Join us (next meeting is Saturday November 9 at 5pm) at The Cedar Falls Family Table, or via Discord. Family Table is located at 2627 Center Street in Cedar Falls (just South of Lone Tree Road) Click this invitation link to add our server to your Discord app: https://discord.gg/hSPGhWxtZE Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, October 2024 The October gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 6:00 PM October 12, 2024 at the Waterloo Airport by Al (KB0VGG). There were 21 members (18 ARRL) and 1 guest in attendance (locally and remotely) this evening, listed below. MEETING BEFORE PRESENTATION MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: Construction notice was adjusted to reflect changing construction closures around the airport "Rupert's Rules" where "Robert's Rules" should be (again!) Doug (KD0DK): the third presenter last month was Dave (KD0DK) Jan (KE0iWP): Doug is selling a 6 meter beam, not a 6 meter BEAN Dave (KD0DK) is accepting club dues and registration ONLY online, not in person Report accepted with five adjustments ( AE0TB / N8TWO ) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ activity and balances for period: 9/1/2024 - 9/30/2024: Savings (repeater fund) account: $2,705.25 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- (no changes) ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $2,705.25 ending balance checking (share-draft) account: $1,366.15 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- +$ 155.09 testing fees and dues -$ 195.87 to Bill (W0GEN) for www ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $1,250.37 ending balance upcoming changes: -$36.05 check to Mark (N8TWO) for Winter Field Day cabin rental at camp Ingawanis Report accepted ( KE0IWQ / K0CQH ) Please contact our treasurer Dave (KD0DK) if you would like to get your dues paid for the year. Club dues can be paid in person or online on our club website at https://www.w0mg.net/ REPEATERS --------- Al (KB0VGG): 94 is in good health, boy scout site is also doing really well mine is getting kerchunked occasionally Chuck's 82 is working great The club's DMR is going strong though it's not getting a lot of use right now Curt (NK0T): 220 is alive and well COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): (no report) OLD BUSINESS ------------ Al (KB0VGG): inviting discussion on raising club dues Taryn (N0TKC): Tom (AE0TB) was providing the club with a free web page, which is now a yearly expense, that alone may necessitate a small increase Dave (KD0DK): keep in mind we already have a separate fund for the big (repeater) expenses Curt (NK0T): the repeater fund is usually helped out where needed by passing the hat when big expenses come up Mark (N8TWO) would like to see a breakdown of the club's yearly expenses Nathan (N0ZYC): keep in mind we are now taking dues for 1 or 2 years, a majority of which have started this year, which is going to skew the numbers until it evens out. This year will look like we took in plenty, and we're going to have an apparent shortfall next year as a result. Tom (AE0TB): we may be able to save a little money by switching our insurance to the ARRL's club policy, which provides $2mil insurance (total, $1mil per occurrence) for $200/yr Taryn (N0TKC) with Election Dinner / Christmas Party updates: Reservations made for Cedar Falls Family Table November 9 (arrive at 5pm) 2627 Center Street in Cedar Falls (just South of Lone Tree Road) no RSVP or advance meal selection/payment required, we'll be ordering individually off a menu they didn't need a head-count from us, though we let them know we're expecting 25-30 attendees Al (KB0VGG): will be approaching Antique Acres to get it reserved for Summer Field Day 2025. (will try to get us the family discount again, and they still have our deposit) Harold (N4HRL) requesting status of JOTA this year Mark (N8TWO): JOTA is next weekend. The club has no big plans for the event this year NEW BUSINESS ------------ Hamfest coming up in Boone, Saturday Oct 19 sponsored by the "3900 club" Al (KB0VGG) has received an anonymous donation to the club A long-standing club member Raynard Engel (WA0EEY) has passed away a short time after suffering a fall. Flowers were sent on behalf of the club, cost was $85. Contact al/dave if you would like to contribute to covering the cost of the flowers. Dave (KD0DK) following up on last month's presentation. None of the presenters have been contacted by any interested parties concerning additional CW training. We did reach out to the Long Island CW Club, they're a group out East that teaches CW, and has "A fun and new way to learn morse code" presentation they might be able to do for us over Zoom as a (~45 minute) meeting presentation, with follow-up Q/A. They've also got a club web site with videos. Dave (K0CQH) moves to get election nominations started in preparation for the election next month Al (KB0VGG) is 50/50 on whether he'd like to run for re-election Dave (KD0DK) is ok if Al stays on (sounds good) Nathan (N0ZYC) is ok for another year Taryn (N0TKC) is willing to go another term on the board Curt (NK0T) is also interested in running for the open director position there were no further nominations Motion to adjourn at 6:41 PM ( NOZYC / N0TKC ) UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS ---------------------- presentation ideas: electronics history, radio bug-out bag, alternate power, solar power, spotting electronics scams, mag-loop antennas, broadband blocking filters, Denver/cf robotics club, sodering, new director at FEMA, EOC? Contact Al (KB0VGG) if you'd be interested in giving a presentation. Tentative presentation schedule: NOV 9 : (election dinner) DEC 14 : JAN 11 : FEB 8 : MAR 8 : APR 12 : REGULAR EVENTS -------------- - ARES net check-in is at 9pm every Sunday night, on 146.94/34 - Iowa Digital Net runs every Tuesday night at 7pm, 3.5885 MHz USB / 1500 Hz WF (Olivia 8-500) - Iowa 75 Meter Evening Net runs Mon-Sat at 6:00 pm on 3.970 MHz / LSB Also meets at 12:30 pm on same. - Iowa 160 Meter Net runs Sunday night at 9:30 pm on 1.9745 MHz / LSB - DMR checkin 7:30 pm Sunday night on talk group 3119 - Ham Radio Fellowship / Breakfast every Wednesday morning at 9AM at the Wendy's at Love's Travel Stop in Waterloo. (3301 Greyhound Drive) VE TESTING AND TRAINING ----------------------- contact Mark (N8TWO) for current information at classes@w0mg.net or Al (KB0VGG) on class/test day at 319-243-8819 UPCOMING HAMFESTS AND EVENTS ---------------------------- (let me know) ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------- Randy (KF0JPR) has a pair of HyGain yagi new in box for sale, asking $100 ea Doug (K0DV) has a 6m beam new in box also that's looking for a new home W0MG/NIRAA LINKS ---------------- - Club Website: https://www.w0mg.net/ - Membership form: https://www.w0mg.net/contact/membershipform.pdf - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/waterloo.hams/community/ - Cedar Valley area repeaters list: https://www.w0mg.net/repeaters/ - additional club resources: https://vftp.net/N0ZYC/W0MG/index.html - Amateur Radio Practice Site (tests and code): https://www.aa9pw.com/ - Discord server (current invitation link at top of minutes) ATTENDANCE ---------- Members: N0ZYC Nathan Fisher NK0T Curtis Wilson N4HRL Harold Lucas KE0IWQ Jim Fitkin WB0MAR John Humpal AE0TB Tom Bicket W0VJB Vicki Bicket KE0IWP Janice Fitkin N0TKC Taryn Colby N8TWO Mark Colby KF0JPR Randy Albright W3STS Scott West KF0NDD Miguel Chavez K0DV Doug Vernier KD0DK David Kelly K0CQH David Knittel KF0HRF Richard Marsh KB0VGG Al Jones KB0RSW Randy McClain N0RXB Wendell Wagner KF0KDE Daniel Zilk Guests: (one, not signed in) Members wishing to pay club dues (or have paid and are not indicated above) please contact our Treasurer in person at our monthly meeting or by email at treas(a)w0mg.net Members of the board may be contacted over the air or via email: President Al Jones (KB0VGG) pres(a)w0mg.net Vice President David Morrow (KD0DM) vp(a)w0mg.net Secretary Nathan Fisher (N0ZYC) sec(a)w0mg.net Treasurer Dave Kelly (KD0DK) treas(a)w0mg.net Director 2022 Taryn Colby (N0TKC) dir2(a)w0mg.net Director 2023 Jan Fitkin (KE0IWP) dir1(a)w0mg.net Director 2024 John Humpal (WB0MAR) dir3(a)w0mg.net ABOUT ----- NIRAA meets most months on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 6:00 pm, at the Waterloo Airport, in the old restaurant. Parking is available at no cost in the short-term lot. (3 hr free limit) Our primary club repeater is on 146.94 mhz, negative offset, with a PL tone of 136.5 hz, with coverage centered in Black Hawk County. Many members are also monitoring channel 3119 on DMR. Our club website is at https://www.w0mg.net/ and the club's primary email contact is sec(a)w0mg.net You're receiving these meeting minutes because you have given the NIRAA club your email address for minutes and announcements. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please reply requesting removal from one or both distribution lists. - Nathan Fisher (N0ZYC) Secretary, W0MG