ATTENTION! The August meeting will be at Island Park Pavillion (724 Center Street, Cedar Falls) VE testing in the morning, Junk in the Trunk / radio demo in the afternoon, meeting at 6pm Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, July 2021 The July gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 7:01 PM, July 10, 2021 by Al Jones (KB0VGG). There were 13 members (11 ARRL) and 0 guests in attendance this evening, listed below. MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: from email: N0XUT was the one assisting with the vinton repeater, not NC0N. Tom (AE0TB): need to update meeting location/time/zoom and replace with airport. (airport was already in the minutes, zoom reference removed) Report accepted with 2 adjustments (W0VJB/N8TWO) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ Dave (KD0DK) reports we have $1,090,18 in checking and $1,771.86 in savings/repeater fund (dues collected tonight will be added into next month's totals) Report accepted (N8TWO/W0ALO) 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/ REPEATERS --------- Al (KB0VGG): 94 is up, mine is up, 220 is up now. 975 is up. Waiting to hear back from Scouts with unused antenna and hardline. Chris's (N0CF) 900 and DMR have been taken down, looking for a home If nobody wants to hose them here in Waterloo he'll take them with him. Possibly moving it to Dick's (W0HHF) COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): no report OLD BUSINESS ------------ Mark (N8TWO) presented the final results of Field Day 2021 - we had a total of 22 attendees on the sign-up sheet - Tom (AE0TB) contributed over 1,100 points from home, although another home operator managed to get over 1,300 points - operators at the park pulled in 1,496 points total, +300 in bonuses. - Brenda (KD0IDF) would like pics of the solar arrays, Chuck will send to Mark. - most of our contacts were on 15 and 20 meters - we ended up with more digital contacts than CW (thanks Corey (NC0N)) - Al (KB0VGG) also called the noon 75m net from the park, with a little help from Curt's (NK0T) amplifier and Nathan's (N0ZYC) generator (the shelter had no AC) Al (KB0VGG) noted, that was a lot of effort by all for only 7-8 hrs of operating Motion to donate $100 to Salvation Army for feeding us (unanimous verbal approval) Some discussion of the solar trailer, which Bill (W0GEN) has returned to the original donor, the biggest difficulty being it needed to move but there were no volunteers to take it on. Tom (AE0TB) said the EOC may be willing to keep it there. Discussion on options to prevent trip hazard for coax runs between stations and antennas. We can get additional points by having someone trained on CPR, must be present throughout the event. AED might also be a good idea, though they're pricey (~$1,400) and requires training, childproofing. This year parking was tight, no vehicles could be on the grass anywhere at any time, so all gear had to be walked in. (we would have been unable to bring in the solar trailer anyway) Vicki (W0VJB): somehow extending Field Day might be a good way to bring new operators into the hobby? We should also try to make our meetings more interesting for young prospective members. Nathan (N0ZYC): since digital went over so well this year, do we want to try to set up a second digital? Dave (KD0DK): I need a list of recent test passers so I can update the membership list (since they get a complementary starting membership) Al (KB0VGG): do we want to extend membership also for operators that upgrade? Will be sending out announcements on all the nets regarding VE testing next month The mayor showed up at our Field Day and expressed great interest in our efforts. Interested in seeing some sort of general presentation on what ham radio is about and what it can do for the community. This may be more than a basic club presentation, it could end up being a few people presenting to the city council or in some other formal setting. We'll need to put some thought into this. NEW BUSINESS ------------ Discussion of next month's meeting: - August meeting will be at Island Park Pavillion (724 Center Street, Cedar Falls) - VE testing will start at 9:00, need to advertise - junkin-the-trunk event from 1-4 pm - we'll also be doing a ham radio demo, invite anyone that might be interested - possibly a lunch / dinner potluck, dinner before the meeting at 6:00 Tom (AE0TB) is looking for pics of Field Days - not just 2021 but also other past days, any media you have please forward to Tom. Nathan (N0ZYC) has some video and pictures, will be in touch. Roger Sutton (KF0EGQ) needs to be added to the mailing list. (there are several other new operators that also need to be added) Al (KB0VGG): thoughts on a "winter field day"? Ingawanis Elliot cabin sleeps 15 and has space for radio gear, $35 rental for 2 nights Heated via wood-burning stove (dining hall would be $80/day) (only limited interest, mainly concerns about the cold) Motion to adjourn at 8:14 PM (ALO/CQH) (there was no presentation this month) UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS ---------------------- (TBD) REGULAR EVENTS -------------- - ARES net check-in is at 9pm every Sunday night, on 146.94/34 - Iowa Digital Net runs every Sunday night at 4pm, 3.5885 MHz USB / 1500 Hz WF (Olivia 8-500) (note new day and time as of Feb 2020) - DMR checkin 7:30 pm Sunday night on talk group 3119 - W0MG Virtual Breakfast, now meeting every Monday morning 8:45am – 12:45pm https://zoom.us/j/94876565904?pwd=RnlhMzBkMWhCaEkzRUc0YW4yaDMxUT09 or open the Zoom app and join with meeting ID 948 7656 5904 passcode 592204 or dial in by phone, 312-626-6799 (Chicago) - 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 UPCOMING HAMFESTS ----------------- Aug 14: VE testing / junk in the Trunk / radio demos / club meeting Island Park Shelter #1 Aug 28 8:00 AM: W0BXR DRAC Hamfest / Computer Show Iowa Armory National Guard 5300 West Kimberly Rd Davenport IA 52806 Admission: $8 Contact: 146.28/88 @ 77hz / 563-321-7559 / w11ham@arrl.net flyer: http://www.arcsupport.com/drac/2021festflyer.pdf September 26: Belvedere Radio Expo October 30: 3900 Club Hamboree Boone County Fair Grounds,Community Building, 1601 Industrial Park Road, Boone IA 8am - 1pm, admittance: $7 (14 and under free) VE testing flyer: http://www.3900club.com/hamboree2021.php OTHER EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------------------------ (none) W0MG/NIRAA LINKS ---------------- - Club Website: https://www.w0mg.net/ - Membership form: http://www.w0mg.net/contact/membershipform.pdf - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/waterloo.hams/community/ - Cedar Valley area repeaters list: https://www.w0mg.net/repeaters/ MEETING ATTENDANCE ------------------ Members: W0DT Don Talaska N4HRL Harold Lucas W0ALO Chuck Angel K0CQH Dave Knittel WA0QXF Clark Willoughby AE0TB Tom Bicket W0VJB Vicki Bicket KD0DK David Kelly N0ZYC Nathan Fisher N8TWO Mark Colby KB0VGG Al Jones KE0IDF Brenda Kremer N0RXB Wendell Wagner Guests: (none) 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: Curt Wilson (NK0T) - pres(a)w0mg.net Vice President: Al Jones (KB0VGG) - vp(a)w0mg.net Secretary: Nathan Fisher (N0ZYC) - sec(a)w0mg.net Treasurer: Dave Kelly (KD0DK) - treas(a)w0mg.net Director 2019: Stan Johnson (W0SJ) - dir2(a)w0mg.net Director 2020: Jan Fitkin (KE0IWP) - dir3(a)w0mg.net Director 2021: John Humpal (WB0MAR) - dir1(a)w0mg.net NIRAA meets most months on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 7:00 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