THE LOCAL OSCILLATOR - June 2003 - NOTE: An HTML version is avaiable at www.zianet.com/common/mvrc/index.html - TABLE OF CONTENTS COMING EVENTS PRESIDENT'S CORNER CLUBHOUSE PAINTING CLUB DUES BUSINESS MEETING PSK-31 WALK-A-THON BACK PAGE COMING EVENTS Week days 6 m FM net 52.540 6:00AM Mon R&S Net 449.90 8:30AM Breakfast Wal-Mart 10:00AM WTRA Swap net 146.88 8 PM Wed Net 146.64 6:45PM round-table 52.525MHz 8 PM June 7 Saturday Breakfast Club House 8:00AM June 7 Program,business meeting 9:30AM Club House June 9 2nd Mon Social Meeting New China Buffet 6:00PM June 11 1st Wed after 2nd Mon Directors at Club House 7:00PM 20-22 Jun 2003 - ARRL National Convention Ham-Com http://www.hamcom.org June 28 - 29 Field Day President's Corner AD5LJ Summer has finally arrived. The next three months are going to be a busy time for a lot of us, with summer vacation, school graduations, family outings and so on leaving little time for radio club activities. I don’t expect to see many of you at the June and July business meetings, so I wish everyone a safe and happy summer. Field Day. There are no organized club activities planned for field day. The club station is available to anyone who would like to use it on field day, or any other time. Membership Update. AD5LJ We currently have 71 paid up members. Our membership on 1 Dec 2002 was 115. I have attempted to contact the 44 members from last year who have not renewed their membership for 2003. I received replies from 15 of the 44. Seven confirmed that they will not be renewing their membership and eight are still undecided. We will drop the people who have not paid from the club membership rolls on 1 June. Club Constitution and By-laws. AD5LJ The final draft of the revised club constitution and by-laws is ready for member review. This draft has been reviewed and approved by the board of directors. A copy is attached to this issue of the Local Oscillator. A review of the draft will reveal that two major and several minor changes have been made. The first major change is to introduce a new grade of membership, the associate member, which makes membership available to non-hams. The associate member will not have voting privileges. The second major change is the addition of a section to the constitution detailing how club property is to be disposed of in case the club disbands. The minor changes simplify the language in certain places without changing the meaning and reduce the number of people required to form the various committees. The current constitution requires that each committee have 3 to 5 people on it and this has been reduced to 2 or 3 to reflect what the club actually does. If we have enough people present at the July meeting, then we will discuss the constitution and vote on it at the August meeting. Unclassified Ads Kenwood THF6 2m-220-440 mini HT plus Extra Lithium Battery, Spkr Mike, Cig Lighter Pwr Cord & Soft Case: $175; Kenwood TS50 TXCVR plus AT-50 Auto Ant Tunr: $550; and (4) Garmin 12XL GPS with Car Ant & Acc: $65.Call Karl, WF5A, 505-649-2135. Constitution The rest of this month's newsletter is taken up with the proposed new constitution. Because the newsletter is sent as text, the formating leaves something to be desired. A formated version is avilable in the web edition of the Local Oscillator. It is avaiable at www.ziznet.com/common/mvrc/index.html MESILLA VALLEY RADIO CLUB CONSTITUTION and BY LAWS Article I Name, Purpose and Membership Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the MESILLA VALLEY RADIO CLUB, a non-profit organization incorporated under the laws of the State of New Mexico for charitable and educational purposes. The MESILLA VALLEY RADIO CLUB (hereinafter referred to as “Club”) is a tax-exempt organization under the provisions of Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Section 2. The purposes for which this Club is formed and operated are the following: a. To promote interest in amateur radio communications and experimentation; b. To provide for dissemination of information among its members concerning scientific advancement and progress in the field of radio communications; c. To organize and train units of licensed radio amateurs who can provide radio communications as a public service; d. To foster education in the field of electronic communications to both members of the Club and to the public at large; and e To encourage and sponsor experimental activities in radio communications to the end that skills and experience gained in amateur radio will further the application of electronics to the benefit of the public at large. Section 3. No part of the assets or income to this Club shall be the property of the members or any one of them. The assets shall be devoted exclusively to the purposes herein set forth. Section 4. To assist in carrying out these purposes, the Club maintains, and intends to maintain, an active affiliation with organizations that support or use amateur radio services. Section 5. Membership in this Club is open to all persons interested in amateur radio. Full membership is available only to licensed radio amateurs. The club will offer associate membership to non-amateurs who desire to join. Associate members will be non-voting members of the club. To remain a member of the Club, members must comply with the constitution and by-laws and pay their yearly dues. Article II Officers, Terms, Vacancies and Removal Section 1. The officers of this Club shall be a President, a Vice-President a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The officers of this Club shall be elected for a term of one year. Officers may not serve more than two consecutive terms. Election to fill the remainder of an unexpired term shall not count as a term for this purpose. Section 2. Six directors shall be elected for terms of two years, with three members elected annually. Officers and directors shall be elected by written ballot of the members. The election will be held at the business meeting in November of each year, and newly elected officers and directors will take office on January 1. Section 3. Vacancies occurring between elections must be filled by a special election held at the next business meeting after the vacancy occurs. Section 4. Officers and directors may be removed by introduction of the motion at a business meeting. At the next business meeting a two-thirds majority ballot of members present shall be required for removal. Article III Duties of Officers and Directors Section 1. The President shall preside at all business meetings of the Club and shall conduct them according to the rules adopted. He shall enforce due observance of this Constitution and By-Laws, decide all questions of order; sign all official documents adopted by the Club, serve as an ex officio member of all committees; and perform all the customary duties pertaining to the office. Section 2. The Vice-President shall assume all the duties of the President in his absence, assist the President as requested, and handle any other work not otherwise assigned. If there is a motion made at a business meeting to remove the President, the Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President until the motion is resolved. He shall also serve as custodian of the Club equipment and property. He shall maintain a complete inventory that includes information regarding make, model, serial number, and current location of equipment. He shall be responsible for the collection, storage and cataloging of all archive materials passed on to him by various officers specified in this document. He shall also be responsible for obtaining speakers and programs for the business meetings. Section 3. The Secretary shall record the members present at each business meeting; maintain the roster of club members including address, phone number and email address; keep a record of the business meetings; submit appropriate applications, carry on appropriate correspondence; submit communications and minutes of the previous meeting to the newsletter, submit minutes of each business meeting and Club related documentation for inclusion in the Club archive at the end of each calendar year; keep the official copy of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Club; cause all amendments, changes and additions to be made on this official document; and make it available for consultation by members upon request. At the end of his term, the Secretary will pass all official documents on to his successor. Section 4. The Treasurer shall keep an accurate account of all monies received and disbursed; keep an accurate account of the Club’s financial assets; and status of the Scholarship Fund in the NMSU Foundation Office. He shall maintain a list of club members who have paid their dues, provide this information to the secretary and assist in maintaining the club roster. He shall provide a monthly report of expenses and income to be published in the Club newsletter. He shall deliver the year-end Club financial records to the Auditing Committee. At the end of his term he shall pass all the records on to his successor. Section 5. The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers and directors. The board of directors shall oversee and guide the day-to-day operations of the club in accordance with the members’ wishes as agreed at the business meetings. The President shall chair the Board of Directors’ meetings. Members of the Board of Directors shall serve as chairpersons of the standing committees. It shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors to meet before each business meeting to suggest agenda items for the business meeting, discuss progress of various committees, prepare a budget for recommendation to the members, and to refer concerns of the Club to appropriate committees. ARTICLE IV Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees Section 1. Standing committees shall consist of: Education Committee Communications Committee Special Events Committee Repeater Committee Clubhouse Committee Newsletter Committee Section 2. Ad Hoc committees shall consist of: Auditing Committee Nominating Committee Scholarship Committee and other committees as deemed necessary and appointed by the President from time to time. Article V Dues Section 1. The Club may levy upon the general membership such dues as provided for in the By Laws which are deemed necessary for the business of the Club within its purposes set forth in Article 1, Section 2. Dues are due in January of each year and are delinquent April 1. An individual who has not paid dues by June 1 will be dropped from the club. Article VI Budget Section 1. In October of each year, each committee chairperson shall submit to the Board of Directors an annual budget request. The Board shall review and refine committee requests and develop a budget to be presented for approval to the membership. The budget will include projected needs of each committee and the general needs of the Club for meeting the purposes in Article 1, Section 2. After the board finalizes the budget, it will be presented to the membership for approval at the January business meeting. The board of directors shall have full authority to expend funds identified in the approved budget. Section 2. Any unbudgeted expenditure of less than $200 can be approved by majority vote of the Board of Directors. Unbudgeted expenditures greater than $200 must be approved by a majority vote of the members present at a business meeting. Article VII Business Meetings and Quorum Section 1. Business meetings shall be held monthly. Twenty percent (20%) of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business. Section 2. Future business meetings may be rescheduled at any monthly business meeting. The club membership shall be provided at least fifteen days notice of the date of the rescheduled business meeting. Article VIII Member Assistance Section 1. The Club shall provide advice and assistance to any member requesting it to assure all operations and emissions of member stations conform to FCC regulations and good amateur radio practice. Article IX Amendments to the Constitution Section 1. All amendments to this Constitution and By-Laws must be submitted at a business meeting of the Club. They shall be presented as resolutions at one meeting, discussed at the next meeting and may be approved at the business meeting by a majority of members present. The proposed amendments shall be published in the Newsletter prior to the vote. Article X Disestablishment of the Club and Disposal of Property Section 1. The Club may be dissolved by majority vote of the Board of Directors if liquid assets of the Club (evaluated with due regard to the reasonably anticipated collectables such as dues) become or are anticipated to become insufficient to pay the Club's outstanding and anticipated bills(the condition of which shall be referred to hereinafter as "insolvency"). Before a vote to dissolve may be taken by the Board of Directors, the membership of the Club shall be given notice of an existing or anticipated insolvency and shall be given an opportunity within thirty days to pledge and pay assessments, contributions or other payments to the Club sufficient in the aggregate to pay all outstanding and anticipated bills of the Club for a period of at least six months. In the event the Board of Directors votes to dissolve the Club, it shall have authority to sell all assets of the Club (both real and personal). If any funds shall remain after all of the Club's liabilities have been paid, the remaining funds shall be contributed to the NMSU Scholarship Fund and the Board of Directors shall request that the NMSU Foundation thereafter administer the funds. When all club assets have been liquidated and obligations settled, the board of directors shall disband. BY LAWS Section 1. Membership. Continuing membership in the Club requires that the member abide by the Constitution and the By Laws and have paid the required dues. A valid amateur radio license shall be required for full membership. Each licensed amateur in a family membership shall have one vote. A member is entitled to all the rights and privileges of the Club. An associate membership will be available for non-licensed individuals and will have all club privileges except for voting. Section 2. Business Meetings. Business meetings shall be held monthly at regular times and days. The day and time for the business meeting will be determined by the membership and will be announced in the newsletter at least 15 days in advance. The board of directors can cancel a monthly business meeting. The club shall have an annual business meeting in November of each year to elect officers. Section 3. Social Meetings. Social meetings will be held as desired by the membership. These social meetings are typically breakfast or dinner meetings arranged at a local restaurant and will not constitute a business meeting. The date and time for social functions will be announced in the newsletter at least 15 days in advance. Section 4. Dues. Dues are levied on an annual basis by the Club. Single membership, family memberships and associate memberships shall be offered. Dues may be prorated for first time members only. Changes in dues will be recommended by the Board of Directors and approved by a majority vote of the members present at a business meeting. Section 5. Standing Committees. A member of the Board of Directors shall serve as chairperson for each of the standing committees. The chairperson will select members to serve on the committee and shall add or remove committee members as necessary. The President shall serve as an ex officio member of each standing committee and shall cast a vote only to break ties. These committees will report to the President and the Board of Directors. The following standing committees will be formed: a. The Clubhouse Committee shall consist of at least one member in addition to the chairperson and shall be responsible for the maintenance of the clubhouse and for scheduling work parties and other activities at the clubhouse. The committee shall formulate policies for operation of the Club station and be responsible for the safekeeping of all Club property at the clubhouse. b. The Education Committee shall consist of at least two members in addition to the chairperson and shall arrange and conduct classes for people who want to receive licenses. Other members of the Club may be called upon to assist with teaching of classes. c. The Repeater Committee shall consist of at least one member in addition to the chairperson. This committee will be responsible for operation, maintenance, modifications, installation, frequency coordination, and landlord interfaces for all repeaters operated by the Club. d. The Communications Committee shall consist of at least one member in addition to the Chairperson, and shall be responsible for Field Day and for coordinating communication for community events such as races. e. The Special Events Committee shall consist of at least one member in addition to the Chairperson. This committee will plan and implement such activities as the Annual Bean Feed, the monthly Saturday breakfast and similar activities. The committee shall also arrange for Club auctions and other social events such as the annual Christmas Party. f. The Newsletter committee shall consist of the newsletter editor and one other member. The editor shall be a member of the Board of Directors. The Editor shall be responsible for obtaining articles, editing, typography and makeup of the newsletter. The editor shall also be responsible for distribution of the monthly newsletter and maintaining an archive of newsletters. Section 6. Ad Hoc Committees. The President may appoint ad hoc committees to be responsible for various Club activities. These committees shall report to the President. The President may remove or add members of each ad hoc committee as necessary. The President shall serve as an ex-officio member of each committee and shall vote only to break ties. Each committee will serve for a specified period of time, after which it will disband. The following ad-hoc committees will be formed as needed. a. The Auditing Committee shall consist of at least two members who are not officers or directors of the Club. This committee shall audit the financial records of the Club yearly or when there is a change in club treasurer. An auditing report will be read at the next business meeting. Upon acceptance, the report and the year-end financial records will be turned over to the treasurer and Vice-President to place in the archives. b. The Nominating Committee shall consist of at least three members who are not officers or directors of the Club. The committee will present a selection of at least one candidate for each office to the membership for voting at the November meeting. c. A Scholarship Fund has been established with New Mexico State University’s Foundation. Applications for this annual scholarship are submitted to the Foundation. A Scholarship Committee shall be appointed when there is more than one applicant for the scholarship and shall consist of at least three members. The committee shall select an applicant for award based on the following criteria. 1. Technician or higher-class amateur license. 2. Full-time NMSU student in good standing, pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in any major. 3. Sophomore or higher class. 4. Community involvement, contributions to amateur radio, and community service can be considered at the discretion of the committee. Section 7. Order of Business. The order of business shall be arranged at the discretion of the President according to the importance of business to be transacted. A secret ballot may be used to settle any questions when requested by a majority of members present. I certify that the above Constitution and by-laws for the Mesilla Valley Radio Club are true and accurate. This Constitution and by-laws was voted on and accepted by the membership at the regularly scheduled business meeting the --------------, in the year ----. I am the elected Secretary for the Mesilla Valley Radio Club, ------------------ Margaret Leverett KA2FVO BACK PAGE The newsletter is always looking for articles and notes of interest to the members of the Mesilla Valley Radio Club. Please send them to Alex. F. Burr, K5XY, Editor, MVRC Local Oscillator, 695 Stone Canyon Drive, Las Cruces, NM 88011. Small personal ads from members will also be published. It would be helpful if submissions would be made in a machine readable form. MSDOS disks are welcome. Files can also be sent to the Internet address aburr@aol.com. The club maintains a web site at http://www.zianet.com/mvrc. OFFICERS Pres Bob Bennett AD5LJ 382-0148 rbennett@zianet.com VPr Doug Hicks KE5FF 522-2683 domad1@msn.com Sec Marnie Leverett KA2FVO 522-0347 Tres Rod Davis WK5I 522-6833 rodstree@peoplepc.com B'rd Alex. Burr K5XY 522-2528 aburr@aol.com Mike Homer KC5SKF kc5skf@zianet.com Karl Larsen K5DI 524-3303 k5di@arrl.net Timothy Linn KD5SSF 521-0486 timlinn@sprynet.com Cash Olsen KD5SSJ 382-1917 casholsen@zianet.com Brad Sacca KC5SKE 382-4380 shiekyerbouty@msn.com JOIN THE CLUB To join the Mesilla Valley Radio Club, renew your membership, or to support the repeaters, please complete the form below and send it with dues ($25 single, $35 family per year) to: Treasurer, MVRC, Box 1443, Las Cruces, NM 88004. Name: Address: Call: Class of License: Phone: E-Mail Address: ARRL Member? Yes? No?