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 September 14 at 6pm) 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, August 2024 There was no presentation this evening. The August gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 2:23 PM August 10, 2024 at Pfeiffer Springs Park by Al (KB0VGG). There were 13 members (10 ARRL) and no guests in attendance (locally and remotely) this evening, listed below. MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: Jan (KE0IWP) caught a spelling and time error Report accepted with 2 adjustments (N0ZYC / K0DV) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ activity and balances for period: 7/1/2024 - 7/31/2024: Nathan (N0ZYC) read off the treasurer's report sent by Dave (KD0DK): Savings (repeater fund) account: $2,705.26 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- (no activity) ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $2,705.26 ending balance checking (share-draft) account: $1,515.67 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- - 95.00 Paul's Potties for Field Day + 20.00 ARRL testing fees reimbursement + 40.48 Stripe deposit for club dues ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $1,481.15 ending balance Report accepted (N0TKC / KB0JIT) 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 --------- Al (KB0VGG): 94 is doing well, DMR is doing well, 444.975 is doing well. Though someone has been kerchunking my repeater and of course the pine needles are still a problem making it a bit deaf. 82 is doing well Curt (NK0T): 220 is doing well Al (KB0VGG): the 220 is getting into Cedar Rapids where there's a rew people on it, so it's getting more use. COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): no report OLD BUSINESS ------------ Al (KB0VGG) fished for ideas on a presentation for next month Nathan (N0ZYC): there might be interest in a presentation on soldering. Lots of new club members, and even a few of the older members, have little to no experience with soldering? Doesn't have to be pro-level hot-air or re-balling - just information on basic soldering? NEW BUSINESS ------------ Jan (KE0IWP): we should have a board meeting, but both of the dave's aren't here - our last board meeting was last September (almost a year ago!) Weren't we going to try to meet at least quarterly? Al (KB0VGG): we also need an "event director" Nathan (N0ZYC): it might be a good idea to have "event director" be a more permanent position, someone to handle all the club's events like field day, jota, picnics, junk in the trunk etc. I know there's nothing in the bylaws about such a position, but that just means we don't HAVE TO have one, doesn't mean we can't. Al (KB0VGG): looking ahead at our christmas party, the Elk's Club has been a loud location but we have a lot of club members that won't attend due to the cost of meals. And other places like Pizza Ranch tend to cram us into a small room. Maybe Perkins? Taryn (N0TKC): Brass Tap has a private room John (WB0MAR): Nana Rosa's in Reinbeck is good, but a lot of people won't want to drive that far Or "Cedar Falls Family Restaurant"? On center street in Cedar falls, just south of lone tree road is closer. Harold (N4HRL) or the rebuilt Maple Lanes? Taryn (N0TKC) volunteers to coordinate a location for our dinner. John (WB0MAR) will assist. (Brass Tap is the early favorite) Also this will been Saturday Nov 9. 5pm? Order food, meeting, then eat? Mark (N8TWO) Do we want to start planning early for next year's summer Field Day, or at least get a location locked in early? Antique Acres already has a wedding booked for that weekend next year. Nathan (N0ZYC): speaking of Field Day, do we want to do a Winter Field Day this year? Al (KB0VGG): Ingawanis is one of the best places around here for a winter event like that, but there are always going to be access problems if there's snow, which is pretty often. (some open discussion of Ingawanis, lots of people still interested despite the snow problems) Mark (N8TWO): will get the North cabin reserved (the one that's NOT at the bottom of a steep hill), and is also trying to get the logging software working on Linux. And reminder, JOTA is te 3rd week in October. It looks like the scout cabins are all booked again so maybe just see if the scouts request us. They're usually interested in CW, fox hunts, and some digital. Al (KB0VGG): or maybe we can reserve a shelter someplace like George Wyth ($35 rental, not a big expense) and either put on something for the scouts if they want to come, or do some other minor club event there if not. Al (KB0VGG): Dave (K0CQH)'s wife fell and broke her hip recently, she's in the Waverly hospital right now following surgery, she'll be in rehab for several weeks. General discussion of CW classes. ARRL broadcasts are easy to monitor and at varying speeds. W1AW is also available to listen to for practice, which also broadcasts at varying speeds. Motion to set up for JOTA in George Wyth (N0ZYC / N8TWO) Invite the boy scouts, girl scouts, whoever's interested. Maybe try to market it as a kids/youth activity. Paul (KB0JIT) has connections to some home schooling groups, will see if they're interested. Mark (N8TWO): what's the status of tech classes? Al (KB0VGG): we just need some people to show interest in a class. We can get back to doing them in person now. Motion to adjourn at 3:18 PM (N0ZYC / N0TKC) 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, sodering, new director at EMA, EOC? Contact Al (KB0VGG) if you'd be interested in giving a presentation. Tentative presentation schedule: 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 ---------------------------- (let me know) ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------- (let me know) 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 W3STS Scott West KE0IWQ Jim Fitkin N0TKC Taryn Colby KE0IWP Jan Fitkin KF0JPR Randy Albright WB0MAR John Humpal KB0JIT Paul Sipes K0DV Doug Vernier NK0T Curtis Wilson N8TWO Mark Colby KB0VGG Al Jones N4HRL Harold Lucas 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) dir1(a)w0mg.net Director 2024 John Humpal (WB0MAR) dir3(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