• Meeting Location: 605 Metropolis Street, Metropolis, Illinois
  • Meeting Conducted by: James “Jay” Smock – President
  • Meeting Called to Order @: 1752 hrs.
  • Pledge of Allegiance Led by: Andrew “Drew” Byrne
  • Members Present: (8)
    • Jay Smock – President  N9VN
    • Lloyd Baker – Vice President KC9DRB
    • Geoff Willaims – Secretary KD9VCY
    • Aidan Carnes – POTA Czar  W9ADN
    • Ab Jones  KC4PTU
    • Ed Sobkowiak – AC9OO
    • Drew Byrne – KQ4MQX
    • Calvin Esau – KD9YRV
  • Guests Present: (4)
    • Garry Wheatley – Pres: Paducah Amateur Radio Assoc., Paducah ARES  KD4GCY
    • Shelley Byrne
    • Paul Byrne
    • Jamie Simmons KC9UXE
  • Minutes of the Last Meeting:
    • The minutes of the January 17, 2024 meeting were presented and read by Geoff Williams.
    • A motion was made to accept the minutes as read. The motion was seconded, voted on, and passed.
  • Treasurer’s Report:
    • As Treasurer Ronnie Stone was absent President Jay Smock made an educated estimate of the funds the club has available.
    • The January amount of total funds available was $597.00. Ronnie reported to Jay that he had received $80.00 from members for dues payments.
    • Jay has collected $100.00 since the last meeting for dues and donations.
    • Total fund available are approximately $777.00
  • President Jay Reported:
    • That the club’s ARRL insurance is coming due in June.
    • That Jake Irving has donated an Icom 7200 HF radio to the club.
    • We need to purchase a window cable pass-through with 6 UHF connectors and a ground connection for the club office radio station. The price through DX Engineering will be $110.00 all included.
  • President Jay’s Report continued…
    • Ab Jones donated the $110.00 to the club for the pass-through.
    • Aidan reminded us that we also need a 2m-70cm antenna.
  • Donations:
    • Ab Jones made a donation of $110.00 to go towards the purchase of a window cable pass-through.
  • Fundraisers were Discussed:
    • Aidan Carnes donated a 6-pack of MFJ brand ceramic insulators and a Quansheng Outdoors Series 2m-70cm HT to be raffled off as a fund raiser for the club. The price will be $5.00 p/ticket.
    • The members present agreed to host a spaghetti dinner as a fund raiser, the date of which will be determined in the future. The drawback currently is that the kitchen in the church is under renovation with no date for completion known at this time.
  • Ohio NVIS Antenna Day:
    • Geoff Williams informed members of the upcoming Ohio Near Vertical Incident Skywave (NVIS) Day on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
    • The time for the test runs between 0900 & 1500 hrs CDT.
    • Description from the Ohio ARES NVIS Day Website: “The purpose of NVIS Day is to construct and try various antenna ideas, all working as NVIS antennas. These antennas are low to the ground and provide coverage generally within a 400 mile radius – extremely important for regional HF communications in an emergency.”
    • The Paducah Amateur Radio Association (PARA) participated last year by agreement with the Ohio ARES group to test HF radio reception between Ohio and Paducah while utilizing NVIS antennas to communicate and pass messages back and forth on 80 and 40 meters. That test was a success.
    • Our group would participate by setting up via remote radio post utilizing the Massac County Office of Emergency Management mobile emergency communications trailer and pertinent equipment.
      • M.C. Director of Emergency Management, Brian Horn, is on-board with this exercise and will participate and consented to our use of the county trailer and radio equipment.
    • Partial goals:
      • Would be for us to get either the State of Illinois Office of Emergency Management or an ARES group near Springfield, IL involved by setting up and attempting to communicate with us via NVIS.
  • Ohio NVIS Antenna Day continued…To receive messages from Ohio ARES, and Paducah ARES, and passing them along to the Illinois Office of Emergency Management, and vice-a-versa.
    • A motion was made for the club to participate in the Ohio NVIS day, it was seconded, and voted upon, the motion passing.
  • Echo Link Node:
    • Aidan reported that an EchoLink node is being installed on the Massac County Sheriff’s Office communications tower. The node will be hosted in the club office.
  • Jay and Aidan – Discussed the need for an HF antenna for the club station. The recommended antenna is a Titan by Gap Antenna, Inc. 
  • Aidan  reported via Chuck Bonefield – That the State of Illinois will be conducting a 2 meter communication test using HTs and repeaters to communicate between Chuck’s home and Chicago. The date and time are unknown at this writing.
  • Lloyd reported – He will be conducting a Boy Scouts of America Radio Merit
    Badge     class.
    • Location: 605 Metropolis Street, Metropolis
    • Date: March 23rd.
    • Times: 1000 – 1600 hrs.
    • Aidan reported that he will be making CW keys as gifts for the scouts to take home with them at the end of the class.
    • Lloyd is asking forsomeone with a RF direction finding antenna to assist by giving a presentation.
    • Lloyd is also asking for members to bring radios and related items for Show & Tell.
    • Lloyd would like to present another Radio Merit Badge Class prior to the Encampment at Ft. Massac in October in hope that badge recipients would come out and participate in our Jamboree on the Air event by actually transmitting on the radio.
  • Geoff Williams –  Mentioned that we need to get with Calvin Stearns of the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) group to set a date for Incident Command System (ICS) training for ICS-100 & 200.
  • Aidan – has orderedclub radio station QSO cards. The design is in progress. Aidan is paying for the design and cards. He is donating both to the club.
  • Meeeting Adjourned @: 1907 hrs.

Minutes submitted by: Geoff Williams – Secretary