Join us (next meeting is Saturday April 12 at 6pm) at the Waterloo Airport, or via Discord. Click this invitation link to add our server to your Discord app: https://discord.gg/Uyz4jeQKhW (2025) Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, March 2025 The March gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 6:00 PM March 8, 2025 at the Waterloo Airport by Al (KB0VGG). There were 14 members (13 ARRL) and 2 guests in attendance (locally and remotely) this evening, listed below. MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: Dave (KD0DK): the new Portland member is from Maine (ME) not Minnesota (MN) Dave (K9DCR): the repeaters link at the bottom is broken, provided new link AL (KB0VGG): repeater frequency is 444.55, not 444.5 Danael (KF0KDE): my first name is spelled wrong (Daniel) in the minutes Report accepted with 4 adjustments ( KF0KDE / N0TKC ) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ activity and balances for period: 2/1/2025 - 2/28/2025: Savings (repeater fund) account: $2,705.26 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- (no change) ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $2,705.26 ending balance checking (share-draft) account: $1,870.71 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- +$ 120.84 Stripe dues ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $1,991.55 ending balance upcoming deposits and expenses: Our yearly payment of the club's insurance policy is due in May. Grinnell Mutual should be sending us a quote, will compare with the ARRL's offering and present at next month's meeting. Report accepted ( N0ZYC / N0TKC ) Please contact our treasurer Dave (KD0DK) if you would like to get your dues paid for the year. Club dues can be paid in person at the meeting or online on our club website at https://www.w0mg.net/ REPEATERS --------- Al (KB0VGG): 444.975 (Ingawanis) is doing great mine's still dealing with trees the club's fusion repeater isn't very active, would like to see it used more 94 repeater's amp is built but needs a heat spreader Chuck (W0ALO): 82 receive (IA state patrol tower out by the casino) is working well, as is the transmitter on Covenant. Tom (AE0TB) echolink is working on VHF in Grundy, maybe we can add echolink to the 94 as well? COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): (no report) OLD BUSINESS ------------ Nathan (N0ZYC): wondering how Mark's (N8TWO) APRS node setup is going? They're getting MetroNet soon, will get APRS set up once the new internet service is in. Dave (K0CQH): Barry (W0IY) is our new ARRL section manager. (he addressed the club during the January meeting) We also have some new ECs in other counties. NEW BUSINESS ------------ Randy (KB0RSW): The next bi-annual ARRL "Kids Day" event is on Sat June 21, one week before Field Day. Visit this ARRK link for event details: https://www.arrl.org/kids-day (discussion of club participation) This may also be a good opportunity to give the club radios a "shake-down" before Field day. If we hold it at Ingawanis, the scouts will want us to be up-to-date with their Youth Protection Training. You can renew your training at: https://www.scouting.org/training/youth-protection/ Vicky (W0VJBZ): the Rocket Club group might be interested in attending, can we invite them? Bernie (KB0L) suffered injuries from a fall last year which has limited his access to his ham station and wanted to let the club know he's quite grateful for being able to use the club's remote station to stay on the air. Al (KB0VGG)/Mark (N8TWO): we'll be conducting a multi-session tech class for the next five weeks, Thursday at 7pm at the Countryside Vineyard Church, at 3467 Lafayette Rd in Evansdale. We've got 2-3 interested parties looking to get their license. Is there interest in us doing a General class? Al (KB0VGG): FYI every county in Iowa has a designated simplex frequency on VHF for use in emergencies. Black Hawk County uses 147.450, good to put in your channel list. (should probably put it up on the web site too?) Mark (N8TWO): is there any interest in starting a 2M SSB net? Al (KB0VGG) is looking into it, as well as possibly a 2M FM and/or 6M SSB net. Motion to adjourn at 6:35 pm ( N0TKC / KF0KDE ) This evening's presentation was by Al (KB0VGG) on ARES simplex freqs 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 FEMA, EOC? Contact Al (KB0VGG) if you'd be interested in giving a presentation. Tentative presentation schedule: MAY 10 : JUNE 13 : JULY 11 : AUG 9 : SEPT 13 : OCT 11 : 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 or Al (KB0VGG) on class/test day at 319-243-8819 UPCOMING HAMFESTS AND EVENTS ---------------------------- Des Moines Hamfest 04/26/2025 https://www.arrl.org/hamfests/des-moines-radio-amateurs-association-hamfest-3 Iowa State Fairgrounds Elwell Family Food Center 3000 E. Grand Des Moines, IA 50301 ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------- Randy (KF0JPR) has a pair of HyGain yagi new in box for sale, asking $100 ea Doug (K0DV) has a 6m beam new in box also that's looking for a new home W0DT has a number of radios for sale 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://w0mg.net/?page_id=1736 - additional club media and 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 N8TWO Mark Colby AE0TB Tom Bicket W0VJB Vicki Bicket N0TKC Taryn Colby N4HRL Harold Lucas WB0MAR John Humpal K0CQH David Knittel W0ALO Chuck Angel KF0JPR Randy Albright W3STS Scott West KF0KDE Daniel Zilk KD0DK David Kelly KB0VGG Al Jones Guests: KF0SJH Dave Powers Amy Kass 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 Roberts (K9DCR) vp(a)w0mg.net Secretary Nathan Fisher (N0ZYC) sec(a)w0mg.net Treasurer Dave Kelly (KD0DK) treas(a)w0mg.net Director 2023 Jan Fitkin (KE0IWP) dir1(a)w0mg.net Director 2024 John Humpal (WB0MAR) dir3(a)w0mg.net Director 2025 Randy Albright (JF0JPR) 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