Net Minutes

date

2021-02-16

opened

20:00

closed

20:36

Check-ins (23)

• Matthew Barry (KG5LYE)
• John “Pocat” Walpole (K5ZY)
• Bill Rose (K5WTR)
• Avery McIntosh (N7ALM)
• Don Ling (WB5CKO)
• Clint Loggins (KG5OQV)
• Ralph Cobb (W5RYC)
• Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)
• Jim Snell (WA5PMO)
• Rick Pfeil (KI5DUJ)
• Randy Field (K5RLF)
• Garrett Martin (W5HVS)
• Zach Browne (KG5SDH)
• Harold Turbyfill (KG5SDG)
• Ron Hambric (N5SBN)
• Mark Coppock (KG5PDT)
• Paul Bilke (KF5WGJ)
• Bennie Naiser (KA5TWB)
• Gerald Golub (W5VUI)
• Jeremy Carter (KF5YAA)
• Phil Gates (N5ZKF)
• Dick Zimmer (W5DZ)
• Joe Napoli (KG5SDF)

Officer Reports

President Phil Gates (N5ZKF)

• Does anyone need help with anything during this cold snap?
  • nothing heard
  • No news is good news…
  • Be sure that you’re taking care of yourself and others
  • Red Cross and TAMU have Reed Arena where you can keep warm
  • Homeless shelter still has beds and warmth
  • TAMU has cancelled work and classes through Thursday
  • cell service and Ham Radio have held up well
    • thanks to all who maintain this infrastructure!
• Not much on the air due to rolling blackouts.
• Club meeting this weekend: 2021-02-20
  • Brief presentation by N5ZKF (and door prize!)

Vice-President Rick Pfeil (KI5DUJ)

• Alternate Field Day locations:
  • Veterans Park or Sue Haswell Park
• Stay warm and stay off the roads if possible

Secretary Matthew Barry (KG5LYE)

• minutes at conclusion of net
• See you at the meeting

Treasurer Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)

• Current balance: 5821.09
• 26 Renewals
  • 59 members last year
  • hopefully more in PO Box

Announcements / Comments

Questions for conversation: Have you ever used ham radio for any emergency communications? Are you using emergency power for the cold snap?

Gerald Golub (W5VUI)

• got to run impromptu net when tornadoes came through Snook area
  • had record rainfall
• called National Weather Center in Houston and relayed info through repeater
• Running gas-powered stove, fireplace, and generator.

Ron Hambric (N5SBN)

• ARES on standby for emergency communications if necessary
• few members on standby for Winlink
• operating on battery

Phil Gates (N5ZKF)

• before cell phones, got to call in to 911 using ham radio at scene of accident
• power is hour on, hour off
• W5VUI: I remember that; it happened on Mary Lake

Joe Napoli (KG5SDF)

• have a tub of water and drinking water standing by in case pipes break

Bill Rose (K5WTR)

• not BTU’s fault: ERCOT’s fault:
  • mandated that BTU back down by 100 MW
  • system peak maximum is 3 times that
• will be fined large amounts if they produce above that amount
• W5VUI: blackouts are political; not technical
  • Texas senate will investigate
• N5ZKF: I used to work at BTU and remember having to deal with ERCOT
  • some outages are due to power distribution system
  • poor planning: other power generation methods have been taken offline

Clint Loggins (KG5OQV)

• anyone with diesel pickups:
  • we should be done with temperature below 10°F
  • fuel has gelled up, leaving some stranded

Mark Coppock (KG5PDT)

• thanks to VEs who helped with the exams last Saturday
• upgraded to general!

Info Exchange

Bennie Naiser (KA5TWB)

• have a reverse-threaded antenna if anyone wants:
  • Diamond RT-771 wide band antenna