Join us (next meeting is Saturday June 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/Uyz4jeQKhW (2025) Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, May 2025 The May gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 6:06 PM May 10, 2025 at the Waterloo Airport by KB0VGG. There were 15 members (11 ARRL) and 2 guests in attendance (locally and remotely) this evening, listed below. This evening's presentation was by Barry Buelow on NIRAA's ARRL membership Barry (our new section manager) congratulated us on our club reaching 75 years of ARRL membership We were presented with a plaque to commemorate the achievement. MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: Randy (KF0JPR) callsign was misspelled Report accepted with 1 adjustment ( N0ZYC / W3STS ) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ activity and balances for period: 4/1/2025 - 4/30/2025: Savings (repeater fund) account: $2,705.26 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- (no change) ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $2,705.26 ending balance checking (share-draft) account: $2,051.73 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- +$ 101.05 stripe payments for memberships +$ 30.00 testing fees collected -$ 30.00 testing fees forwarded to ARRL -$ 200.00 club liability insurance for the year (Risk Strategies) ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $1,952.78 ending balance upcoming deposits and expenses: Dave (KD0DK): nothing upcoming, but have updated the club info on the ARRL website. Report accepted ( WB0MAR / KE0IWP ) 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): spring trees in bloom are making my repeater even slightly deafer than usual (North is good, South is poor) 94 repeater, new PA is being assembled (it's currently running at 30w out) KB0VGH, NK0T, and KB0VGG are all working on geting the PA ready and installed. The power supply is ready - built very reliably. ("will handle anything but lightning") CFU already has lightning protection. The club's DMR repeater needs more people on it. Ingawanis 444.975 is going fine, and we're working on an update to get it on the internet. Chuck (W0ALO): 82 is still banging away, though someone is occasionally sending digital data into it, and that's interfering with the decoder. The UHF (444.925) is running - it'll do analog or P-25. (currently located at the house, running 35 watts) It's been at the house for over a year now, would like to move it back out to Covenant. Would also like to tie some of the other nearby P-25 repeaters together. Al (KB0VGG): our newest test passer / new club member lives at the highest point in the area, (SouthWest of Dike) and that would be an attractive spot for a repeater if they're interested in being a host. Curt (NK0T)'s 220 repeater (224.9 FM) was offline for awhile - a raccoon got into the shack and did some damage. The repeater is fine but was momentarily disabled. COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): (no report) OLD BUSINESS ------------ We're starting an "ARES Registration Website" for club members, as a place to put in your information as well as how you can contribute in an emergency if activated. (though really anyone with even just an HT can help) Nathan (N0ZYC): the club held an event with the scouts recently (Spring Camporee, May 3) but Mark isn't here to give a report, will ask him next meeting. (they were having a competition to exchange short morse messages) Al (KB0VGG): we had a test session on the 19th, W3STS got his Extra. FIELD DAY --------- Al (KB0VGG): have contacted Antique Acres to give them in a check, though they're not too worried about getting paid. (probably in part due to them floating our deposit for several years now) It's a good location for Field Day. (good access, large lot, big site inside and out, good restrooms, good kitchen, etc etc) Sturgis Falls will be going that week, so everyone will probably want to approach it from the North. Dave (KD0DK) is ready to cut them a check, just need to know the exact amount. (passed around a sign-up sheet for Field Day, to plan operator/radio use) Al (KB0VGG): Mark (N8TWO) has been refining his meat smoker skills and is expected to bring his smoker to Antique Acres. If the club can supply a brisket, he'll get it smoked up for the event. We can pass the hat or something to get Mark the brisket? Nathan (N0ZYC): We'll also need to catch up with Mark when he gets back in town to prepare for the ARRL Kids Day event, which we're using as a "radio shake-down" a week prior to Field Day. Recently Jan (KE0IWP) has been our "medic on site" for Field Day, looking to get a friend EMT/paramedic to help her cover the event. Randy (KF0JPR): "Trail Life" group may be attending our Field Day, they would probably appreciate having some club/ham info available as well as some appropriate activities. Al (KB0VGG): we'll table that for more discussion during next month's meeting. NEW BUSINESS ------------ Al (KB0VGG): Tom (AE0TB) is in the hospital in Grundy right now with a very low white blood cell count. Dave (K9DCR) will step in for now to cover Tom's duties. Ragbrai will be passing through Cedar Falls on July 24. It sounds like someone is trying to *sell* them radio support, so they may be interested in volunteers as an alternative. (after some brief polling, doesn't sound like the club members are interested in approaching them with offers to help) The club's remote station has been bringing in a lot of new club members. (since you have to be a member to be given remote access) The radio has been pretty reliable but has been requiring occasional reboots. (the station is currently located at Bill/W0GEN's house) Dave (KD0DK): it's time for our regular financial audit. Will work with Jan (KE0IWP) to take care of that. Motion to adjourn at 6:59 PM 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: JULY 12 : AUG 9 : SEPT 13 : OCT 11 : NOV 8 : (elections/dinner) DEC 13 : 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 ---------------------------- (let me know) 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 WB0MAR John Humpal W0ALO Chuck Angel KD0DK David Kelly KF0EGO Donald Utley KF0JPR Randy Albright W3STS Scott West W0SJ Stan Johnson KA0DBC Lois Johnson KE0IWQ Jim Fitkin KE0IWP Janice Fitkin KB0VGG Al Jones N4RMF Kevin Walton N4HRL Harold Lucas K0DV Doug Vernier Guests: W0IY Barry Buelow N0RXB Wendell WagnerXXXXX 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) dir3(a)w0mg.net Director 2024 John Humpal (WB0MAR) dir1(a)w0mg.net Director 2025 Randy Albright (JF0JPR) dir2(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