We are about to kick off the 2016-2017 CARA fall season. The first regular club meeting will be ‪September 27th. Location will be the Calgary Sports Car Club, Southwest corner of 80th Avenue and Metis trail NE. 

The fun part

One of our members will present the activities and results of his “fun in the summer project” to home-brew a compact loop antenna for the mid HF range amateur radio bands. The home-brew part is literal. It begins with the construction of the very tools used to accomplish the objective. These include a 3D printer, and a CNC milling machine.  The outcome of his efforts is remarkable.  However, I think it was the journey that best illustrates the breadth of the amateur radio hobby as a vehicle for continuous learning and personal satisfaction.

Over refreshments you will be able to meet and chat with the executive elected at the end of June. Robin Greig, VE6RBN, Jim Weisert, VE6GO and Jerry Spring, VE6TL are the new members of the Board. Peter Barry, VE6PJB and myself, Gordon Hungerford, VE6TI have served on previous executives.

The business Part

Over the summer the new executive had a couple of face to face meetings and several Go To Meetings to form as a group and flesh out some of near term goals and actions. We now have a bit more "flesh on the bone" and will outline the direction and focus we have envisioned for CARA over the next two years.

The previous Board undertook a major planning initiative to increase current membership participation and grow the membership and ensure the sustainability of CARA. The scope and effort was substantial, the outcome valuable and it charts a course towards accomplishment of the stated goals. The new Board will undertake the task of implementation of this work towards accomplishment of the goals outlined last month. Namely:

• Encourage the exploration and enjoyment of the vast opportunities’ in the amateur radio hobby.
• Engage, through program offerings the young and old, novice and expert.
• Manage tangible assets and the efforts of our membership to sustain and grow CARA.
• Communicate openly and frequently with the membership.
• Identify opportunities for meaningful collaboration with other local and regional amateur radio organizations.

Over the summer input received from members sees the third goal emerging as top of mind. Towards that end the Board will establish a process to examine the current state of asset investment and utilization. This effort will provide a basis for objective evaluation of the effectiveness of the current operation as well as opportunities to advance the first two goals. 

Questions will be welcomed and consideration given to all suggestions from attendees. As stated in my first posting, the success of a club is primarily achieved through the participation and contributions of its individual members rather than its titled leaders.

Please attend, bring a friend or ask someone you know, who has perhaps let their membership lapse, to give the club another look.

tnx and 73

de VE6TI

Gordon Hungerford, President