Month: August 2021

President: Garry Wheatley, KD4GCY
Vice President: Jeff Wielgos, KB9BVL
Scribe: Ruben Fuentes, WB5WTF
Treasurer: Roger Good, KC4WPS

Minutes for the Paducah Amateur Radio Association (PARA) Meeting

August 9, 2021 @ 7:00 p.m.

Location: Heartland Church, 4777 Alben Barkley Dr, Paducah, KY

The meeting was called to order at 7:00  p.m., by club Vice President, Jeff (KB9BVL), and he led the membership in the Pledge of Allegiance to the US Flag.  There were 14 members in attendance.

An announcement was made that club President Garry’s (KD4GCY) brother was involved in a serious motorcycle accident yesterday, and the group prayed for Garry and his family.

The Minutes of the July meeting were read and a motion was made and carried to approve the Minutes as read.

The Treasurer’s report was read by Roger (KC4WPS).  Roger reported that he’d paid the cost for an invoice received for the Club’s website domain, in the amount of $20.00. Paul (ND4X) made a motion to reimburse Roger for this expenditure and Jeff (KM4LDP) seconded it.  The motion carried.  There was discussion carried over from the July meeting regarding the generator that needs to be repaired.  Following the discussion, Don (KC4DR) made a motion to authorize up to $300 to be spent for the generator to be fixed.  Eddie (AC9OO) seconded the motion and it carried.  Roger also reported that there are 49 current club members.  A motion was made and seconded to approve the financial report and it carried.

There was a discussion about our club’s membership list being shared outside the group.  No vote was taken but it was the group’s consensus that the list not be shared with outsiders.

President Jeff (KB9BVL) led a discussion regarding upcoming changes with the way weather alerts are put out to the public by the National Weather Service.  He introduced the membership to a couple of new weather websites titled: windy.com and weather.cod.edu.

Paul (ND4X) reminded everyone that the Kentucky Parks on the Air (POTA) is this coming Saturday.

Everyone was also reminded that just prior to our next club meeting there will be another “tailgate” event, this time in the parking lot of Heartland Church, where our club meeting will be.

Meeting called to order 7:00 P.M. by President Garry Wheatley. West Kentucky Community and Technical College, 4810 Alben Barkley Dr. Paducah KY 42001 in the Conference Room.

President Wheatley opened the meeting by leading the group in a pledge to the American flag.

• Treasurer’s report given by Roger (KC4WPS). We spent $225.68 for field day expenses
• The minutes from the June meeting were read.
• The Treasurer’s report and Secretary minutes were voted on and accepted.
• Dave N4QS was interviewed by the Central Arizona DX Association about his remote radio stations. You can see the interview at https://w4nja.org/para-members-in-the-news/
• President Wheatley thanked Mike (WA4ER) for the use of his property for 2021 Field Day and then had everyone introduce themselves to the group. 
• There were two visitors, Patty Beechum and Lloyd Baker.
• Charlie (K9DUE) reported that the Metropolis (Massac County Amateur Radio) Club is restarting it’s monthly meetings on the third Wednesday of each month.  He and Ruben (WB5WTF) also reported on the Massac Club’s plans to use hams at the annual Fort Massac Encampment in October, which draws thousands of visitors.  All of the Paducah hams were invited to participate.
• There was a discussion about filling the vacant Secretary position and the need for a new office of Web Administrator.
• Roger (KC4WPS) volunteered to be Web Administrator.
• Ruben (WB5WTF) volunteered to be Secretary (Scribe).
• It was decided that the “swap meet” held before the meeting had been a success and a second “swap meet” will be held in the parking lot of WKCTC at 5:00 p.m. before the September 13th PARA meeting.

• President Wheatley also reported on the following:
  • Jeff’s (KM4LDP) medical status, saying a procedure he had done today went well.  The group was encouraged to pray for his recovery.
  • The National Weather Service is getting ready to change the way in which certain alerts are made to the public by going to a three-tier system.

• There was discussion about a problem with a generator that was used for Field Day and it was decided that Garry (KD4GCY) will go by Mike’s and pick up both generators and take them where they need to go.
• The Motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Bruce (KS4V) and seconded by Ruben (WB5WTF) and it carried.