3^rd Thursday, 16 December 2010, 7:30 PM

BARC Clubhouse & Communications Center

Sugarcreek Elementary School, Room 1 Lower Level

51 South East Street, Bellbrook

Talk-in on BARC 147.045(+) Repeater & 147.405 Simplex

By Ed Kulesa, Secretary

There were 28 persons in attendance at this monthly meeting. Chris Stauter, (KD8APN) BARC President, presided over the meeting that was called to order at 7:40 PM.

The first item on the agenda was for Fred Stone, W8LLY, to present a review of final configuration of the BARC new antenna system. With the goal for each of the 4 club stations having the capability of operating simultaneously on a HF and VHF/UHF band, Fred described what would, eventually, become an array of 17+ antennas. He overviewed the proposed list of antennas, the tower installation, the grounding and lightning protection system, the antenna patch panel and coax distribution 'gutter'.

Much thought, discussion and planning has already gone into this system from many members. From the material Fred described, the antenna system should give BARC many years of operating pleasure and adventure. Thank you Fred for the excellent presentation summary.

The minutes from the 21Oct2010 BARC meeting were approved as published in the BARC newsletter.

Treasurer’s Report By Dave Walton, WD8GCR

The Treasurer's report was motioned for approval by W8LLY and seconded by WD8AZC - the report approval vote was unanimous.

The following is the September Report which was not available for publication in the November Newsletter.

Clubhouse Committee Darryl Fowler, KD8JQE

No additions or modifications were added to this published report - it was approved as published.

Darryl also noted that the Clubhouse Committee had selected both Jay Hain, K9GUB and Natinka Siwecki, KD8NUA to be co-librarians for the Club library. Many Thanks to Jay and Tink for volunteering.

Public Service Darryl Fowler, KD8JQE

Nothing to report in this area for October-November.

Education Fred Stone, W8LLY

Fred reported that an email message had been distributed to the BARC members list announcing the results of the November 14 Greene County Test Session.

Repeater Report Henry Bussey, W8TOG

Henry reported that everything was functioning normally.

A reminder that BARC's TEST & TUNE DAY will be held at 1300 on November 27th. N8NQH will have his professional test equipment available for measuring and/or adjusting any spec on your transceiver that may be of interest

In preparation for next month's BARC elections, Club president, Chris Stauter, polled the officers present as to their candidacy intentions. From this poll, the offices of Jr. Director, Vice-president, and Secretary were opened for new nominations. The remaining officer posts would have, at least, the current office holder for the nominations.

A nominating committee to be chaired by Jim Lusk and including Darryl Fowler and Henry Bussey will prepare a slate of nominees for the available posts to be presented at the December 16 Club meeting. Please contact Jim Lusk if you or any other club member would wish to apply for any position.

A poll of the current committee chairman (in attendance) revealed that everyone was willing to maintain that position for at least one more year.

A proposed 3^rd Annual BARC Holiday Luncheon at Marion's Pizza, starting at 11:30AM on Dec 30^th, was enthusiastically supported by the members present. Additional information will be announced as the date draws closer.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM.

Be sure to attend the December BARC meeting not only for the fun and fellowship but also to exercise your right to vote for BARC’s 2011 leadership. The election process began with nominations at the November meeting and will conclude with voting at the December meeting after a presentation of a slate of officer candidates by the Nominating Committee and after soliciting any additional nominations from the floor.

Please consider the people you believe will provide the desired leadership for BARC as we begin a new club year in January. Officers to be elected are President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Junior Director. The current Junior Director will advance to the position of Senior Director. The current officers have done a great job and may be re-elected; however, the Vice President and the Secretary have expressed a desire to retire at the end of their current term.

Most BARC memberships expire December 31, 2010. Free memberships for hams newly licensed in 2010 expire 12 months from the end of the month first licensed. Membership expiration dates are shown in the first column of the BARC Directory.

• Annual dues is $15 per member and $3 for each additional family members living at the same address.
• The free membership for new hams extends for one year from the end of the month in which the first license is granted by the FCC. The Treasurer will send an email reminder to these people whose renewal will occur during the year. Such members will pay a pro-rated amount of dues for the remainder of 2011.
• 2010 memberships become delinquent if not renewed by the February meeting. The 2011 BARC Directory will include all members who have renewed or joined by March 1.

Dues helps support club activities such as the Clubhouse, the repeaters, Field Day expenses, guest dinners at the annual dinner meeting, and other purchases and activities as decided by the Club during the year.

BARC Treasurer Dave Walton will accept dues at the December meeting or you may send your check via U.S. mail to:

When you pay your 2011 dues, please include any updates to your current contact information. This includes name, call sign, license class, street address, email address, home phone number, cell phone number, work phone number, ARRL membership status and any other pertinent contact information.

Please include ALL of this information for club records but indicate any information you do not want published in the BARC Directory to be distributed to all members. Send information to BARC Treasurer, Dave Walton KD8GCR, at:

Hope you and yours can join us. We have had about 25 people attend the past couple of years. Besides pizza, Marion’s has salads, subs and other sandwiches.

Marion’s is located on the southeast corner at the intersection of North Fairfield Road and Dayton-Xenia Road (just south of Friendly’s Restaurant which actually is on the corner)

Plan now to participate in the ham radio support for the 25^th Annual Beavercreek Resolution 5K Run New Year’s Eve. We provide safety and logistics communications and help light the course with our vehicle headlights during the race.

NEW START TIME: The event which has started at 11:45 PM in past years will begin at 8:00 PM again this year. The XWARN Comm Trailer will be used for Net Control and will be in position behind Beavercreek High School (at the Northwest corner) by 6:00 PM. Enter the school parking lot from Fudge Drive. Radio operators should report in at the Comm Trailer for assignment and then need to be at their assigned posts no later than 7:30 PM. Dress warmly and bring a flashlight with fresh batteries.

Parade operations will be on the Greene County ARES 146.91 Repeater (no PL required). Although supported by GCARES, the amateur radio support is provided "in general" and not specifically sponsored by any one club or group. A follow-up announcement with further details will be issued by email a few days before New Years Eve.

Congratulations to new BARC members Adam Powers (KD8PAG), Harry Blair WØHAB (was KD8PAH) and Colin McCabe (KD8PGI) who earned their Technician Class license at the Greene County Test Session on November 14, and to Andrew Powers (KD8PDG) who earned his Technician Class license on December 4 at Enon.

We extend a hardy welcome to Adam, Andrew, Colin and Harry who have accepted BARC’s offer of a one-year free membership to new hams from the Greene County license course. Harry has been participating in BARC activities since before Field Day.

Congratulation also to the following BARC members who upgraded to General Class—Roger Bullock (KD8OSF), Linda Leach (WA8RLY, was KD8NUE), David Procuniar (KD8NKZ), Don Root (KD8NUF), Arthur Siwecki (KD8NUB), Natinka Siwecki (KD8NUA) and Steve Siwecki (KD8NUC), and to Jack Cotterman (W8NRO) who upgraded to Amateur Extra Class.

And, an extra Congratulations to the following BARC members who had perfect scores on their exams—Great job!!

• Linda Leach, WA8RLY – General Class
• Roger Bullock, KD8OSF – General Class
• Stephen Siwecki, KD8NUC – General Class
• Jack Cotterman, W8NRO – Amateur Extra

17 students of the Greene County Fall 2010 License Courses tested and 15 passed.  That’s an 88% success rate—a tribute to both the students and the instructors.

Thus, a BIG THANK YOU to BARC members who are instructors for the Greene County License Courses and Volunteer Examiners for the tests.

• John Ferguson N8FJ
• Ed Kulesa K2VEE
• Russ Roysden N8NPT
• John Sellers W8QEO
• Fred Stone W8LLY

• Jack Cotterman W8NRO
• Dick Graham N8AFE
• Janet Graham W8ICQ
• Tim Procuniar N8NQH
• Russ Roysden N8NPT
• John Sellers W8QEO
• Fred Stone W8LLY

Tim Procuniar N8NQH reported that the Test & Tune Workshop he conducted from 1:00 to 4:00 PM on Saturday, November 27 at the Clubhouse was very successful. Tim set up a "test bench" of professional communications test equipment including a service monitor, watt meter, 12 volt power supply and dummy load for testing VHF/UHF HT’s and mobile units and making minor frequency and modulation adjustments as needed. A check-sheet summarizing the measured transmit power, transmit frequency error, modulation level, PL tone encode level, PL tone frequency error, receiver sensitivity, squelch range, PL tone decode, etc., was provided to the radio’s owner following the test.

Another Test & Tune Workshop will be scheduled during the first half of 2011 for those unable to attend the November 27 session.

Thank you, Tim, for proposing and conducting this valuable service for the Club.

Starting in January, BARC’s Educational Committee will initiate an ongoing series of training and educational opportunities relating to various aspects of amateur radio in which members have special interest. These will range from interactive presentations to hands-on construction projects. Some suggestions to date include antennas, using calculators, basic electronics, Morse Code, digital communications, DX-ing, net operations, etc. ARRL emcomm courses and FEMA ICS courses also may be offered. What special interest suggestions do you have? What would you like to learn more about?

There will NOT be a GCARES meeting in December.

The next Greene County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (GCARES) meeting will be January 24 (fourth Monday), 7:30 PM, in the Training Room at Beavercreek Township Fire Station 1 (Dayton-Xenia Road just west of Orchard Lane). All Greene County hams are encouraged to be Active members of GCARES.

The agenda for the January 24 meeting will be included in a meeting announcement to be issued around mid-January, 2011.

The Greene County Spring 2011 Amateur Radio License Courses will start Sunday, February 13, at 7:00 PM. Courses will conclude Sunday, April 10 and the Test Session will be held Sunday, April 17, at 6:00 PM.

These courses and the Test Session are sponsored jointly by the three Greene County amateur radio clubs (BARC, UVARC and XWARN) and GCARES.

Be sure to mark March 17 on your 2011 calendar and invite your spouse/significant other for the 35^th Annual BARC Dinner Meeting--at 6:30 PM on the regular 3^rd Thursday meeting night in March. Location and further details will be forthcoming.

BARC members may become an ARRL member or renew an existing ARRL membership at a discounted rate. BARC is an ARRL affiliated club and receives a commission for ARRL memberships transacted through the club. BARC passes on this discount as a club membership benefit in order to promote ARRL membership. Please contact BARC Treasurer Dave Walton KD8GCR for details.