[Fourlanders] Meeting Minutes March 17

[Bob Lear]

Gentlemen,

We had a meeting at Rocco's Pub in Marietta after the Kennehoochee 
Hamfest on March 17.

Present were W4ZST, NX9O, W4KXY, WW8RR, K4VJM and AA4RC.

Dues were paid by all present and we forgot the annual officer election, 
but Jim has since taken care of that by Railway Express.  The officers 
continue as:

Bob W4ZST President
Ron WW8RR VP
Brian NX9O Secretary
Jim W4KXY Treasurer

We discussed plans for the June Contest.

W4KXY is to make reservations with Mile High Campground.

Band Captains identified at the meeting:

6m:  Jim W4KXY with second op Sherman W4ATL will kick off 6m with a new
	Yaesu FT-2000 driving a two-tube Commander on 6m to the usual
	stacked pair of antennae.  We are going to prepare a new feed
	line (1/2" superflex) and a new, longer rotor cable for the
	club's Yaesu 800 rotator that WW8RR managed to quite handily fix
	after W4ZST and W4KXY tried and failed.  Thanks Ron.  We may
	have a new trailer or mast set-up for 6m if I have time, but we
	have the BlackHawk trailer available regardless.  Jim will also
	have his computer so 6m is pretty well in hand.

2m:  Bob W4ZST ends up now with 2m since no one else came forward.  I
	haven't decided which radio for sure, but it will probably be my
	FT1000MP with DEMI transverter and Jim's 2m Amp at minimum to
	the usual stacked pair.  Ron is also going to attempt to repair
	another W4ZST Yaesu rotor that is in need of attention and that
	will help out the situation.  The 2m antennas will probably go
	on the new W4KXY Black Mamba trailer that we have used for the
	past couple of contests.  Ivan K4VJM will be my main set-up help
	and for the pre-contest prep work that he has been so valuable
	for in the past year.  He will also be a second op for 2m and
	wherever needed.  Usual computer is available.

222:  Brian NX9O will again be the 222 band captain (as if any of us
	could get it away from him!).  He is going to try a new radio
	also as he is obtaining an FT1000MP to go along with his new
	DEMI high output transverter.  He will now be able to supply
	full power to the stacked pair of 222 antennas and is quite
	excited about the prospect.  Brian has a rotor and will use
	either a new set-up mast on his trailer or one of the old
	stand-bys (White Knight or Green Hornet) as they will be
	available if needed.  Brian has his station computer and will
	also supply the server as usual.

432:  Ron WW8RR again chooses 432 and has his usual station and
	computer available.  The 432 antennas will go on the Radio
	Flyer double tower trailer like we have been doing.  We have
	feedline, rotator and all needed accessories.  Ron's second op
	is son Jim WE8W, who has now moved to Greensboro NC and a lot
	closer to make it to the contest.

Microwave:  We discussed this considerably at the meeting and decided
	to try it again, but only 903, 1296 and 2304 since we've not
	really had any luck or major prospects for points on the
	higher bands anyway.  Those three bands are my most reliable
	and easiest to set up too.  W4ZST and K4VJM will do the setup
	for microwave along with 2m.  We decided to put the microwave
	station inside Great White along with 2m, 222  432 and put
	6m in Ivan's trailer again as that worked out the best.  The
	microwave antennas will go on the Radio Flyer second tower as
	usual.

Second OPs list:  Robin AA4RC, Kim WG8S, Paul W4SKI and Bob WA4VJC have
	indicated that they plan to come and operate.  Ron is also
	working on some other friends to come along with us too.
	We are also hoping that K4RF will be able to make it as we
	will need another microwave operator for sure and any more
	ops who wish to come along will be welcomed.

Food:   We are hoping that Jeff W0ONR will be able to come along as he
	did for last years contests to operate and do the cooking.  He
	is planning to be there.  As usual we will need an accurate
	count of participants at least a week before the contest and I
	will put out a message at the time.  We will set the kitchen up
	in Ivan's trailer just like last year as that worked out quite
	well.

Trailer Pulling: this continues to be a need.  If anyone can volunteer
	to help pull one of the trailers it would really help out.  We
	can and will piggy back them again if necessary to get what we
	need on the mountain, but it would be nice to have some help
	to get them up there. All the trailers we need help with are
	light enough to be pulled with any normal vehicle.  We've got
	heavy trucks to pull the large ones OK.

We discussed the space situation inside the trailers and came up with
an idea.  Brian will bring a tent that we can put all the excess 
equipment boxes in so that we'll have more room inside the trailers. 
This has been a problem, since we sleep in our vehicles, there is no 
room to leave the containers we've brought the station equipment in.

Jim gave a treasurer's report and we are in good shape.  He suggested 
that we might buy another rotator, however I suggested that instead of 
that right now we try some antenna quick connects made by Ironworks and 
available at HRO.  Jim has picked up a couple of sets already and we 
will try them out on the 432 antennas for the contest and then decide 
whether to obtain more.

I think that covers the meeting notes and contest plans.

Bob W4ST