Clubs collect attendance. It is a tradition. LARC has been doing it since day one. The funny thing is that no one, to my knowledge, has ever made use of the data on our sign in sheets. In fact, the last time anyone ever sees it is after they check off their name. Except for me, that is. I file them.

You no doubt have noticed that the sign in sheets have changed a bit over the last year. Instead of a blank sheet, call signs were prerecorded so you only had to check a couple of boxes. The result was more legible, but not in format easily shared. Two months ago a bar code appeared next to your call sign. Here is what that is all about. By scanning the bar code representation of your call sign into a file, it can then be joined up with the official list of club members and shared with everyone. In essence What follows is the result.

(As an aside, the inspiration for bar codes came from the Morse Code. No it is not the same code, just the same principle, short and long, or in the case of the bar code, black or white. There are numerous bar code systems. I am using Code 128. Grocery stores, and Libraries each have their own system. Even the Universal Product Code, UPC is not all that universal. European UPC codes are not the same as ours.)

So if you are not on the list, and you are a member in good standing, please let me know. Also, let me know if you find any errors.

Attendees at the May Meeting