IaRC Board Minutes, October 6, 2019

Iowa Repeater Council

Board Meeting

October 6, 2019

 

1224 Meeting called to order. Tom Reis, Jason Skretta, Paul Crowley, Angie Paytes present.  Absent Ron Luse.

1st item on the agenda:  Discussion on adopting Wisconsin band plan as our band plan.

Angie made the motion to move forward by evaluating what to adopt and change based on Wisconsin’s Band Plan.  After this process has reached its completion, we would bring this back to the Iowa Repeater Council board for a vote.

Jason 2nd.

Discussion: Initial things to look at and evaluate.  Statewide itinerant frequency that maybe different from Wisconsin.  Possible changes in bandwidth/narrow banding.  How would we handle Amateur TV.

All in favor. Motion carried.

2nd.  If you haven’t recertified in 4 years, then you will be de-coordinated. There will be attempts and efforts to contact.  Shows Good Faith.

Tom made the motion that the Board directs the frequency coordinator to proceed with de-coordination of repeaters with no updates in the last 4 years or more.  Understanding that the frequency coordinator will make a good faith effort to contact any parties associated with the coordinated frequency.

Paul 2nd.

No Discussion

All in favor.  Motion carried.

3rd.  Online payment option for dues.  Vice President Jason to move this forward.

Paul made the motion by Jan 1, 2020 set up website and bank account to be able to accept online payments.

Tom 2nd.

Discussion: PayPal?

All in favor.  Motion carried

4th.  Tom made motion to set up a separate incoming payment account with Veridian Credit Union.

Paul 2nd.

No discussion.

All in favor.  Motion carried.

5th.  There are 68 members in groups IO list.

6th.  Tom made the motion for online coordination application by Jan 1, 2020 and Jason to work on this.

Angie 2nd.

No Discussion

All in favor.  Motion carried.

7th.  Misc items.

Discussed Bylaw update, renewal process and shared drives. Des Moines Hamfest we would present the 1st reading of the plan.  Cedar Rapids Hamfest we would vote for approval.

Board agrees to meet via tele conference to discuss bylaw changes and band plan adoptions.

Jason made a motion to adjourn.

Meeting adjourned 1:28 pm.

Angie Paytes

Secretary.

 

“Help Desk” well Received at Southeast Iowa Hamfest

IaRC’s Help Desk is proving quite useful.  The recent Southeast Iowa Hamfest allowed the Iowa Repeater Council to help solve repeater owners coordination issues.  The “Desk” was staffed with the Repeater Coordinator and several of the IaRC board members.  Several repeater owners took advantage of the service and were able to update their information on the IaRC database.  Look for the Help Desk at the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids hamfests.

Gelp Des

IaRC Coordinator’s Status Update

Here is the latest status of coordination as provided by Paul, WØYR.

14 repeaters fully coordinated

6 repeaters coordinated but waiting on pending approval from adjacent states

4 additional coordination requests processed (pending requester response for more information, frequency selection, or further action)

5 repeaters de-coordinated as per IaRC rules

54 other updates to the IaRC coordination database

All outstanding coordination records from 2018 and 2019 scanned into the coordination database on a per-repeater basis

All annual renewals from 2015, 2016, and 2017 are also now digitized into annual archives (thanks to NØVPR for his work scanning these documents)

 

At this point in time, ALL outstanding mail, paperwork, emails, etc have been opened and reviewed.  If you believe you have a pending application or action with the Iowa Repeater Council and have not heard from me yet, please contact me directly so we can develop a plan of action.  Email (coordinator@iowarepeater.org) is the preferred method of communication.

 

By now, you should have heard about our first-ever IaRC “Hamfest Helpdesk” at the SE Iowa Hamfest/Iowa State Convention coming up in West Liberty a little over a week from now.  Myself and a majority of the IaRC board will be in attendance.  I will be staffing a “Helpdesk” and will have the current coordination database as well as all of my tools and all current applications with me.  This is an opportunity for you to check on the status of current or pending applications, start a new coordination application, review and update your repeater information, or any other similar activity.  I hope to see many of you there.

 

The next Iowa Repeater Council Directory will be published prior to the SE Iowa Hamfest.  Printed copies will be available at the Hamfest, and PDF copies will be published on the IaRC website

In closing (and in the spirit of complete transparency) following are the current open items with me.

 

I have the following coordination applications in my workflow that currently require NO action by the applicant (but may as coordinations are completed):

  • Waiting on Frequency Coordinator (my) action/response on application: AA0OS, KE0POU, N0VPR
  • Pending adjacent state review: KE0SQA, N0PB0, AC0EC(x2), KN0BS, K0GH

 

The following repeaters have been coordinated into a 6-month “Under Construction” status and require confirmation from the applicant once the repeater is on-air:

  • KB0TLM  443.075
  • KE0EJS  146.775
  • K0FBP  442.500
  • KC0EEC  442.600
  • KD0MVJ  443.475
  • WA0SPF  443.350
  • N0ZHX  444.075
  • W0IW  444.650

 

Finally, the following repeaters require action from the applicant or other parties as noted here:

  • Waiting on frequency selection from applicant: WA0DX, K0MDL
  • Waiting on signed close-spacing agreement: K0CSQ
  • Waiting on response to notice of pending de-coordination by 9/29: KD9HAE
  • Waiting on response due to returned SK mail for Holder of Coordination: WA0GUD