I guess because I was the one with paper & pen, I got appointed
temporary secretary.  Despite the press of Christmas shopping &
horrible traffic near the Rivergate Mall, we had excellent turnout:

K1AO	
KE4OAR	
W9WI	
AA4NU	
NY4T	
WD4K	
KF4VOW	
K1KY
Wo4o
KF4ZTJ
K4RO

TCG has been attempting to sponsor a plaque for the 1999 NA QSO Parties;
Tom K1KY reports sufficient donations have been received to cover this,
and we have officially committed to sponsorship.  This will go in the
mail next week.

K4RO congratulated K1KY on a very productive year in office.  (the
railroading of 1999 officers happened later)

Many contest summaries have been posted on the TCG Web Page
(www.k4ro.net/tcg) thanks to Kirk K4RO.  Tom will be sending him more. 
Kirk has long-range plans to develop a standard format for summary
reporting, to make the web page more useful.

Discussion of upcoming contests:
The Stew Perry Distance Challenge (160 meters) is next weekend.  Several
members will be entering in low-power mode - that provides an X2
multiplier which is difficult to make up for with high power.  Exchange
is four-character grid square.  (roughly, EM66 if you're north of the
Davidson/Williamson Co. line, EM65 if you're south of it)  The recently
passed 10- and 160-meter ARRL contests were discussed & enjoyed by all.

Chuck, KE4OAR said 16 members have committed to the two teams being
fielded for NAQP CW.  One team is for ops who feel most comfortable at
20wpm or so, the other for the speed demons.  Tom will be helping Chuck
solicit more team members on some of the Tennessee Internet mailing
lists.

TCG East member Jim, N4IR is an at-large member of the ARRL Contest
Advisory Committee.  He's working on changes to the club circle rule. 
The rule currently requires all members submitting scores for an ARRL
contest to reside within 175 miles of the "club center", currently
defined as Murfreesboro.  TCG (and several other clubs) hope to amend it
to read "within 175 miles or in the same ARRL section".  (or "... in the
same state"?)

Tommy, WD4K was nominated for "facilitator" in 1999, and accepted the
nomination.  

A quick review of progress in 1998 was made.  Scores and participation
have been great, and we've brought several new contesters into the
fold.  It's been a good year!  

The 1999 Tennessee QSO Party was discussed, and a few rules changes
made.  K4TCG will not be eligible for awards in the future; there will
be separate competition for teams in Tennessee and out-of-state teams;
teams will be limited to five *stations* (instead of five *operators*). 
There was some discussion of which counties are rarest and will attract
the most county hunters, and how to activate them.  

Also discussed were the finer points of strategy in 160-meter contests,
and plans for a serious multi-2 operation at W4CAT in the ARRL DX
Contest - phone.  

73 Doug  W9WI