Author: Bill Roberts

The meeting was attended by 14 members and guests:

Angie    N5MVV  Fort Davis
Rusty    KB5R   Alpine
Bill     W5ATO  Alpine
Steve    NF5FF  Alpine
Barb     KM5VM  Alpine
Julianne KF5RDN Terlinqua
Phil            Terlinqua
Rob      KE5KNQ Alpine
Dave     N5DO   Alpine
Fran     K5FRN  Fort Davis
Richard  W5DWI  Alpine
Lora     W5JUW  Alpine
Bob      W5RHN  Fort Davis
Bob      WA5ROE Alpine
Bill     W5NPR  Alpine

The meeting was called to order by President Bob Ward, WA5ROE at 7:30 p.m.

Treasurer’s Report: Angie, N5MVV reported a $5,580.85 balance in the Club’s checking account, with $540.00 to be paid for the Annual Banquet.

Minutes of the January 14, 2014 meeting were read and accepted.

Old Business:

The discussion continued for further repairs and adjustments to the Cibolo Repeater 147.12. Also discussed was the rebuilding of the Emergency Repeater to include the installation of a link radio, which was not installed for use at the Big Bend Ultra Run.

It was discussed that club dues for 2014 were up for payment, starting in January, and all members who had not already paid were encouraged to make payment as soon as possible.

Dave N5DO gave a reminder that a new Technician Class would be presented on Saturday April 5th and Saturday April 12th.

New Business:

The need to update the Club Calling Tree was discussed. A copy of the tree was circulated for additions and/or corrections. It was also discussed that a review of the Club membership list should be made, with those no longer members removed from the list.

Bob WA5ROE reported that the SKYWARN session presented annually by the National Weather Service through West Texas was upcoming, with the session in Fort Davis scheduled for April 16th and for Alpine April 17th at the Science building at Sul Ross, Room 201.

It was reported that the Elephant Mountain 147.02 link system was in need of repairs, and that telephone service to the new building location had not been hooked up. Telephone is used for the phone patch operations.

Bill W5NPR reported that this was the week for the School Club Amateur Radio Roundup, but that he had talked to Cary KF5ZBW and that Wink High School would not be participating due to Six Weeks exams.

Program:

Bill W5ATO presented a program on Google Earth, a free software package featuring mapping using sallelite photo imagery. His program included an introduction to Google Earth, tool bar capabilities, searches by latitude and longitude coordinates (emphasizing that latitude was positive numbers and longitude negative numbers), searches by business names and object names, elevation profiles and street views. His presentation ended with a computer tour of the BBARC repeater sites. The program was well presented and well received.

The meeting adjourned at 9:30 PM.
Bill W5NPR, Secretary

The meeting was attended by 17 members and guests:

DeRoy    AA5R   Austin
Sallie   AE5OM  Austin
Grady    WA5ZBX Pecos
Cary     KF5ZBW Barstow
Barb     KM5VM  Alpine
Robert   K5AHI  Alpine
Julianne KF5RDN Terlinqua
Mike     NW5M   Fort Davis
Rob      KE5KNQ Alpine
Dave     N5DO   Alpine
Fran     K5FRN  Fort Davis
Richard  W5DWI  Alpine
Lora     W5JUW  Alpine
Bob      W5RHN  Fort Davis
Dean     WA5MHO Alpine
Bob      WA5ROE Alpine
Bill     W5NPR  Alpine

The meeting was called to order by President Bob Ward, WA5ROE at 7:30 p.m.

Treasurer’s Report: Angie, N5MVV was not present and no report was made.

Minutes of the December 10, 2013 meeting were read and accepted.

Old Business:

Rob KE5KNQ reported that the Santa Net was conducted as planned and 47 individuals contacted Santa Claus.

Bill W5NPR reported that the Cibolo repeater had been re-installed by Bill W5ATO and W5NPR. The frequency of the repeater has been changed to 147.12 with shift of +.600 and PL Tone of 146.12. It was further discussed that tuning of the antenna is required, but wind conditions on the day the installation was made prevented climbing the tower for the tuning process.

Bill W5NPR reported that the Emergency Repeater 145.23 had been re-assembled and was presently set up in the back of his pickup at his QTH for testing. On Friday morning January17th, he would then deliver the repeater to the Old Ore Road location in the BBNP where it would be in operation for the Big Bend Ultra Run. The repeater would be tested from all communication points on the BBUR route on Saturday January 18th, with the actual event to occur on Sunday. It was further discussed that Dick and Lora had offered lodging for up to 5 individuals at the South 40,but that advance notice would be helpful.

N5DO reported that the sale of surplus equipment in the rented storage facility continues with a small offering available at club meetings each month for a minimum bid of $1.00. Any unsold equipment at the end of each meeting would be re-cycled or disposed of in an appropriate manner. This is an attempt to empty the storage bin and eliminate rental cost in the future.

New Business:

It was discussed that the Annual BBARC Banquet was scheduled for January 24th, with menu items being a choice of Chicken Fried Steak or Pecan Crusted Chicken. Cost of the banquet meal to be $18.00/person. The banquet would be located in the Gallego Center Room 129. The keynote speaker would be Betse Esparza, Brewster County Emergency Coordinator. CW bingo would be featured, with the awarding of door prizes to the bingo winners. The banquet would begin with a “happy hour” from 6:30-7:00 PM., hosted by Bob WA5ROE and Dave N5DO, with the banquet meal to begin at 7:00 PM.

Bob WA5ROE reported that the SKYWARN session presented annually by the National Weather Service through West Texas was upcoming, usually occurring in Alpine and Fort Davis in April, although no schedule had been advertised by NWS.

It was reported that a new Technician Class would be presented on Saturday April 5th and Saturday April 12th. More details are forthcoming.

Program:

Cary Hannsz KF5ZBW, Physics and Principals of Technology instructor at Wink High School presented the program on School ham radio participation. He informed the Club that he had incorporated ham radio into his class curriculum, including license instructions and testing, balloon projects with ham radio equipment aboard, vhf fox hunting techniques to locate balloons after landing, participation in School Club Radio Roundups and plans for a 2-meter net between participating schools. He further discussed that the next scheduled School Club Roundup would be February 10th-February 14th.

The meeting adjourned at 9:30 PM.
Bill W5NPR, Secretary