Join us (next meeting is Saturday July 12 at 6pm) at the Waterloo Airport, or via Discord. Click this invitation link to add our server to your Discord app: https://discord.gg/Uyz4jeQKhW (2025) Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, June 2025 The June gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 6:01 PM June 14, 2025 at the Waterloo Airport by Al (KB0VGG). There were 14 members (13 ARRL) and 2 guests in attendance (locally and remotely) this evening, listed below. There was no presentation this evening in leu of Field Day discussions MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: (none) Report accepted with no adjustments ( N0ZYC / N0TKC ) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ activity and balances for period: 5/1/2025 - 5/30/2025: Savings (repeater fund) account: $2,705.26 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- (no changes) ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $2,705.26 ending balance checking (share-draft) account: $1,952.78 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- +$ 40.09 dues ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $1,992.87 ending balance upcoming deposits and expenses: - reimburse Al (KB0VGG) for Tom (AE0TB)'s funeral flowers - rental of Antique Acres for Summer Field Day - Jan (KE0IWP)/Lois(KA0DBC) completed their audit of the books, no problems found Report accepted ( N8TWO / N0TKC ) 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 at the meeting or online on our club website at https://www.w0mg.net/ motion to reimburse for flowers (KB0VGG / N0TKC) Antique Acres still hasn't given us an exact total for event rental (and they still have our "running deposit") Motion to approve up to $200 for Antique Acres when they finally send us a bill (N0TKC/N8TWO) REPEATERS --------- Al (KB0VGG): DMR repeater problems have been fixed, Dave (K9DCR) now has access to BrandMeister account. Also fixed the station's registered location. (was somehow in Ohio, has been relocated to Cedar Falls) My 444.5 is still a bit deaf 94 is still transmitting 30w, should get it up to at least 100w with Curt (NK0T)'s help 82 seems to be doing great 444.975 is online. modules are being programmed for internet use, preparing to run internet cable to cabinet Curt (NK0T): club's remote radio (Icom 7300) is accessible via Remote Hams It's still occasionally glitching, keeping an eye on it in case it needs a reset (or someone notifies me there's a problem. It gets a lot of use so problems are usually identified and fixed quickly COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): (no report) OLD BUSINESS ------------ Mark (N8TWO) gave a quick summary of last month's Spring Camporee event. Mark (N8TWO): Kids on the Air event is next weekend at Ingawanis. Need to know who's going to be there. Attendees will need to have completed the scout's Youth Protection Training. It's good for two years, so some of you may still be current. (discussion of how to take training) Our activity will be at the South end of the camp, but please arrive at the North end to check in at the Director's Lodge before proceeding to the South end. Antennas will be getting set up the evening before the event so we can get set up and on the air quickly. Plan to arrive at 8am for setup, with our activity ready for scouts by 9am. Weather is expected to be hot and sunny, dress accordingly and bring water. Al (KB0VGG): we've confirmed we had Antique Acres. I'll be available to help with setup but won't be there on Sunday. We need operators to sign up so we know who's running when. Carol's 7600 is in Dave (KD0DK)'s basement. we'll also be bringing the club's 897. Voice on the 7300 makes a lot of noise so not recommended. Stan (W0SJ) has his HF filter set and can bring more antennas if needed. (discussion of antennas) Should have plenty of power, there's at least three LIFE batteries expected to be there. Curt will be bringing his 991A (basically a 7300 with cleaner voice) along with its tuner. Al (KB0VGG) will bring the club's 897 for digital. Will also try one more time to contact Antique Acres, as well as Barry (ARRL Section Manager) to see if he wants to stop by. (discussion of getting a brisket to cook for the event) Motion to approve up to $65 for a brisket (N0ZYC/KF0KDE) Bring anything you want grilled Taryn (N0TKC) will be bringing an Egg Bake for Sunday breakfast, will need a dozen eggs, feeds around 10. John (WB0MAR) or Al (KB0VGG) might be able to donate eggs. Al (KB0VGG): we doing a test session? One person is interested in testing. Mark (N8TWO) will prep for a test session at 2pm on Saturday. This will be the very last non-digital test session we do, the next one will be done entirely via laptops. VE's can use their personal laptops, the test-takers will use the club's logging laptops for taking the test. NEW BUSINESS ------------ There's a sack full of Hamvention-themed t-shirts from Dennis (N0RWY) at the counter, free for the taking, variety of sizes Build instructions are being passed around for construction of a 220MHz colinear antenna. Nathan (N0ZYC): sounds like a good thing to post up on the web site? ARES people would like an EC report, monthly. Al (KB0VGG) the AEC will probably be doing that report. Dave (K9DCR) is the new report manager. Al (KB0GVV): would like to have an ARES web site to coordinate members and keep track of what each of them can contribute in an emergency. Web site setup is going slowly, turns out it's a bigger endeavor than anticipated. It should also improve coordination between DECs, AECs, and ECs. We're also looking at doing a drill for long range message passing via omni antennas (or repeaters if necessary) HTs are still the most useful piece of gear any ham can bring to an emergency. Full access to the club's web site has been transferred from SK Tom (AE0TB) to Bill (W0GEN) Curt (NK0T) is scheduled for surgery to get a new heard valve next week. (might get a pacemaker also?) He'll have a couple weeks of downtime - recovery time for such surgeries has really gotten fast. Motion to adjourn at 7:00 PM ( KF0KDE / 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: AUG 9 : SEPT 13 : OCT 11 : NOV 8 : (elections/dinner) DEC 13 : 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 W0DT has a number of radios for sale 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://w0mg.net/?page_id=1736 - additional club media and 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 N8TWO Mark Colby K0DV Doug Vernier KD0DK David Kelly W3STS Scott West KF0KDE Danael Zilk N0TKC Taryn Colby W0VJB Vicki Bicket KF0JPR Randy Albright WB0MAR John Humpal KB0JIT Paul Sipes KE0IWP Janice Fitkin KB0VGG Al Jones NC0N Cory Hill Guests: KD0WVN Nick Miller KF0SJH Dave Powers 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 Roberts (K9DCR) vp(a)w0mg.net Secretary Nathan Fisher (N0ZYC) sec(a)w0mg.net Treasurer Dave Kelly (KD0DK) treas(a)w0mg.net Director 2023 Jan Fitkin (KE0IWP) dir3(a)w0mg.net Director 2024 John Humpal (WB0MAR) dir1(a)w0mg.net Director 2025 Randy Albright (JF0JPR) dir2(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