President Ray Houff, K4AJA, brought this meeting at the Douglass Community Center to order at approximately 8:40 a.m. by leading the Pledge of Allegiance.

The minutes of the 4/15/00 meeting were read and approved.

The report by treasurer Tom Garasic was also approved as presented. The current club account balance was $771.42, with $343 in the Balloon fund.

Paul Dluehosh, N4PD, lead a discussion regarding LARG's meeting place. A motion was made and approved to return to the police building in Leesburg as our regular meeting place until further notice. DCC and the Masonic Lodge in Purcellville can serve as back-up sites as needed.

No one has signed up for the Antique Car Poker Run yet, but DCC's organizer Don Stinette says it is still a go. Club member volunteers are asked to assemble at DCC on 6/3/00 by 9:30 a.m. We should know by 10:00 a.m. whether or not we need to disburse to scheduled communication points. The Run is to begin at 11:00 a.m. and should be completed by 2:00 p.m. A volunteer is needed to set up and man an antique amateur radio station. John Steinberger, no call yet, volunteered to ride sweep with room for a club member in the sidecar. Run or not, this should be a good test of our emergency preparedness.

Tom Dawson, WB3AKD, noted progress on building the transmitter, etc. for the next balloon launch. This is projected for sometime in July. The current 30-60 mph winds aloft should subside somewhat by this summer.

The log-in, password and URL for the MEMBERS ONLY page on LARG's website were presented. If you missed these contact Dennis Boehler, KF4TJI.

Ray, K4AJA, read an e-mail sent to hams who upgraded licenses at the 4/15 VE session at Lord Fairfax Community College encouraging participation with emergency radio services, specifically for the Old Dominion Emergency Net.

Gary Quinn, NC4S, distributed copies of a discussion agenda for Field Day 2000 (6/24-25). LARG will use the future site of the Hamilton Public Safety Building (east end of town south of Business Route 7-Colonial Highway). It is easily accessible and allows for more separation of stations than at Ida Lee Park; but no water is available. Tom, WB3AKD, asked if a noise level check has been made. A diagram was drawn of the site with set up plan for the one VHF and three HF stations. A schedule for the event was presented and assignments for station captains and other organizing personnel were made. Equipment needs were noted and volunteers secured to supply these materials. There was a request for written operating procedures at each station to assist with tuning.

A final check on readiness and operator sign-ups will be done at the June meeting (6/17/00) at the Leesburg Public Safety Building (police station on Plaza Street). Safety was discussed as an overriding factor for Field Day. This as well as alertness are the basis of a new rule for night shift operators: they are expected to be off-site (i.e., home sleeping) on Saturday afternoon and early evening. Check the website or reflector for details about Field Day 2000 or call Gary, NC4S; Dennis, KF4TJI; or Ray, K4AJA.

In discussing antenna needs, it appears that several members will be building windoms (or others?) and are in need of parts. Gary offered to put together a bulk order for baluns.

The Manassas Hamfest is Sunday, 6/4/00. Virginia QSO Party results and awards are presented there.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:35 a.m.

Following the meeting, Chester Kmak, WA9LAZ, showed the direction finding antenna he has recently built.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol L. Boehler,
KF4TJJ, Secretary

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