The CRES Amateur Radio Club held its fourth quarter general
meeting of the year at the Donatos Pizzeria, Brice Road and
Livingston Avenue, in Reynoldsburg on Wednesday 08 December
2004.  Those in attendance were: President Jack Kirkpatrick/
KC8TM, Vice President Tricia Kovacs/KC8HIH, Immediate Past
President David Jeffords/K8ON, Secretary Treasurer Rob
Stampfli/KD8WK, VE Liaison Art Grandle/KD8ZG, Trustee Mike
Rauh/NV7X, Contest Coordinator Carl Yaffey/K8NU and members
N8ZOG, K8KJ, WD8CZG, K8AX, K8TX, W3CRZ, KD8BJ, K8RSP, WA8LBZ,
N9CX, and WD8EBS.  Jack called the meeting to order at 7:10 PM.

Jack first recognized Tricia Kovacs for the fine job she had
done as Vice President.  He then spoke briefly about the
status of the repeater.  Mike Stansbery/WD8EBS provided
additional information: he intends to contact Mt. Carmel
to formally get permission to keep the repeater on the
premises and work out access and telephone details next
week.  At this time we expect no resistance to retaining
the repeater at its current location.  Dan Merrick/K8TX
questioned how we, as a club, could be of service to the
hospital.  Carl pointed out COARES already had a presence
and emergency antennas there.  Dave Woolf/K8RSP has been
in contact with Mt. Carmel hams.  Bill Erwin/N9CX suggested
getting permission and ownership of equipment in writing,
but it was pointed out we probably don't want to get lawyers
involved.  We may lose access to the building for a while,
and must account for this possibility in repeater operations.

Jack gave a brief history of the repeater, including the
problems the club had with purchasing the equipment
originally.  (WECO actually paid for the original repeater
for us three times.)

Tricia indicated the Growth Committee had met once, but
the Education Committee had yet to meet.

Carl, who was recently named the National Coordinator for
the CQ-WE contest, gave a synopsis of this year's event:
It looks like Columbus will be the winning location with
about 14 entrants.  K8RSP is currently leading for phone
and overall points, and W0NFL is leading for CW.  Carl
also recognized W4BXI for his congeniality during the
contest.  Carl proposed several rules changes for next
year including: (1) the elimination of an RST exchange as
part of the contest requirements, (2) going back to four-
hour contest windows as in prior years, (3) eliminating
432 Mhz as a separate band, and (4) expanding the RTTY
section to allow any digital mode.  Rob asked for sample
certificates for post-2001 contests to add to the gallery
on the CQWE web page.

Art reported on our recent VE session held December 4th:
Four candidates showed up and all passed at least one
element.  They were outnumbered by eight examiners.  It
was the first exam in recent memory where no code tests
were administered.

Bob Cartwright/W3CRZ reported for the Nominations
Committee, nominating:

	Tricia Kovacs/KC8HIH	President
	David Jeffords/K8ON	Vice President
	Stu Steenburgh/KB8DEO	Equipment Manager
	Rob Stampfli/KD8WK	Secretary/Treasurer

No additional nominations were made from the floor.
Art motions, with Gordy Lashly/WD8CZG seconding, that
the slate be elected by acclimation.  Motion carries.
The club thanked Bob and Dan Merrick/K8TX for their
work on the Nominations Committee.

The meeting was was adjourned at 7:50 PM.  Afterwards,
K8ON gave a short show and tell on an antenna he had
constructed from a discarded lawn chair and another
J-Pole he had built from scrap materials.  K8AX showed
off a tool he had made to bury radials and several QRP
rigs he had built.  And, WA8LBZ briefly recounted a
recent PSK contact he had made with Kate, a 10-year-
old student and CW enthusiast from Bismarck, Arkansas.
(He also noted the average US ham is now 58 years old.)

Respectfully submitted,
Rob Stampfli/KD8WK
CRES-ARC Secretary/Treasurer