May 2026 Club Meeting Minutes
- date
- 2026-05-16
- convened
- 09:30
- adjourned
- 10:44
Officers
- President: David Bailey (K5DKB) present
- Vice President: Tom Johnson (KI5ZPG) present
- Secretary: Matthew Barry (KG5LYE) present
- Treasurer: Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ) present
Attendees (24)
Quorum attained!
- David Bailey (K5DKB)
- Matthew Barry (KG5LYE)
- Ron Estes (KJ5EFO)
- Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)
- Phil Gates (N5ZKF)
- Ron Hambric (N5SBN)
- Tom Johnson (KI5ZPG)
- Jeff McDowell (KI5CES)
- Shawn McGee (KJ5HBA)
- Bob O'Connell (KC5DWB)
- Matt Robinson (W5XMR)
- Gabriel Rodriguez (AI5TN)
- Larry Shiver (KJ5KFU)
- Brad Snyder (W5BLS)
- Mike Streiff (KJ5EEV)
- Tom Talley (W5XTT)
- Richard Taylor (KJ5LXI)
- Ken Wilson (KE5DFR)
- Mike Wisby (KA5HIA)
- Nathan Wood (KN4TTV)
- David Snyder
- John Graesser (KC5DWD)
- Bill Hobson (NW5C)
- Jason Ware
Opening Remarks
Jason Ware
- Not yet licensed, but I have a Ham Radio for listening…
- The CEOC is a joint facility b/w Bryan, College Station, and Texas A&M University
- Unique facility even in the US
- Used to be a historic department store, and you’re sitting in the toy section
- Great relationship with ARES and RACES
- Weekly visits on Friday
- Hurricane Harvey was last full activation (thankfully)
- A few partial activations since
Officer Reports
President
David Bailey (K5DKB)
- Nothing to report
Vice-President
Tom Johnson (KI5ZPG)
- ARRL Field Day is coming up next month
- 2026-06-27/28
- Committee has been established
- Meeting schedule sent out
- Let me know if you would like to participate
- Saturday:
- Setup
- Breakfast provided by Whataburger
- Lunch: Pizza as usual
- Dinner: King Ranch Casserole
- Radio raffle: same prize as Winter Field Day
- Two presentations:
- Robotics club
- A surprise topic from Phil Gates (N5ZKF)
- Sunday:
- Breakfast
- Ham License exam Sunday morning
- Should be wrapped up by 14:00
- Overnight radio operations
- 2 club-provided radios connected to antennas
- ICOM 7000 and ICOM 7100
- Feel free to use, but please don’t make significant changes to hardware setup
- Pro-tip: buddy up with operator and logger
- 13:00 Saturday to 13:00 Sunday
- 2 club-provided radios connected to antennas
- Next club meeting will be last meeting before Field Day
- 2026-06-20
- KC5DWB: Trailer rotor will be operational by Field Day!
- Logging software: Affirmatech/N3FJP Field Day 2026
- N5ZKF will handle setup
- To get familiar, you can download a trial version from https://n3fjp.com/
Secretary
Matthew Barry (KG5LYE)
Approval of Minutes
- Hearing no corrections, minutes stand approved as sent out
- Minutes from this meeting will be sent out later today
Treasurer
Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)
Last Month’s Statement
- Starting balance: $12,585.26
- Income: $65.14
- $20 dues
- $15.14 interest income
- $30 exam fees
- Disbursements: $209.61
- $24.97 equipment
- $61 exam fees (to ARRL and for printing exam materials)
- $123.64 Veteran’s Coffee kolaches
- Ending balance: $12,444.79
Club Merchandise
- Winter Field Day stickers: $2
- Club logo pins (limited): $3
- Club logo stickers: $2
- Club logo window clings: $2
- Club logo patches: $5
- Club logo keychains: $2
Membership Renewals
Membership can be renewed in any of the following ways:
- online at Ham Club Online
- request PayPal invoice via email
- mail in cash or check (PO Box 4442, Bryan, TX 77805–4442)
- bring cash or check in-person at a meeting
Other Business
Emergency Coordinator Leadership Updates
Mike Wisby (KA5HIA)
- Thanks again to Jason!
- “Coffee drinking basis” with emergency coordinators
ARES Updates
- Many thanks to Ron Hambric (N5SBN) for being emergency coordinator
- Been in “permanent cruise mode” (mobile)
- Ron Estes (KJ5EFO) is new emergency coordinator
- Radiogram from Bill (KA9IKK):
- Relayed via WM5N
- “Congratulations on appointment as EC of Brazos County”
- Encourages others to send radiograms
- Radiogram from Bill (KA9IKK):
- Additional encouragement for WinLink
- Capabilities here at CEOC, including a WinLink “Post Office” (store and forward)
- ARES meeting this Monday, 2026-05-18 at American Red Cross
- Larry Shiver (KJ5KFU) here from Madison County ARES
- Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ) here from Robertson County ARES
RACES Updates
- Dick Zimmer (W5DZ) is stepping down from his DRO District 13 leadership position
- Tom Talley (W5XTT) has agreed to step forward
- Weekly check-ups at TDEM facility on RELLIS campus Wednesdays 09:00
- RACES net this coming Friday, 2026-05-22 09:30
- For newly licensed TDEM employees
- (Leadership wanted a percentage of all TDEM employees to be amateur radio operators!)
Robertson County ARES
Lorna Flansburg (KI5FIZ)
- Regular meeting last week
- Talked about WinLink Post Office and other general WinLink operations
- Scheduled 2nd Saturday of the month 09:30
- Thursday night nets on w5kvn 20:00
- All are welcome
Madison/Leon County ARES
Larry Shiver (KJ5KFU)
- Encouraging folks to have dual membership in ARES and RACES
Grimes County
Tom Talley (W5XTT)
- Sad to hear that W5DZ is stepping down
- He’s been leading amateur radio in this area for a long time
- Personal hero of mine
SKYWARN
Ron Estes (KJ5EFO)
- Expect 2–4 inches of rain next week
- Hurricane season starts soon
Skyline Communications
Phil Gates (N5ZKF)
- Big thank-you for keeping the repeater up and running
- Extended shout-out to Paul Bilke (KF5WGJ)
- Club has 2 repeaters:
- Both occupy space at Skyline Communications, owned by Charlie Culver (KD5DLW)
- No cost to club; would be very expensive otherwise
- Very grateful to Charlie!
- Unfortunately, there may come a time when this won’t be available
- Should club pursue an additional “footprint” elsewhere, perhaps with city on a water tower?
- W5XTT has a few acres and would be willing to host if the worst should happen
- Lots of housekeeping, including labels!
- Echolink stack
- Broadcastify computer
- D-STAR stack
- Ongoing documentation
- Current/Upcoming changes:
- Network equipment upgrades
- Wear leveling for duplicate repeater systems
- It’d be great to form some type of equipment committee to internalize this knowledge for the club
Health and Welfare / Good of the Order
- If anyone needs help with anything please reach out to the club. You can contact any of the officers at:
- Visit us online at w5bcs.radio
Closing
Motion by Bob O'Connell (KC5DWB):
to adjourn the meeting
Seconded by Gabriel Rodriguez (AI5TN).
Outcome:
passes unanimously
Next Meeting
2026-06-20 09:30 at American Legion Post 159
After-Meeting Show and Tell
Custom Digital Keyboard-to-Keyboard Mode by Matt Robinson (W5XMR)