08-01 January Meeting Report

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    We had a good meeting in January with 13 hams in present. Our regular meeting room was unavailable so we sat in the common room. Except for being a few chairs short it was very comfortable.
 
1) Paul VA3PC has been appointed District Emergency Coordinator (D.E.C.) for the Magnetawan District for ARES. He is now Bill's boss. Congratulations Paul. Paul has also reworked the ARES area of his website http://www.ciinet.org/ares/index.html . He is requesting that those of you who have registered please check in and check your information to ensure it is correct and nothing got lost in the upgrade. If you are interested in assisting during an emergency please register. There is no obligation but it is nice to know what resources are available if required. If you are interested in the City of North Bay Emergency Plan check out the city website. It is located there somewhere..
 
2) Dues are now DUE. $20.00 for the year. If you want to mail them in send them care of..
 
Bill Silver VA3SPT
66 Whitney Ave.
North Bay  ON
P1A 1Y3
(705) 476-4752
 
3) We are looking at running an amateur course. We already have a couple of interested parties. We need a minimum of between 5 to 10 to start. The format/date and times are still under discussion but we are looking at two consecutive weekends all day Saturday and Sunday. If you know of anyone interested please let either Bill VA3SPT silver@ontera.net or myself nbarc@ontera.net know. Please include enough information so we can get in touch with them.
 
4) The 80M and 2M nets are still runing and doing quite well. Please feel free to check in and surprise the net controllers. See below for the times and frequencies.
 
5) There is still some noise occasionally getting into VE3ERX. We aren't sure where it is coming from. VE3NFM is still working well. The APRS digi VE3NFM-15 just keeps chugging along.
 
6) The next major Hamfest is the Durham Hamfest April 19, 2008. There will be at least one van full going.
 
7) The last full weekend of 2007 was the RAC Winter Contest. The Corbiel Contest Club was in full swing and had a great time.
 
8) Bruce VA3BDR is still working on the Incorporation. He will have further hopefully at the next meeting.
 
9) Keeling has taken over updating the NBARC Website. If you have ANY info/pictures etc. for him please drop him a line at k.little@cogeco.ca . Any ideas are welcome as well. I will update you with the new web address when he lets me know.
 
10) Bill VA3SPT is still awaiting a return phone call re the weather radios. He will be following it up this week. Now that the holiday season is over he hopes things will speed up.
 
11) Our next meeting will be held Wednesday February 13th, 2008. (It's a leap year this year don't forget). Bill/Bruce/Paul... I should be getting off work between 1900 and 1930. One of you will have to open the door.
 

    I forgot (amazing as that may seem) to mention our Show and Demonstrate at the meeting. Jerry VE3YO came and demonstrated his Poor Man's Battery Tab Welder. It is used to weld tabs on batteries to build or rebuild battery packs. It is a slick little machine. Every weld creates a little spark. In true amateur fashion someone (VA3PC) asked for a bigger spark. Jerry was more than happy to comply. Jerry has modified the control circuit slightly. It is a little more manual and he added a volt meter that gives him a little more control. For more information take a look at http://www.philpem.me.uk/elec/welder/?elec/welder . Jerry can update date you as to his modifications.

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