Join us (next meeting is Saturday December 9 at 6pm) in person at the Waterloo Airport, or via Discord. Click this invitation link to add our server to your Discord app: https://discord.gg/hSPGhWxtZE Tonight's presentation was by Tom (AE0TB) on the new web site - Bill (W0GEN) has graciously agreed to take over as web master - Tom (AE0TB) has been webmaster since 2010 (thank you for your hard work, Tom!) - the new site uses WordPress instead of manually coded HTML - calendar is now integrated with Google Calendar plug-in (editable by anyone with google's login) - gallery is now updated but we are looking for new current media to import - board @W0MG.NET email forwarding has been set up - membership application has been added, with a fillable / submittable form - can accept payment for dues (adds a $1 processing fee) - "WPForms" plug-in would be very useful. normally $200/yr, but as a "not-for-profit" we can get it for $100 per year. Bill (W0GEN) has offered to contribute half of that - motion to pay $50/yr for that (AE0TB/N8TWO) ideas for additions to the club website: - add Contact Us link - add Discord link - add instructions for setting up Discord - add Year designators for directors - host presentation videos or video links (hosted on youtube?) Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, October 2023 The October gathering of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 6:28 pm Saturday October 14, 2023 by Al Jones (KB0VGG). There were 17 members (17 ARRL) and 0 guest in attendance (locally and remotely) this evening, listed below. MINUTES ------- Adjustments to last month's minutes: Jan (KE0IWP): regarding the board minutes, the board met at Fitkins not Colbys Tom (AE0TB): Al (KB0VGG) is the one making the $500 matching donation not me. Report accepted with 2 adjustments (KD0DK/KD0DM) TREASURER'S REPORT ------------------ balances for period: 9/1/2023 - 9/30/2023: checking (share-draft) account: $1,673.48 beginning balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- - $435.90 to Nathan (N0ZYC) for new club event flags - $138.36 to Bill (W0GEN) for domain registration ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $1,099.22 ending balance savings (repeater fund) account: $1,817.92 beginning balance ---------- -------------------------------------------------- +$1,225.00 in donations +$1,000.00 Tom (AE0TB)'s matching donation ---------- -------------------------------------------------- $3,042.92 ending balance $35 refund for insurance rate drop will be on next month's statement Al (KB0VGG) is still matching up to $500 (no one has put anything in toward that) Report accepted 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 is up, Ingawanis is up, 444.975 is up we are considering installing a preamp to improve 94's receive We have a preamp built, just need to give it a try 82 is going strong we are also trying to get the DMR repeater up CFU is also willing to put up a 440 but it must be an open repeater Tom (AE0TB): the "dual mode entitlement" is no longer available for that model of repeater Repeaters that have it can continue to use it, but it's no longer available for purchase and is tied to the repeater it's sold for. Also, Chuck's (W0ALO) DMR has been down for the last several weeks, so we have no DMR in town right now Al (KB0VGG): fusion would be better but that's exclusive to Yaesu. COMMITTEES ---------- Presentation Committee (Curt/NK0T, John/WB0MAR): (no report) OLD BUSINESS ------------ Al (KB0VGG): we reviewed the Elk's Club menu, we'll have that up on the club's new web site soon Mark (N8TWO) discussed the upcoming foxhunt Yesterday he and Nathan (N0ZYC) checked out several parks, including Deerwood, Exchange, Big Woods, Black Hawk, and George Wyth. We're trying to figure out what size of an event we want - a drive, or a walk. Will be advertising on Facebook, Discord, word of mouth, 73 club, and the local nets It's difficult to predict how many players will show up for the event. we'll need to do some sort of registration if we want a head-count. Players may be playing solo or in small groups. We'll be doing a VE test session before the game as well. We could do all the foxes at once, but it's probably better to do hunts sequentially, so that everyone is hunting for the same one at the same time, giving the event a bit of a competitive feel. Testing will start around 9am, to give that time to finish before the foxhunt starts. ARRL extended VE certifications during covid so we should all be good for awhile, but don't forget to renew as needed. Al (KB0VGG): Antique Acres hasn't returned our deposit yet, we need to get back with them about that. Bylaws are still a work-in-progress Nathan (N0ZYC): with Bill leaving, what are our plans for the club's remote station? Al (KB0VGG) no plans yet but we have time to think about it before Bill moves completely out. Also what are we doing about "treasurer duties" while Dave is in florida? He can write checks from Florida, but receiving checks is more of an issue. Collecting dues online on the new web site will help with that. NEW BUSINESS ------------ Mark (N8TWO): we're having audio problems with Discord. Nathan (N0ZYC): The laptop is old and doesn't have a lot of RAM. It's only got 4, but the max is only 8. Considering the recording it has to do, that's one strem encode to go out, one stream decode for the recorder, plus the recorder is encoding to file, so that's three digital stream, probably just more than that laptop can handle. I'll see if Hawkeye can donate something a little newer for us. Discussed nominations for next year - Dave (KD0DK) will re-run for treasurer - Nathan (N0ZYC) will re-run for secretary - all board members were willing to re-run when discussed at board meeting Al (KB0VGG): The deadline to choose your meal for the Christmas Dinner is November 3. Al will send to Nathan, who will email out a reminder. Motion to adjourn at 7:13 PM (N0ZYC/W0VJB) 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, new director at FEMA, EOC? Contact Al (KB0VGG) if you'd be interested in giving a presentation. Tentative presentation schedule: Dec 9 Jan 13 Feb 10 Mar 9 Apr 13 May 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 UPCOMING HAMFESTS ----------------- (let me know) ANNOUNCEMENTS ------------- Don (KD0WGB) has a dual band vertical and a alpha delta dx-dd 80/40m trapped dipole. The dipole is center fed with just an SO-239, you will need a tuner. Total length is 82ft. Both are free to a good home. (they're spares he's not using) 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/ - additional club 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 KB0VGG Al Jones N4HRL Harold Lucas W0VJB Vicki Bicket AE0TB Tom Bicket N8TWO Mark Colby KF0JPR Randy Albright K0LK Lowell Knapp KB0JIT Paul Sipes KD0DK David Kelly KD0DM David Morrow N0TKC Taryn Colby WB0MAR John Humpal K0DV Doug Vernier W0GEN Bill Dedic KF0KDE Danael Zilk NC0N Cory Hill 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 Members of the board may be contacted over the air or via email: President Al Jones (KB0VGG) pres(a)w0mg.net Vice President David Morrow (KD0DM) vp(a)w0mg.net Secretary Nathan Fisher (N0ZYC) sec(a)w0mg.net Treasurer Dave Kelly (KD0DK) treas(a)w0mg.net Director 2021 John Humpal (WB0MAR) dir1(a)w0mg.net Director 2022 Taryn Colby (N0TKC) dir2(a)w0mg.net Director 2023 Jan Fitkin (KE0IWP) 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