC reported on the progress of the Member of the Year Award distributing a drafted progress document to the club outlining the guidelines in order to name an Award Recipient. The club officers and members suggested changes to consider, i.e. Allowing Club Officers to be eligible to be nominated, allowing a Member of the Year Awardee to be nominated and receive the award again after 5 years time instead of 10 years. Award Committee Members will formulate criteria of all nominees be judged in order to refine the list on nominees to the list of 3 finalists., Club members will vote for the awardee from the 3 nominated finalists., Nominees will not be a part of the Award Committee., Member of the Year Awardee will automatically be on the following years’ Award Committee. Attendance records / better records must be taken of members attending meeting, Club Event lead or chairperson, etc. to show participation or club involvement throughout the year. John Kovac – K0VAC will refine the guidelines and bring them to the next meeting for further review. New Business
Jim Foster – KS0VO, Secretary is stepping down in position do to the conflicts not allowing him to always attend meetings etc. Jim requests that Jason Johnson – KB0EOD current stand in as Secretary in the absence of Jim is confirmed as the new Secretary. Motion was made, All in Favor. Approved. Jason Johnson – KB0EOD is named new Club Secretary. Suzanne Asbury – W0MMA requests the reimbursement of $82.31 for Celebration of Life Flowers, Saturday, March 4, 2023, for Glen Rubash – KC0GPV(SK), passing away Thursday, February 16, 2023., IAW MAARS Constitution & Standard Operating Procedures, (Revised December 11, 2021), Article XII, Standard Operating Procedures; …Flowers shall be sent for the death of a member. Donations to the Treasurer to defray the cost of flowers are encouraged. Ryan Benteman – AD0TZ led a discussion on Amateur Radio launched and monitored Pico Balloons and their rising interest among Hams in light of recent news events on the U.S.A.F. downing three unidentified flying objects in North American airspace: one over Alaska, one over the Yukon in northwestern Canada and another above Lake Huron. A Pico balloon is ultralightweight 32-inch Mylar sphere suspending a tiny, lightweight amateur radio transmitter, light solar array to power the system. The device trails a long dipole antenna made of 0.005-inch fine wire with total weight of appx. half ounce,. The envelope is filled with hydrogen or helium with a free lift capacity of about 15 or 16 grams which combines a unique marriage of physics, meteorology, electronics and radio communication, reaching a planned stasis altitude of about 40,000 feet. Pico balloons communicate through various protocols, two popular ones are called APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) and WSPR (Signal Propagation Reporting). Ryan has purchased a 20/40 meter WSPR system and will continue to report of the project and proposed future launch date.
A 1st Tuesday of the month MAARS Net Control Officer is needed for the next few months as Doug Miller – KF0DAT will be unavailable to serve in this role. Ryan Benteman – AD0TZ The Keats Park building is unavailable for the May meeting. An outdoor local Manhattan park was proposed, weather permitting, with the possibility of a radio and antenna possibly being erected prior to the meeting; type and mode TBD. More to follow. Michael Asbury – W9MPA led a discussion on the topic of K-Link Amateur Radio Repeater System and Jay Holmes(s) – KS1EMS desire to resurrect an amateur radio repeater linked system across the state of Kansas.
The Clay Center repeater is currently unable to link to the MAARS repeater. David Mills – KD0AZG announced that there is a Hamfest in Green Country Hamfest 2023, Claremore, Oklahoma, Friday, April 7th & Saturday, April 8th.
http://www.greencountryhamfest.org/index.php
Meeting adjourned at 19:15 hrs
Nothing Follows