Meeting Minutes 3/23/2013

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WD9BSA Meeting Minutes

3-23-13

Attendees:  Alan McDaniel (kd6arm), Tom O’Nan (n9cxi), Randy Biggs (ka9bsa), Lou Everett (wa5lou), Doreen Everett (ae5qm), Cory Wills (kc9cda), Jeff Brown (n9iz)

  1. QST article update
  2. Alan McDaniel has completed the article and is making final draft revisions and adding the current station pics from recent activities.
  3. He hopes to get it submitted by April.
  4. Station organizational chart—Alan completed the flow chart that shows how we envision the station to function and operate on an administrative level.
  5. Indy Hamfest
  6. They were requesting a dozen or more boys and adults to direct event parking.
  7. They were willing to donate $300 to the station and the volunteer unit as compensation.
  8. We voted to decline their offer due to no Venturing Crew yet.
  9. We may plan to attend and setup a station display.
  10. February station open hours
  11. We had one Boy Scout and his father visit.
  12. He got to operate the radios and make contacts on the gear.
  13. Venturing Crew
  14. We are at 95% of the goal Council has set for us.
  15. They would like to see us go ahead and get the crew chartered as soon as we have enough boys.
  16. To start with the meetings would be the same day and time as our scheduled open hours.
  17. Discussion on what uniforms would be required of boys and leaders.
  18. Radio merit badge—Thorntown Boy Scout troop to come down May 3-5 for the course.
  19. Field Day
  20. We haven’t heard a response to our offer to host it at Camp Belzer and let IRC operate the event.
  21. We’re suspecting they will decline.
  22. Space Jam—We’re still a go on this activity and hope to get some practice teaching the merit badge with the troop in May.
  23. Fox hunt equipment—We’re working on attenuators for close-in work.
  24. Recruitment—We might also look to Skywarn training and local ARES.
  25. Website and social media
  26. Tom O’Nan provided a nice Talent Release Form based on an existing BSA form.
  27. We can collect this from parents and adults that may appear on our website or other station-related social media.
  28. Technician license class—We need to start preparing for this due to increased interest in the station.
  29. Council advertisement
  30. They are including favorable info about our station and activities in the newsletters.
  31. They are willing to help us recruit for the Venturing Crew.
  32. Phase II of the station—Are we ready to start thinking about go boxes for portable operation around the Council and at outlying district events?
  33. Adjourn and prepare for Pack 110 Tiger Den visit.

WD9BSA February 23, 2013 Agenda

Call the meeting to order:

Review the minutes from January’s meeting:

Old business:

Organizational chart (Allan McDaniel)

Article for the QST magazine (Allan McDaniel)

Display board?

Space Jam:

Indy Hamfest July 13th 5:30 – 2:00 (I have emailed Troop 499 for help)

Update on Sugar Creek Round table (Randy Biggs)

Station’s open times: (Tom O’Nan)

Venture Crew:

Radio Merit Badge (Randy B) (see the PowerPoint attachments)

Laurel VE team status (Brian M)

Field Day (Dick Andrews)

Fox hunting equipment update:

New Business:

Stations primary contacts for the camp and council (ideally one main person and two others)

Recruitment: (Leaders for the Venture Crew, station’s VE team, etc…)

The WD9BSA’s website and pictures (permission slips for photos)

Teaching a radio Tech. class?

Council advertisement (showing the station’s website, Facebook etc…)

Are we ready to think about starting phase II of the station (road show with a go box)?

Close the Meeting:

Prepare the station for Pack 104 (eleven Tiger Scouts and parents) before 12:00.

WD9BSA Meeting Minutes

1-26-13

Attendees:  Randy Biggs(KA7BSA), Jeff Brown(N9IZ), Tom O’Nan(N9CXI), David Johnson(N9EZW), Mike Sercer (WA9FDO), Tabb Adams (W9TTW), Pat Daily (N2DKB), Alan McDaniel (KD6ARM), Dick Andrews (K9VEB),

  1. MEMBERSHIP – Five People have stepped away from the active group due to family or medical reasons.  The biggest gap is leaders for the Venture Crew.
  2. PUBLICITY & COMMUNICATIONS
  3. Organizational Chart – Allan Mc Daniel will work on some thoughts and bring them back on the next meeting.
  4. Alan also would be working for another article because we have lots of good pictures, and there has been significantly progress since the last article.
  5. It would be helpful to have a built up display ready for opportunities like the University of Scouting.  If we have a Go Box it could be used at speaking engagements, in addition to its normal uses.
  6. Randy presented at the University of Scouting along with 2 others.  There were a dozen or so attendees, and good interest.  There was a place for a display in the central gathering place, but we weren’t aware of the opportunity.  Next year, it is likely we will be invited back, and will have the whole period.
  7. Several amateur radio related scouting activities have uniform badges, including  Interpreter and Armature Radio Operator.  These would be good to have more information for when we are talking about to groups about Radio, the station and club.
  8. Randy going to Sugar Creek Round table on Feb 14th to provide update to the leaders
  9. BSA won’t give out email list, but the will publish flyers to roundtables, so until we have a better way, it’s our best way to communicate to the scouting community.
  10. TESTING & LICENSING
  11. Ham Test Online sent us info and gave us 2 free tests.  Randy suggested using 1 for space Jamboree, and possibly the other for a prize at some activity.
  12. For those didn’t know, we are planning to use the Laurel VE testing organization because they don’t charge for the testing and have a full VE program available for scouts.
  13. Pat has been a VE for many years, and would be interested in helping.
  14. ACTIVITIES
  15. Radio Merit Badge Weekend in February – Since we don’t have a troop signed up yet we will wait until we have a troop.
  16. Space Jamboree (John) – The Space Jamboree Workshop (or just Space Jam for short), is the Midwest’s largest technology oriented gathering of all Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
  17. Space Jam 7 takes place August 2-4 2013 at the Chanute Air Museum in Rantuol, IL.
  18. John has training on Flip-Chart which is linked to Radio Merit Badge workbook, available on Meritbadge.org

                                                            iii.      Would like to have testing afterword.

  1. 2013 Indy Hamfest
  2. Mike Sercer, WA9FDO – chairman Indy Hamfest
  3. Planning meetings are held 3rd Thursday of each month

                                                            iii.      The Indy Hamfest will be moved back to Marion County Fair Grounds

  1. 2nd Saturday in July – July 13th
  2. The WD9BSA Venture Crew could be involved and earn money if we have a crew up by then.  In the past, a scout troop helped with parking, and received some pay for their effort.
  3. They would need to be there at 5:30 till 1:30 or 2:00
  4. Camping is permitted
  5. Approximately 5 or 6 are needed at any one a time, usually more for relief.
  6. Fox Hunting & Activities
  7. Randy has 2 UHF  foxes, Dave is working to get 2 VHF
  8. Other activity is to build crystal Radio Sets – might be a good activity for the JOTA Weekend, This is an elective for one of the Cub Scout ranks.
  9. JOTA
  10. Jeff Brown and his wife  looking through Cub Scout program for radio related stuff that applies for advancement and reward to the cub scouts.
  11. Dick is active with the Indianapolis Radio Club and mentioned that they do not have a place to hold Field Day this year, and would it be possible to hold it at Belzer.
  12. Field day is on the fourth full weekend of June (22 &23) and starts at noon.
  13. Dick will ask Tom Chance to see if they want to hold it here at Belzer.

                                                            iii.      If the club is interested, then Dick will talk to Kevin.

  1. Day camp doesn’t meet on Saturday, but Webelos will camp overnight on Friday.
  2. Doug Whitcom is director of day camp program.
  3. WD9BSA STATION MANAGEMENT
  4. We need to develop a Station Operation Manual for the station and train individuals who which to be control operators for people who want to use the station.
  5. The Ops Manual needs a full Station diagram or diagrams to make operation clear and simple.
  6. STATION OPERATIONS
  7. The Council is still a little concerned about getting over ambitious.  Tom was originally trying for both a weekday and a weekend time so there would be times available when the bands were open.  Council would prefer once per month for now.  Day Camp is over on Saturday AM, but the concern is congestion in the parking lot.  More realistic is to have it open on Sunday.   Tom will work on:
  8. Sunday Afternoon 2:00 – 7:00 PM
  9. Starting in March

                                                            iii.      Tom will check to see which weekend would be best, 2nd or 3rd weekend

  1. It would be nice to invite Scott Clabaugh for one of the 1st open days and possible get one of the shirt for him.
  2. Randy to get his shirt size
  3. In the future, any request for the station, when there are scouts present, a formal request needs to be made through the scout office for United Way Tracking purposes.  For now, please contact Randy.
  4. The station is still causing problems with the alarm system, so Kevin should be notified any time the station is being used.

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