Our next meeting is Saturday August 9 at the Fisher shelter in George Wyth Park. There will be a Junk-in-the-Trunk from 10am to noon, with a potluck running from whenever food arrives to about 2pm when the club will have a short meeting. Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, July 2025 The July gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 6:01 PM July 12, 2025 at the Waterloo Airport by Al (KB0VGG). There were 14 members (13 ARRL) and 1 guest in attendance (locally and remotely) this evening, listed below. (there was no presentation this evening) MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: (no adjustments) Report accepted with no adjustments ( K0CQH / K0DV ) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ activity and balances for period: 6/1/2025 - 6/31/2025: Savings (repeater fund) account: $2,705.26 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- (no changes) ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $2,705.26 ending balance checking (share-draft) account: $1,992.87 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- + 40.09 dues + 30.00 ARRL testing fees - 64.19 flowers for Tom (AE0TB)'s funeral - 75.90 check to reimburse Taryn (N0TKC) for food brought to Field Day ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $1,922.87 ending balance upcoming deposits and expenses: $200 rental for Antique Acres $10 donation toward Field Day food Report accepted ( N0ZYC / N8TWO ) 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/ REPEATERS --------- Al (KB0VGG): mine's still a little deaf due to trees 94 is working well. Curt (NK0T) and I need to get the PA built and installed It's a 300 watt PA, and is mostly indestructible when run at only 130W as we will be doing DMR is also doing well. Chuck (W0ALO)'s 82 is still up and going. Grundy County has lost BOTH of its repeaters. The UHF DMR is gone and the VHF is up for sale. It may be possible to put it back up on the air, waiting to see what the asking price will be. (this may end up being a club repeater, or a privately owned repeater) If our club gets it, linking it to the 94 would be a nice option, although the 94's present controller isn't very "link friendly". Independence is back online, linking to Benton County would also be worth looking into for the future. John (WB0MAR): although the repeaters are gone, the Grundy Center agreement is still in place, and we may be able to just re-install them where they were. Grundy also has internet, although the antenna and coax will need some repair. COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): (no report) OLD BUSINESS ------------ Al (KB0VGG): Field Day went great, we had good food, a good location, we need to book early for next year if we want to continue to run there. E.C. reports are going monthly. I will be going to Ames to learn how to do the E.C. reports. These reports were supposed to be getting submitted but weren't happening recently) The ARES web site is coming online - members can list what capabilities they have and can contribute in an emergency. Barry did visit us on Field Day, and was pleased with how well organized and prepared we were for emergency operations. NEW BUSINESS ------------ Al (KB0VGG): next month is the August Picnic, and recently has also been a small Junk-in-the-Trunk. George Wyth Park is the only inexpensive option although it can flood in the summer. Both Waterloo and Cedar Falls have changed their city park registrations to be "two 4-hour slots per day", the first from 8-2 and the second from 2-10, so if we want the morning slot we can only be there until 2pm unless we want to pay for two slots. Looking for other options, contact me if you have any good ideas. In the past we've tried to work with Crossroads, but their terms weren't going to work out for us. Mark (N8TWO) has been reviewing the shelters at George Wyth. Reservation prices vary depending on the size of the lodge. (the small ones start around $30, and can get over $100 for a large lodge) The Fisher shelter is still available Sat Aug 9, $35 for the day. Motion to approve reservation ( KF0KDE / N0TKC ) Al (KB0VGG) has reserved it. URL for the shelter details: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fisher+Picnic+Shelter/data=!4m7!3m6!1s0x87faabff5f7b4e51:0xf64c2ee98b99d70!8m2!3d42.5362076!4d-92.4195596!16s%2Fg%2F11p0w8kfhq!19sChIJUU57X_-r-ocRcJ25mO7CZA8?authuser=0&hl=en&rclk=1 Mark (N8TWO): the "Rugged Toad Triathlon" starts in Waverly, at Camp Ingawanis, on August 23 https://crawdaddyoutdoors.com/rugged-toad It features a 4.6 mile paddle, 2.6 mile trail run, ad 6.8 mile mountain bike ride. Does the club want to volunteer to provide communications? (no interest) Mark (N8TWO): JOTA is coming up, 3rd weekend in October. Anyone interested in helping? (N0ZYC/KF0KDE showed interest) Al (KB0VGG): do we want to reserve Antique Acres now for next year's (summer) Field Day? motion to reserve ( K0CQH / KF0KDE) Mark (N8TWO): we need to get together another ham class. This will be the club's first fully-online testing session, we should probably do a "dummy test session" beforehand to get our VE's familiarized with the process and work out the kinks. The VEs will be using their own laptops, the test takers will be using the club's logging laptops. email classes@w0mg.net for more information. Motion to adjourn at 6:50 PM ( K0CQH / KF0KDE ) 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: 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 KF0JPS Terry Stewart KD0DK David Kelly K0DV Doug Vernier KF0USU Curtis Rosauer KF0KDE Danael Zilk KF0JPR Randy Albright W3STS Scott West WB0MAR John Humpal KB0JIT Paul Sipes K0CQH David Knittel N0TKC Taryn Colby KB0VGG Al Jones Guests: NK0T Curtis Wilson 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 (KF0JPR) 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