Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, Jan 2020 The January gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 7:32 PM January 11, 2020 by Harold Lucas (N4HRL). There were 12 members (10 ARRL) and 1 guest in attendance this evening, listed below. MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: Nathan's apologies, minutes went out EXTREMELY late. Minutes listed the month as November instead of December, and there were no guests. (not 3) Minutes accepted with no adjustments TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ Dave (KD0DK) reports we have $1090.18 in the savings/repeater fund and $2043.65 in sharedraft, plus an additional $40 in dues. Please contact Dave if you would like to get your dues paid for the year. Our club membership form is also available on our club website at http://www.w0mg.net/ Report accepted (N0ZYC / K0CQH) REPEATERS --------- no report COMMITTEES ---------- repeater swap committee (Jan/KE0RKO, John/WB0MAR, Curt/NK0T): no report OLD BUSINESS ------------ The board met prior to tonight's meeting. Jan Fitkin was appointed the alternate bank account contact for our treasury. (board minutes are attached below) NEW BUSINESS ------------ Harold (N4HRL): We'll be waiting until spring to perform the planned repeater hardware upgrades. We'll also begin discussion of field day venue at the March meeting. (mainly whether we do independent or with another club) Dave (K0CQH): There was a minor increase in shelter reservation cost for Lookout Park. As usual, we'll need to make reservations early to insure we have it. Stan (W0SJ) solicited feedback on how Lookout Park worked out last year. The playground seems to be encroaching on the shelter, we might want to put antennas up across the road instead of in the central grassy area between the shelters and playground next time, to avoid kids running through and among the antennas, coax, and guy wires. Will discuss in more detail at next month's meeting. PRESENTATION ------------ (no presentation this month) UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS ---------------------- (none scheduled) 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 ----------------------- contact Tom (AE0TB) for current information UPCOMING HAMFESTS ----------------- Hiawatha Amateur Radio Club's 12th Annual Winter RF Fest Saturday Feb 29 8:00-12:00 2930 Willis Ave, Perry IA 50220 Admission $7, Tables $10, VE testing, door prizes Talk-in on 145.190/- with 114.8 PL online information at https://qsl.net/kd0neb/index_files/Page383.htm email hamfest@harciowa.org to register for a table or testing OTHER EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------------------------ (none noted) W0MG/NIRAA LINKS ---------------- - Club Website: https://www.w0mg.net/ - 2019 membership form: https://www.w0mg.net/contact/membershipform2019.pdf - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/waterloo.hams/community/ - Cedar Valley area repeaters list: https://www.w0mg.net/repeaters/ MEETING ATTENDANCE ------------------ Members: N0ZYC Nathan Fisher N4HRL Harold Lucas KD0DK David Kelly KA0DBC Lois Johnson KE0RKO Jane Buck WA0QXF Clark Willoughby WB0MAR John Humpal NK0T Curt Wilson N0RXB Wendell Wagner K0CQH Dave Knittel W0ALO Chuck Angel W0SJ Stan Johnson Guests: N0RWY Dennis Orona 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 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 Kelly (KD0DK) - treas(a)w0mg.net Director 2018: John Humpal (WB0MAR) - dir1(a)w0mg.net Director 2019: Stan Johnson (W0SJ) - dir2(a)w0mg.net Director 2020: Jan Fitkin (KE0IWQ) - 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 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 W0MG Board Meeting, Jan 11 2020, 6:45 PM Attendees: Harold Lucas (N4HRL, President) Curt Wilson (Nk0T, Vice-President) Nathan Fisher (N0ZYC, Secretary) Dave Kelley (KD0DK, Treasurer) Stan Johnson (W0SJ, Director 2019) John Humpal (WB0MAR, Director 2018) Jan Fitkin (KE0IWQ, Director 2020, by phone) Discussed selecting a backup to the treasurer, for bank account access. Should probably select a board member for the job. Jan is willing, though will be out of state until March. (the bank requires the person selected to show up in person at the bank to take on the role) Board approved unanimously. Carol Cooper's radio is up and ready at Bill's as the club's new remote station, although we are currently using Curt's radio because of a power control issue via remote on Carol's radio. (if the radio loses power, it cannot be turned back on remotely, a UPS would probably fix the issue) Don Brown's widow (Lorraine) contacted Curt, she has a radio, tuner, etc that needs to find a new home. Curt and Stan looked at it and have offered to sell it for her at an upcoming hamfest. It sounds like she is interested in us selling it and the money being donated to the club. A possibly better option would be to place the radio at the Readlyn Library for use in the station Patrick is trying to get set up there. Lorraine was in agreement with that option. Stan also has been contacted by another widow with radio equipment that needs to be handled. Given the weather and access, the repeater upgrades are probably on hold until spring. Tom Reece (at CFU) would be a good contact for site access when the time comes. (Gary Corte, formerly of CFU Waterworks) is another possible contact. We need to talk with Chuck (W0ALO) to get more specific information on our last access so we're ready when the time comes. A check we wrote last year to reimburse a presenter for travel has not been cached, it's being considered a club donation at this point. Dave is also out of checks, board approved purchase of a box of checks for treasurer use. Curt and John are on the programs committee, though we have nothing currently scheduled, though there are a few ideas in the works. Valley Lutheran has a robotics club and participates in competitions, they may be willing to do a presentation on robotics. CF High School has a Rocket Club that may also be interested in presenting to the club. A DS-Nano presentation by Curt was also suggested. Board adjourned just prior to club meeting.