Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, Dec 2018 The December gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 7:31 PM December 8, 2018 by Harold Lucas (N4HRL). There were 13 members (13 ARRL) and 1 guests in attendance this evening, listed below. MINUTES ------- Minutes accepted as mailed with no adjustments (N8TWO/N0TKC) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ Dave (K0CQH) reports we have $1,931.80 in the general fund and $590.18 in savings. Seven members' dues were accepted, please see Dave if you need to get your dues in for 2019. Report accepted (N0ZYC/KD0DK) REPEATERS --------- Curt (NK0T) reports 220 is alive and well, Al's / fusion are also up. Chuck (W0ALO) reports 82 and DMR are up, as well as the 975 (94 is also good) COMMITTEES ---------- Field Day (NK0T/W0VJB/KD0DK/N0TKC) no report OLD BUSINESS ------------ This year's christmas party was another success, Taryn (N0TKC) provided a tray of cupcakes for dessert, club voted to reimburse. (NK0T/N8TWO) Harold (N4HRL) revised the winter weather policy discussions. Our current policy will be to have the club president monitor inclement weather as well as other organizations' cancellations. If the decision is made to cancel, secretary will be contacted to email out a notice, and we will also have a presense on the local repeaters (94 and DMR most likely) to notify members as early as possible. NEW BUSINESS ------------ Volunteers were requested to head a field day committee. It's still a ways out but good to be prepared. Curt (NK0T), Vicki (W0VJB), Dave (KD0DK), Taryn (N0TKC) Harold currently has no presentation scheduled for January. (schedule below) Curt (NK0T) and Stan (W0SJ) are looking at setting up a ham radio "Explorer Post" for the scouts. This is more than just a single event thing like we do with JOTA, and so we'll be needing to collect a "registration fee" for materials. ($40?) This will involve older scouts (ages 14-21), as well as being co-ed. We'll probably need at least 5-7 sign-ups to proceed. One activity will be construction (soldering) of a QRP kit, Curt is researching available kits. A code practice oscillator would also be a good warm-up to soldering before they tackle the kits. MicroBit-X is one of the front-runners so far. Tom (AE0TB) announces there will be a 1-day tech class in Waverly on Jan 12. Testing will be held at the end of the class that day. Class starts at 8am, should finish around 5pm. Cost is $79, and covers the book, lunch, class, and the test. Down payment needs to be made by Jan 1. Mark (N8TWO) announced this year's JOTA will again be on the 3rd weekend in October, (oct 18-20) This would be a good time to do the code practice oscillator, and get the scouts some experience with soldering. (including safety) Motion to adjourn at 8:03 (NK0T/N0TKC) PRESENTATION ------------ Tonight's presentation was by Joe Hoepfner (AE5EI) on digital UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS ---------------------- January: (no presentation scheduled yet) February: Jennifer Strobehn presents on robotics March: Lee Garner doing a followup on Joe's digital presentation April: Nathan (N0ZYC) presents on drones/quads REGULAR EVENTS -------------- - ARES net check-in is at 9pm every Sunday night, on 146.94/34 - hams meet informally at 9am every Monday morning at HyVee on Ansborough Ave - hams meet informally at 12pm every Tuesday at Taco Johns on University Ave - Iowa Digital Net runs every Tuesday night at 7pm, 3.5885 MHz USB / 1500 Hz WF (Olivia 8-500) << NOTE! FREQENCY HAS CHANGED EFFECTIVE FEB 2018 >> - DMR checkin 7:30 pm Sunday night on talk group 3119 VE TESTING AND TRAINING ----------------------- - ongoing tech-to-general class usually meets at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Tuesdays at 6:00 pm contact is Al (KB0VGG) 2ND FLOOR CF LIBRARY 10AM UPCOMING HAMFESTS ----------------- (none) OTHER EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------------------------ (none) W0MG/NIRAA LINKS ---------------- - Club Website: http://w0mg.net/ - 2019 membership form: http://www.w0mg.net/contact/membershipform2019.pdf - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/waterloo.hams/community/ - Cedar Valley area repeaters: http://w0mg.net/repeaters/ MEETING ATTENDANCE ------------------ Members: N0ZYC Nathan Fisher K0CQH Dave Knittel N4HRL Harold Lucas N8TWO Mark Colby N0TKC Taryn Colby W0VJB Vicki Bicket AE0TB Tom Bicket KB0RSW Randy McClain N0RXB Wendell Wagner WB0MAR John Humpal WA0QXF Clark Willoughby KD0DK David Kelly NK0T Curt Wilson Guests: AE5EI Joe Hoepfner Members wishing to pay club dues (or have paid and are not indicated above) please contact Dave Knittel. Officers may be contacted over the air or via email: President, Harold Lucas, N4HRL, pres(a)w0mg.net Vice President, Curtis Wilson, NK0T, vp(a)w0mg.net Secretary, Nathan Fisher, N0ZYC, sec(a)w0mg.net Treasurer, Dave Knittel, K0CQH, treas(a)w0mg.net Director 2017, Dave Kelly, KD0DK, dir3(a)w0mg.net Director 2018, Taryn Colby, N0TKC, dir1(a)w0mg.net Director 2019, Stan Johnson, W0SJ, dir2(a)w0mg.net Please join us at Windcove (Western Home Communities) apartments at 5300 South Main St in Cedar Falls. We are meeting on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 7:30 pm. Anyone interested in ham radio is welcome to attend. Our primary club repeater is on 146.94 mhz, negative offset, 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 http://www.w0mg.net/ . Primary email contact is club secretary Nathan at sec(a)w0mg.net You're receiving these meeting minutes because you have given the NIRAA club your email address for minutes or 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