METRO DX CLUB MEETING MINUTES – June 15, 2012

The meeting was called to order at 7:37 by President Bob Jacobson, K9CJ. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, as there were several visitors, introductions were made by all.

Health & Welfare: Jack, W9NJB, has both good and bad days. Al, W9YYG, had planned to attend the meeting but was unable due to severe foot pain following dialysis.

Printed minutes of the April meeting were distributed. Passage of minutes was moved by K9TP and seconded by N9TK. Motion passed.

W9ILY gave the Treasurer’s Report of $264.41 cash on hand and $881.75 in our checking account for a total of $1,146.06. Multiple expenditures and receipts were described to the members including new member dues from W4REX and $117.00 from WUST awards. Expenses included $100 for a donation to the NH8S DXpedition, $71.72 for WUST handouts, $56.50 for WUST expenses and $84.00 for caps. Report was approved.

Current DXpeditions: The 1AØC operation will occur from July 1-4. The NH8S Swains DXpedition will occur September 4-18.

Dayton news: Bob, N9ORD, reported that the Metro DX club booth at Dayton organized by Bob and Phil, N9LAH, was a success.

Contest Report by Jim, NV9X, our Contest Chairman: In the interest of saving some time, rather than a verbal report all members should check the Metro WEB site for results of current contest efforts. Members should send results of their contesting to Jim, NV9X, and John W9ILY. The upcoming contest noted by NV9X was Field Day.

Applications for club membership and $10 dues were received from four new members: Carl, K9CS, John, K9DRS, Don, K9NR and Chuck, WV9C. New member certificates will be mailed. Welcome!!

New Business: Our annual picnic will be held on August 18 at the QTH of N9LAH in Chebanse, just south of Kankakee off I-57. K9TP, the picnic coordinator, made a brief report. Whether the club would provide funds for the meat dishes at the picnic was discussed and it was moved by N9ORD and seconded by N9TK that the club supply the meat dishes. Motion passed.

Donations: A donation to the NCDXF was discussed at length and WB9Z pointed out that the NCDXF made an initial donation of $40,000 to the VP8ORK DXpedition. Due to the extremely high cost of that operation, NCDXF made an additional $10,000 donation. WB9Z highly endorses NCDXF. A Metro donation to NCDXF of $50.00 was passed by voice vote.

A request for a donation that had been received from an upcoming DXpedition to V85 was discussed and dismissed.

WUST Award update: Currently, 11 club members and 52 non-members have been issued WUST Awards with the most recent being WB9Z and N9TK.

Metro Challenge and Diamond DXCC: An update was made by W9ILY. K9BWQ leads in both categories and additional member participation is needed.

Field Day was discussed. There will not be a club operation this year. N9TK will have a CW operation from his home QTH in class 1D.

General Discussion: We were pleased to have Chuck, WV9C, present at this meeting. Chuck is the State Representative for the 37^th District in Illinois and gave the membership a detailed report of how passage of HB-1390 in the Illinois Legislature was accomplished. This is the Illinois ordinance that is modeled after the Federal PRB-1 rules effecting antenna installations and Illinois will be the 29^th state with similar statutes. Thanks to Chuck for his explanation.

A split-the-pot drawing was held and was won by Delores, the XYL of Frank, K9BWQ.

A flyer advertising “DX’ing from the Black Hole” that is being offered on September 14 in conjunction with W9DXCC was distributed.

A motion to close the meeting was made at 8:20 by N9ORD with N9TK seconding. Motion passed.

Jerry, WB9Z, then entertained the group with a very interesting presentation of his adventure at Malpelo, HKØNA. Jerry announced that the club member who had worked HKØNA on the most band slots would be presented with “a piece of the rock”. George, K9GA, won the competition by working them on 18 band slots!

Meeting attendees:

Current members: K9BWQ, K9CC, K9CJ, K9GA, K9PMV, K9PY, K9TP, N9LAH, N9ORD, N9TK, NV9X, W9AEB, W9ILY, WB9Z, WF9V.

New members: K9CS, K9DRS, K9NR, WV9C.

Guests: K9BWQ XYL Delores, N9TGR, NV9L, W9TTT.

Respectfully submitted by John Holmes, W9ILY, Secretary/Treasurer.