MINUTES OF THE NAPIER AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
Meeting on Wednesday 1 June at the Clubrooms 123 Latham Street
Chair: Wally ZL2MO, the meeting started at 7:30 pm.
Present: Laurie ZL2TC, Revell ZL2SS, Dave ZL2DW, Paul ZL2HB, Rob ZL2US, Blue ZL3TT, Peter ZL2CD, Stan ZL2ST, Erroll ZL2IT, Dave ZL2MQ, Mike ZL2MY and Karl ZL1TJ.
Late arrival: visitor Stuart McLeod.
Apologies: ZL2DC, ZL2VM.
Minutes of previous meeting: Read and confirmed to be correct ZL2HB, ZL2SS.
Arising: Hamfest raffle prizes were donated by Laurie and Dave ZL2MQ. Laurie found that the latest version of the constitution does in fact allow proxy voting at the discretion of the Chair.
Correspondence: email exchange with Dave ZL2DW regarding QSL card recipient info to be sent to distributor Tony Marr, ZL2AGY.
Finance: Accounts all in the black, Stan brought up the power account issue, has not as yet found a more reasonable alternative supplier but will request our classification be changed from non- domestic to domestic low user. The previously reported monthly charge of $100 actually covered 40 days so, although still high for the KWh used, is not as bad as first thought.
General Business: Dave ZL2DW mentioned the nice article about the Bay Hamfest published in the Papakura Radio Club’s April newsletter. A number of Club newsletters are published through NZART’s distribution list, available to all members. Dave: more clubs should be encouraged to submit their newsletter to NZART. Revell expressed appreciation of the Break-In magazine being available in the Napier Library. Tear off info tabs are being taken.
The question of the clubrooms power supply came up for discussion: Earlier concepts of becoming ‘stand alone’ e.g. disconnect from the grid and generate our own power from either solar panels, a (new lightweight) generator or both were brought up again. Wally had obtained current generator prices.
The following points were made: Dave 2MQ: Easier to stay with the grid supply, perhaps levy a small fee each meeting. Treasurer Stan 2ST: Subs are insufficient to meet annual costs but we can start using our savings to make ends meet. Paul 2HB: I have a modern inverter type generator, it is very noisy (electrically) and is not suitable for radio operation. Karl 1TJ: Have a solar power (pure sinewave) inverter which suffers from the same problem. Erroll 2IT: What is actually wrong with our present 2.5KW Honda generator? Stan 2ST: it is very heavy and very noisy (exhaust) but produces clean AC. and has performed well at field day contests. Many other comments were made. It was agreed that ‘stand alone’ would be an option of last resort only and that the committee has another look at it after Stan has approached the power company.
Paul ZL2HB: The club needs to look at the future more, we need future directions towards promoting Ham Radio to new generations, highlighting digital technology, D-Star radio etc..Something for the committee to consider and action.
The meeting closed at 8:35pm.
Followed by Dave ZL2MQ presenting a spirited discourse on EME (Earth Moon Earth) radio techniques. A fascinating facet of Ham Radio. No problems with poor conditions, when the Moon can be ‘seen’ by both stations it works.
Karl ZL1TJ, Secretary Branch 25.