ILLINOIS  REPEATER  ASSOCIATION

 

BOARD of DIRECTORS MINUTES

April 23, 2010

 

The Illinois Repeater Association Board of Directors meeting for April 23, 2010 was called to order by IRA President Rich Ranson at  9:00 PM  at the Eastland Suites Bloomington/Normal, Illinois.

 

IRA Officers Present:

President: Richard Ranson, KD9Q

Vice President Tim Childers, KB9FBI

Secretary/Treasurer Larry Schroeder, KA9KDC

Directors- -

Al Wolfe, K9SI.

William Kraus, KA9FER 

Stephen Craig, WD9CIR

    note: director: Stephen Look, KA9SZW   (unable to attend 2010 meeting)

Staff Present: Aaron Collins, N9OZB, Frequency Coordinator

         Fred Seibold, W9FWS, Newsletter Editor.

 

Guests Present:

Dave Karr, KA9FUR, Wisconsin Frequency Coordinator

 

___________________________________________________________________________     

Request of additional items to be added to the agenda:

Items identified for discussion during Committee Reports and New Business.

 

Minutes of Previous Meetings: KA9FER  moved and  KB9FBI seconded a motion to approve the board minutes as previously published in the 2009-2010 printed newsletter and website.  Motion carried by unanimous voice vote.

 

Treasurer's Report: Treasurer’s report: Secretary/ Treasurer, KA9KDC, read the treasurer's for the period of April 2009 to April 23, 2010.  

As of April 23th (before meeting) there were :  118 members …..

 

KA9FUR  moved and K9SI seconded a motion that the report be accepted. The motion carried by voice vote.

 

 

COMMITEE REPORTS:

v      Frequency Coordinators Report : Aaron Collins, N9OZB, IL Frequency Coordinator gave a review of past years coordination and actions.     

 

v      Technical Committe Report : Bob Shepard, KA9FLX stepped down mid year.    Thus there was no technical report, beyond the coordination status.     The board will search for potential replacements.    Bob  was recognized as having provided some some good service during the time he held the position.

 

A motion to accept the committee reports was made by KB9FBI_and seconded by KA9FER. The motion was passed by voice vote.

 

Old Business:

 Pending change of Illinois registered corporation agent - transfer of corporate agent from Dick Isely to Larry Schroeder remains to be done.    Larry will work this in the 2010-2011 year; with secretary of state transfer of registered agent application.

 

New Business :

·      ARRL SPECTRUM DEFENSE Fund (proposed by K9SI) – donation will be proposed by board at the next days General Membership meeting for acceptance.  Proposed amount would be $500.00 -- the organization has similar donation in 2008.   The value is roughly equivalent to the funding received from ARRL repeater directory contributions.

 

·      Simplifiction of certain forms of coordination data changes.  The board discussed that some forms of data change should not be needing adjacent state approvals and “construction” intervals.   Specifically ADMINISTRATIVE Change such as a Callsign Change on a repeater/system, where there is NO change to the “Holder of Coordination”  (for instance same organization) can be immediately handled without delay by the IRA Frequency Coordinator.

 

·      Related to above, the board also discussed that various parameters listed in “IRA Guide to Maintaining Coordination” document on the website, is listing too many parameters that would require recoordination.   Aaron will revise this document with the simplifictions discussed.

 

Additonal topics discussed with no specific motions or actions were:

 

·      IRA role in Dealing with Uncoordinated Repeaters

·      Actions w/rt to “Paper Repeaters”  (repeaters that coordinate with IRA, but in reality don’t exist)

·      Digital Registry “Clearinghouse” – IRA coordinator should maintain data on frequencies in use for digital activity; on non-coordination basis.  If such systems provide information to the coordintor, it should get listed in our records, as information.   It would not be listed in repeater directories or considered coordinated however.

·      Shared Non-protected repeaters // IRA has desgnated SNP pair(s). 

 

Adjournment:  KA9KDC moved and KA9FER seconded that the IRA Board of Directors' Meeting be recessed until after the annual meeting on April 24, 2010.  Motion passed by unanimous voice vote.  The meeting was recessed at  11:55 PM.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Larry Schroeder, KA9KDC

Secretary/Treasurer,

Illinois Repeater Association Inc. 

 

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Annual Meeting Minutes

APRIL 24,2010

 

Call to order: The meeting was called to order by IRA president Rich Ranson, KD9QY at 10:00 am at the Eastland Suites, Bloomington/Normal Illinois. Larry Schroeder KA9KDC, secretary/treasurer, verified that there was a quorum present as required in the constitution to conduct business.   ( 77 members present or represented by proxy)

 

Introduction of Officers and Attendees: N9YAY asked everyone to introduce themselves and identify the repeater(s) they represent. There were 61 persons in attendance representing 83 unique Illinois repeater sponsors.    

 

Also present was Dave Karr, KA9FUR, Wisconsin Frequency Coordinator

            __________________________________________________________

 

Approval of prior meeting minutes: WD9HSY moved and KA9ZXN seconded a motion that the minutes of the 2008 annual meeting be approved as published in the IRA newsletter. Motion carried by unanimous voice vote.

 

Treasurer’s report: Secretary/ Treasurer, KA9KDC, read the treasurer's for the period of April 2009 to April 23, 2010.  

 

As of April 23th (before meeting) there were …. 118 members

    [ 91 members paid through 2010; 19 through ‘2011, 5 thru ’12, 1 thru ’14 and 2 thru ’15 ]

&& During meeting checkin an addtional 35 membership checks were received

 

N9JWI_ moved and KB9LNK    seconded a motion that the report be accepted.  The motion carried by voice vote.

 

Coordinator’s report: President KD9Q  introduced Aaron Collins, N9OZB Frequency Coordinator, and thanked him for his efforts in the past year. Aaron presented his written report that highlighted the activity in the past year.    Aaron noted that the effort taken to have a 2nd notice mailing for annual update had beneficial results for getting a number of repeaters to provide more accurate information, as well as reduce the number of systems that are at risk of decoordination for failing to provide annual updates.

 

Aaron highlighted the value of the "coordinators toolkit" software is in performing coordination work. This is a software package engineered by Dave Karr, WI Freq Coordinator.

Some of the data presented:

     58 coordinations in 2009-2010; 8 applications in progress

     12 systems decoordinated/ or relinguished

     478 annual required-reply repeater “survey forms” mailed.

              About 2/3rds of retruned forms on 1st mailing.

     Waiting List: 10 pending requests for 2 meter pairs; 2 for UHF.

 

A motion to accept the coordinators report was made by N9RBQ and seconded by WD9HSY.

 

The motion was accepted by voice vote.

 

 

Technical Committee report:    Position : VACANCY.  (Robert Shepard, KA9FLX, mid-year retired from position)

 

Interested parties should contact President and board --  in mean time a board member will be designated to coordinate any technical issues, that the Coordinator can not handle.

 

Wait List policy was stated (requesters must have annual communication and updates with the technical committee to be maintain on the wait list)

 

 

President’s  report:

Rich Ranson, KD9Q, IRA president summarized his view of 2009-2010 activities of the organization.

 

Presentation summary included:

 >   “Electronic Age” and the ability to handle responsibilities of organization electronically.

             Particularly the presidents role, and his interest & engagement from his remote location

 >  Thanking the board and committee chairs for their work.

             In particular for Aaron Collins work doing repeater frequency coordination. 

 > discussed NFCC role.   Recent efforts to clarify the NFCC decoordination of entities that are not active or have no real role in repeater coordination.

 

A motion to accept the presidents report was made by KA9KDC and seconded by W9WTF.

The motion was accepted by voice vote.

 

 

Election of Officers/Directors:

 

For this year:   only two bard directors require election.

 

(2 YEAR TERMS):

          Current Board is:

President-                       Rich Ranson-KD9Q

Vice President-                Tim Childers-KB9FBI

Secretary/Treasurer-       Larry Schroeder-KA9KDC

Directors-    

 (2008-2010) (Stephen Craig-WD9CIR   Steve Look-KA9SZW)

 (2009-2011) Al Wolfe-K9SI                 William Kraus-KA9FER

                            

TWO DIRECTOR SLOTS ARE TO BE ELECTED for the 2010-2012 slots

Nominations from the floor were:

K9QZI    Milt Forsberg

WD9CIR  Stephen Craig

 

 

 

 

 

WD9SHSY made a motion that all nominees be declared elected for the two biard member slots.

 

Accepted by voice vote.

 

 

 

Old Business:

 

n                   Discussed location for IRA annual meetings.  general consensus that the EASTLAND SUITES facility, Bloomington, IL continues to be a good location.   2011 meeting will be arranged for the same facilities (2011 Meeting will be :    Saturday April 16th   2011).

 

New Business:

 

 

Repeater Coordination software: N9JWI made a motion to donate $200 to Dave Karr, developer for the coordination toolkit, Seconded by KB9APW.  Motion passed by voice vote.

 

Donation to ARRL Spectrum Defense Fund: Board presented their ecommendation that $500. be donated to the fund, similar to donation action in 2008.  KA9KDC presented motion, Seconded by WD9HSY.  Motion passed by voice vote.

 

Simplification of some data changes in coordinated repeater parameters: KD9Q/president stated the actions the board took at board meeting for Administration-only changes to repeater data, that will not require adjacent state acceptance and construction intervals before change being made.  The adminstration of callsogn changes when there is no change to the “HOC” (Holder of Coordination) will be handled by the Coordinator and not require re-coordination or detailed paper work.

 

Recognition of “former” technical committee lead KA9FLX: K9SI proposed recognition be considered by board/amount of funds to be up to board for award. KA9ZXN second.  Voice vote passed.

 

---------------

General discussion topics (no specific motions):

 

Simplification of some data changes in coordinated repeater parameters: KD9Q/president stated the actions the board took at board meeting for Administration-only changes to repeater data, that will not require adjacent state acceptance and construction intervals before change being made.  The adminstration of callsogn changes when there is no change to the “HOC” (Holder of Coordination) will be handled by the Coordinator and not require re-coordination or detailed paper work.

 

Online / Electronic coordination updates:

v      W9XA queried about online interfaces for annual updates

v      Aaron/coordinator  pointed out the needed front-end work & effort

v      KD9Q stated issues on authentication, signatures / account management, etc, would be additional concerns and overhead.

v      KA9FUR discussed what present software  can support, and the current bar code and SW implementations

v      KC6VVT suggested that a National (NFCC?) discussion be had on electronic coordination  / online capabilities.

v      Aaron/coordinator stated that present system does allow for “electronic” communication, such as PDF files of the returned forms, and the use of bar code form reading at his end.

 

D-STAR Digital registration for Simplex system: presently only repeaters and their related link usages are coordinated by IRA.   Other forms of simplex usage may be volunteered to IRA, but is not coordinated.

 

ARRL Repeater Directory listings/conern over some attributes and their verification: KC6VVT stated that some attributes such as Emergency access, ARES RACES affliation, emergency power are not accurate.   Question those that are listed.   KA9FUR pointed out that the ARRL sets the features that can be listed, and issues with the set of features provided should go to the ARRL editor , Steve Ford --  IRA data for such features is what ever the repeater system said they are – we can not enforce their listing of such codes.

 

 

 

 

 

Adjournment: There being no further business before the body a motion to adjourn was made by WD9HSY and seconded by W9XA and approved by a unanimous voice vote. The meeting was adjourned at _11:05 AM

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Larry Schroeder, KA9KDC

Secretary /Treasurer

Illinois Repeater Association Inc.

 

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BOARD of DIRECTORS MINUTES

 

April 24, 2010

 

The meeting of the Board of Directors of the Illinois Repeater Association was called to order by IRA President KD9Q  at  11:14  AM at the   Eastland Suites Bloomington/Normal, Illinois.

 

IRA Officers Present:  President KD9Q - Vice President Timothy Childers, KB9FBI- Secretary/Treasurer Lawrence Schroeder, KA9KDC - Directors: Allen Wolfe, K9SI – William Kraus, KA9FER, Milt Forsberg K9QZI, and Stephen Craig, WD9CIR   ,

 

IRA officers absent:  None.

 

Committee and Frequency Coordinator Appointments: President appointed Aaron Collins, N9OZB to serve as Frequency Coordinator for the next year.

WD9CIR moved and K9SI seconded that this appointment be confirmed.

 

KD9Q Appointed  <no – one> ____ to serve as IRA Technical Committee Chairman.

- as search for candidate is in progress.   In mean time Board director: KA9FER will aid in technical consultation when needed.

 

KD9Q appointed Fred Seibold, W9FWS, to serve as Newsletter Editor.

 

WD9CIR  moved and KB9FBI seconded a motion that these appointments be confirmed.

 ** passed by a unanimous voice vote.

 

MACC Director Appointments: KD9Q appointed KB9FBI and W9GIG to serve as MACC Directors for the next 12 months, and N9OZB to serve as MACC Frequency Coordinator.

 

WD9CIR moved and _KB9FBI seconded a motion that the IRA Board of Directors confirm these appointments.  Motion passed by unanimous voice vote.

 

NFCC Delegate: K9QZI moved and KB9FBI_ seconded a motion that: “The IRA President shall cast all NFCC ballots on behalf of the IRA, and that the IRA Vice President shall do so in the absence or incapacity of the IRA President, or by the direction of the IRA President.”  Motion passed by unanimous voice vote.

 

KA9KDC proposed and motioned that a plaque recognition be provided to Bob Hajek and Bob Shepard for upto $100.00 each.   Second by KA9FER. Voice vote = passed.

 

Adjournment: KA9FER   moved and KB9FBI seconded that the IRA Board of Directors meeting be adjourned.  Motion passed by unanimous voice vote. 

 

The meeting adjourned at 11:17 AM April 24, 2010.

Respectfully submitted,

Larry Schroeder, KA9KDC

Secretary/Treasurer,

Illinois Repeater Association Inc.