Minutes of the monthly meeting of the Wanganui Amateur
Radio Society Inc. held on 2 August,2004 in the Hunters
and Stalkers Hall, Peat St at 1930 hrs.

Present: President John ZL2JEL and 15 members.

Visitors: none.

Apologies: ZL2ACE, ZL2VAV, ZL2JC.

Minutes: were read and confirmed.

Matters arising: Barry ZL2RR commented on the HF band opening night. No one would QSY. There were 60 or so on one frequency as if they were on a repeater.

Correspondence: IN Q Bit
OUT Nil.

Accounts: $6 has been reimbursed to ZL1BNB.

AREC Report: ZL2FT had nothing to report.

Repeater report: ZL2TDI had nothing to report.

National System Project: ZL1BNB reported. Testing around Wanganui was carried out on Sun 1Aug 2004 with a repeater set up at Landguard and several members driving and walking around Wanganui Urban areas which were thought to be possible poor areas for handheld UHF access.

These areas were; Ikitara Rd, Turoa Rd, Victoria Ave, Behind the Library (Queen's Park), Upper Aramoho (cemetery and further up to opposite Upokongaro), behind Woolworths Supermarket, Durie Hill (out to the Okoia turnoff), our Peat St clubrooms site, and some other streets in town. The results were better than expected; though Turoa Rd required use of a mobile whip.
At our last Nat Sys working group meeting there had been some discussion and disagreement on the need for Resource Consents for putting up poles at Landguard and at the clubrooms. ZL1BNB tabled his report on the Resource Consent matter.
ZL2THO presented a letter from the Hunters and Stalkers Club giving us permission to erect a pole at the clubrooms.

ZL1BNB confirmed that the Motorcycle Club is the leasee of the Landguard Domain.

ZL2AHR cautioned that the WDC may require it's own OSH approved contractors to be used for installation of poles on their land.

ZL2JEL asked about the possible final location of the pole at Landguard. ZL1BNB favours inside or outside the fence on the sandbank behind the Car Club rooms for the sake of height (desirable on VHF and UHF) and servcability.

ZL2THO asked Mike if he was aware of Powerco favouring concrete poles over wooden on roadsides as concrete poles are safer in the event of vehicle collision. Mike thought this was possibly Powerco's own policy and not a requirement in law.

ZL2JEL asked Mike about the process of gaining resource consents. Mike replied that he has much experience in this area and would follow through obtaining them.

ZL2RR asked if our working group was needed anymore as it appeared to be disfunctional with long delays in getting the Nat Sys project completed. This lead to some discussion. ZL2BGE said that the Trustees were ultimatley responsible for the proposed repeater.

ZL2JEL moved that the trustees be left to complete the project and that the working group disband. ZL2THO seconded. Carried

STSP Repeater: ZL2JEL asked that the club officially appoint two trustees for the STSP repeater (another of our club's projects.)

ZL2RR moved and ZL2AHR seconded that Jeff Howe ZL2THO and Jim Allen ZL2KR be appointed as the trustees. Carried.

General Business: There was some discussion on a pole and consents for same at our clubrooms at some time in the future.

Ivan ZL asked for volunteers to meet at his QTH on Saturday morning to lower his tower as he is shifting. 3or 4 volunteered and will meet at 79 Thatcher St at 1000 hrs.

ZL2JEL asked Mike ZL1BNB about the batteries that were at the clubrooms. Mike has them at home now on charge.

ZL2AHR reported on he and Val ZL2FO s recent trip to Britain. They brought back brouchures etc to show members. Many interesting museums were visited. Of course the main reason for their trip was to be at son Nathan ZL2VAVs wedding!!!

David ZL2MA asked about the old batteries in the back of the clubrooms. No one seemed to think they were worth worrying about.

ZL1BNB discussed resource consents in general and highlighted an unfairness in the way they affected rural dwellers as opposed to urban. He moved that we ask the WDC to considerchanging the district plan to give rural areas the same rights as urban. Seconded by Carried with one vote against, ZL2AHR.

Meeting closed 2040 hrs.

E&OE