On Tuesday, 21 May 2024 at 1900 hours local, Mark, WA5MA, called to order the meeting of the Tulsa Amateur Radio Club in Room-3140 of Keplinger Hall at the University of Tulsa. See a copy of the agenda below left.
Attendance
Twenty-six hams and three aspiring hams added their names to the attendance register, a copy of which is reproduced above right. Stormy weather and large hail prevented some of us from leaving home.
Introductions
WA5MA introduced the club officers present: 1st & 2nd Vice Presidents, W5JHC & KY5VAR; Secretary, W5AWS; Repeater Trustee, W5GGW; and the ARES Emergency Coordinator for Tulsa County, WB5ANX.
WA5MA initiated round-robin introductions of the members present.
Business
WA5MA verified that everyone present is receiving the monthly newsletter.
WA5MA asked for any questions or comments about the minutes of last month’s meeting. Nothing heard. Steven, KI5UGG, moved to approve the minutes as written; Ky, KY5VAR, seconded; members approved the minutes by acclamation.
Since club treasurer Jerry, KE5PMK, was absent, WA5MA estimated that there is approximately $8k in the treasury, and since everyone receives the newsletter that contains the financial reports, WA5MA asked for a motion to approve the reports. Ky, KY5VAR, moved to approve the financial reports; Paul, KE5EHM, seconded; and the members present passed the motion by acclamation.
WA5MA said that we must vote on whether we will provide communication support for the bicycle Ride to Remember Black Wall Street that is scheduled for June 1st, 2024, but before we do that, WA5MA invited Paul, Wb5ANX, to speak about our recent bike events.
WB5ANX said that the Copland Classic ride went very smoothly; there were no injuries or other incidents. Copland Classic is a Tulsa Police Memorial ride that is smaller than the other major rides, covering a smaller geographic area. We had enough volunteers to provide good Safety And Gear (SAG) coverage.
WB5ANX said that the Ride To Remember Black Wall Street is another small ride that would be a good event for those members who wish to learn and become familiar with club support operations, and WB5ANX needs a few more interested volunteers who can sign-up to help on the club web-site: https://w5ias.com/.
A week after Ride to Remember is the major two-day Tulsa Tough bicycle event. WB5ANX said that Tulsa Tough attracts over 1,500 riders. Gregg, W5GGW, interjected that it is an international event that brings riders from all over the world. Most activity will be on the Saturday, with less happening on Sunday. Tulsa Tough provide vehicles, usually high-end rental vehicles. Interested volunteers should sign-up on the club web-site.
Wb5ANX yielded the floor to WA5MA.
WA5MA asked for a motion to approve club support of the Ride to Remember Black Wall Street event; KE5EHM so moved; W5JHC seconded; and the members present carried the motion by acclamation.
WA5MA asked Jack, W5JHC, to discuss Field Day planning.
Tulsa University is restructuring the Keplinger Hall Room-3140 audio-visual equipment; being disassembled with electrical service disconnected, W5JHC could not project his slide presentation, so he talked it through from the podium.
W5JHC said that the web-site documents the event under the 2024 Field Day Events/Nets menu item, where he will post his presentation.
Venue is Haikey Creek Park Shelter #2. Participant volunteers must sign-up no later than 14 June, which one does on the web-site. Between now and Field Day, there is a weekly planning meeting on Zoom. Operational status is in work; last year it was 7A.
W5JHC said that it is critical that we log our on-air activity by Time, Band, Mode, Call, Class, and Date. Last year we failed to get credit because of incomplete logs. Gregg, W5GGW, said that he will provide a local area WiFi connected to Starlink and a logging application that he will make available for installation on local connected devices that provide access to a central log.
Ian, KC9THI, said that there will be a Field Day operator’s Crash Course beginning at 0900 hrs. WB5ANX asked: What is a Crash Course? KC9THI replied that it is a how-to operate during Field Day and general Questions & Answers session for those unfamiliar with Field Day contesting.
W5JHC said that there will be a safety briefing at 1000 hrs, which is important because we will be sharing the park with the public.
W5JHC said that WB5ANX agreed to conduct an ARES net on the Superlink at 1500 hrs, 443.850 MHz.
At 1800 hrs, there will be a club dinner of catered food. We will determine the kind of food later in the meeting, either Pizza or Barbecue.
W5JHC said that there will be a seminar on antenna construction.
WB5ANX will offer programming of local repeater frequencies into handheld transceivers.
Ann, K5AEB, will operate the Get On The Air (GOTA) station.
W5JHC said that the cost for renting the park is $245 for two days.
W5JHC encouraged attendees to take plenty of digital pictures of the event to show what we were doing.
W5JHC said that we will operate from portable power. WB5ANX said that several members have Honda generators to augment the Honda generator in the Comm1 trailer. W5GGW offered his 10kW diesel generator, but doesn’t have a truck that can tow it as far as Haikey Creek Park.
Andrew, W5AWS, asked about operating power limits. W5JHC said that the limit is 100W, and that we need frequency coordination and spacing to protect the GOTA station from interference.
W5JHC said that the Field Day call-sign will be W5IAS.
Back on the topic of food for dinner, W5JHC asked how many of those present would like Barbecue or Pizza? A show of ten hands voted for Barbecue; seven hands showed in favor of Pizza. Barbecue won the vote.
W5JHC turned to the topic of Field Day funding. After some discussion, we decided to make a motion to allocate up to $1,000 to the Field Day event with the proviso that we return any unused funds to the club treasury. Ky, KY5VAR, moved that we allocate up to $1,000 for Field Day expenses; Ian, KC9THI, seconded; motion approved by acclamation.
W5JHC yielded the floor to WA5MA.
Auction
WA5MA said that Andrew, W5AWS, had donated a Vibroplex Straight Key Deluxe to the club for auction, with the proceeds going into the club treasury. Holding up the key that included a Perspex dust cover, WA5MA, said that the bidding starts at $100 for a key that is priced retail at $220. Ian, KC9THI, bid $100; another member bid $120; KC9THI won the bidding at $125.
WA5MA called upon Ky, KY5VAR, to give his Hamvee presentation.
Presentation
KY5VAR said that stormy weather preempted the Hamvee show-n-tell since the Hamvee has no doors and the rain and hail was torrential at his home QTH. As a backup KY5VAR had a slide presentation, only to discover no electrical or projector power in Room-3140.
KY5VAR said that he had reworked the Hamvee antenna system to include a military-grade vertical whip that has band switching relays. 24VDC powers the antenna switching, and 12VDC from a DC-DC converter powers the radio station.
KY5VAR told an amusing tale of his encounter with WA5MA when he took the Hamvee to the QTH of WA5MA for a show-n-tell just after KY5VAR had got the system working. What happened on that fateful day will remain unrecorded in these minutes; you had to be there to catch the colorful moment――Got your back here, Ky!
KY5VAR yielded the floor to WA5MA.
CW Classes
WA5MA talked about the in-person CW class being taught by Mike, KI5EGH, who limits each class size to six participants thus enabling individual attention. The next class begins in the middle of July, for which there are three slots open to anyone committed to learning CW. Remell, KA6DOY, said that Mike, KI5EGH, is an excellent instructor.
Club Centenary Celebration
WA5MA asked KY5VAR and Robert, KI5WDD, for an update on the hundredth anniversary of Tulsa Amateur Radio Club.
KI5WDD said that we now have enameled pins for sale bearing the club-centenary logo, as shown at the head of these minutes. At the table to the side of the room there are mugs, caps, pins, and other merchandise for sale.
KI5WDD said that we have an outstanding supplier invoice for $1,100 that we must vote to pay.
KY5VAR discussed the 100th Anniversary celebration dinner, the scale, and cost in a nicer venue than the Golden Corral where we usually have our Christmas Dinner. After some extended discussion to and fro, with concerns expressed about pricing beyond the means of some members. Gregg, W5GGW, suggested that KY5VAR provide three options for event tickets at different price ranges that we can put on the web-site for club members to vote for their preferred option. Two members present offered church facilities for an event venue at reasonable prices. Ultimately, KY5VAR, agreed to provide ticket options for a vote.
KY5VAR tabled a motion to approve up to $1,500 for booking the Centenary-celebration venue; Ann, K5AEB, seconded; motion approved by acclamation.
KY5VAR tabled a motion to approve payment of the $1,100 invoice; Paul, KE5EHM seconded; motion approved by acclamation.
KY5VAR yielded the floor to WA5MA.
Miscellaneous Matters
WA5MA said that he has located two options for amplifier and radio repair. Anyone who needs this service should contact WA5MA for details.
WA5MA said that over 180 members had renewed their membership in the club. Anyone who hasn’t renewed by Field Day will be dropped from the membership roster. Membership has benefits like use of the Go Boxes.
WA5MA explained that the weather watch and weather net is now combined with Skywarn reporting under the call-sign WX5TUL on the Superlink system. We are still working out problems, but encouraged everyone to check in to the net when the weather is stormy.
WA5MA reminded us that the first Tuesday of the month is TARC Tech Night in Room-3140 of Keplinger Hall at Tulsa University. It is an informal evening of questions and answers, show and tell.
WA5MA recognized Remell, KA6DOY, who said that this year is the twenty-fifth anniversary of Route-66 on the air. We have the special event call sign W6L and need operators to tag-team on the air on all bands to support the event.
KA6DOY yielded to WA5MA.
Adjournment
There being no further business, WA5MA called for a motion to adjourn; Bob, W5RAB, made a motion to adjourn; Ky, KY5VAR, seconded; motion approved by a general exodus.
Meeting adjourned at 2035 hrs.
Minutes respectfully submitted by
Andrew, W5AWS, Secretary.