Join us (next meeting is Saturday January 14 at 6pm) 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, December 2022 The December gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 5:59 PM, Saturday December 10, 2022 by AL (KB0VGG) at the Waterloo Airport. There were 15 members (11 ARRL) and 1 guests in attendance this evening, listed below. MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: DAVE (KD0DK): The guest Darla is Darla Kelly, not Knittel Tom (AE0TB): Dave Morrow and his wife are not listed as attendees bell ringing was brought up by Al, not Mark Report accepted with 3 adjustments (N0ZYC/KB0VGG) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ Dave (KD0DK) emailed the treasurer report to Nathan due to not being able to attend. Nathan (N0ZYC) reports we have $1,090.18 in the savings/repeater fund and $2,286.53 -> $2,066.53 in checking. This includes deposits of $512 and a check written to the Elks Club for $712 for the Christmas dinner. A check for $138 has been given to Al for the room rental ($50) plus reimbursement for gratuity ($88) which will be on next month's statement. Report accepted (N0ZYC/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 https://www.w0mg.net/ REPEATERS --------- Al (KB0VGG): mine's still deaf due to trees Benton County repeater was being de-sensed due to nearby business band radios and poor grounding. 94 is going fine Chuck (W0ALO): mine are up, digital and analog Nathan (N0ZYC): 444.975 clock may be off due to DST change? COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): John (WB0MAR): Tom (from CFU) is going to present in February. He may also be able to give us a tour or hold a meeting there. Al (KB0VGG): Curt's presentation is going to be on Nano VNA, he's going to address the various accessory functions beyond the typical core uses. OLD BUSINESS ------------ Al (KB0VGG): we were going to help program radios brought by members tonight but it doesn't look like anyone has brought any radios to program. We have gotten occasional requests over the air etc by people needing to get their radios programmed but they are looking for us to come to them or meet in person 1-on-1. We'd like to suggest people needing programming bring their radio to a meeting instead, as this will take care of their radio AND maybe introduce some new people to the club. We coud also direct them to bring radios to one of our test sessions. (even if they're not testing) Basically, bring it to a club function for programming. Al (KB0VGG): DMR use in the area is on the decline. Chuck's repeater is the only one still running here in town. It seems that many people are just using their hotspots rather than deal with repeaters. Al (KB0VGG): We had a good turnout for the Christmas party, just one no-show. There was some discussion of reducing the number of selections to choose from, but most categories only have 1 or 2 options already. Harold (N4HRL) reported we collected $159.25 this year for the Salvation Army with our bell-ringing. Discussion of Summer Field Day venue. Harold (N4HRL) suggested riverview shelter but Al (KB0VGG) pointed out it lacks AC for crock pots. Mark (N8TWO): maybe we can do Antique Acres? NEW BUSINESS ------------ Al (KB0VGG): Winter Field Day is coming up fast, on Jan 28-29. Ingawanis is probably going to be the go-to for the event, the high ground is ideal and the cabin is warm, although it can be a little hard for some to find and there's no "thermostat" on the stove, so the temp isn't automatically regulated. Mark (N8TWO): Rental for the weekend remains at $35. There are two rule changes for this year: all stations are limited to 100 watts, and they have added a category for HF mobile. Motion to spend $35 on shelter rental at Ingawanis (KB0VGG/N8TWO) Al (KB0VGG) is looking for ideas on getting the club more "active" - meaning regular activities outside our existing scheduled meetings, jota, and field days. Maybe start doing a regular foxhunt? Not sure if we want to try a small area like JOTA has or scale it up to something larger like city-wide? or both? Nathan (N0ZYC): we've already been doing pretty well with parks/railroads on the air, those sort of activities have been pretty popular. Dave (K0CQH): it's been awhile since we did a hamfest. Or maybe just a junk-in-the-trunk? Al (KB0VGG): if we're going to do a hamfest/etc we need to plan far enough ahead that we can get notice into QST and do other advertising, our previous events have been too last-minute and poorly advertised. Maybe combine it with a test session? Crossroads may make a good location. Dave (K0CQH) will head a hamfest committee. Lets try to schedule a weekend not competing with other nearby hamfests and events. 10am-12pm sounds like a good time range. Dave will check with Crossroads to see what sort of permission we need to set up in their lot etc. Al (KB0VGG): looking ahead, do we want to do a test session before the August meeting/picnic? Will need to pick a shelter - Island Park is easy to find. Al will coordinate with Mark. Motion to adjourn at 7:02 PM (N0ZYC/WB0MAR) Tonight's presentation was reserved for radio programming, but no radios were brought in. 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: Jan 14 NK0T on Nano VNA (bring your Nano) Feb 11 Tom Reese (CFU Field Engineer) from Sumner Mar 11 WB0MAR inviting robotics club? Apr 8 KB0VGG on ham shack safety May 13 Summer Field Day planning June 10 July 8 Aug 12 (picnic) Sept 9 Oct 14 Nov 11 (election/dinner) Dec 9 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 ----------------- - Winterfest 2023 OTHER EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------------------------ - Dave (K0CQH) is selling his Icom 746 Pro, $600 firm - Jan 28-29: Winter Field Day at Ingawanis 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 N4HRL Harold Lucas KF0HRF Richard Marsh N8TWO Mark Colby KF0JPR Randy Albright N0RXB Wendell Wagner WB0MAR John Humpal KD0DM David Morrow K0CQH Dave Knittel KB0VGG Al Jones AE0TB Tom Bicket W0VJB Vicki Bicket N0TKC Taryn Colby KE0IWQ James Fitkin KE0IWP Janice Fitkin Guests: W0ALO Chuck Angel 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 David Morrow (KD0DM) vp(a)w0mg.net Secretary Nathan Fisher (N0ZYC) sec(a)w0mg.net Treasurer Dave Kelly (KD0DK) treas(a)w0mg.net Director 2021 John Humpal (WB0MAR) dir1(a)w0mg.net Director 2022 Taryn Colby (N0TKC) dir2(a)w0mg.net Director 2023 Jan Fitkin (KE0IWP) dir3(a)w0mg.net NIRAA meets most months on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 6:00 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