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Welcome to the MARC Newsletter a publication of the Michigan Area Repeater Council. This news letter is published quarterly in conjunction with the quarterly business meetings. If you prefer a non-columnized version of this newsletter click here for the wide version. |
| Please notice the new instructions added for the March electronic meeting. |
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This months board member editorial comes to us from Phil Manor, W8IC who has been with MARC as a coordinator for several years, and was elected as our Vice President last fall. Phil's wife Ann also serves as our Secretary making them a very dedicated team. From the VP Phil, W8IC The coordinating council is busy as usual. There is always a lot to do by this group of volunteers. Here is a quick look at some of our activities: Dave, our data base manager, has to look over all the incoming TDS renewal requests and check to see if there are changes which would require recoordination. If there are major changes, he passes the request off to the appropriate coordinator. If not, Dave, manually edits the MARC data base with any new info. This takes time and there are many coordinated systems in Michigan. Dave, our webmaster, then edits the web page. This is not done the same day. He may need a month or more to do web page updates. Dave is also our Treasurer. Ann is our secretary and does her best to provide an accurate and complete accounting of the club meetings. The minutes are printed in each newsletter and are available on the website. Our directors are also kept busy. Ron checks all the proposed repeater systems for proper data and, if correct, issues the MINO (Michigan Number) for it. Jim is our "enforcer", in a good way. He sends out the overdue letters to the trustees of repeaters which will inform them that a TDS is due or a decoordination will commence. Also, Jim will contact trustees of repeaters that have been reported to MARC as allegedly "off the air." Dan, along with putting together this newsletter, is our coordinator for 220 MHz and for all bands 900 MHz and above. He is also working hard developing new software to aid us in the complicated task of coordinating. Dan, I believe is currently up to date on all his repeater applications. I am, at present, coordinating 10 and 6 meters and 440 MHz analog repeaters. 440 MHz coordinations are new for me; I took them on in September 2009. However, I have been able to catch up quite a bit on 440 MHz. I am able to report that there are 9 new repeaters; also, 1 recoordination, 1 denial, and 5 more that I am waiting on for the applicants or other parties to supply the proper information. I also receive about 20 requests from out-of-state for adjacent state coordination approvals each month. These are currently up to date. Dennis has his presidential duties and is also a coordinator for 2 meters and 440 MHz digital. These are backlogged, but hopefully can be processed soon. Please remember that all this work is done on a volunteer basis, and is often very time consuming. I am happy to say that we have had an offer to help from a highly qualified ham and will try to work him into coordinating duties soon. Please visit the MARC web site. There is a lot of information available, and you will find everything you need to keep up your coordination or to request a new one. http://www.miarc.com/
Phil Manor
Database Managers Comments
We have a number of TDS forms that are overdue. In fact, over 20% of
the repeaters in our database are two or more year’s delinquent. So
take a minute and check your entry in the MARC Repeater Directory to
see if it is time to update your records. If you don’t find your repeater
listed that means that your repeater was removed because we have not received
an update in 3 or more years. The only exception is if you specifically
requested that your data not be published to the ARRL. If you don’t fall
in that category, MARC’s next step will be a notification of pending de-coordination.
The ARRL 2010 Repeater directory has gone to press as of January 29th.
Electronic Meeting Information: The March meeting is an Electronic Meeting! PHONE BRIDGE ONLY:
Dial In Number: 877-344-4249 WEBMEETING & Phone Bridge:
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Participation in the webmeeting is only needed for things like slideshow
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MARC Meeting Minutes
Date: December 5, 2009 Meeting called to order by Dennis Gaboury at: 1:00 PM.
Motion to approve minutes from the September meeting were made by Dan, second by Ron,
vote per electronic poll, minutes approved.
Old business: none New Business:
New Business: Phil proposed Resolution #13 under the DOG, as follows: Comments: Dennis stated he has about 75 MARC coordination related emails to go through. He has about 5 2-meter coordinations outstanding and the 440 digital backlog. He stated he that he will start addressing these in the next week.Dennis stated our 2 directors have completed an audit of the books, and it is current as of today’s date. Phil reported on 440 analog repeater new application statuses. He is trying to get caught up. He started with 14 coordination requests in September, dating back 2 years. Presently there are 2 that have been given provisional coordination, one denied. Phil is also waiting on information from 6 applicants or out of state coordinators. Four coordinations at the bottom of the list have not been started. Two 440 moves within their coordinated areas came in recently and are progressing. He hopes to be caught up soon. One of the major problems Phil has had to deal with is that many of these coordinations are being held up by the holders of the coordination (repeater sponsors) that have not released the coordination after selling their repeater to another Amateur who wants to get a coordination. Dan brought up some problems that can occur when a repeater sponsor dies, or when repeaters are sold. Dan suggested that bylaw additions should be implemented to address these situations. Dan will formulate a proposal(s) to be presented at the March MARC meeting. Also, a consensus of the board members at a previous meeting permitted repeater applications that are moving inside their coordinated area to be processed without being placed at the bottom of the repeater applications list. The current consensus is that this should be placed in the bylaws as well. Prior to the meeting, Dan will email a draft of the proposal(s) to the board members for their comments and suggestions. Next meeting: To be held electronically at 1 PM on March 6, 2010Adjornment:
Motion to adjourn made by Ron, seconded by Dan at 1:40 PM. Motion carried.
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Share Acct Money Market Checking Beginning Balance Income Interest December Interest January Dues Total Income Expenses None Reported Total Expenses Marc Funds as of 01/31/2010 Share Acct Money Market Checking Ending Balance |
$5.00 $4,384.01 $28.68 $4,417.69 $2.60 $2.60 $30.00 $35.20 $0.00 $5.00 $4,389.21 $58.68 $4,452.89 |
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December Meeting Information:
Saturday March 6 2010 |
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Directions:
For the Conference Bridge:
For the Web Meeting: |
| MARC Officers | Appointed Positions |
| President: Dennis Gaboury W8DFG | Frequency Coordinator 902MHz: & up Dan Thompson N8WKM |
| Vice President: Phil Manor W8IC | Frequency Coordinator 440MHz: Currently Unassigned |
| Secretary: Ann Manor KT8F | Frequency Coordinator Links & Control: Phil Manor W8IC |
| Treasurer: Dave Johnson WD8DJB | Database Manager: Dave Johnson WD8DJB |
| Director: Ron Gordon W8YUC | Newsletter Editor: Dan Thompson N8WKM |
| Director: James Kvochick WB8AZP |