Minutes of Executive Board Meeting for St. Petersburg Amateur Radio Club (SPARC) – 21 May 2024
Meeting called to order at 5:00pm by Rich AA2MF.
Pledge of allegiance.
In attendance:
TITLE/POSITION NAME/CALLSIGN PRESENT/ABSENT
PRESIDENT RICH CARIELLO AA2MF PRESENT
VICE-PRESIDENT CAROL DE LA TORRE AB4YI ABSENT
TREASURER WILL SCOTT W7WMS PRESENT
SECRETARY-ACTING HAL CHASE W1EES PRESENT
PAST PRESIDENT PAT CONNELLY AA0O PRESENT
PRESIDENT EMERITUS BOB WANEK N2ESP ABSENT
PRESIDENT EMERITUS DONN DAVIS N4KII PRESENT
ELECTED BOARD MEMBER DEE TURNER N4GD ABSENT
REPEATER MAINTENANCE
ELECTED BOARD MEMBER JOHN TOTH KI4UIP PRESENT
STATION MAINTENANCE
ELECTED BOARD MEMBER TOM SCHEAFER W4CU PRESENT
CONTEST COORDINATOR
TRUSTEE W4GAC DAVE TREWIN KR4U PRESENT
TRUSTEE W4TA CAROL DE LA TORRE AB4YI ABSENT
TRUSTEE CLUB REPEATERS BILLY LOCKWOOD KN4LUZ ABSENT
REPEATERS
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR HAL CHASE W1EES PRESENT
REFRESHMENTS CHAIR FELIX CHOW KI4TWQ ABSENT
SPARC GAP PUBLISHER BRUCE SOLOV KF4TYA PRESENT
WEB DESIGN ZACK CRAIG KO4WPO ABSENT
MEMBER CHARLES ADKINSON – W4BPP PRESENT
Meeting is recorded to maintain a true and accurate record of minutes – both SPARC Club monthly meetings as well as Executive Board meetings are recorded. Long-term storage of the recordings will be determined later.
Committee Reports
Treasurer – Will – W7WMS – Club CD is coming due. Voted to roll it over.
Club Station Trustees – Dave – KR4U – Station worked well during Florida QSO Party. Addition of slopping 40-meter dipole was an improvement to the half wave 40 meter vertical. Will address members participation (see text)
SPARC GAP Publications – Bruce – KF4TYA – Article of interest? – Contact Bruce
Membership – Hal – W1EES – Nothing to report
VE Testing – Pat – AA0O – On going testing – see SPARC GAP Newsletter
SPARC Fest – Pat – AA0O – nothing to report
Dave KR4U Brought up the subject of members participation during a club radio operation. This topic was prompted by events happening during the 2024 Florida QSO Party. As two club members call signs were excluded from the operator list. The following items were agreed to by the Board and will be presented during the July general club meeting.
Item A: Any event that is designated by the sponsor as a non-contest event. All persons may operate during this type of event regardless of their operating skills. An instructor may sit and assist the operator. Any QSO made during this time will be credited to the operator not the instructor. The ARRL Field Day is an example of a Non-Contest Event.
Item B: Any event that is designated by the sponsor as a contest. Although the event may not have the word contest within its name reviewing the rules of the event will determine if it is a contest or non-contest event. A key point would be awards or certificates are presented in contest events. The cub will determine what contests it will enter during the calendar year. Club members with first preference will be selected as operators for each contest based on their skill level. An operator in training will not be considered as a contributor to the station. Persons designated as “Hired Guns” may be allowed to operate, contribute to the club score and be listed as an operator at the discretion of the event coordinator.
Item C: OPERATOR IN TRAINING: TRAINING WILL NOT BE OFFERED DURING A CLUB CONTEST EVENT. SPARC has for use to its members complete HF stations consisting of three Permanent HF Transceivers and an access to antennas position that a member can bring their personal radio to connect. In addition, computers with logging programs and training programs to be used to enhance our members operating skill level. Access to the station is made available weeks before an event and before each monthly club meeting. Access to the second audio output from the radio will be available for anyone to lesion to the operation but this cannot be construed as operating in the event.
Item D: To qualify as an operator the person must be able to control all the functions at the radio position, generate QSOs in both Search and Pounce Mode and in Run Mode calling CQ, familiar with the logging program enough to log the contact. This shall be done by the operator without any assistance from another person. Band conditions and QSO rates will not be a consideration.
Event Coordinator Tom W4CU : Provided a report on the 2024 Field Day that SPARC will enter into. A detailed five- page document was presented. Event date June 22-23 starting at 2 PM local time.
Determined:
Station will operate as 5D. Charles W4BBP might provide a generator which will allow a class change to 5E.
Station will remain open full 24 hours including night time operation. Minimum of two people for night shift.
Bonus points:
Media publicity: Bruce KF4TYA
Invite to elected official: Will W7WMS, formal invite to Vice Mayor of Redington Beach Rich AA2MF.
W1AW Bulletin: Dave KR4U
Site visitation by a representative of an agency: Will W7WMS, Contact Clayton (local emergency management)
Message Handling(10): Will W7WMS
Social media promotion, Web submission: W4CU to ARRL with all QSO info.
Education activity: must be related to amateur radio . OPEN
Safety person: OPEN
Event Food and Drink: OPEN
Board voted to allot up to $300. Water, Soda and coffee will be available. As the operation will be based on two-hour time slots a group sit-down meal will not take place. It was agreed that each person bring what food they desire to eat during their stay at the station. This is the way food was successfully handled during the 2024 Florida QSO Party. If needed pizza can be ordered.
Aggregate Club Scoring : Any person can operate from their home station using their personal callsign. Their score will be submitted with credit being given to SPARC. The Club entry name is Saint Petersburg Amateur Radio Club. There are some restrictions so the ARRL Field Day Rules should be reviewed.
Rich AA2MF: Unable to attend the June 2024 monthly meeting. Carol AB4YI Club VP will head the meeting.
The SPARC monthly meeting for July 5th falling on a Holiday Weekend will be take place on July 12th. This will be announced on the CLUB repeaters during Nets.
June club meeting topic “FIELD DAY.”
The Board Meeting was adjourned at 6:42 PM by Rich AA2MF.