Minutes of the May 2014 meeting of the Fort Smith Area Amateur Radio Club

FSAARC Minutes of meeting  5-19-14

The Ft. Smith Area Amateur Radio Club May meeting began at 7 p.m.  with President  Jimmie Lowrey W5JNL calling the meeting to order. The minutes to the April meeting were approved as posted by motion from Art Sellers W3TZ and seconded by Chuck Foley, W5CJF. Treasurer’s report was then read by Treasurer, Chuck Johnson N5JUD. A motion to accept the Treasurer’s report was made by Wayne Johnson W5OFN and seconded by W3TZ.  The total bank account balance is $6,979.22. There was no new information from the repeater committee. No new discussion about the club van other than we are keeping it for the year that the committee agreed to.  N5JUD suggests that the club think about how much the club wants to spend on prizes for the next Hamfest. W3TZ wanted to know if we wanted Columbus Acres for the Hamfest next year which we did. Mike Bell K5JMB wanted to know how many paid members the club had and N5JUD guessed it was around 80 people. It could be found on the website. Attendees then identified themselves to the group. No new business came up. Mike Cole had some activity information. There is the June VHF-UHF Contest the 2nd week of June 2014. W5ANR will be doing a DXpedition from Queen Wilhelmina S.P. on Rich Mountain for this contest.  The following weekend is Kids Day starting at 1: 00 pm Saturday to 7:00 pm.  The last weekend will be Field Day for the club at Bell Park in Greenwood, AR.  We found out that the club had 77 paid members in the club as of this meeting. Secretary Jeff Ricketts K5KDX put on a demonstration of logging contacts in AC Log for the VHF UHF contest. A list was made of those interested in attending the DXpedition at Rich Mountain. We will submit our results via LoTW as the club is now set up to do this. W5JAY will get the logs set up and will assist in getting them submitted. A general discussion of the upcoming contests and logging was made. The club is anticipating being an 8A (8 alpha) station for Field Day. The club will be providing burgers and hot dogs for the VHF-UHF contest which was left over from the picnic we had in May. If you have any particular food or non-alcoholic drink, bring it to the mountain.  Field Day details will be discussed at further length in the future.  W3TZ asked for a Dayton Hamfest report from Jay Bromley, W5JAY.  Jay discussed what went on at the hamfest.  W5OFN reminded the club that 6-7-14 will be the date date for the latest VE testing session due to the conflict with the VHF-UHF contest and Ham-Comm Hamfest in Plano, TX. Mike Bell K5JMB then moved for adjournment and it was seconded by many.
Submitted by Jeff Ricketts K5KDX FSAARC Secretary.