Join us in person at the Waterloo Airport, or via Zoom: - WWW URL: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://zoom.us/j/99863201285?pwd%3DcWUyQWxrRk81OEcwN1Q0dzF1UTBLUT09 - Zoom computer or mobile app: meeting ID 998 632 01285, passcode 955710 - Phone: (312) 626-6799 (Chicago number) Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, June 2022 The June gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 7:01 PM, Saturday June 11, 2022 by Al (KB0VGG). There were 14 members (8 ARRL) and no guests in attendance this evening, listed below. MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: N8TWO: AE0QI is a new member that was listed last minutes as a guest Report accepted with 1 adjustment (N0ZYC/N0TKC) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ Dave (KD0DK) reports we have $1,090.18 in the savings/repeater fund and $1,913.53 -> $1,703.53 in checking. This includes $235 for club insurance paid, $15 to ARRL, and $40 in member dues. Report accepted (N0ZYC/N0TKC) Please contact Dave 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) mine's still a bit deaf but working 94 and 82 are also working Mark (N8TWO) updated us on the club's UHF at Ingawanis. We went out a few weeks ago and fif some troubleshooting, found the hardline going to the antenna was bad. Mark (N8TWO) donated a section of similar hardline, which was swapped in along with replacement of the antenna with the one removed from the Schoitz building awhile ago. This allowed the repeater to return to full power. Tom (AE0TB) also donated a new polyphaser to replace the weather-damaged one, as well as tower climbing by Nathan (N0ZYC). (several others were also assisting as ground crew through the multiple trips made to complete the work) Stan (W0SJ) suggests we find a vacuum pump to try to de-water the removed hardline and give it to Mark to replace what he donated. COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): (no report) Field Day 2022 Committee (Harold/N4HRL): (no report) OLD BUSINESS ------------ Open discussion of the club's possible resumption of non-profit status. NEW BUSINESS ------------ Dae (KD0DK): The Lamoni group is going to try another 2 meter relay across Iowa. They'll be on VHF simplex (146.52 FM) and be attempting to relay a message out from Des Moines to the North and South, to see how far they can relay. The test will begin at 8am the morning of Field Day (July 2), with an EchoLink debrief at 8:30. Please participate if you are available. Motion to adjourn at 7:17 PM (KB0VGG/N0TKC) There was no presentation this month in leu of Summer Field Day planning. Al (KB0VGG) will do BBQ chicken for lunch. We should have 4 styles of potato chips to choose from. We're still pondering some of the dinner details, but should have pork sirloin sandwiches and Taryn's cheesy potato dish. Bottled water will be available, as well as hamburgers if needed. Others are planning on bringing extra water as well. WE NEED A HEAD-COUNT to plan food prep. Al will draft a survey for Nathan to forward to club members to get a more precise idea of food needs. We'll arrive at 10am to begin setup, start Field Day operation at 1pm. Stations will be broken down one at a time as sunset approaches, and we plan to finish tear-down at about dusk, around 8:45 pm. (The park closes at 10:30 pm) Harold (N4HRL): Archer shelter has hot and cold running water and flush toilets. The park opens at 7am, although we'll be arriving at around 10 to begin setup. No breakfast will be served. The park has lots of kids / family activities, including a playground and lake for kayaking etc. There's a large amount of open space around the shelter, we'll have no problem fitting four stations in and around the shelter. Contest rules this year allow contacts on 6, 10, 15, 20, 40, 80, and 160 meters. 12, 17, 30, and 60 meters are not part of Field Day this year. Initial plans are to run one voice, one CW, and one digital station, in addition to the GOTA station, which will be set up on an all-band-capable end-fed. Nathan (N0ZYC) will bring solar power and run the power grid for stations in and near the shelter. Anyone is welcome to bring batteries to supplement power available. We'll be trying out some new EMI filters to try to eliminate interference from switching power such as the solar controller and laptop chargers. The shelter has 120VAC power so we will probably charging the logging laptops from that and not need to use an inverter. We don't have any designated "health and safety officer" this year. The major requirement for this position is they must hold current CPR certifications and be on-site the entire time we are operating. We have several members that have had CPR training, but no one's training is current. Mark (N8TWO) will be helping Harold (N4HRL) with drafting a press release for the newspaper. There will be no Red Cross participation in this year's event. Mark (N8TWO) will be bringing the club's logging laptops as well as his 7300, tuner, some batteries. W0SJ's multiband vertical antenna, and N0RXB's headphone splitter boxes. Dave (KD0DK) will bring the club's radio. Everyone that's planning to operate should bring headphones to make it easier to concentrate on their QSOs. Al (KB0VGG) will be bringing laminated bandplan sheets for the stations UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS ---------------------- presentation ideas: electronics history, radio bug-out bag, alternate power, solar power, spotting electronics scams, mag-loop antennas, broadband blocking filters Contact Al (KB0VGG) if you'd be interested in giving a presentation. 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 UPCOMING HAMFESTS ----------------- (let me know) OTHER EVENTS AND 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/ MEETING ATTENDANCE ------------------ Members: N0ZYC Nathan Fisher N4HRL Harold Lucas AE0QI William Wright W0VJB Vicki Bicket AE0TB Tom Bicket N0TKC Taryn Colby N8TWO Mark Colby WB0MAR John Humpal KD0DK David Kelly KA0DBC Lois Johnson W0SJ Stan Johnson KB0VGG Al Jones KD0DM David Morrow N0RXB Wendell Wagner 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 Officers may be contacted over the air or via email: President: Al Jones (KB0VGG) - pres(a)w0mg.net Vice President: Curt Wilson (NK0T) - vp(a)w0mg.net Secretary: Nathan Fisher (N0ZYC) - sec(a)w0mg.net Treasurer: Dave Kelly (KD0DK) - treas(a)w0mg.net Director 2020: Jan Fitkin (KE0IWP) - dir3(a)w0mg.net Director 2021: John Humpal (WB0MAR) - dir1(a)w0mg.net Director 2022: Taryn Colby (N0TKC) - dir2(a)w0mg.net NIRAA meets most months on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 7:00 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