Meeting called to order at 7:34 pm.
23 members in attendance.
Motion to accept last month’s minutes made by N1ZD and seconded by AB1QK.
VP report: No big updates to date, although Charles N1LLL did have a question for the group to ponder: it might be worth trying to see if we can drum up any interest in doing 40/80M net at some point during the week in the evenings. Other than that, the repeaters are healthy and happy, we’re one of the hottest DMR machines around, and things are good!
Treasurer’s Report: No new unplanned expenses, but Don KA1TZR sold some tubes to net over $20.00. We’re still in great shape with our financial situation.
Holiday party is coming up – sign up form is about to be posted on the website by Paul as soon as Sam signs off on it.
Nominating committee’s report: slate for 2016 board (we’ll be accepting nominations from the floor up until election day at January’s meeting). The nominating committee is disbanding themselves at the end of 2015. At that point, the club will decide if they want to continue with a committee or go another route. The proposed slate for 2016 is as follows: George Flay (AB1QK) for president, Charles (N1LLL) for VP, Jim (KC1FB) for treasurer, Rachel Ambrose (KB1VWJ) for secretary. If you’d like to throw your hat in the ring, please let Sam or Charles know.
Larry Reid presents on the Discovery Balloon Project. This presentation will be posted on the GNARC website if you’re interested in viewing it. Highly recommended!
Annual SET Exercise: this weekend is the state-wide emergency test (or SET) meeting on Saturday morning. It’s basically an exercise in checking into nets and sending Winlink messages. If anyone can send Winlink messages, let Paul know. If you hear Paul calling for check-ins on the 2M repeater, please oblige him! We get extra points for total number of check-ins, and please feel free to be imaginative with your response. We’ll be starting around 8:30 AM on Saturday, and you can operate from your QTH. Check your emails for more details.
Betsey Donne emailed us! She needs people to get in touch with our senators about the Amatuer Radio Parity Act. This would allow us more freedom to put up antennas of our choice at our places of residence. Please phone the Senator’s office in Washington, DC, or phone a local office. Or send an e-mail to the Senator using his official web page. The message is simple: “I’m a constituent and an amateur radio operator. I appreciate the Senator’s co-sponsorship of S. 1685, the Amateur Radio Parity Act. Thank you.”
The Senator’s Washington, DC, phone number (202) 224-2823. His Hartford number is (860) 258-6940 and his Bridgeport number is (203) 330-0598.His own web page showing local office numbers and an e-mail template is at http://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/.
Northville Amateur Radio Association is presenting a talk on RFI in New Milford on Nov 30 at 7:30 pm. Mike Martin from RFI Services will be speaking. They do ask that you RSVP to n1yv@arrl.net by Friday, November 27. The talk will be held at 36 Main Street in New Milford, in the main church building.
GFARA will be hosting a talk on SDRs (specifically dongles) given by our own K1OF (Rich Roznoy) on Nov 18th at 7:30 at the Fairfield police station on Reef Road. Per GFARA’s email on the talk: “Rich Roznoy, K1OF, will discuss some of the applications that can make use of an inexpensive SDR dongle that plugs into a USB port on your personal computer. Rich will demonstrate how such an SDR dongle, along with free software, can let you receive modes your standard ham rig can’t decode. The focus will be on transmissions from VHF through microwaves, many non-ham related. Examples demonstrated will include real time mapping of aircraft by decoding radar transponders, decoding digital police, fire, and marine transmissions to name just a few. Rich, a former ARRL book editor, is an electrical engineer with Sikorsky aircraft. ”
Important!! Log your contacts if you’re on the air as N1EV at the comms center. It helps us keep track of who’s worked who (and where!). It also helps us earn those nifty pieces of wallpaper we all so love. We are already confirmed for 80 countries and 41 states on LOTW. Keep up the good work by logging your contacts!
Next Thursday, there is going to be a special meeting to vote on a life membership of a member. If you would like to vote, please show up at 7:30.
There will be $200 from the club coffers allocated to hang a screen for a projector for better presentations.
Motion to adjourn accepted and seconded at 9:30.
