Brainerd Area Amateur Radio Club  

Al WØRC: Most people start this time of the year saying, “WOW has another year gone by?” Well, I must say, “WOW have four years gone by already?” Yes, I have been the BAARC

President for four years now and Vice-President for one year before that.

One of the first things we did was the Brainerd Hamfest in 2001. You’re not supposed to make money on your first Hamfest, but we beat the odds and made a good profit. We have been making money on each one since.

Also, thanks to the generous donations from Bob, WØZPE and John, W3MQD, the club is in very good financial condition. The 145.67 packet node was put back in service and the DX cluster at the club station is on the air. The Club web site was also started in the early years.

With all the community events taking place, it was clear we needed a COMM Trailer to provide needed

communications for all these events. Soon after that, the old 147.03 club repeater changed frequencies to the present 147.225. The 443.925 Gull Lake Repeater became a reality with it being linked to Coleraine and the North Shore Lake Superior Amateur Coalition (LSAC) system that gives us coverage to northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and northern Michigan. It is gaining popularity with more and more people getting on UHF.

We made a lot of extra money taking down and selling towers to other hams in the area. The six-meter

repeater, after much reworking and retuning, finally became a reality this fall. With the growing concern for Home Land Security, the Central Minnesota Hospital Bio-Terrorism task force was formed and many of the states hospitals and Co. Public Health departments obtained ham radios requiring effort on our part of

installing antennas, radios and providing and training ham radio operators.

During the past four years, we as a club have accomplished a lot, but there are many things left to do. Please support your new officers as you have me and the club will continue to grow. Again, Thank You for letting me serve you as President and thanks to many of you that helped when ever you were called upon.

One last thought from some famous person, “Think not what the club can do for you, but what you can do for the club.” de Al, WØRC 73 and good DXing

Lyle KØLFV: I wish to take this opportunity to thank the BAARC Membership for their vote of confidence in electing me President for 2005. I look forward to serving and being part of the many activities and events that this club sponsors and participates in. Also I personally would like to thank all of you who have volunteered and given of your time this past year and please note that because of your efforts, our club continues to be very successful and respected by our local

communities for our activities and service events.

In addition, I would like to encourage you and your fellow club members to be involved in our public service events and or in our many club activities. This is a good way to be involved in our communities and to

promote the importance of amateur radio, especially in the area of emergency communications. Please feel free to share any thoughts and or ideas that you might have that would benefit our club operations and/or

activities. Your input and or involvement will be greatly appreciated.

I trust that you and your family have had a good Christmas and New Years Holiday. I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming “After the Holidays Dinner/Regular Club Membership Meeting” that will be held at the Nisswa American Legion Club on January 27^th starting at 6:00 PM. 73’s Lyle KØLFV