Board Meeting Minutes December 2024
The virtual Board Meeting on December 2, 2024, using Zoom technology, was called to order by Vice President, Brian Dubin AB9ZI at 7:06 pm.
Present: Don Whiteman KK9H, Dick Hagedorn KD9TGX, Richard Friedman W9RCF, Tami Witbrodt KD9IXB, Art Paton N9AEP, Marty Boroff WD9GYM, Rich Davidson K9RD, Udo Koch N0LSR, Elliot Goldman K9EHG, Todd Marshall KD9NBB, Donn Dengel W9TOC
Absent: Vic Maiewski KA9KBD Greg Karlove W9GAK Carly Ho KD9VDM
OLD BUSINESS:
Secretary: The Minutes of the November 4, 2024 Board meeting, as corrected by Donn W9TOC, were unanimously APPROVED.
Treasurer: Richard Friedman’s December 2, 2024 report was E-Mailed to Board members. It showed that the Club is fiscally sound and his report was unanimously APPROVED.
NEW BUSINESS:
President’s Report: Don Whiteman KK9H reminds us that Hamvention 2025 will be held in Xenia, Ohio on May 16, 17, and 18. Please visit the Hamvention website for tickets and contact Chuck KB9TAP if you would like to drive to Hamvention as part of an NSRC group.
Don told us that he agrees to be Trustee of the license for the 440 repeater, and was honored to serve as president, again, in 2024. He was particularly pleased with the Club’s Field Day performance, and expressed sincere gratitude for the help he has received while guiding the Club this year. Since the new president will preside after the December 10 election, this is Don’s last Board Meeting.
Vice President Report: Brian AB9ZI reported that the Nominating Committee completed its’ task of preparing a slate of candidates for Club Officers in 2025. Office holders will be determined by the results of the election to be held on December 10, 2024.
Membership:
Tami KD9IXB reported that there are 219 Club members who are paid-up for 2024. So far, there are 81 members signed-up for 2025. There were 260 paid-up members at the end of 2023.
The dues for 2025 (payable by December 31) are $35 ($40 if paid after December 31). Please notify Tami KD9IXB when you are renewing and then make payment to our Treasurer, Richard W9RCF.
Publicity & Communications:
This will be the last board meeting for Art N9AEP. The Board expressed gratitude for his years of service handling a myriad of tasks. That load has been taken over by Udo N0LSR, who will also be responsible for eMitter. Udo has added Jay W8JAY to his team that still needs a couple of volunteers.
Website Report: There was no Website Report this evening.
Tech/IT Report:
Todd KD9NBB reported for Gregg W9GAK, that relocation of the 2 meter repeater is moving along, but not as quickly as anticipated. All equipment is still located the Cook County Sheriff’s location and will be moved when a new antenna and cabinet are delivered to W9GAK. Next step: complete preparations at Willow Hill.
Don KK9H reported that an AT&T networking problem has disabled the D-STAR® equipment at Park Tower. Gregg is looking into the problem.
NET Report/Field Day 2024 Commentary:
Net Report: For the 70 cm net, Marty reported there were 3 net meetings, totaling 118 check-ins in November, and 1,644 year-to-date. There was no Net on Thanksgiving. On average, there are 39 check-ins every week. The most check-ins we ever had was 2,300 in 2020.
Field Day 2024 was a rip-roaring success said Don KK9H! Our club efforts put us in the top ½ of 1 percent of all entrants in the 2024 Field Day contest. The large number of operating modes and our GOTA station contributed significantly to the final score which was even higher than last year.
PROGRAMS: Upcoming meeting topics for the next two months.
December 10: Annual membership and financial reports by Tami KD9IXB and Richard W9RCF
respectively. Vice President, Brian Dubin AB9ZI will conduct the election of club officers for 2025.
January 14, 2025: “FlexRadio – The Flex-8000 Series Overview” by Michael Walker VA3MW
Education Director Report/VEC Testing: Rich Davidson K9RD reported that at the November 17 VE Testing Session, 1 candidate registered and passed the Extra test. The next VE test session at the Library will be on Sunday, December 15 at 1:00 pm.
Build Club: Udo N0LSR reported: The Build Club, that usually meets on the 1st Wednesday of the month in the Civic Room of the Northbrook Library at 6 pm, will resume in March, 2025.
Club Ham Station activities take place on the 3rd Tuesday of the month in the Collaboratory of the Northbrook Library at 10 am. This month, the group will assemble on December 17. The new antenna tuner purchased from HRO and new antenna are working well.
Hams in The Park is usually held on the 2nd Saturday of the month. Rain Days are handled on the following week. The group meets in the Picnic Area of Daniel Wright Forest Preserve in Mettawa, Illinois at 2 pm. This outdoor educational activity (like POTA) is over for this year and will resume in March, 2025.
AUCTION RESULTS: There was no follow-up to last month’s lively discussion about possible improvements to the annual Club Auction. Discussion topics included having better items to auction and discontinuing it entirely. The group concluded that it is difficult to optimize this important revenue source, and we should put much more effort into such improvements this year.
PUBLIC SERVICE: Don KK9H reporting for John W9JM, said the TREK 100 will be held in early June, 2025. There was no action on John’s suggestions made in November to make members more aware of outside activities and increase club members’ participation in Public Service events.
One benefit of participating in TREK 100 this year was that we got 2 new volunteers for 2025.
End Notes:
Elliot K9EHG asked board members to send ideas for monthly Meeting Programs during 2025 to him.
Recruiting “Younger” Members to the Club:
There was no report on the results of the October activity. What if we focused on just getting new blood?
Dave Auerbach’s name was suggested to help Donn W9TOC dispose of some Silent Key equipment.
Donn W9TOC made the statement below, which is a corrected version of the one reported here last month.
U of Wisconsin, Madison recently asked Donn to make a presentation about Ham Radio. They liked the one he had made previously, but they would like this presentation to be a “slimmed down” version. He agreed.
In Closing: For this, his last Board Meeting, President Don Whiteman called for a motion-to-adjourn, which was made, seconded and unanimously APPROVED at 7:47 pm.
Respectfully submitted:
Dick Hagedorn KD9TGX Club Secretary