Presidents Update..

A couple of major changes took place at our annual meeting. Along with the election of our three officers, mailing in your TDS’s will no longer be accepted. It must be sent in electronically. If you do not have access to a computer, one suggestion is go to your local library to send it in. Filing electronically makes our database mangers job a lot easier.

The second change is, until further notice, we will hold our meetings electronically. We will physically meet for our Annual meeting in September. A phone number will be sent out via of MARC News, along with the code to access the bridge we will be using if one wishes to participate in the meeting. Also if any documents that need to be viewed during the meeting a whiteboard will be used at the bridges website. Hopefully this will get more particapation for the meetings.

As you will see in the minutes, Abe W8HVG gave a presentation on 2M narrow-banded implimentation. Abe has volunteered to help with this form of communication in our band plan.

Remember, TDS’s are due yearly, but can go up to two years. Please help keep your information current in our Database. Trustee’s, if your in the red on our website, please submit a current TDS.

Our next meeting will be held electronically on December 6th, promptly starting at 1:00PM.

If anyone has any questions, you can reach the Board via of the website, or my phone number is 586-465-7126.
73,
Dennis, W8DFG
President

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Database Managers Corner:

We have a number of TDS forms that are overdue. So take a minute and check your entry in the MARC Repeater Directory to see if it is time to update your records. The deadline for the ARRL Repeater directory is early January. The cutoff for TDS renewals to make the ARRL publication will be December 15th so I have enough time to get MARC’s submission prepared

Dave Johnson, WD8DJB

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Electronic Meeting Information:

PHONE BRIDGE:

Dial In Number:    805-240-9853
Access Code:        603585
   1. Dial into bridge using Dial In Number
   2. Enter Access Code
   3. If the meeting organizer is already present,
        you'll be connected. If not, you'll be
        placed on hold until the organizer appears.

WEBMEETING:

AT&T Web Meeting Service is an interactive presentation and collaborative tool which combines audio conferencing and data-sharing through the power of the internet. Now when you need to present documents, diagrams, and illustrations to your employees, vendors, and customers, you can do so easily and effectively. AT&T Web Meeting Service is designed to facilitate the presentation of documents from remote locations in combination with AT&T Audio Teleconference Services. Your browser must be Microsoft™ Internet Explorer Version 4.x, 5.x or Netscape™ Communicator Version 4.x.

   1. Activate your Web Browser
   2. Go To www.webmeeting.att.com
   3. Enter meeting number 8052409853
   4. Enter access code 603585
   5. Enter your email address
   6. Enter your name
   7. Click on "submit"

You will see participants in the upper right corner of the screen, contents in the center of the screen, and a chat box in the lower right corner.

The meeting host can give control of the content screen to anyone in the conference.

Participation in the webmeeting is only needed for things like slideshow presentations, or use of a whiteboard where someone may need to do an illistration. It also allows us the opportunity to display the actual text of a motion for everyone to read. If you are unable to participate in the webmeeting you may still join in on the phone bridge from wherever you are.

The abilities for MARC to use the Phone Bridge and Webmeeting facilities has been brought to us by Jim WB8AZP and his employer.

We hope that moving to this format will increase participation by the membership of MARC so that we are better able to serve the amateur community. This December will be our first time to conduct the entire quarterly meeting using this method, and we are excited to see how this turns out.

MARC Meeting Minutes

Date: September 6, 2008
Place: Delta Twp Fire Dept

Officers:

President: Dennis Gaboury, W8DFG
Vice President: Jim Maike, KB8IFE
Secretary: Ann Manor, KT8F
Treasurer: Dave Johnson, WD8DJB
Director: Ron Gordon, W8YUC
Director: Jim Kvochick, WB8AZP
Coordinator: Dan Thompson, N8WKM
Coordinator: Jim Maike, KB8IFE
Coordinator: Phil Manor, W8IC
Database Manager: Dave Johnson, WD8DJB

Absent: Jim Maike KB8IFE

Note: call signs of board members are not repeated in the minutes as they are listed above Except for Jim WB8AZP, and Jim KB8IFE.
Attendees present: 8 Members and Visitors
Meeting called to order by the President at: 1:00 PM

Minutes from previous meeting read by Ann. Motion to accept the minutes as printed in the newsletter made by Dan, and 2nd by Ron, motion carried.
Treasurer’s report provided by Dave. Motion to accept the report made by Jim, WB8AZP and 2nd by Dan, motion carried.

Old business:

KB8IFE, Jim’s motion for a bylaw change made at the June meeting was read:
Jim, KB8IFE proposed that TDS’s should be required to be submitted electronically. This motion would be added to the bylaws. Also, any other wording in the current bylaws would be amended to state that TDS’s be submitted electronically. The motion will be brought to the membership for a vote in September. Seconded by Jim, WB8AZP. Discussion. Vote taken, motion carried.

The floor was opened for additional discussion regarding this motion.

Vote called
Motion carried by show of hands 9 to 1.

KB8IFE, Jim’s motion for another bylaw change in June was read:
Under article 6, paragraph B: “that meetings be held quarterly” be deleted. This was included during pre-internet time, and is not required now as meetings can be held electronically. Jim, KB8IFE moved that due to the high cost of travel and other expenses, the annual meeting in September will continue as a physical meeting, but the remaining quarterly meetings can be held electronically to attend to business. The general membership can contact the Board of Directors via email with concerns to be addressed at those meetings.

The floor was opened for additional discussion.
Discussion followed regarding the reading of the proposal made in June. Phone bridges could be used, as well as a web page conference. Other solutions discussed. Issues of concern can be submitted by members, prior to meetings, to be included on the agenda. Also, additional special meetings could be held whenever needed. Meetings could also be rescheduled if needed. The goal is to increase participation.

Vote was called.
Motion carried by show of hands 9 to 0.

New Business:

Elections:
nominations opened up prior to elections. No new nominations. WB8UPM moved that the secretary cast a unanimous ballot to re-elect the incumbents, 2nd by Phil, vote taken, motion carried.
Elected - President: Dennis Gaboury, W8DFG; Secretary: Ann Manor, KT8F; Director: Ron Gordon, W8YUC.

Dave made a motion to replace the MARC battery, supported by WB8AZP, discussion, vote, motion carried by unanimous voice vote.

Discussion on paper repeaters and overdue TDS’s.

Abe, W8HVG gave a presentation discussing narrow-band digital implementation for the 2M band. The presentation discussed several approaches to assist the MIARC in investigating a narrow band digital implementation on the 2M band at this link.

Abe agreed to work on some of the suggestions he made in his report to facilitate the planning. Discussion ensued regarding multiple problems and possible solutions in coordinating repeaters, as well as improving MARC’s functionality. Suggestions included formation of various committees, and the creation of a website user’s group for comments and discussion.

Resolution #8 – 4 December 2005 Phil Manor, W8IC, Link / Control Coordinator made a motion under the DOG to make changes to the MARC Standards to add additional coordination guidelines for Auxiliary Stations (Links and Control Stations) as follows:

MARC Standards
I. Coordination Standards.
A.
9.   Auxiliary stations that are used to link two or more individual repeater systems shall comply with the following:
Transmitter power may exceed 10 watts to accomplish the link but shall not exceed 50 watts. Links using transmitter power levels in excess of 10 watts shall use directional antennas with a minimum of 9 dBi forward gain and the antennas must be aimed so that the major lobe is centered on the receive site. Higher gain antennas and using the minimum power necessary to complete a link is recommended as it allows the coordinator to more effectively assign the available spectrum. These links are not intended to extend the coverage of any individual repeater beyond its coordinated area.

Discussion followed and the motion carried to be vote on this bylaw change at the next meeting. (December 2008)

Motion to adjourn the meeting made by Jim, WB8AZP seconded by Dan.
Motion carried. Meeting closed at 3:55 PM

Respectfully submitted,
Ann Manor, KT8F

December Meeting Information:

Saturday December 6 2008
1:00 pm EST
Electronic Meeting
Callin Number: 805-240-9853
Access Code:    603585   (For Bridge & Webmeeting)
Webmeeting URL: www.webmeeting.att.com
Meeting Number: 8052409853

Directions:

Dial the callin number listed above.
Wait for the call to be answered by the automated receptionist.
When prompted enter the Access Code listed above.