Club Newsletter – The Exciter

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The Exciter is published monthly by DCARA as an official record of Club activities and business.

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Current Contents of The Exciter

  • Officers’ Meeting Minutes – January 6, 2026

    Prepared by Nancy Graff AG5MQ

    Present: Eric Gildersleeve KD7CAO, Gerald Marchant WB5NZV, Landon Elfenbein N5AET, Sara Ann Stevens KE5MZT, Jeff Minear WA9JAM, Mike Chittenden AE5IV, Cliff Hemming KE5HHL, Bayles Melton KG5UJM

    The power point slides for the January 26, 2026 meeting were reviewed.

    Presentation: Presentation will be Cybersecurity and Amateur Radio by Cliff Hemming KE5HHL

    Future presentations: Ideas for future presentation topics were discussed. Plan to ask membership for ideas at next meeting.

    Work Projects: Work projects were discussed. The Grapevine voter needs new coax. The county requires certified tower climbers. Mike Chittenden AE5IV made a motion to approve funding to hire certified tower climbers to install new coax for the Grapevine tower. Eric Gildersleeve KD7CAO seconded the motion. The motion passed with all officers present approving. Another project that needs attention is the carburetor repair on the tower trailer.

    Winter Field Day: Preparations for Winter Field Day were discussed. Decision made to have a one-day event. Saturday January 24, 2026 at Pilot Knoll Park, Post Oak Pavilion. Georgetown will be used. Members are encouraged to bring their own radio setups. An email to RSVP for BBQ meal was sent. Please RSVP by 1-21-2026

    Christmas Dinner recap: Discussion on how the Christmas dinner went and starting plans for this year’s dinner.

    Meeting Adjourned.

  • Officers’ Meeting Minutes – September 9, 2025

    Prepared by Nancy Graff AG5MQ

    Present: Eric Gildersleeve KD7CAO, Gerald Marchant WB5NZV, Sara Ann Stevens KE5MZT, Cliff Hemming KG5HHL, Laurie Hemming KG5QIX, Stewart Rabinowitz KE5UT

    The power point slides for the September 22, 2025 meeting were updated.

    Presentation: Presentation September National Preparedness Month by Michael Porter KF5LDJ.

    Christmas Dinner Planning: Eric has tentatively secured a location for the Christmas dinner, Saturday December 13, 2025, 4:00 – 8:00 pm the Southwest Courthouse in Flower Mound, 6200Canyon Falls Dr. Northlake, Tx

    76226. Menu and cost are still being researched. The Dessert Contest will be held again.

    Winter Field Day: Plans are being made to hold Winter Field Day, January 24-25, 2026, at the usual location, Pilot Knoll Park. Nancy will make the reservations for the pavilion.

    Field Day: Long discussion on field day. Ideas on how to increase participation were discussed. Alternate locations were discussed. Ideas discussed included: making sign-up sheets available, having a BBQ contest or pot luck dinner, offering door prizes again.

    Technician License Class: Nancy will begin planning a tech class for early 2026, possibly January or February.

    That is all. Meeting adjourned.

  • Officers’ Meeting Minutes – August 5, 2025

    Prepared by Nancy Graff AG5MQ

    Present: Eric Gildersleeve KD7CAO, Gerald Marchant WB5NZV, Sara Ann Stevens KE5MZT, Bob Storey AF5RS, Andrew Koenig KE5GDB, Bayles Melton KG5UJM, Stewart Rabinowitz KE5UT, Mike Chittenden AE5IV

    The power point slides for the August 25, 2025 meeting were reviewed.

    Presentation: Presentation will be Getting Started with Amateur Satellites by Tom Schuessler N5HYP

    Field Day: Discussion on why attendance was so low for this year’s field day. Eric proposed doing field day every other year and attending other area clubs’ field day events on the alternate years. Eric will reach out to other clubs for input.

    Operations: Andrew added upcoming events to the calendar: Tour de Cure October 25th andTurley Roll November 22nd.

    Christmas Dinner: Eric will head up the dinner committee and see if he can make reservations at the courthouse.

    Meeting adjourned.

  • Welcome New Members – December, 2025

    Randall G Berger, WA0D
    Robert A Greenberg, KF0DGE
    Ellis B Thompson, KJ5NKC

  • Welcome New Members – November, 2025

    Fred O Gregory Jr, KJ5NBD
    Howard F Kline, KJ5NBI
    Hunter Ohlen, KJ5NBG
    Donald K Sevier, KJ5MZQ
    Stephen C Stark, KJ5MZR