We are nearly through December and soon the year 2024 will be here. It is a time to reflect on the club's very successful past year of 2023 in which we were instrumental in increasing  the number of celebrations and events at Ensor Park and Museum throughout the year.  Our annual Christmas Party is just around the corner on December 16th, and again is being held at the Gardner Senior Citizens Center at 6PM.
     If your New Year's Resolution includes a desire to add to your Ham Radio skills, you may want to take advantage of the classes we will be offering January through February which includes the Technician Class as well as a Morse Code (CW) class for beginners. If there is an event you would like to see the club sponsor or be involved in for 2024 please contact one of the officers.
     I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Happy New Year.
     Remember: It's time to renew your membership for 2024

 MEETING TO ORDER:

      Newly-elected President George, WBØCNK, called to order the 2023 December business meeting of the SFTARC shortly after 08:00 AM CST. A total of 22 members attended, 19 joining in person at the Gardner Perkins and 3 joining via Zoom. (Quorum is 13.)

SECRETARY-TREASURER REPORT: 

   Marty, KEØPEZ, reported the current bank balance and listed the expenditures and receipts for the past month. He reported the expenditures that are coming up in the first part of 2024. He summarized the results of the W1AW/Ø Volunteers-On-The-Air operating event.

OTHER BUSINESS:

Repeater Update

     Jim KØNK will give a status update on repeaters next month.

ARRL Special Service Club

      Marty has updated the SFTARC information page at the ARRL website. We remain an ARRL Special Service Club.

TECH NIGHT PROGRAM

     George WBØCNK will give the December Tech Night program on the subject of NVIS.

2024 Ham Class

      At present, there are 9 people signed up for the CW Class and 1 person signed up for the Technician Class. Marty will post an announcement to Larry'sList about the classes. Jeff will print more flyers. If we don't get at least 6 registered for the Technician Class, we will cancel it. Registration closes Dec. 26, 2023.

12-Volt monitor for trailer    

     Greg KIØKK has been testing the new 12-V monitor. There is a question about compatibility with the trailer DC voltage. Jeff KSØJD is going to follow up on this. There was further discussion of trailer voltage, possible use of an inverter, and additional solar panels.

SFTARC Website

    Greg has updated the club website.

Mo-Kan Regional council

     President George attended their recent meeting. There is a new club near Sedalia. The Council runs classes that provide tips to help groups form and maintain a club. There was news pertaining to a planned program at the Amelia Earhart Museum in Atchison that would focus on radio communications during her daring attempt to circumnavigate the globe.

Update on the Olathe ensor Foundation

     Planning is underway to hold another Ensorfest in 2024. Marty urged the club to support this event again in the coming year. The Foundation has formally become an affiliate member of the Johnson County Kansas Heritage Club.

ADJOURN:

     President George adjourned the meeting at 8:50 AM.

     When they could've been shopping 'til they dropped or catching some rare Friday afternoon professional football (the Miami Dolphins vs. the New York Jets), three members of the so-called "fair sex" spent the afternoon of November 24, Black Friday, touring Ensor Park and Museum in south Olathe.

     The off-season tour was arranged at the request of Lorna Daganaar, Rental and Events Manager for the City of Olathe. She was accompanied to Ensor by her daughter, Jessica Jennings of Jackson, Mo., and her granddaughter, 9-year-old Reagan Jennings, who were in town for Thanksgiving.

     Lorna said she had visited Ensor once before in connection with her employment, but the trip to the eight-acre site listed on the National Register of Historic Places was a first for both Jessica and Reagan.

     Lorna, Jessica and Reagan were escorted through the Ensor home and then the peg barn on what was a chilly day, and seemed rather impressed by just about everything they saw or heard (think spark-gap transmitter).

     Santa Fe Trail Amateur Radio Club members Marty Peters, KEØPEZ, Howard Cripe, NØAZ, Peg Nichols, KDØVQO, and Rick Nichols were on hand to show the threesome around.

An SSD for the Raspberry Pi 5, YouTube by: Jeff Geerling ....

Click "Watch on YouTube" to see notes