MINUTES OF THE NAPIER AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
Meeting on Wednesday 7 November 2018 at the Clubrooms 123 Latham Street
Chair: Dave ZL2MQ, the meeting started at 7:30 pm.
Present: Dave ZL2DW, Wally ZL2MO, Paul ZL2HB, Blue ZL3TT, Mike ZL2MY, Peter ZL2CD, Revel ZL2SS, Errol ZL2IT, Stan ZL2ST, Stu ZL2XC and Karl ZL1TJ.
Apologies: ZL2US, ZL2VM.
Minutes of previous meeting: Read and confirmed to be correct: ZL3HB, ZL2MQ.
Arising: Dave 2DW: The proposed Marine radio site visit was cancelled due to health and safety issues. Possibly to be given another ‘go’ at a later stage. Alternatives are being considered.
The NZDXRA cup was sent to Paul ZL4TT for inclusion in the Hocking Centre museum.
Dave 2MQ: the annual quiz will now be held at the December meeting.
Correspondence: Confirmation from Charities Services that the application for charitable status has been received and accepted, the outcome may take up to 12 weeks. Accounts from RSM for repeater and beacon licences and from Napier CC for ground lease.
Finance: Treasurer’s report is to be presented at the AGM following this meeting.
General Business: Blue: January 1st will be Amateur Radio ‘Have a Go’ day. An NZART initiative? Branches to decide on activity to involve potential new members?
Blue and Wally are still considering options for HF aerial re-instatement. Wally to check with NCC regarding tree status.
Dave 2MQ: the Tribander yagi and associated gear could now be sold? There was no objection from the floor. Karl to ask club members for expression of interest / offers. Dave 2DW to do the same for Bch 13 members. If not sold by 20 November the Trade-me option will be used.
The meeting closed at 8:10 pm
and was followed by the Club’s Annual general Meeting.
After the AGM the Annual construction project contest took place.
Two entries:
1) Stu ZL2XC presented the final working version of his Arduino based Semi automatic antenna tuner. The device obtains frequency information from the radio and drives two servo motors which adjust the controls of a standard (manual) tuner. The controller has many additional refinements and can follow the radio’s settings even when in scan mode. Stu wrote the Arduino ‘sketch’ (programme) himself.
2) Errol ZL2IT presented a beautifully constructed MF (630m) low noise Rf pre-amplifier. Gain 16 dB, used primarily for testing / experimentation.
The winner by narrow margin was Stu ZL2XC.
Karl ZL1TJ Secretary NARC.