MINUTES OF THE NAPIER AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
Meeting on Wednesday 2 November 2016 at the Clubrooms 123 Latham Street
Chair: Wally ZL2MO, the meeting started at 7:30 pm.
Present: Revell ZL2SS, Dave ZL2DW, Laurie ZL2TC, Bert ZL2OC, Blue ZL3TT, Michael ZL2MY, Rob ZL2US, Dave ZL2MQ, Peter ZL2CD, Stan ZL2ST, Mike ZL2VM, Errol ZL2IT, Stu McLeod and Karl ZL1TJ.
Apologies: ZL2HB, ZL2DC, ZL2CZE.
Minutes of previous meeting: Read and confirmed to be correct: ZL3ST, ZL2OC.
Arising: Dave ZL2DW: The switch to the 670 repeater of the combined branches Sunday morning net has been proven to be a good move, participation is up. The old 3615 frequency was monitored for several weeks. The proposed cancellation of several repeater licences has now been actioned.
Laurie: The wording of the proposed NZART remit was slightly altered, it should appear in the next Break-In magazine.
Correspondence: Received: Annual accounts for 1) Club rooms ground rental from the Napier City Council and 2) licence fees from Radio Spectrum Management.
Outwards: The proposed remit for the 2017 conference to NZART and various emails pertaining to the Club’s AGM.
Finance: To be discussed as part of the AGM following the monthly meeting.
General Business: Laurie reported that, as application has been made for new beacon frequencies, the existing beacon licences have been cancelled. The ‘old’ beacons must now be switched off.
Rob ZL2US reminded all of both the planned combined branches Christmas dinner at the Taradale RSA and the annual Gold Card Codgers Free Bus Trip with lunch at the Napier RSA. Some anecdotes of the inaugural bus trip ‘regaled’ potential participants.
Dave ZL2MQ reported some recent spectacular DX on 6 meters.
The meeting closed at 7:45pm and was followed by the AGM which was followed by the
Annual PAN-PAC construction contest:
Entries were as follows:
Stu McLeod: 75 Watt transformerless valve driven amplifier and Electrostatic Loudspeaker.
Dave ZL2DW: 1) upgrade to the ‘Postage Stamp’ (section) square loop antenna (see next Break-In) and 2) a redesigned common mode choke for the (farm) cross gully long wire antenna.
Laury ZL2TC: own design 2 band (2m and 70cm) J pole antenna with balun.
Dave ZL2MQ: 23 cm Transverter with various refinements.
When put to the vote, Stu’s Electrostatic speaker won with a one point margin over Laurie’s antenna. The evening was rounded off with the usual cup of tea and a chat.
Karl Matthys ZL1TJ, Secretary NARC.