Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, Oct 2019 The October gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 7:32 PM October 12, 2019 by Harold Lucas (N4HRL). There were 22 members (20 ARRL) and 1 guest in attendance this evening, listed below. MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: (none) Minutes accepted with no adjustments (N8TWO/W0GEN) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ Dave (K0CQH) reports we have $1,090.18 in the savings/repeater fund and 2,144.56 in sharedraft. Dave will not be running for re-election as treasurer for 2020. We thank you for your help in this role over the last few years. Please contact Dave if you would like to get your dues paid for the year. Report accepted (N8TWO/W0GEN) REPEATERS --------- Curt (NK0T) repeater is good! we still need to get the swap scheduled though Chuck (W0ALO) 82 is working fine as far as he knows, DMR is ok too COMMITTEES ---------- (none active) OLD BUSINESS ------------ Bill (W0GEN): the new club remote is on the air at his location, we discovered we will need a Windows 10 Pro license, has been purchased for $120.91 (board approved) Mark (N8TWO): JOTA is next weekend, there's an unusually large group of 55 youth and 12 adults, we should start setup Friday afternoon for a Saturday morning start. Stan (W0SJ): The peopel that purchased Carol Cooper's house would like us to come over and remove her towers. There's quite a lot of problem weeds (nettles, poison ivy, etc) that will make amateur removal difficult. Tower access is also difficult, getting the necessary lift into the back yard would be tricky. We got an offer from a local that will do it for $500 which seems to be very reasonable. Curt (NK0T) suggests forwarding that offer, it'd be over $1,000 if done by a bigger outfit. Taryn (N0TKC): Time to get the christmas party list going. Nathan please send out a request for those that will be ordering pizza to give a count so they have enough pizza prepared. Other dishe should be available in the needed quantities. We will forward the list we have as of Nov 1. Swap of the 94 repeater was discussed. We will need several peopel that are available during the week for the swap since our water tower access will have to happen during the weekday when the guy that will let us in is available. Harold (N4HRL): we don't really have a committee working on the repeater swap, let get one together so we can get the swap taken care of. John (WB0MAR) volunteers Curt (NK0T) volunteers (as long as he doesn't have to chair) Jane (KE0RKO) volunteers Soliciting for volunteers that could help. Dave (K0CQH), Stan (W0SJ) might be able to help. Chuck (W0ALO) has the contact info for tower access. Curt (NK0T) suggests we might want to wait for spring to do the swap so we can use the better controller than can do proper announcements, that one's over on Kimball right now. Will work out the details with the committee. NEW BUSINESS ------------ Jan (KE0RKO)'s son proised her a party if she got her ticket, a flyer was handed out and Nathan will forward the invitation to the rest of the club members via email. Party on evening of Sat Nov 16 at the CF Womens Club. Tom (AE0TB): got a call from the Red Cross, they will be renovating the boulding and wanted to know what all the club has there. (inside a well as what stuff on the roof is ours) All we have over there right now is the tower with the beam/rotor, and what's downstairs in the radio room. The tower that's ON the building isnt ours. We can continue to have a station there as long as we have a use for it. We would prefer to maintain our presence there as an emergency response location. Curt (NK0T): we could set up a remote station there if we could get internet to the radio room. It sounds like they don't have an immediate use for the basement, but are keeping it availble for any need that arises. Unanimous agreement among the club that we request to maintain a station there. Harold (N4HRL): it's about time for the Salvation Army's bell ringing campaign to start. Motion to confirm we will continue this winter support event. (NK0T/N8TWO) We will probably he at the left and right doors at Walmart on the first Saturday of December from 10-3. Be mindful of the weather, dress warmly. 2020 ELECTIONS -------------- We will be holding our elections for the 2020 officers and director at our next meeting, at our Chirstmas party at Nana Rosas. Harold (N4HRL) will run for re-election as president Curt (NK0T) will run for re-election as vice-president Nathan (N0ZYC) will run for re-election as secretary Dave (K0CQH) will retire from his position as treasurer Dave (KD0DK) is currently serving as a director but will run for treasurer John (WB0MAR) and Taryn (N0TKC) will run for director positions Nominations will also be accepted at next month's meeting just prior to the election. Motion to end meeting at 8:17 pm (KA0DBC/N0TKC) PRESENTATION ------------ Tonight's presentation was by BILL DEDIC (W0GEN) on STANDBY POWER UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS ---------------------- NOV: (XMAS PARTY) DEC: PATRICK RONIGAN FROM READLYN HAS A PROGRAM ON SUNSPOTS AND SOLAR WEATHER 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) 319-243-8819 2ND FLOOR CF LIBRARY 10AM next class: (contact Al) - 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: -Sept 21 additional testing dates may be added as needed UPCOMING HAMFESTS ----------------- (none noted) OTHER EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------------------------ (none noted) 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 list: http://w0mg.net/repeaters/ MEETING ATTENDANCE ------------------ Members: N0ZYC Nathan Fisher KE0IDF Brenda Kremeer KB0VGG Al Jones N0RXB Wendell Wagner N8TWO Mark Colby NK0T Curt Wilson AE0TB Tom Bicket W0GEN Bill Dedic W0SJ Stan Johnson WB0MAR John Humpal WA0QXF Clark Willoughby KD0DK David Kelly N4HRL Harold Lucas K0CQH Dave Knittel W0ALO Chuck Angel KE0IWQ James Fitkin KA0DBC Lois Johnson KE0IWP Janice Fitkin W0VJB Vicki Bicket KE0RKO Jane Buck N0TKC Taryn Colby W0EL David Welch Guests: KZ0MBI Michael Chapman Members wishing to pay club dues (or have paid and are not indicated above) please contact Dave Knittel in person at our monthly meeting or by email at treas(a)w0mg.net 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 2016, Stan Johnson (W0SJ) : dir1(a)w0mg.net Director 2017, Taryn Colby (N0TKC) : dir2(a)w0mg.net Director 2018, Dave Kelly (KD0DK) : dir3(a)w0mg.net NIRAA meets most months 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, 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 http://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