ATTENTION! If you normally take 218 North to the airport, you will need to exit onto Broadway and go East, then turn left on Wagner Road and left again on Airline Highway to read the airport. Join us (next meeting is Saturday July 13 at 6pm) in person at the Waterloo Airport, or via Discord. Click this invitation link to add our server to your Discord app: https://discord.gg/hSPGhWxtZE Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, June 2024 The June gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 6:05 PM June 8, 2024 at the Waterloo Airport by John (WB0MAR). There were 17 members (13 ARRL) and no guests in attendance (locally and remotely) this evening, listed below. MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: Al's callsign was "KB0BGG" in one place Tom (AE0TB): Emergency Management Agency was abbreviated "FEMA", should be "EMA" Report accepted with 2 adjustments ( N0ZYC / N0TKC ) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ balances for period: 5/1/2024 - 5/30/2024: Dave (KD0DK) was sick today, John (WB0MAR) will report We need a motion to reimburse Al (KB0VGG) for POTA shelter rental Will also be cutting a check to Vicki (W0VJB) for Paul's Potties rental for Field Day Savings (repeater fund) account: $2,705.26 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- (no changes) ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $2,705.26 ending balance checking (share-draft) account: $1,720.67 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- -$ 250.00 check to Grinnel Mutual for insurance +$ 20.00 in new dues +$ 15.00 testing fees collected -$ 15.00 testing fees sent to ARRL ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $1,490.67 ending balance Report accepted ( N0ZYC / N0TKC ) Please contact our treasurer Dave (KD0DK) 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 --------- Curt (NK0T): 220 is alive and well but no PL tone (just needs to be wired up) Chuck (W0ALO): 82 still going but getting some interference - maybe another digital repeater nearby DMR temp is programmed and at the farm, needs the internet part reprogrammed though COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): (no report) OLD BUSINESS ------------ Tonight's meeting will focus mainly on final preparation for Summer Field Day, coming up in two weeks. Mark (N8TWO) reported on our upcoming Field Day event: - discussion of antenna locations - we need operators for code and digital - voice conditions may be poor considering recent sunspot activity - may be using an end-fed long-wire and multi-band vertical (likely on 40m) - need people to bring tables, chairs, and canopy shelters - also bring batteries if you can, there will be no commercial power available - the 6m beam is still up at the Red Cross (though we should have the control box somewhere) - Doug (K0DV), Randy (KF0JPR), Paul (KB0JIT), Nathan (N0ZYC) and Al (KB0VGG) available for setup - discussion of bug control - Taryn (N0TKC) will bring tiki torches we might also need citronella candles, bug traps, fans, etc. - we might have an RV available - expecting to operate with three stations - headphone splitters are packed - preparing to do a test session at 9am if there is interest (VEs be prepared to arrive early) - there will be a GOTA station for guests - GOTA uses a different call, and is good for 5 pts this year. - GOTA contacts count for people that are unlicensed or licensed for less than a year - talk-in on 146.94 Stan (W0SJ): the club owns a small screened in shelter but not sure where it's at? Mike (KZ0MBI) may have it? Curt (NK0T) will try to figure out the status on that. Nathan (N0ZYC) passed around an Operators Sign-Up sheet General discussion of food. Settled on Bring Your Own Food for Al )KB0VGG) to grill. We're also close to Casey's if we need anything. Vicki (W0VJB) do we have any hand-outs for guests? doing any advertisement? Mark (N8TWO) has some hand-outs from ARRL, also has a PDF ad that Bill (W0GEN) updated Nathan (N0YC) will bring the club feather flags Taryn (N0TKC) will pick up the flags from Nathan and set them up. Discussion of available internet, for time-sync of the digital station. Might be able to use Dick's (W0HHF) wifi. 5G works well there also. Stan (W0SJ) will have the field day filters. They should work at impedances other than 50 ohm, so placement relative to the tuner isn't so critical. Dick (W0HHF) has a generator available if need. Paul (KB0JIT) also has an inverter/generator he can bring. Nathan (N0ZYC) wonders what the lighting will be like overnight, is there an area light? NO. Bring lighting. Tear-down volunteers include Nathan (N0ZYC), Paul (KB0JIT), John (WB0MAR), but Mark (N8TWO) will NOT be present. Discussion of marking hazards like guy wires, power lines, and coax. Mark (N8TWO) has caution tape. Curt (NK0T) has yellow coax. Nathan (N0ZYC) has seen christmas lights being used to mark wires on the ground. Harold (N4HR): the construction will have some access blocked. Broadway may be closed, might need to approach from somewhere besides South. NEW BUSINESS ------------ (none) Motion to adjourn at 6:56 PM ( WBOMAR / N0TKC ) Tonight's presentation was by MARK (N8TWO) on logging laptops 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: July 13 : AL (KB0BGG) PRESENTS ON DIGITAL AUG 10 : SEPT 14 : OCT 12 : NOV 9 : ELECTION DINNER DEC 14 : 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 ----------------------- Sept 14: testing at the Waterloo airport contact Mark (N8TWO) for current information at classes@w0mg.net or Al (KB0VGG) on class/test day at 319-243-8819 UPCOMING HAMFESTS AND EVENTS ---------------------------- June 22: Field Day at Nelsons (6908 Wagner Road, North of Cedar Falls) ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------- (let me know if you have an announcement to make) 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 resources: https://vftp.net/N0ZYC/W0MG/index.html - Amateur Radio Practice Site (tests and code): https://www.aa9pw.com/ - Discord server (current invitation link at top of minutes) ATTENDANCE ---------- Members: N0ZYC Nathan Fisher KF0JPR Randy Albright KB0JIT Paul Sipes W3STS Scott West KA0DBC Lois Johnson K0DV Doug Vernier N4HRL Harold Lucas NK0T Curtis Wilson KF0JBW Garrett Sager W0ALO Chuck Angel W0SJ Stan Johnson WB0MAR John Humpal AE0TB Tom Bicket W0VJB Vicki Bicket N0TKC Taryn Colby N8TWO Mark Colby KF0KDE Dan Zilk 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 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 2022 Taryn Colby (N0TKC) dir2(a)w0mg.net Director 2023 Jan Fitkin (KE0IWP) dir3(a)w0mg.net Director 2024 John Humpal (WB0MAR) dir1(a)w0mg.net ABOUT ----- 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