Join us (next meeting is Saturday October 11 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) Next month's presentation will be by Randy (KF0JPR), presenting on Raspberry Pi Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, September 2025 The September gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 6:04 PM September 13, 2025 at the Waterloo Airport. There were 10 members (9 ARRL) and 1 guests in attendance (locally and remotely) this evening, listed below. (there was no presentation this evening) MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: Dave (KD0DK): I wasn't the one that said Shellrock had a storm that took out cell service Doug (K0DV) was at the last meeting but not listed in attendance Taryn (N0TKC) has Nov 8 reserved for the christmas party. Report accepted with 3 adjustments ( K9DCR / WB0MAR ) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ activity and balances for period: 8/1/2025 - 8/31/2025: Savings (repeater fund) account: $2,705.26 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- +$ 104.00 donation check from Tom (K0INR), proceeds from our recent junk in the trunk ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $2,809.26 ending balance checking (share-draft) account: $1,797.96 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- (no changes) ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $1,797.96 ending balance upcoming deposits and expenses: Bill (W0GEN) has paid for 10-yr domain registration for "W0MG.NET" motion to pay bill (verbal, unanimous) Al (KB0VGG) may need a recent check re-cut due to misplacing it Report accepted 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 deaf. 94 doing well. DMR doing well. Chuck's 82 doing well. Grundy County repeater was moved Did a review of local nets (summary posted to club web site) COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): (no report) OLD BUSINESS ------------ Al (KB0VGG): JOTA this year will be at Camp Ingawanis on Oct 17-19 We'll probably be participating on the 18th. On our recent scout events, the scouts were very interested in code and Curt (NK0T)'s digital presentation. They're also interested in a fox-hunt. Nathan (N0ZYC): they also said they enjoyed seeing the map of the world, with the location of the station they were communicating with. This year's christmas party / election dinner will be on Saturday Nov 8 at Cedar Falls Family Restaurant. We have the location reserved. NEW BUSINESS ------------ Al (KB0VGG): Multiple county ECs have been talking with us, mainly due to the Palo nuclear plant's scheduled reactivation. They're expecting around 80% of their energy to be used by Google's planned new facilities in Cedar Rapids. Google appears to be fronting the cost of the Palo upgrades. Some of the nearby communities will be holding emergency response drills, and we're going to try to be included in those activities. Black Hawk county (and specifically Waterloo) are probably going to be designated as a "refugee" location in the event of an evacuation. For the duration of the drill we'd like to practice the "3-3-3 drill" method. This involves the group checking in and passing traffic for about 3 minutes, every 3 hours (at exact scheduled times), on channel 3. Since we don't use radios with numbered channels, we'll use some designated frequency such as the 94 repeater - it's not as flexible as some other options but has reliable emergency power. Speaking of the 94, it's currently running at 40w but the new PA is going to be pretty much indestructible. (running around 120w, the duplexers are good for up to 350w) Dave (KD0DK): what are the scouts interested in learning in the way of code on JOTA? Al (KB0VGG): they really enjoyed learning their name in code and sending it with a key Dave (K9DCR): I'm going to be maintaining the calendar on the club's web site. We're going to be out at the American Red Cross on Sat Sept 20 to take down the antenna before they demo the building. Will get that up on the calendar for all to see. Dave (KD0DK): Also for the calendar, the Iowa QSO Party is also on Sept 20-21 Motion to adjourn at 6:39 PM ( K9DCR / W3STS ) 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: OCT 11 : Randy (KF0JPR) presenting on Raspberry Pi NOV 8 : (elections/dinner) DEC 13 : JAN 10 : FEB 14 : MAR 14 : 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 KF0EGO Donald Utley KD0DK David Kelly K0DV Doug Vernier WB0MAR John Humpal W3STS Scott West KF0JPR Randy Albright K9DCR David Roberts KB0VGG Al Jones N4RMF Kevin Walton Guests: KN0CTJ Calvin Jutting (DISCORD) 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