Newsletter

Almost at the end of another year, in fact by the time you receive this it will be in a brand new year.

 I, for one will be glad the old year will be gone. On the whole it really hasn’t been a very good year at all although there was some bright spots here and there.  I had thought that nothing more of the those adverse bits & pieces could happen as most of the old year had been well peppered with these irritating bits that seemed only to happen to make the fulfilling of various things sliding just that much further behind instead letting you catch up.  You know the old saying “one step forward, and at least two steps backwards”.

 Consideration is being given to discontinuing the Call List. Sales of the 2008 issue has just managed to reach double figures, no sales from outside of the Association.  The time spent in preparation [labour], the costs associated with running the computer/printer [electricity- wear & tear etc], ink, paper, etc, all used in printing out the pages for book setup prior to photocopying of the material that will make up each book, is the same in cost  whether 1 or 100 are printed.

 Say it takes 4 hours to do all the required book & cover alterations, print out the master pages at a labour cost say  $10 per hour [$40] and ink etc say [$1], a total of $41. This means up to this point 1 book would cost $41 but for 100, each book would only cost $0.41 cents each.

 The first part, setup, is constant, regardless of the number of books sold. Add to this the costs associated with making of each book after set up, to the  posting of each book. Price of double sided photocopying: Small numbers are usually 20 cents per double side, over a certain number usually 100 it can reduce to 18 cents.  This means 1 to 7 books cost $2.80 ea. Above that $2.52ea is the cost of a cover, stapling, envelopes and postage. A single book then rises to over $45.  A run  of 5 books are $12.25 each, 10 would be $8.15 ea, 100 reduces to $4.50. All these prices excludes any labour costs and any other incidentals.

 The above is only an example mainly to illustrate how the cost of producing10 would leave a maximum profit of $18.50 less the cost of 2 free books that go to the Auckland Libraries each year  reducing this profit of $18.50 by $16.30 giving a profit of  $2.20. I haven’t done any costing on this years books but can definitely say that this year 2007-08 financial year will record a loss of at least $30.00.

 According to last years balance sheet we made a theoretical profit of $41.82. What all of us didn’t take into consideration was our listed liabilities. Here it lists “Call Books paid in advance $50" for the 2008 book. Deduct that $50 from the last years Call book sales for the 2007 book, it will then show that we made a loss of $8.18.  This year the expected loss, even after adding the $50 we received for the 2008 book prior to 31 March 2007, there will be a loss.    

 This years financial sheet will show sales as $50, expenses at least $100 making a $50 loss before  taking into account that $50, there will be a slight loss of possible $5 to $10.  Adding together each years sales and each years expenses, we have Sales $160, expenses of approximately $170 giving a possible loss for the 2 years of at least $10, or $5 for each year.  I cannot see the call book ever getting back in the black. As I stated some time ago, if the book made a loss, it would be discontinued.  On the basis of a loss both years, no future book orders will accepted in the meanwhile.                              

My attention to last years true loss all became clear due leak in my roof.  A few weeks ago during some heavy rain a leak developed around one of the chimneys, not a bad one, but enough to wet a sheet of wallpaper in an upstairs room. This room is immediately above my living room where I have the  computer, printer TV etc and do all my work. As soon as the weather cleared I fixed the leak, then went back to getting the call book ready for photocopying, finishing around 8pm so left it all on a desk beside the computer table.  During the night or early hours of morning, there was a very heavy downpour.

 Before going downstairs to the living room, I checked the leak area, great it was dry. On arriving downstairs, I was met by a very wet desk of call book sheets. Another leak had developed in a different place and the water had got onto the living room ceiling dripping through a ceiling join onto the desk, meaning all the sheets were ruined and I had to start entirely over again. 

 While doing all this work again, I woke up to the fact that each year, call book money is banked before 31 March each year and as the book isn’t printed until the following October it is payment for the next book,  not the one already printed. As it is money received for call book sales so it becomes part of sales money received. The amount received for the next book is also list as a liability. This means any profit on Call List sales  for the financial year require the Call List amount in the liability part must be deducted to find out the correct profit of the previous book.  

 Latest news from Radio Spectrum Management

Allocation of VHF and UHF Spectrum for Public Protection and Disaster Relief Services

A working group of the Government’s Emergency Telecommunications Services Steering group has recommended that radio spectrum in the bands 138 - 144 MHz (ESB) and 494 - 502 MHz (ESC) be allocated for the use of recognised public protection and disaster relief radiocommunications (PPDR) services: for example, Police, Ambulance, Fire Service, and Civil Defence communications.

A consultation document has been released by the Ministry of Economic Development that invites public comment on the following.

·     Confirming that the current ESB and proposed ESC band allocations are the optimal use of the spectrum.

·     Measures to ensure technical compatibility between services in the PPDR bands and services in the adjacent spectrum.

·     The method of assigning and managing the spectrum within the PPDR bands.
Responses are requested by 1 February 2008.

 As expressed in the previous newsletter, this forthcoming AGM will be a face to face one. At this AGM the future of CBRANZ will be discussed and decided. There are 3 alternatives to be looked at. 1. Continue as is.  2. Put CBRANZ into Recess.  3. Wind Up CBRANZ.

 1. 26 MHz CB appears to be a dead duck all over the country. There are still people using it but these people do not seem to have any interest in CBRANZ. On the whole they go their own way and appear satisfied with it as it is.  For 26 MHz, the Association is mainly used for information re  repairers or parts.  Truckies & 4wd clubs seem to be one of the  main users, with Truckies usually using ch11. We haven’t heard from any of them for years.  Other uses are a few community organisations ans few individual operators.  

 PRS. Biggest users throughout NZ are businesses. There are a huge number of users out there but it appears that no new PRS clubs are appearing. PRS Repeaters in various places are controlled by a club, single persons (farmers – contractors etc), or a PRS Repeater Group. Some own more than one repeater or have interests in more than one.  CBRANZ Individual membership is still declining. 3 CBRANZ CB Clubs still operating.  Also membership of these clubs has declined to what it was 5 years ago.  

 2. The answer to this one lies in the question, ‘will CBRANZ services be required anytime in the future’.  If this is to be the one suggested a certain period be set to see if it is required to do what it was formed to do.  If during that set period it is not required, then it then be wound up.

 3. Wind up. If it is now considered that the Associations used by date has arrived or been passed then this should be the one.

 No 1. This one, as things appear at present,  would seem to be out of the contest.  No 2. To me the most sensible. With a set recess date its life would be know, so it would be, ‘use it or lose it’.  No 3. Bang, that would be it.   

 The reasoning behind the above 2 & 3: Members do not appear to have any interest in being a Member of Council of Management. 

 Over the last few years we have had difficulty in getting nominations. In the newsletter December 12 months ago it was stated if we did not get enough nominations for the required positions I would endeavour to get the required number from the Otago Club.  Result President; one only  (Robert a further year as President). Vice President; One only (Alf [Otago] who offered to help out again) Secretary/Treasurer; Only one (myself again). Committee; none.  (Managed to talk Denice to continue again and one other Otago member  who volunteered more to shut me up than a genuine wish to serve.         

 The AGM is only one day so the necessary business is required to be done, Meeting called to order, Roll Call, Welcome,   Chairperson will be the President as is usual with face to face, Notice of meeting read by Secretary, Roll Call, Minutes 2007 AGM confirmed [as circulated]- Business arising, Correspondence [as circulated] - Business arising.

 Chairman's Annual Report (as circulated), Financial report - Balance Sheet Presentation, Delegates reports (if any received), Call Book recommendations and a short discussion on these if required, Remits [if any are received],  Trustees for Bank Account, General Business Agenda (if any received), Special Business (Future of CBRANZ etc), Election of Officers & Committee or Trustees depending on the outcome of the Special Business section (I would suggest the present Council of Management be the Trustees if CBRANZ Future is decided to be 2. or 3.), Set 2009 AGM Venue (if 1. is chosen), Thanks etc, Formal Meeting concludes.           

 There will be Morning Tea, Light Lunch, Afternoon Tea and a Evening Dinner provided, plus Photos, and a short get together.  There may appear to be a lot of business to be done but no reports, correspondence etc needs to be read out at the AGM as all members will receive these in April so can be put to the vote almost immediately.    

 Instead of giving a delegates report at the AGM I will give a bit of a run down on Otago’s Community Work for the  2007 Year. I hope most of you saw on TV some of the 1^st Cricket test in Dunedin. I can tell you it was very hot and they had very good attendances. The Otago Club did the Road Control and the car parking and I for one hardly saw any cricket. Most of us on the third day had very red faces from the sun.

 The same 8 did the 3 days closing up 2 toads by 7.30am, and parking lanes installed each day by 9.30am. Had to open all roads, remove parking lanes each day so we didn’t get finished until around 8.00pm, then it was home to a very welcome shower.  We got roped into this event on the Thursday and the match started the next day. Luckily it only went 3 days instead of the five set down.

 For the year from 1 January to 31 December we did 130 working days on Community events. As some events lasted 2, 3, or 4, days,  the actual number of different events totalled the ton.  Luckily quite a lot lasted only a short time; Parades (2 hours) some 4hore bur some like filming 6 days of  14 hours a day, the rest usually between 6 hours to 10 hours per day [not going to work out the hours spent by members but those are large).  On the whole we have a very dedicated team.      

Those ordering call lists will receive it with the newsletter, Notice of meeting, nomination form and if I can get it done in time the AGM registration form. No Sub invoices will be sent out until we know the wishes of the members re CBRANZ Future.

I think that is all for the present as I want to get this away ASAP as we are now in the New Year.

CBRANZ Council

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Last updated: 16th January 2008