January 2024

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Meeting Minutes for Fulton Amateur Radio Club – January Meeting

Date: January 24th 2024

Location: Oswego County Office Building

  1. Opening:  
    • The meeting was called to order at 7:03 PM by Paul Hopman KD2HJW, the club President.
    • Introduction and welcome of new officers, Ken Ellsworth N2GFG, Vice President, Ben Townsend AK2X, Secretary.
  2. Officers' And Committee Reports: 
    • Secretary read minutes from December meeting.
    • Treasurer: Presented the financial report for the last month:
      1. Bank balance: $720.23, Cash on hand: $45.00
      2. Collected: Christmas Party: $886.15, 50/50: $88.00, Dues: $10.00
      3. Christmas dinner: $890.15, Decorations: $74.00
      4. December deposited: $110.00
      5. Balance: $756.23 + $45 cash on hand
      6. Total balance: $801.23
      7. Motion moved by Al 1st, seconded by Ken.
      8. Dues due for 2024. $10/year. Stickers and Patches are available.
    • RACES Officer
      1. RACSE sign ups, list was passed around looking for additional members interested in RACES.
      2. ICS-100-c and ICS-200-c RACES members need to take and get certificates to Mike.
      3. 30 foot Tower down at Route 51a site. Can’t currently get access due to snow. 
      4. 147.15 repeater is currently nonfunctional. Looking at making adjustments to the squelch. 
      5. RACES inventory. County plans to turn over equipment to FARC including trailers. Wants to see investment from membership of time and volunteering.
      6. Starting February. 1st Sunday training on air. 3rd on air meeting
      7. LCPD meeting for the county. County is preparing for a major influx of visits due to solar eclipse. 
      8. Nuclear preparedness event will happen this year, date TBD. Hazmat training and public response training in May.
      9. ICS-300 training coming soon in Pulaski, no information available yet.
      10. Oswego Health – Working with RACES to see if we can setup redundant comms between Oswego, Fulton and Central Square medical facilities.
      11. Red Cross and Salvation Army exploring working with us for backup communications.
      12. Exploring scheduling a group ICS-100-c training, would need to pay to utilize the building on the weekend if we utilize the EOC facilities.
      13. Trailer at public events – Parades, Public Schools, County fair etc.
      14. Ongoing discussion with the local search and rescue group to explore future collaborations.
      15. Discussion about coordinating working with a local school district to plan contact with International Space Station.
    • Skywarn:  weather briefings going out regularly
    • Website & Social Media: Email issues with spectrum fixed. For now send any items needing to go out to all to [email protected] Ben will relay it back out. Facebook, Mike is posting engaging content regularly. As always please sure pictures and information about events with Ben to share publicly. 
    • Scholarship:  no new news. If anyone knows anyone who is going to college this year into a technical field have them apply.
    • Field Day: Looking to use RACES trailer. Garret working with Mike to get appropriate permits. Fort Ontario is now part of POTA. June, 22nd and 23rd.
    • Licensing classes:  Mike and Rick are planning next session.
    • Public Service: The “autism run” is March 9; Redd will put out a call two weeks ahead of time.
    • Motion to accept: 1st Judy 2nd: Tom 
  3. Old Business: 
    • Repeaters. Pat’s repeaters are up and available for use: 444.350 145.39. Mike talking with Pat about adding EchoLink. Both repeaters have good coverage through large parts of the county.
    • Christmas Party: good food and good attendance. Great presentation. Planning to use the same venue, already reserved for early December 2024. Thank you to Judy Lamay for coordinating the event and favors.
  4. New Business:
    • Club Picnic. 
      1. JT’s Kickn Chicken is closing Fulton location moving to Club 48’s old location. Exploring other options for chicken dinner w/ salad potatoes and beans.
      2. Location:  Brietbeck Park was double booked last year, not able to reserve for 2024 yet, Judy is working to reserve as soon as possible. Looking at possibly reserving Palermo town park as an alternative if unable to book Brietbeck park. General opinion of the club was to remain in Oswego if available. 
    • Route 51a tower is down and we may be able to go retrieve it if the weather cooperates. Mike will put an email out to coordinate a time to retrieve it the following Saturday.
    • Judy will get a get well card to John Darling from the club who has been feeling unwell.
    • Letting LARC know about frequency change for the repeaters. Al will be at their next meeting and will relay the news. Other local organizations and websites have been updated.
    • Announcement:  Winter Field Day is this weekend.

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 7:54 PM. Ken 1st  Glen 2nd

Minutes Prepared By: Ben Townsend, Secretary

January 2024.pdf229.02 KB