[HATS] Report on HATS Meeting - 14MAY04

[MacAllister, Andrew [EPM/HOU]]

Greetings!

The HATS meeting last night produced excellent results on the business side,
started with a fine dinner at Chili's, and ended with a superb presentation
by Ed N5EM.

Business items:

1.  Bank account balance over $1000.
2.  No new members or renewals this month (4 last month).
3.  Vote was taken to allow Andy W5ACM to purchase a Dracom 300VMF-57
modulator for the repeater.
4.  Ed N5EM and Don WB2GWV will take care of bank account access issues on
May 17th.
5.  Charlie K5ENG to investigate any potential repeater trustee issues.
6.  Tony N5RPQ to coordinate with building folks for our upcoming trips to
the repeater.
7.  Andy W5ACM to alert Texas VHF-FM folks when the repeater is back on the
air for tests.

The business meeting portion was rather "spirited", but Don kept it all
running in spite of Andy!  On technical issues, we discussed the specs on
the new modulator vs. those expected from any units that might become
available from Bill N5MBM.  We would like to have a backup unit or two from
Bill for the future.  Ed discussed the commercial aural transmitter and
described his progress with a new one that he is building.  All of the other
repeater gear from the power supplies to the antennas are in great shape.

Ed's presentation focused on his recent project to provide TV for the Red
Cross and the MS-150.  He put together an 8-Watt AM transmitter and receiver
system on ~915 MHz.  Using two Yagi antennas (one at the transmitter for the
Red Cross van and one at the receive site), the signal reports were
excellent, and HATS gets another "win" due to Ed's efforts.  Ed brought in
all of the gear to aid in the presentation.

The new modulator has been ordered, and should be here within two weeks.  A
subsequent trip to the repeater will be scheduled.  We are looking forward
to good P5 signals soon!

C U @ the next HATS Meeting on June 9th,

de Andy W5ACM