(apologies for the late minutes, my calendar reminder somehow escaped my notice) Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, Jan 2019 The January gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 7:38 PM January 14, 2019 by Harold Lucas (N4HRL). There were 13 members (13 ARRL) and 1 guests in attendance this evening, listed below. MINUTES ------- adjustments to last month's mailed: - Mark (N8TWO) is the member working with Curt on the Explorer's Post (not Stan) Minutes accepted with adjustments (N8TWO/N0TKC) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ Dave (K0CQH) reports we have $1,090.18 in the general fund and $2,091.60 in savings. This includes a deposit to savings ($500) from the sale of the Yaesu FT-897D to N4HRL and the sale of the unused club tower to N8TWO. Dave suggeted we use some of the existing funds to shift our preparedness from the less useful 897 and tower to a more multi-function go-kit, which may also see more practical use on field day. (much discussion followed without concensus on practical use the club's growing savings, this will be revisited later) Report accepted (N0ZYC/KD0DK) REPEATERS --------- Chris's DSTAR has been taken down, U.N.I. no longer wishes to host it. Curt (NK0T) reports 440 is back on the air following a hard lock-up. We had difficulty accessing it at the hospital, and it reset itself after spending several hours in a long silent dead-key. (we need to nail down a more current and reliable access procedure) COMMITTEES ---------- Field Day (NK0T/W0VJB/KD0DK/N0TKC) (no report) OLD BUSINESS ------------ Curt (NK0T) reports on Explorer Post progress: The Boy Scouts are requesting communications assistance at the upcoming Spring Camporee. Mark (N8TWO) elaborated, this will be from 8:0am - 4:30pm on May 4 at Antique Acres and the Archery Range. 2 stations with three operators each should suffice, mainly to coordinate check-in and check-out between the two sites. The 82 repeater (or simplex) should work fine, though the scouts may be intereted in doing some HF in the evening. Camping overnight will be done at Antique Acres. Also FYI the scouts will have transitioned to co-ed by this time. Harold (N4HRL) reports the club raised $419 for the Salvation Army this year. That's less than last year, but was a very good result, considering the frighteningly cold temps we (and those donating) were out in. NEW BUSINESS ------------ There was an extended discussion regarding the future of the club's growing baance in the savings ("repeater fund") as well as the general fund. Numerous ideas were brought up, and support was spread out widely among the various suggestions offered. Tom (AE0TB) will be updating the VE testing schedule on the club web page. Chris (N0CF)'s availability and potential move out-area were discussed. We need to identify what specific club equipment is currently in his care, as well as consider who will take over as steward of the club callsign. Tom (AE0TB) has experience as custodian, but is unable to because he is already the custodian of another call and you are not allowed to manage more than one at a time. Dick (W0HHF) is in the same situation. Nathan (N0ZYC) and Mark (N8TWO) have expressed interest in being the new custodian. (by tradition, not by bylaw, the our club custodian has always been an active board member) Since this historically has been a long-term role, a younger member may be preferred? We need to schedule the installation of the DB224 antenna we purchased for the 94 repeater - we recently replaced the hardline but the antenna itself is getting well past its rated life expectancy. Plans for field day are getting under way. Location is being scouted, Black Hawk county / Bremer area state park. Although it's several months away, the amount of planning and time required for preparation requires us to start planning well in advance of the event. Field Day committee needs to meet and start working out details. We will need to get reservations in early if we're going to a park. Lookout Park registration is $20, although getting permission to be there overnight requires cutting some red tape, normally parks close at 10pm. Mark (N8TWO) is planning this year's participation in JOTA. Recent involvement has resulted in increased interest by the scouts in radio and electronics in particular. We're looking at doing a "pre-jota" event where we work with the scouts on foundation skills such as soldering, and related safety, so they are able to spend less time on introductions and more time on activities when JOTA comes around. One other new idea floated was the setup of two distant radio stations on the scouts grounds, so that scouts have a guaranteed remote scout station to talk with, rather than hoping to hook up with another troop doing JOTA that's within radio range. (we have had very limited success in the past with that approach) This is also better than talking with arranged hams, since it'll be scouts getting to talk with other scouts. Al (KB0VGG) will be hosting a general tech class on Jan 31, at the corner of Garden and Pleasant, at the Latter Day Saints church. He's carrying the club's cell phone (need to get that #, and get it on the web page) but can also be emailed to sign up. He gets the books at a good discount also. Motion to adjourn at 8:23 PM (N0ZYC/KD0DK) PRESENTATION ------------ Tonight's presentation was by Harold (N4HRL) on S.A.T.U.R.N. https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/ UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS ---------------------- 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 - scheduled club testing for 2019 will be held at the Hudson Library, at 401 5th St in Hudson, from 9:45 am - 1:00 pm on the following dates: -Feb 16 -Apr 27 -Sept 21 additional testing dates may be added as needed UPCOMING HAMFESTS ----------------- Winter RF Fest in Perry IA, February 23, 8am-12pm 2930 Willis Avenue, Perry, IA 50220 (Perry National Guard Armory) $7 admission, $10 tables, VE testing talk-in: 145.190mhz(-)/114.8hz flyer: https://www.qsl.net/kd0neb/index_files/2019%20Winter%20RF%20Fest%20Flyer.pdf contact/testing/table reservation: hamfest@harciowa.org Mahaska Hams Swapmeet in Oskaloosa, March 16, 8am-11:30am 302 High Ave East, Oskaloosa, IA (American Legion Hall) donations for admission, $5 tables talk-in: 145.490mhz(-)/146.2hz flyer: http://vftp.net/N0ZYC/hamfests/Mahoska_Hams_Swapmeet_2019.jpg contact/table reservation: vstanley@iowatelecom.net or 641-622-2154 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 N0TKC Taryn Colby NK0T Curt Wilson N0RXB Wendell Wagner KE0LFS David Morrow KD0DK David Kelly N4HRL Harold Lucas K0CQH Dave Knittel KB0VGG Al Jones W0ALO Chuck Angel W0VJB Vicki Bicket AE0TB Tom Bicket N8TWO Mark Colby Guests: KE0PGP Robert Clayton 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