Wednesday 25 May 2016

Minutes: YRARC General Meeting - 2016-04-05

Meeting held in the Sharon Temperance Hall. Called to Order at 19:30 by Chris VE3NRT. Total members and guests attending: 37 Guests attending: 3
  1. Welcome & Introductions – Chris VE3NRT
  2. Adoption of Minutes from 2016/02/02 and 2016/03/01 general meetings, moved by Anthony VE3HIS, seconded by Eric VE3EB. Carried
  3. General Announcements – Chris VE3NRT
    • The 6m net continues to operate on Mondays at 20:00 on 50.135 MHz
    • Upcoming contests include the Nebraska QSO party on April 16, and the Ontario QSO party on April 17.
    • Bernie VE3OTR (a former club member) is now a Silent Key.
  4. Field Day – Steve VE3UT
    • Rick VA3VO has offered to co-chair field day with Steve.
    • There will be a meeting (with EmComm) on April 14 at 19:30 at the Newmarket Community Centre, to discuss field day planning, including eliminating interference and station placement.
  5. Treasurer’s Report – John VA3JI
    • Opening Balance 2016/03/01 [Balance available to members on request to Secretary]
    • Income:$0.00
    • Expenditures: Director and Officers Insurance $649.08
    • Flyer Printing: $8.36
    • BBQ purchase $281.37. Total Expenditures: -$938.81
    • Closing Balance 2016/04/01[Balance available to members on request to Secretary]
    • Motion that the treasurer's report be adopted, moved John VA3JI, seconded Rob VE3RQB Carried.
  6. Public Service Report – Eric VE3EB
    • Eric handed out acknowledgement certificates for participation in events during the last year.
    • A list of upcoming events can be found at yrarc.org Under the main menu select Calendar
    • Current public service events include:
      • Saturday, May 14, 2016 (New Event) Cancer Recovery Foundation 5K Run/Walk, Sutton
      • Saturday, May 28, 2016 (Rain date Sunday May 29) MADD York-Simcoe Riders Poker Run, Newmarket Town Hall
      • Friday June 3, 2016 Mt. Albert Sports Parade
      • Saturday June 4, 2016 Mt. Albert 5K Run/Walk
      • Sunday, June 5, 2016 Aurora Street Festival, Yonge Street (Murray to Wellington)
      • July 29 to August 1, 2016
      • Newmarket Jazz Fest (New Location) Ray Twinney Recreation Complex, Eagle Street West
  7. EmComm Report – Don VE3IXJ. Don will be making a presentation to a Regional Conference of Regional Managers on April 12.
  8. Repeater Committee Report – Steve VE3UT
    • Steve has not been able to contact the operator of a nearby repeater, with regard to possible linking of his repeater with our repeaters.
    • There have been some reported APRS issues. The user is known, and the problem appears to be an issue with the radio being used.
Guest Speaker – Bob VE3WY: Bob's presentation was in two parts. The first part was a talk with pictures of many of his own antennae after the recent ice storm, which hit his area with more ice than the surrounding areas. The ice storm provided unintentional testing of his antennae, which survived with very little damage. Part two, was a talk of his visit to a VHF Super-station in Texas, owned by Marshall Williams K5OE. The site is located in a rural area, hidden from view by trees, and located on 30 Acres, filled with towers and antennae. There were six different 6m arrays, five 2m arrays, two 222 MHz arrays and four 432 MHz arrays. With this choice of arrays, Marshall does well in contests.

Tuesday 24 May 2016

Pink 5K Walk/Run

Thank you to the radio club volunteers who came out this morning to support the Cancer  Recovery Foundation Pink 5K Walk/Run.

Despite the dampness there over 200 participants that came out to walk or run the course.
This year marked the first time the radio club provided communications and safety this event and we look forward to providing same next year. Thank you to the following in no particular  order.


David VA3DCY
Chris VE3NRT
Brian VE3IBW
Benny VE3MUU
Barry VA3LLT
Rob VE3RQB


Eric Brown ~ VE3EB
Director, Public Service Events
York Region Amateur Radio Club


Back Row L-R: Rob VE3RQB, David VA3DCY, Eric VE3EB, Barry VA3LLT
Front row L-R: Brian VE3IBW, Benny VE3MUU, Photo: Chris VE3NRT

Monday 23 May 2016

2016 Board Election

At the AGM on June 7, 2016 an election for new Board Members will take place. There are 10 positions on the Board, and each year we elect 5 new Board Members for 2 year terms. The terms of the following Board Members expire on June 30th. Board Members are permitted to stand for reelection.


  • Barry VA3LLT
  • Eric VE3EB
  • David VA3DCY
  • Rob VA3RQB
  • Geoff VA3GS
Nominations may be sent to the club secretary in advance of the AGM as well as at the meeting itself. Directors elected for 2 year terms in 2015 are:

  • Doug VE3ATP
  • Alf VA3BLE
  • Chris VE3NRT
  • Steve VE3UT
  • John VA3JI
73,
Chris VE3NRT

Tuesday 17 May 2016

Minutes - YRARC Board Meeting 2016-04-19

Meeting held in the Magna Centre, multi purpose room 1. Called to Order at 19:05 by Chris VE3NRT. Board members attending: Chris VE3NRT, Steve VE3UT, John VA3JI, Rob VE3RQB, Alf VA3BLE, Geoff VA3GS, Eric VE3EB, Barry VA3LLT, David VA3DCY. Absent: Doug VE3ATP. Others attending: Peter VE3PBT
  1. Agenda: Chris VE3NRT. Moved by Rob VE3RQB, seconded by Steve VE3UT to adopt the agenda. Carried
  2. Minutes: David VA3DCY. Moved by Barry VA3LLT, seconded by John VA3JI to adopt minutes of Board Meeting date 2016-03-15. Carried
  3. Membership: Alf VA3BLE. We have 3 new members, with 80 members, with 77 voting members.
    • A motion to give the last 3 members a free food ticket at field day was moved by Barry VA3LLT and seconded by Rob VE3RQB. Following a discussion, it was moved by Barry VA3LLT and seconded by Rob VE3RQB to postpone the motion indefinitely. Carried
    • AGM Food: Motion 2016-04-19-3b, moved by Steve VE3UT, seconded by Geoff VA3GS to allocate $300.00 for food at the AGM. Carried.
    • Field Day Food. Peter VE3PBT reported that Chris VA3DXZ has offered to supply the beef for field day. Motion 2016-04-19-3c, moved by Geoff VA3GS, seconded by Eric VE3EB that we budget $1000.00 for food (including the cost of propane) at field day. Carried.
    • Moved by Geoff VA3GS, seconded by John VA3JI that we charge $10 per person for those wishing to eat at field day (to include all meals). Carried.
    • Hamfest: Geoff VA3GS. Geoff produced a preliminary information sheet for the Hamfest, scheduled for 2016/11/05, to be held at the Markham Fair grounds. The Aurora Lions Club would be willing to serve breakfast again.
    • Meetings: Geoff VA3GS. The speaker for the May general meeting will be Dan VE3DOF speaking on robotics.
  4. Governance
    • Audit: No report
    • Treasurer's Report: John VA3JI
      • Opening Balance 2016-04-01 [Available to members by request to secretary]
      • Income: None (in April before the meeting)
      • Expenditures: Power gates for repeaters $200.00
      • Closing Balance 2016/04/19 [Available to members by request to secretary]
      • Income: Received for memberships (at the meeting) $75.00
      • Moved by John VA3JI seconded by Geoff VA3GS to adopt the treasurer's report. Carried.
  5. Property: Rob VE3RQB
    • Rob and Peter proposed the purchase of fittings from Cameron Canopies, plus the necessary 1” conduit to build a frame 20' wide x 30' long, to be covered by tarps (not included in the price).
    • Motion 2016-04-19-5a moved by Steve VE3UT, seconded by Geoff VA3GS to purchase the necessary conduit and fittings to build a 20'x30' frame. Motion amended by Eric VE3EB, seconded by Barry VA3LLT that the cost should be $482.00 plus tax plus shipping. Carried.
  6. Trailer: Barry VA3LLT
    • Barry proposed that Rick VA3VO be added to the list of trailer towers.
    • Moved by Rob VE3RQB seconded by Barry VA3LLT that Rick VA3VO be added to the list of trailer towers. Carried.
  7. Repeaters: Steve VE3UT. There has been no response from the owner of repeater VE3PIC. Steve suggested we drop the project of possibly linking VE3PIC with our repeaters. Steve suggested we attempt to sell our old RC85 controllers at the upcoming Smith's Falls hamfest.
  8. Events & Public Service: Eric VE3EB. These are the upcoming public service events:
    • Cancer Recovery Ride (new event) in Sutton May 14
    • MADD (motor cycle ride) May 28
    • Mt. Albert parade June 4
    • Mt. Albert run June 5
    • Aurora Street Sale (trailer required) June 6
    • Newmarket Jazz Fest (new location) (trailer required) July 29 – Aug 1
  9. Field Day: Steve VE3UT
    There was a field day meeting, held with EmComm on Thursday April held with EmComm on Thursday April 14. Food for field day was covered. For the May meeting as site plan and antenna placement to be decided.
  10. Other Business: Rob VE3RQB knows of a Fusion owner looking for a site, and he has also identified the "belcher" on VE3YRC-V.

Sunday 15 May 2016

Notice of Annual General Meeting

Take notice that the Annual General Meeting of the members of the York Region Amateur Radio Club, Inc., will be held at the usual meeting place, the Sharon Temperance Hall, 18974 Leslie Street, Sharon, at the usual hour of 7:30pm on Tuesday June 7th, 2016 for the purposes of approving the financial statements for fiscal year 2015 and the election of directors to hold office for 2 years commencing July 1st, 2016.

Regular, family and life members are advised that they have the right to attend and vote in person at this meeting, in accordance with the usual rules of order, and further, in the event of a member’s absence, the member has the right to appoint a proxy to vote on his or her behalf. An appropriate form is included at the end of this publication. Members who are unable to attend the Annual General Meeting may complete, date and sign a proxy form, which must be delivered to the Secretary prior to the call to order of the Annual General Meeting, to be eligible for voting.

For those wishing to mail a proxy, please send it to David Craig, VA3DCY, .

Dated this day May 15th, 2016 at Aurora, Ontario.
Chris Sullivan, VE3NRT, President.

PROXY

The undersigned being a current member of the York Region Amateur Radio Club, Inc. hereby appoints


(Name of Secretary or other person) _____________________________________________ as proxy to attend the Annual General Meeting of the York Region Amateur Radio Club, Inc., on June 7th, 2016 and vote on my behalf on each and any question brought before the assembly, or at any adjournment thereof, and I do hereby revoke and make void any former instrument appoint a proxy on my behalf.


Dated at _______________ this ___________ day of _____________, 2016.


Name and call of member (print) __________________________________


Signature of member __________________________________

Monday 9 May 2016

YRARC at the York Region Emergency Preparedness Fair

The club participated in the York Region Emergency Preparedness Fair on May 4, 2016. This was held at York Region Headquarters in Newmarket. Nine club members participated this year. Although the "target audience" this year was regional staff, the general public was also welcomed. Quite a few people expressed interest in amateur radio and we pointed out how ham radio "is there" when other means of communications go down. Many asked if ham radio was on the ground in Fort McMurray, Alberta right now. We also mentioned the recent earthquakes in Ecuador and amateur radio activity there. All stations were activated in the trailer and some QSO's were made including DStar QSO's on VE3YRK with England and U.S.A. (a mobile in WV).

Participants this year: Geoff VA3GS, Cec VA3HE, Barry VA3LLT, Rick VA3VO, John VE3IPS, Rob VE3RQB, Terry VE3ODM, Bruce VE3BV, Steve VE3UT

YRARC Trailer in front of York Region HQ

CEC VA3HE and Steve VE3UT

John VE3IPS, Barry VA3LLT, Rick VA3VO and Rob VE3RQB