Join us (next meeting is Saturday March 14 at 2pm) 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, February 2026 The February gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 2:01 PM February 14, 2026 by Al (KB0VGG) at the Waterloo Airport. There were XXXXX members (XXXXX ARRL) and XXXXX guests in attendance (locally and remotely) this evening, listed below. TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ activity and balances for period: 1/1/2026 - 1/31/2026: Savings (repeater fund) account: $2,809.26 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- NO ACTIVITY ---------- -------------------------------------------------- XXXXX ending balance checking (share-draft) account: $1,699.93 starting balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- +140.93 DUES -45 CHECK TO MARK FOR CABIN RENTAL WFD ---------- -------------------------------------------------- 1795.86 ending balance upcoming deposits and expenses: XXXXX Report accepted ( N0ZYC / RIGHT OF WVN ) 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/ MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: Nathan (N0ZYC): Tim (N0CKR) and Nick (KD0WVN) are paid members, listed as guests on the last few minutes TWO NAMES FIXED Report accepted with 2 adjustments ( STS / BEHIND NICK ) REPEATERS --------- AL: 444.975 IS DEAD, NPT SURE WHAT'S WROGN WITH IT WE HAVE A SPARE REPEATER IN AL;S CAR READY TO GO DMR IS WORKLING WELL 94 WORKING WELL 82 IS OUTSTANDING 444.925 IS ON 900 IS STILL AT THE HOSPOTAL IS NOT WORKING BUT NOT GETTING ANY USE SO NOT BEEING LOOKED INTO COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): XXXXX OLD BUSINESS ------------ AL: ANTIQUE ACRES WIL REACH OUT THIS WEEK FOR SUMMER FIELD DAY STURGOS FALLS DAY IS SAME WEEKEND JUNE 287-28 MARK: SHOULD WE FORM A FIELD DAY COMMITTEE? SPOECIFICALLY TRY TO GET INVITATIONS SENT OUT TO MAYORS AL WILL TABLE THAT FOR NEXT MONTH WFD: WAS COLD. HAD GOOD CONTACTS BUT NOT MANY VISITORS MARK: 105 PHONE 6 DIGITAL AL: CURT STILL HAS HIS 220 FOR REGHOMING MAYBE SOMEONE CAN JUST TAKE OVER THE RENT STAN: MELINDA HAS SOLD ENTIRE CONTENTS OF DAVD'S HIOUSE TO A CLEARING HOIUSE OUR ACCESS TO THE HOUSE HAS ENDED RAISED ABOUT $1,100 IN DONATIONS NEW BUSINESS ------------ AL: CURT NOT HERE TODAY LINDA IS IN HOSPITAL POSSIBLE HEART ATTACK, AT ALLEN HOSPITAL AL: REQUEST THAT WE START A "SIMPLE TECH NET" PICK A TOPIC FOR THE WEEK 30 MIN MAYBE RIGHT BEFORE OUR DIGITAL NET WEEKLY OR MOINTHLY? RANDY: RESENTED ON HAMCLOCK LAST OCT DEVELOPER IS NOW SK MIGHT BE REFRESHING BUT NO GUARANTEES OPEN HAM CLOCK IS AN ALTERNATIVE RIGHT OF NICK K9DCR NIRAA CLUB INCORPORATION HAS LAPSED ARTCILES OF INCOPRPORATION IN 1956 HAD 50 YR EXPRIATION DATE EXPIRED IN 2006 WE DON'T HAVE A COPY OF THE ARTIOCLES OF INC ON FILE WE NEED TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN REQUEST HE HAS DONE IT WAITING FOR REOLY WE CAN JUST UPDATE THAT AND RESUBMIT IT THERE WILL BE A CHARGE, AROUND $25 FOR EVERYTHING SUPPOSED TO UPDATE IT EVERY 2 YRS WE DONT' AHVE TO HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE, MAKE IT A PERPETUAL CORPORATION, MIGHT BE MORE FEES NATHAN: Calvin (KN0CTJ): You should take to the club about adding all star to your repeater. Especially since you have internet local to the repeater https://k0iro.com/blog/2026/02/13/all-star-hardware-options/ AL: WE ALREADY HAVE DMR, MTOROLA RIG IS FUSSY AND WE DON'T WANT TO MESS WITH IT WE DONT HAVE CHRIS N0CF TO HANDKE THE IT SIDE Motion to adjourn at 2:34 PM ( STS / RANDY ) today's presentation was by Mark (N8TWO) with a video on VOCAP Onlie software for SWL (Shortwave Listening) 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: MAR 14 : APR 11 : MAY 9 : JUN 13 : JUL 11 : AUG 8 : SEP 12 : OCT 10 : NOV 14 : DEC 12 : 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 ---------------------------- Feb 28 - Perry RF Winterfest - 2.5 hr drive from Waterloo 8am-12pm at National Guard Armory, 2930 Willis Avenue Perry, IA 50220 $10 admission, $15 tables, test registration at 9am Talk-in Frequency 145.190 (-) 114.8 tone URL: https://www.arrl.org/hamfests/harc-winter-rf-fest-5 URL: https://harciowa.org/winter-rf-fest March 21 - Mahoska Hams Swapmeet - 2.0 hr drive from Waterloo 8am-11:30am at American Legion Hall - 302 High Ave East, Oskaloosa IA admission by donations, $5 tables talk-in 145.490 (-) 146.2 tone contact 1: N0SJF Vernon Stanley 641-622-2154 vstanley@iowatelecom.net contact 2: KC0RRM Donald Brian 641-660-0404 dbranbe@hotmail.com apr 26 dsws moines hamfest 8am aug 8 carc lynn county fairgrounds cvarc collins lot junk in the trunk 2nd sat in may? ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------- Doug (K0DV) has a 6m beam new in box also that's looking for a new home Don (W0DT) has a number of radios for sale Don (KD0WGB) has a Zero Fire ground plane vertical (10-80m, 43ft) 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) MEMBERS ------- XXXXX GUESTS ------- XXXXX 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 2024 John Humpal (WB0MAR) dir1(a)w0mg.net Director 2025 Randy Albright (KF0JPR) dir2(a)w0mg.net Director 2026 Scott West (W3STS) dir3(a)w0mg.net ABOUT ----- NIRAA meets most months on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 2:00 pm (winter meeting time) 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