ANNOUNCEMENTS: • Next meeting, 4-13-2022 will be at OPD, 5:30 potluck, 6:00 meeting • Post meeting, we have $23K of equipment insurance at OPD for $324.95.
MINUTE AND MEETING NOTES:
Secretary comments: This is the second meeting at the Old Police Department (OPD). The potluck was held in the same section of the building as last time, but with heat now available in the radio room, the meeting was held there in comfort. Again, the potluck was plentiful and delicious as the theme was pizza night. All the appropriate persons were supplied with keys to the inner door and the credit card being used by Tom was returned to Tim. Once again, Matt was available to provide Zoom for those who couldn't attend in person. Many thanks Matt. The Zoom aspect to our meetings is a very valuable addition to TARC meetings. Thank you again. And thanks to all who attended. The minutes are as follows.
1) Sign in
a. 28 members were present.
b. Four of those were via Zoom.
2) Members introduced themselves by name and call sign. (Secretary comment: Denise is not yet licensed but plans to test in the coming months. Go Denise!)
3) Approval of prior months minutes, published 02-19-22 (inserted to follow agenda, but preceded by treasurer's report in actual meeting)
a. Motion for approval by John, W5JHW and seconded by Sheila, KI5IPS. Unanimously approved with no objections.
4) Treasurer's report
1) a. Treasurer's Glen (KF5OSB) Report Balance is: _$4765.21____
Balance General Fund +-$4,625.06__, LANL Grant approx. $225.12, Siegel _$spent out_____
d. Sherri paid for out-of-pocket expense for ARRL:
5) President's remarks, Tim, W5TNM
a. Club license, KF5PFO, has been renewed for 10 more years with Brian, NB5R, as trustee.
b. Meetings have been permanently moved to the OPD (Old Police Dept) from the EOC (Emergency Ops Center) due primarily to malfunctions with gate entry. Permanent meetings at the OPD were put to vote to hold all future meetings at OPD. Motion by Greg, KF5TTO, and second by Sherri, KI5TLA. Vote was unanimous with no objections.
c. Tim announced that Taos ARC has officially met the 50 % ARRL requirements. Tim thanked all who had membership in ARRL that helped reach the 50 %. Donovan, KI5SNX has volunteered to assume duties of monitoring and tracking club membership and ARRL membership percentages.
d. Tim announced that we're still in round two for a small grant to the general fund and remarked that it's unknown what with happen with this. (Agenda shows a request for $3,000.00).
e. Tim announced the $5000.00 LANL Foundation grant has been submitted which is earmarked for STEM at Taos High School. Sherri is involved and Tim said Sherri was working on becoming a Volunteer Examiner.
f. Tim announced the notification that TARC was not approved for the $16,000.00 grant from McCune for a STEM and emergency service trailer. Tim lamented that we're not going to get them all. Matt, KN8X said Donovan was working on becoming a VE. Tim announced that Donovan should go for W5YI first, then ARRL. Tim said the club has 6 VEs at this time.
6) New Business
a. A Ham testing session was held on 02-26-22 at 10:00 am at the EOC. Tim said 4 licenses were issued. (Secretary's note of clarification and comment, being present as a VE at test session: Donovan, KI5SNX and Sherri, KI5TLA earned their General License. Keith, KI5TZD and Ed, KI5TZE earned their Technician License and joined as TARC members. Congratulations and welcome to the HF world to Donovan and Sherri, and congratulations to Keith and Ed to a very prestigious Ham community and thank you for joining the best Ham club in New Mexico. Feel free to contact me or other club members for guidance. Wayne’s email is wrivali@yahoo.com. Tim announced that since the restart of testing on 11-20-19, 28 licenses were earned. Tim added that future tests are scheduled for 06-04-22 and 11-12-22 in person. (Secretary's comment: Stay in touch for location.) Denise asked about the price of testing. Tim said it was $14.00. he added that a new $35.00 license fee hasn't been implemented as of yet. Tim also said that the new technician license questions will be implemented in July. He noted Ed, Ki5TZE applied for his father's call sign before the new fees take place. Tim went on to thank Matt for providing Zoom and Matt noted him and Wayne has VE’s for 28 licenses in online testing.
b. Tim spoke of website design and configuration. OPD frequency use will be for town functions to relieve Picuris. Simplex frequency can be used if Picuris is not available. Craig asked about power at Picuris. Tim said it was solar. He added that we have one battery and Zack, KI5SOH went up to replace a failed battery. Zack explained the rugged process in the cold and snow. Zack spoke of a modification of the wiring for better function. Tim brought up the idea of additional batteries for the site.
c. Tim spoke of Techfest on 03-05-22. John, W5JHW won a prize and said it was not a waste of time. Greg, KF5TTO asked what he won, and John responded that he did not remember, just that it was something small. Tim spoke of a large grant that was given to Rocky Mountain Ham club Cheyenne WY to El Paso. John, W5JHW encouraged use of Megalink.
d. ARISS- International Space Station contact. application in place for Taos High school to make contact. Sherri, KI5TLA to go to school in Ohio or Connecticut for training. Sherri and Tim attended a webinar to set up a 10-minute contact with the ISS. Strict requirements call for a formal proposal and an official radio station, according to Sherri. She went on to say that a lot of community and school involvement is required. Preparations with questions, etc. should be on the ready. Sherri is working on recruiting for new students for the Taos High School Ham radio Club for next year.
e. OPD shack facilities update was provided by Donovan, KI5SNX. He reported three HF radios and two triband DMR radios in place. He's working with the Town of Taos to get internet services. Wayne asked about amplifiers. Tim said we have one on back order and should arrive early summer. Tim spoke of backup power for the shack to be tested. We should know if it works, stated Tim. He spoke of our club generator that he runs periodically for upkeep.
f. Dale, KB5NFT gave a Philmont update via Zoom from Dallas. Dale announced that he was working with Matt, KN8X to do online testing in July from the 10th to the 16th for Boy Scout training and testing of adult staff. Dale will be bringing his portable Allstar repeater. He may bring his trailer and arrive in June. Radios may be given to those passing the course.
7) Old Business
a. USDA Forest Service $1400.00 fee feedback has been extended to 03-31-22. Go to: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/FR-2021-12-22/2021-27681, according to Tim. For the sake of newcomers (having spoken about this in previous meetings), he said we currently pay $130.00 per repeater per year on two repeaters. The USFS now wants $1,400.00 per site for inspection costs. Tim said about $2.7M requested by the USFS is for inspection of mountain tops and $700,000 was for travel costs to go around the country for an overall total of $5,000,000 that they want. The balance of costs is unknown. Mike, NM5MK has been talking to ARRL and congress people.
Mike elaborated that Martin Heirich's office was off in left field telling us we weren't exempt playing old fashioned music. He explained to her that she did not understand Ham radio. He told her that we weren't able to recover any expenses incurred. He also spoke to the office of Ben Ray Lujan and Teresa leger Fernandez adding that we shouldn't even be paying the $35.00 individual license fee citing that examiners do all the work for free and that Ham operators do all their own self-policing. Tim clarified John's question, W5JHW on whether the $1,400.00 was per repeater or per site. Tim answered it was per site, defined as a USFS lease. Mickey, N5TSV asked if the Taos Ski Valley (TSV) would be impacted by the new fees. Mike said it would have to pay the $1,400.00. John expressed concern that TARC could get a bill from the new TSV owners for TARC owned repeaters in the TSV shack. Mike, NM5MK said government agencies are exempt. Tim said that over 100 sites in the US are affected the USFS proposed increase. Zack expressed interest in contacting local political servants. Various members chimed in on the difficulty in reaching Heinrich, bur Lujan and Fernandez were a bit more accessible.b. Post meeting Tech session ideas. HF Winlink, Megalink, Echolink, and DMR coding were discussed. Tim said tech licensed individuals are allowed to use all but HF Winlink. Tim said he did many hours (15 to 20) of Bridgecom training on DMR. He offered coupons to Bridgecom University to learn DMR. See Donovan for a coupon.
c. Pending- Insurance on OPD equipment. $20,000 + needs to be insured at OPD plus repeaters.
8) No repeater update due to inaccessibility. Some maintenance will be required when weather permits. Another roof repair was specifically mentioned by Tim on the new shack on San Antonio mountain.
9) HF Report. Mike, NM5MK spoke of the QSO party on the 9th of April. He would like to have any club member to come by and General or above come by the OPD shack for HF from about 8:00 with some lunch at some point to operate. He spoke of last years contest partnered with Wayne, W5GWR. Mike went on to joke about how, when other Hams heard Taos, they wanted to join in and became a pile up. Mike joked about having to put everyone in a holding pattern (Mike was an air traffic controller in the past). Tim welcomed everyone, General or not to come to the OPD Shack on April 9th. Wayne, W5GWR asked about CW implementation in the OPD Shack. Tim said it wasn't his thing, but Mike said we have several "keys" (Hams who do Morse code) in the club. Tim spoke of a CW Ham at last year’s party who cleaned house by doing CW, mobile and low power (<5Watts) data-preserve-html-node="true" while travelling from county to county. This version accumulates the highest points, and he won handily.
10) Net report skipped in meeting. (Secretary's input as present on both: 20 check-ins on analog and 10 on digital)
11) ARES Update-HF 3.939 1st Sunday. Craig, KI5HKU wanted clarification on the frequency. Tim called it 3939 which most omit the period for convenience, but Tim corrected it as 3POINT939. Mike said it was on 80 meters. Sheila, KI5IPS talked about collecting aluminum cans. She asked not to throw regular garbage if you see aluminum cans in a bag.
12) Motion to close. John motioned and Mickey seconded. Unanimous with no objections.
Whew!!!.