Welcome to the MARC Newsletter a publication of the Michigan Area Repeater Council. This news letter is published quarterly in conjunction with the quarterly business meetings. If you prefer a columnized version of this newsletter click here for the columnized version.

President’s Update:

As a coordinator, one of my biggest problems is informing applicants that there are no available pairs in your area. Recently, a couple of adjoining states have been issuing full size repeater pairs in the 440/445 and 441/446 band segments. This may work for Michigan as well.

MARC has a number of reserved frequencies on the 440 band for simplex operation. It appears that these frequencies are used very little and there are quite a few available. The band plan indicates 11 frequencies that are set aside for fm simplex only. There are some other frequencies for digital voice, packet and experimental use set aside as well.

MARC coordinates only voice repeaters, links and controls. MARC reserves other frequencies for simplex, packet and experimental radio work. Considering the situation that Michigan is in, I think it would be to the benefit of amateur radio to use some of these other frequencies that are set aside for fm simplex, links and controls as repeater pairs. A sufficient amount of clear channels would be maintained for fm simplex operations.

I would like to see that at least two more repeater pairs are made available. This can be accomplished by using two simplex frequencies and two link and control frequencies that have no assignments at this time. I recommend 441.075 in and 446.075 out as well as 441.150 in and 446.150 out.

You will notice that these pairs are reversed from the normal offset of lower frequency repeater output and higher frequency repeater input. This is because the upper frequencies are in the simplex area of the band. As with our SNPR repeaters, it seems best to have the repeater output on the frequency that most anyone in the area will hear. This is preferable to having a couple of amateurs starting up a qso on a repeater input frequency without knowing it. This has been used for some time on the 440 SNPR repeaters (Shared non-protected repeater).

If this can be accomplished, the two new pairs could permit two repeater coordinations in each section of the state, depending on the locations that are requested.

Please note that I do have a one-year waiting list on 440. The new pairs would first be offered to those that have active applications (Oldest to most recent).

Please send your thoughts to the MARC Board at mail@miarc.com.

73, Phil W8IC

Electronic Meeting Information:

The December 7th meeting is an Electronic Meeting that begins at 1 pm!

PHONE BRIDGE ONLY:

Dial In Number:    888-232-3870
Event ID:        603585#
   1. Dial into bridge using Dial In Number
   2. Enter Event ID
   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 & Phone Bridge:

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 https://connect2.uc.att.com/attinc/meet/?ExEventID=8603585
   3. Enter your name and email address
   4. Click on the "join event" button
   5. Once connected click on the telephone
       icon for dialing instructions.

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.

MARC Meeting Minutes

Date: September 7, 2013
This meeting took place at the Delta Twp Fire Department, near Lansing, MI.

Officers:

President: Phil Manor, W8IC
Vice President: Dan Thompson, N8WKM
Secretary: Ann Manor, KT8F
Treasurer: Dave Johnson, WD8DJB
*Director: Fred Moses, W8FSM*
*Director: Jim Kvochick, K8JK
Coordinator: Dan Thompson, N8WKM
Coordinator: Phil Manor, W8IC
Coordinator: Jim Poehlman, K8ABZ
Database Manager: Dave Johnson, WD8DJB

*Absent: Jim K8JK, Fred, W8FSM
Visitors:

Note: call signs of board members are not repeated in the minutes as they are listed above.

Meeting called to order by Phil at: 1:15 PM.

Minutes: all present stated they had read the June 1, 2013 minutes, and a motion to approve the minutes as written was made by Dave, seconded by Dan, vote taken, minutes approved.
Treasurer’s report provided and read by Dave. Motion to accept the report made by Dan, supported by Ann, vote taken, motion carried.

Old Business:

Election: nominations reopened for the offices of VP, Secretary, and one Director. No new nominations. The incumbents all agreed to run for these offices. Dan moved to have the secretary cast a unanimous ballot to re-elect the incumbents, seconded by Jim, K8ABZ. Motion passed.

Dan, N8KWM, vice president; Dave, WD8DJB, treasurer, and Jim, K8JK, board member, are re-elected for a two year term.

New Business:

Phil reported that Illinois and Indiana have been coordinating repeaters on the 440-445 and 441-446 band segments as full sized repeater systems. If the proposed repeaters are within 100 miles of a Michigan coordinated link or control, MARC will make an objection. Phil stated that he believes we should have no objection if there are no interference issues on a frequency that is not coordinated in Michigan. Discussion.

No action required at this time as MARC can object to the outstate requests if there is a coordinated link or control in Michigan within 100 miles. He will advise out-state requests that there may be interference if a request is made for a reserved simplex frequency. This is a change from the more strict objections that MARC has previously responded to that were simply based on the band plan.

Discussion regarding Ohio correspondence to MARC regarding 12.5 kHz channels splits for analog repeaters. Not used by MARC at this time.

Dan will be working on the MARC distance coordination program for these band segments. Dan also showed the board members how to check link and control frequencies at this time.

Phil will try to come up with an article for a future issue of the newsletter that will propose some new repeater pairs on the 440/445 and 441/446 band segments. This will give the membership some input into the possible proposal.

A discussion took place regarding the issue of storing old paper documents and how far back they need to be retained. All of the info in recent years has been incorporated into the AskSam and other databases.
Ann made a motion that Dave, (MARC’S database manager), be allowed to destroy, at his discretion, old MARC paper documents that are no longer relevant. Supported by Dan.
Discussion. Vote taken, motion passed.

Additional discussion took place on database operations.

Adjournment:

Motion to adjourn made by Dan, seconded by Ann at 2:54 PM, motion carried.
Motion carried.


Respectfully submitted,
Ann Manor, KT8F, Recording Secretary

Treasurer's Report
For the Period: 08/31/2013 to 10/31/2013

MARC Funds balance on 08/31/2013 was $ 4,564.50
Income for June and July was $ 21.46 from dues and interest.
Expenses for September and October was $158.25 for website hosting, domain name renewal, postage and PayPal fees.
MARC Funds balance on 10/31/2013 was $ 4,427.71

Respectfully Submitted,
Dave Johnson, WD8DJB
MARC Treasurer

Supporting Detail

MARC Funds as of 08/31/2013

Election Results

Vice President - Dan Thompson N8WKM
Treasurer - Dave Johnson WD8DJB
Director - Jim Kvochick K8JK