Join us (next meeting is Saturday May 10 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, April 2025 The April gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 6:04 PM April 12, 2025 at the Waterloo Airport by Al (KB0VGG). There were 17 members (14 ARRL) and 1 guest in attendance (locally and remotely) this evening, listed below. There was no presentation this evening. MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: Taryn (N0TKC): Vicki's name spelled "vicky" in one place Jan (KE0IWP): Chuck's transmitter is on Mercy One, not Covenant W0VJB recorded as W0VJBZ once John (WB0MAR) was the one mentioning rocket club Report accepted with 4 adjustments ( N0ZYC / KD0DK ) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ activity and balances for period: 3/1/2025 - 3/31/2025: Savings (repeater fund) account: $2,705.26 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- (no change) ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $2,705.26 ending balance checking (share-draft) account: $1,991.55 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- +$ 60.18 deposits from memberships ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $2,051.73 ending balance upcoming deposits and expenses: $200 yearly ARRL insurance (Grinnell was checked, they're about the same coverage) motion to pay ARRL ( N8TWO / AE0TB ) Field Day reservations haven't been paid for yet (and we're just letting our deposit continue to ride) Al (KB0VGG) will pay for that and get reimbursed later Report accepted 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 --------- (no report) COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): (no report) OLD BUSINESS ------------ Mark (N8TWO): our five-week study and test session just wrapped up, we've got a new tech NEW BUSINESS ------------ Tom (AE0TB): met with the new airport manager (who was unaware we were even meeting here), he's okay with us There's going to be an "open house" of sorts at the airport at the end of June, we can do an exhibition/booth at that time (and we're encouraged to set up a display in the meeting room) The new manager is Steven Kjergaard (pronounced "keer-guard") Airport doors will now be open every day until 10pm, so we should be able to just use the main entrance. We can continue to use the employee parking lot for meetings, but not for testing Mark (N8TWO): it's time to start thinking about Field Day, and when participants would like to operate. I will be smoking some pulled port and baked beans, plus mac and cheese Taryn (N0TKC) will be passing around a sign-up sheet for operators at the next meeting. As is normally the case, we specifically need overnight operators. We're allowed 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, 2, and 440, using voice, CW, FT8, and other digital modes, in addition to a GOTA station. (group discussion of proposed 2m SSB net) Mark (N8TWO): Two scouting events coming up. First is spring camporee on May 3. We've been asked to run a station doing morse code. This should consist of a morning training session, followed by an afternoon competition between groups of scouts, where they send short messages to members of their group between stations. We'll need a few volunteers to help with the code, maybe Dave (KD0DK) and Dave (K0CQH)? Please be there by 8am to begin setting up, and expect the first scouts around 9. We'll be at the Archery range on the South end of Ingawanis. Second event is ARRL Kids Day on June 21. (the week before Field Day) We'd like to use this activity as both a scouts exposure to radio and as a "shake-down" with the radios in preparation for Field Day the following week. We'll be at the Crafts shelter on the South end of Ingawanis. Make sure your "youth protection" training is up to date for the event. This isn't a formal event for the scouts, we're just going to be there playing radio and talking with / helping any scouts that would like to join in. We've also gotten permission to get our Ingawanis repeater online via the scouts' internet connection. With this, fusion will now be online. Also a reminder, JOTA (Jamboree On The Air) is coming up, it's the 3rd weekend in October, the 18th this year. And new for this year, they've added in "JOTI" (Jamboree on The Internet) Randy (KF0JPR): the Trail Life Group (from Grace Baptist Church in Waverly) is interested in attending Field Day. (maybe using the GOTA station?) Dave (K0CQH) has been experiencing bad noise at home on HF, especially on 75m. (group discussion of his noise problems) Al (KB0VGG): our new Iowa ARRL Section Manager has had his hands full lately dealing with turmoil within CVARC. It may be a good idea to try to get local ham clubs collaborating more to smooth out relations among them. Mark (N8TWO): we have a test session scheduled for the 19th at the airport, and one candidate has RSVP'd so far. Tom (A0TB): VE testing is working toward being 100% online, expecting to hit that point by start of next year. All the admin forms etc are online. Test taking will also be online, though the option of pen and paper will still be available. The goal is to have test results processed, be ready to accept payment, and a callsign issued within an hour of passing. Motion to adjourn at 6:46 pm ( N0ZYC / KE0IWP ) 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: 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 ----------------------- Test session scheduled for April 19 at the 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 ---------------------------- 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 KD0DK David Kelly KF0JPR Randy Albright KE0IWQ Jim Fitkin KE0IWP Janice Fitkin K0CQH David Knittel W0VJB Vicki Bicket AE0TB Tom Bicket KF0PBS Noel Dietz N4HRL Harold Lucas KB0JIT Paul Sipes W0ALO Chuck Angel KF0EGO Donald Utley W3STS Scott West N8TWO Mark Colby KB0VGG Al Jones N0TKC Taryn Colby Guests: NK0T Curtis Wilson 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