Join us (next meeting is Saturday October 8 at 7pm) in person at the Waterloo Airport, or via Zoom : - WWW URL: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://zoom.us/j/99863201285?pwd%3DcWUyQWxrRk81OEcwN1Q0dzF1UTBLUT09 - Zoom computer or mobile app: meeting ID 998 632 01285, passcode 955710 - Phone: (312) 626-6799 (Chicago number) Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, September 2022 The September gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 7:02 PM, Saturday September 10, 2022 by AL (KB0VGG) at the Waterloo Airport. There were 18 members (13 ARRL) and 2 guests in attendance this evening, listed below. MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: (none) Report accepted with no adjustments (W0VJB/N0TKC) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ Dave (KD0DK) reports we have $1,090.18 in the savings/repeater fund and $1,743.53 in checking. There was a check made to Al (KB0VGG) for shelter reservation for $25, plus $15 for ARRL testing costs. Report accepted (N8TWO/N0TKC) 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 https://www.w0mg.net/ REPEATERS --------- Al (KB0VGG): mine's still up but a bit deaf due to pine trees Ingawanis has good ears, though slightly deaf to the southeast Chuck's seems to be working We need to get the 925 up before winter, we're currently getting the hardware tuned up and ready. Also need to get its antenna up. W0MG uhf/vhf are both working Curt (NK0T): 224.9 is working well Tom (AE0TB): grundy repeater (echolink) went down due to the club call expiring, they got that renewed and echolink is back up. Toledo repeater antenna is up. Chris doesn't have a repeater there yet but the antenna is ready for it. Racom is doing the shack installation for the cost of materials which is great. COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): (no report) OLD BUSINESS ------------ Al (KB0VGG): Do we want to change the meeting time? We've discussed this before, moving the time an hour or so earlier since we're not limited by Western Home's dining hall availability. We can discuss it later. Club web site handover status - Cory (NC0N) has no web master experience but is willing to learn. Chris (KF0FGN) is a software engineer, might be able to assist Cory. Tom (AE0TB): I'm not just maintaining it, I'm also hosting the site. The hosting also needs to be moved to a different provider. Maybe some outfit that regularly provides inexpensively for small businesses. NEW BUSINESS ------------ Al (KB0VGG): we need to get moving on the Christmas Party plans. We've already talked with the Elk's Club, and there will be a few changes from last year. Instead of the chaos of individual payments at the event, Dave will collect payment in advance from members and cut the Elks a single check for the meals. (as well as a separate check for gratuity) The menu will be very similar to last year. They will be timing the food to arrive right after we're seated, so the club meeting and elections will be after dinner. This will be on a FRIDAY night, not Saturday. Friday Nov 18. Plan to arrive around 5:30, with dinner at 6:00. We need to give them our food selection before then, Al will be sending Nathan forms to forward to the club. Mark (N8TWO) suggests we might want a nominating committee. In the last several years it's been more of a "one person running for every position" kind of negotiation, a committee may not really be necessary? We have some new members that need to get on the club's mailing list. Nathan (N0ZYC) has collected them now and will get them added. Al (KB0VGG) is willing to serve another term as president. Curt (NK0T) would like to step down as VP, David (KD0DM) would like to run for that position. Dave (KD0DK) is willing to serve another term as treasurer. Nathan (N0ZYC) is willing to serve another term as secretary. Jan's (KE0IWP) director position is up for election this year, she has offered to go another term. We have members interested in all positions, might not need a nominating committee. Dave (K0CQH) and Taryn (N0TKC) are both willing to serve on that committee if needed. Mark (N8TWO): we have a VE test session this Saturday (Sept 17) at the Waterloo airport. VE volunteers please contact Mark. Al (KB0VGG) and Mark (N8TWO) were invited to a planning meeting for Evansdale Good Ol Days to see if they were interested in some assistance with the parade. They didn't need our help but would like to see us set up a stall for our club there. (the event is Saturday Sept 17, same day as the VE test) We need a couple people for setup, it's by the fire station around Evans and Gilbertville roads. Obviously people doing VE testing won't be able to help with setup. Al (KB0VGG), Taryn (N0TKC) and possibly Dave (KD0DK) will set up. After you're done at the airport, come join us in Evansdale. Mark (N8TWO) has some JOTA updates. They currently have a handful (5) of scouts signed up, though they are known to have a late rush to sign up, despite being told this year that they'll have a cutoff date. We still are looking for athletic helpers for the fox-hunting event. Curt's (NK0T) club remote has been experiencing network and startup problems. Specifically power loss and shutdown for weather has been unreliable for getting started back up, requiring personal visits to turn it back on. Will see if an update fixes it. Also the antenna needs to move, its attached to a dead tree and we have a live tree selected to move it to. Motion to adjourn at 7:46 PM (KB0VGG/N0TKC) There was no presentation this evening, in leu of discussion of bylaw updates Proposed changes and additions to the bylaws were discussed individually and commented on. - "associate members" category had been removed, but the consensus was that needs to go back in. associate members are members that do not yet have an amateur license. They have all the benefits of being a club member EXCEPT they may not vote in elections or serve on elected positions. They still need to pay dues though. - it was suggested to clarify use of the club station, that the user needs to identify using their own callsign, not the club callsign. And that they understand they are operating under the limits of their own license, not the club call or custodian's license. - there were also concerns about the exact wording regarding members being given access to the club remote station. It basically was boiling down to "if we say they should contact someone to REQUEST ACCESS, does that mean they can say NO / be refused access?" The consensus seems to be that members contact someone to get the necessary information and setup done to get access. (ie NO they cannot be refused if in good standing) - do we want to specify that the club custodian needs to be a member of the board? Or possibly make this a position not appointed but instead tied to an existing position, such as senior director? We will discuss this question further later. - minor formatting changes - also a reminder, when we get our bylaws updated, we will need to send them to the ARRL. The proposed changes will be updated accordingly and be sent out to the club for additional review when ready. UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS ---------------------- presentation ideas: electronics history, radio bug-out bag, alternate power, solar power, spotting electronics scams, mag-loop antennas, broadband blocking filters, Denver/cf robotics club, new director at FEMA, EOC? Contact Al (KB0VGG) if you'd be interested in giving a presentation. Tentative presentation schedule: Oct 8 N0ZYC on solar Nov 12 (Friday instead of Saturday) Christmas dinner / elections at the Elk's Club Dec 10 radio programming (bring your radio, programming cable, manual, laptop/software) Jan 14 KB0VGG on ham shack safety Feb 11 Tom Reese (CFU Field Engineer) from Sumner Mar 11 WB0MAR inviting robotics club? Apr 8 NK0T on Nano VNA (bring your Nano) May 13 Field Day planning REGULAR EVENTS -------------- - ARES net check-in is at 9pm every Sunday night, on 146.94/34 - Iowa Digital Net runs every Tuesday night at 7pm, 3.5885 MHz USB / 1500 Hz WF (Olivia 8-500) - Iowa 75 Meter Evening Net runs Mon-Sat at 6:00 pm on 3.970 MHz / LSB Also meets at 12:30 pm on same. - Iowa 160 Meter Net runs Sunday night at 9:30 pm on 1.9745 MHz / LSB - DMR checkin 7:30 pm Sunday night on talk group 3119 - 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 ----------------- (let me know) OTHER EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------------------------ Dave (K0CQH) is selling his Icom 746 Pro, $600 firm W0MG/NIRAA LINKS ---------------- - Club Website: https://www.w0mg.net/ - Membership form: https://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/ - additional club media: https://vftp.net/N0ZYC/W0MG/index.html MEETING ATTENDANCE ------------------ Members: N0ZYC Nathan Fisher K0CQH Dave Knittel N4HRL Harold Lucas W0VJB Vicki Bicket AE0TB Tom Bicket N0TKC Taryn Colby N8TWO Mark Colby KF0JPR Randy Albright KA0DBC Lois Johnson K0DV Doug Vernier W0SJ Stan Johnson NK0T Curt Wilson WA0QXF Clark Willoughby KD0DK David Kelly KD0DM David Morrow KB0VGG Al Jones NC0N Cory Hill KE0JJE Richard Morgan Guests: W0ALO Chuck Angel KF0FGN Chris Nolan 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 Members of the board may be contacted over the air or via email: President Al Jones (KB0VGG) pres(a)w0mg.net Vice President Curt Wilson (NK0T) vp(a)w0mg.net Secretary Nathan Fisher (N0ZYC) sec(a)w0mg.net Treasurer Dave Kelly (KD0DK) treas(a)w0mg.net Director 2020 Jan Fitkin (KE0IWP) dir3(a)w0mg.net Director 2021 John Humpal (WB0MAR) dir1(a)w0mg.net Director 2022 Taryn Colby (N0TKC) dir2(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