March 14th, 2008 - World Radio Communication Conference 07, ITU, and More!
Notes Posted By Sheila Clarke on March 15th, 2008
The Vienna Wireless Society
Friday, March 14, 2008
The wee sound of “Gooble-ra-a-goo-ra”, our turkey gobbler’s Irish attempt at “Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ra” called the meeting to order at 7:33 pm by our President, Jim W4JTP.
ATTENDANCE: 49
NEW VISITORS: 6
Julie Zoller, Speaker
Guy Zoller, Julie’s Husband
Jon Silverling WB3ERA
Roger Oliva KC4VCD
John Edwards WA3LUH
Ione Quinn, Daughter of Member Tim Quinn KI4PVF
NEW LICENSES or UPGRADES:
Bob Spiller announced that he passed his Technician and General class tests and his new call sign is KJ4CNV (Everyone clapped!)
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1. Pete (our Treasurer) KG4OJT reported the financial results of our Winterfest hamfest last month. He said that we had 570 paying visitors. He then gave a breakdown of the various areas with an end result of approximately $4,300 profits for the club. (Everyone claps!) He then stated that the Northern Virginia Community College had also been paid for the use of their facility.
2. Dennis (our Vice President) WA4QMS who headed our Winterfest thanked everyone who participated especially Bernie N4JDF and Ann W4JDF Wimmers for their great job in handling the tables sales. (Everyone claps!) He then thanked Tom N4ZPT for all his hard work with the Consignment Sales. (Everyone claps!). His final announcement was that he agreed to be head of Winterfest 09. (Major clapping breaks out!) Then he coyly mentioned that it was only 11 months away and volunteers will be needed again. (Our contract has already been set for with the NVCC for 09 also.)
3. Jim AG4MA, announced our QRP In The Field will be held on April 26, 2008 in Glyndon Park in Vienna. He then passed out a list for members to sign that plan to come or help out. (Later in the evening, our President Jim W4JTP announced that the list had no sign-ups.) Jim also announced that a new lock is now on our Lock-Up area, which requires a password. So, anyone having an old key is to turn it into him.
4. Rick N6CY head of Field Day 08, announced that it would be held at Burke Lake on June 28-29. He mentioned that there is a lot of discussion on the Field Day Reflector forum about how to help cut down interference. Ideas for the best antenna locations to help get the best gain, etc. are welcomed. He also said that he needs volunteers to be Station Captains, help with generators, lock-up, tent set-up and Spud Gun work. Pete K6BFA is this year’s GOTA tent captain. Tim KI4PVF is going to head up an Educational Activity also.
5. Tom K4TCM proudly brought up the fact that VWS is usually in the top 10 in the 4A category for Field Day. Then he jokingly mentioned that the Range Safety Officer would enjoy having the spud guns now, rather than sling shots to use.
6. Jim, W4JTP announced that our former ARES club representative has moved. And that Tom N4ZPT is his replacement.
7. Tom, N4ZPT told members that he is an Assistant Emergency Coordinator for the Fairfax ARES organization. Then he informed every one of several upcoming events and that information and details will be on the Reflector. Anyone wanting to help is more than welcome and to contact him.
8. Kerry WA4BQM said that he is working to get the “Leading Edge” publication back. This is a technical journal that comes out once a year. He invited members to submit articles of a technical nature (experiments or adventures) to him by Field Day (June 28th). If you would like to write an article but haven’t a clue what to write about, Kerry said that he has ideas and is willing to assign topics to be written.
9. John KA4YMA said that he had a box of miscellaneous items in his truck from Winterfest also that he’ll bring in. He also brought the Spud Gun he made from Byron’s W4SSY class on March 1st for members to see.
10. Pete K6BFA is in charge of Field Day items (i.e. T-shirts, pins, hats, etc.) and that any member wishing to purchase something is to see him. He wants to get the order in after we have our first monthly April meeting on 4-11-08.
11. Steve N5SK said that he had some Ham books left from Winterfest that he’s going to offer for $10 each since they are old and if we hold them till Winterfest 09, they’ll just be older.
12. Kevin N4KL brought the Drake R4B that was from Len Hook’s estate. Since it didn’t sell at Winterfest, he cleaned and fixed it up and so it’s now in good shape for anyone who wants it.
13. Jim W4JTP acknowledged praise to Bernie N4JDF for his great photos in the Field Day display that Rick N6CY had set up in the back of the room.
He also announced that the table in the corner had donated items from Winterfest, which had not sold. They are free to take for the members. What’s not taken will be tossed in the garbage. A jar is there to place a dollar or whatever you wish to put in also.
He then mentioned that today was Pi Day and if anyone knew what that was! (Note: Pi is the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter and is a mathematical constant. Pi Day is observed on March 14 (3/14) because Pi is equal to approximately 3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971 etc.)
PRESENTATION:
Mike AE4R introduced Tim KI4PVF, who knows tonight’s speaker, Julie Zoller. (It was through Julie’s husband Guy, who Tim’s daughter, Ione, says is “the best Sunday school teacher.”) With that, Julie Zoller, Director of ITT’s Advanced Engineering & Sciences Division was introduced by Tim.
Mrs. Zoller chairs the Radio Regulations Board (RRB) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). She gave an interesting presentation that was a combination of information about the ITU, the World Radio Communication Conference (WRC-07) that was last Fall in Geneva, the Radio Regulations, and the RRB. She also gave WRC pins to all the members and visitors.
REFRESHMENTS:
Steve N5SK once again brought goodies for us. What would we do without him? :D
The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 pm. As we left, we all wished everyone a Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Happy St. Urho’s Day and a Happy Easter that was soon to come before our next meeting.
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