VVARA Secretary: Roy W. Weise
Minutes Status: APPROVED by voice vote

  
VERDE VALLEY AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION

Secretary's Report 
  
Date:  Feb 21st,  2007 
  
General Meeting__x_ or Board Meeting___
  
Location:  Public Safety Building, Cottonwood, AZ 
  
Attendance:           Visitors___1__ 
                      Members__38_    Meeting called to order @ 1900 hrs. 
  
Old Business:   
  
The Treasurers report and the January meeting minutes were approved by voice vote.  
  
Program:  Jack Crabtree, W7JLC gave an overview of the APRS (Automatic Position 
Reporting System). To demonstrate the operation of the APRS system, Mike Wingate 
drove around Cottonwood with his APRS radio and his position was shown on the 
computer screen map and his position was updated about every 30 seconds.  Jack also 
showed the results of APRS systems aboard weather balloons as part of his special 
balloon launch projects he conducts with various high schools and Universities around 
the state.  Thanks to Jack for an informative program. 
  
More Old Business:   

The Joint YARC and VVARA Ham Radio Swap Meet is scheduled for Sat. June 2nd at 
Granite Mtn. Middle School.   
  
The joint YARC and VVARA Field Day committee is working together to plan Field 
Day and to obtain a permit from Forest Service for the parking lot at top of Mingus
Mtn. (Highway 89-A). Field Day will be June 23-24, 2007. 

New Business: 
  
Ernie Cummings, K6XF, gave a brief history of the VVARA website  citing the great 
increase in the numbers of persons checking into the website.  .  Ernie went over his 
efforts to update and edit the web pages after taking over as temporary webmaster in 
January.  Ernie announced that Chris Hancock, KC6UUG, had recently agreed to take 
over as full-time webmaster for the club website. 
  
American Flag Purchase.   An indoor flag set (a 3' x 5' flag), an 8 foot oak pole with on 
eagle on top and weighted gold finished plastic base was purchased for a cost of  $163.87 
incl. shipping. Al Barber, AA7OV, was thanked for his generous donation of $50 toward 
the flag purchase while the remaining cost came from the club treasury. The Flag will be 
donated to the chief of Police for use in this conference room. 
  
Steve Pearson recommended that 2 small plaques be purchased for the Kenwood 570-D 
radio and Astron power supply donated to the club in memory of John Colton Jr. 
KD7NGB.  Mel will look into getting the engraved brass plaques and will send them to 
Steve. 
  
House Bill 2595.  Mel reported on club actions in support of this bill which contains 
language which would allow for "reasonable accommodation" for Amateur Radio 
antennas and related structures by CCRs and HOAs. Craig Dibble, KB6LAK, prepared 
letters along with enclosures related to ARES/RACES providing emergency 
communications during past wild fires and floods to be sent, in the name of the club, to 
our State representatives requesting their support on this bill  
  
VE Testing Schedules were announced 
  
Motion:   Ernie Cummings, K6XF, made a motion that the club purchase an LCD 
projector for use in presentations at club meetings.  The motion carried. Bob Thompson, 
Mike Wingate, WA6LSE, and Ralph Gendron, W7HAM, were appointed to study the 
best available projector for our use and to report their findings to the Board 
  
Public Relations: Bob Rosevear WB7RRQ will be asked to assist the club in getting out 
public relations information on meetings and events to the news media, newspapers and 
radio/TV  
  
Audit Committee:  Don Rader, N7HYH, and Al Witte, KD7LZE will be asked to serve as 
an audit committee again this year to review the 2006 club treasury books. 
  
50/50 Raffle:  Total pot was $29.  $14.50 won by Pete Morrison, K6VVR