Category: Meeting Minutes

The report, as sent through the magic of the interweb was accepted and approved by the members. If I could only get the interweb to write the minutes…..

There wasn’t a treasurer’s report this month because Pat was in Ireland looking for leprechauns and a pot of gold. 

94 paid for 2025 and a bunch that are delinquent for 2024. If you are in “arrears” PAY YOUR DUES!

Submitted by Dick W1REJ

No repeater report this month but since the repeater is working then it speaks for itself. 

Nothing this month…

George is working with a group to communicate with the ISS (International Space Station) in the future. We will be the radio connection for the group. There will be more details as things are worked out.

 Club Flea. Dan K1RAU brought up the Club Flea in April. Should we continue or not? The club voted to continue.

George asked about who has the definitive list of club equipment. (I believe that Herb started a list a few years ago but I’m not sure if it’s been kept up to date

June 19, 2025. 6:30 social 1/2 hour and the meeting will start promptly at 7pm. Location is St. Francis Episcopal Church, 70 Highland St., Holden, MA. (or Zoom if you prefer)

7:11pm. I think that is a speed record for a CMARA meeting!

Gil WK1H presented the plans, hopes and aspirations for Field Day. Great presentation!

I have to admit that I missed most of the board meeting. I totally forgot that it was happening and I got in late. 

The only thing of note was that Nick W1NMR talked to Kurt and all is well on the hill for us to remain.

Through the magic of the internet the secretary’s was distributed, read and amazingly accepted by the members. 

Total balance at last report (March 2025): $12,306.38

April Financial Report

• Income
  • Annual Dues: $ 20.00 (1 member)
  • New members: $25.00 (1 prospective members)
• Expenses
  • Club USPS annual post box fees: $ 248.00
• TD Bank Balances
  • $11,779.38
• Cash-on-hand
  • $324.00

Total Funds in the Treasury

• $12,103.38

New Member Applications

• Jack Sullivan (KC1WBZ)

Notes

• TD Bank account min balance to avoid fees: from $1,500 to $2,500
• Zelle online payment setup in TD Bank – information on website
• TD Bank balance includes $100 for coffee fund
• Name badges: Jim Singer investigating

Patrick Perkins
KO1NE
CMARA, Treasurer
(m): 508.667.6335

Kudos to the repeater committee for keeping W1BIM among the best repeaters in New England!

MEMBERS PAID DUES FOR 2025 :  64  

MEMBERS NOT PAID FOR 2025 : 56

MEMBERS NOT PAID FOR 2024 : 28

TOTAL MEMBERSHIP FOR CMARA: 148

73, Dick / W1REJ

There wasn’t any old or new business so we closed the meeting and went to the Annual Flea.

Thursday May 15, 2025 at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 70 Highland St., Holden, MA. (or Zoom if you prefer) Doors will be open at 6pm and Zoom link up at 6pm (maybe)

Lots of junk treasures changed hands and there was plenty of BS (Brotherly Speech) between the attendees.

7pm start time

In attendance, Connor, Dan, Tom S, Nick and Tom C.

Reminder about the meeting date change.

Secretary to send reminder about the date change.

Field Day Security

We need to remember to not leave radios and equipment unsecured. Trout Brook is a public site and anyone can access it.

Bylaws and succession plan

We need to address the succession plan for the repeater trustees in the bylaws.

ARDC. (Amateur Radio Digital Communications) 

There was some discussion about this but didn’t write it down.

he Secretary’s report was entered into the historical record with no hiccups, geddups or gitalongs.

Total balance at last report (January 2025): $12,098.91

February Financial Report

• Income
  • Annual Dues: $ 197.13 (17 members + 1 donation)
  • New members: $43.12 (none)
• Expenses
  • Web hosting fees:   $107.57
  • Web domain renewal: $ 48.34
• TD Bank Balances
  • $11,725.25
• Cash-on-hand
  • $458.00 

Total Funds in the Treasury

• $12,183.25

New Member Applications

• Ray Kagels (KC1WCN)
• Preston Sturdevant (NCS)

Notes

• Zelle online payment setup in TD Bank – information on website
• TD Bank balance includes $100 for coffee fund
• Name badges: Jim Singer investigating

Patrick Perkins
KO1NE
CMARA, Treasurer
(m): 508.667.6335

We have 105 paid members and 28 deliquent.

DUES ARE DUE!

73, Dick / W1REJ

Working fine.

Need badges.

We are looking into a badge printer. Jim and/or Tom G will do research.

Possible speaker, former astronaut Ken Camerton

• March – Introduction/ overview to 3D Printing – Connor KC1MMT
• April  – CMARA Flee??
• May – Field Day Planning 
• June – Last Minute Field Day Prep

Thursday, March 20, 2025 at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 70 Highland St., Holden, MA. (or Zoom if you prefer) Doors will be open at 6pm and Zoom link up at 6pm (maybe)

Gil WK1H presented the program on ‘Volunteering for the Boston Marathon’. It takes almost 300 ham radio volunteers to make the event go smoothly and YOU are needed.

7pm start time

In attendance, Jim, Dan, Tom G, Greg, Gil, George, Nick and Connor

Gil noted that Pat needs help finding a badge printer.

Connor will do a program on “Intro to 3d printing”.

April will be the annual Flea

Nick brought up that the Quincy VHF repeater is getting kicked out of it’s site and that Marlborough my lose its spot..

Even though my note taking ability is a still a bit strained we managed to get reasonable notes taken and properly transcribed for the December. The minutes as written in the official CMARA minutes…(that’s kind of redundant) were approved by all present.

Total balance at last report (December 2024): $12,047.23

January Financial Report

• Income
  • Annual Dues: $ 451.68 (17 members + 1 donation)
  • New members: $0 (none)
• Expenses
  • Deposit for Field Day 2025 site (Troutbrook Holden): $400.00
• TD Bank Balances
  • $11,690.91
• Cash-on-hand
  • $408.00

Total Funds in the Treasury

• $12,098.91

New Member Applications

• None received

Notes

• Zelle online payment setup in TD Bank – still learning how to use best
• TD Bank balance includes $100 for coffee fund
• Name badges: continuing…

Patrick Perkins
KO1NE
CMARA, Treasurer
(m): 508.667.6335

Lots of members and folks paying their dues. Which reminds me…

DUES ARE DUE!

73, Dick / W1REJ

The machine on the big hill is still working like a champ.

There is a new payment option on the website. I’m not sure what it is due to sloppy note taking but you will see it there somewhere.

The SURVEY about changing the meeting start time. 52% vote to keep it the same. 1% didn’t care. 47% voted for change. So for the time being we will continue to meet at 7pm.

I spilled the beans earlier in the minutes but we have a new website look. Check it out at ‘www.cmara.org’. Many thanks to Tom N1TJC for all the hard work.

Thursday, February 20, 2025 at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 70 Highland St., Holden, MA. (or Zoom if you prefer) Doors will be open at 6pm and Zoom link up at 6pm (maybe)

Gil WK1H presented the program on ‘Volunteering for the Boston Marathon’. It takes almost 300 ham radio volunteers to make the event go smoothly and YOU are needed.

We are still working on a new vendor. Film at 11.

Tom C N1TJC has all the credentials and new look is active.

The current laptop doesn’t have Power Point. We approved $ to but Office 365.

The members voted to keep the meeting time the same.

Wrapped up and paid for!

Another group would like permission to use our repeater as an emergency back up to their emergency system. All approved and Greg will make the proper contact.

We will take up the by-law changes that got abandoned when covid closed everything down. The last known revision will be sent to the board by Greg. This is like déjà vu all over again…and again.