ARFON REPEATER GROUP MINUTES OF AGM 2007 HELD AT THE BARCUD STUDIO CAERNARFON  14/06/06 at 7.30 P.M.

The meeting was opened at 19:30 by the Chairman Brian Davies (GW4KAZ) who welcomed all to the meeting. The Secretary John (GW0AQR) read apologies from members not attending. There were 17 members attending the AGM.

READING OF MINUTES

            The minutes of AGM 2006 were read and Max (MW1KDP) proposed acceptance seconded by Bob (MW0RHD). The members voted on the motion and the minutes were approved. The secretary stated that the membership had fallen over the previous year to 37, 50 being the number required to finance the group in a year.

treasurer's report

             Brian gave Caerwyn’s apology for non attendance due to illness and passed the floor to John (GW0AQR) to read the financial details.

The income on the year against the expenditure gave a variance of £15.41. John pointed out that there had been little or no expenditure during the previous year and had there been any need for maintenance or repair the funds would have been depleted, and that even the overall balance of £1827.63 was not excessive if any commercial work were carried out at our repeater sites when riggers cost £250.00 per hour.

            The total membership during 2006/7 was 37.

            Max (MW1KDP) proposed acceptance of the account and was seconded by Dafydd (MW0AQZ). The meeting supported the resolution and the motion carried.

CHAIRMAN'S report

GB3DW: Pentrefelin The only repeater this previous year to operate without fault.

GB3GW: Pentrefelin The ATV repeater had a access problems, this was just before Easter, this as attended to by Derek GW3FDZ, the repeater was taken from site and repaired, all is well at this time.

GB3TM: Nebo Amlwch This again an ATV repeater the problem at this repeater was the 10GHz, 3cms receive system became faulty; David GW8PBX the repeater keeper was attending to the problem. The fault has been identified and repairs are at this time taking place. The 23cms system of GB3TM has been very reliable with no problems.

GB3AN: Nebo Amlwch The problem we are experiencing with this repeater on one of drift on the tone burst pll circuit, it keeps on drifting, Brian said that the period between having to reset the system is quite long, and with the repeater located in a metal cabinet, it is subject to large temperature variations, which does not help.GB3TM is also located in the same cabinet.

GB3AR Waunfawr: In the last few months the output of the repeater has been intermittent. Brian attended the site and removed the tx, switched it on, on the bench at his qth, and all was fine! He could not locate a fault. He called on Ray GW7CMF, he immediately identified it as hairline cracks between the driver and pa transistors. The answer a large soldering iron and solder. Reheat and solder the joints. The problem has reoccurred one since, again a repair made with a larger soldering iron. All is well at this time.

Echolink Patrick GW1SXN is still doing an excellent job of being sysop for this network. It’s been operational now for 18 months. Patrick has installed the latest Echolink software with no problems. I have been testing an old Pye Europa for Patrick to install at his qth on Echolink; it seems to be working fine. This will release Patrick’s own transceiver, which has been in use on Echolink. We are looking for a handheld for this purpose, preferably with CTCSS installed.

Constructional Problems:

GB3AR, Brian stated that he had attended the site recently with a representative of the site owners. Who informed him that a charge would be made on us if we need to work on the antennas; this is in the region of £250 per day per person. Brian then stated that we need to look at alternatives to supporting the antennas on site.

GB3AN and GB3TM, both repeaters are in a metal cabinet, the cabinet is getting rusty especially at welded joints, and at the bottom of the access door. Repairs / replacement will have to be considered before winter, as the cabinet is now leaking water.

My thanks go to the following:

National Grid for the site at Amlwch. Scottish Power, Manweb for Pentrefelin and Waunfawr. Coleg Menai, we still have radio equipment on site, and Barcud for this room this evening.

Danny GW7BZR for donation of LDF4-50 coaxial cable.

The Dragon Radio Club for donation of £25.

Pat GW6IMS for donation of 80 Meter EH Antenna, this to be sold by the group to raise money.

Any Questions?

3. Election of Committee:

Brian stated that Jim GW0ENT was retiring, from the committee and that he would like to thank Jim for his work on the committee, he was a great help in the days of packet radio, and I thank him for his advise through the years. The Chairman then declared that the current committee stood down and that they were prepared for re-election, although he would dearly like to see some new blood on the committee..

            Dafydd MW0NCO proposed that Brian be chairman and this was seconded, John (GW0AQR) pointed out that as there were no other candidates for committee  that the practice of voting for the reinstatement of the retiring committee should be Voted upon, this was agreed and the motion was seconded by Max MW1KDP, the vote was taken and the motion passed.

            John (GW0AQR) proposed that the vacant position be filled by Patrick GW1SXN this was seconded by Brian GW4KAZ the motion was voted on and approved.

The committee elected are therefore.

Chairman         B.V.DAVIES                    GW4KAZ

                        Secretary         J.C.RICHARDS               GW0AQR

                        Treasurer         C.WILLIAMS                  GW6DOK

                        Member           M. HERON                     MW1KDP

                        Member           D. E. JONES                  GW7PBX

Member           W. JONES                      MW1WEJ

                        Member           P.O'BRIEN                     GW1SXN

4. A.O.B

Dafydd MW0NCO stated that in communication with the secretary that he was surprised that constitutional changes could not be brought up at the meeting but only at the next one with prior notice, John (Sec) pointed out that this was not the case, constitutional change could be made but would not be effective until 2007/8.

            Dafydd MW0NCO then proposed that the subscription to the group be raised to £10.00 this was seconded by Martin (GW3PRL) The motion was put to the vote and the motion carried by majority.

            John (GW0AQR) then offered for sale the antenna donated by Pat GW6IMS

            A proposal for another meeting of the group was discussed and it was agreed that the local clubs and the group would lease to pursue the idea of a “bring and buy, barbecue” or some such event.

    Dafydd (MW0CHZ) offered to donate a handheld transceiver to the group for use on Echolink, this was accepted by the group, and will be used at Patrick’s GW1SXN for the link to GB3AR.

Brian GW4KAZ thanked Dafydd for his generous the donation.

The meeting was closed at 09.00 p.m.

                             APPROVED...............................  

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