Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur Association (NIRAA/W0MG) Meeting Minutes, March 2015 This month's meeting was preceded by a Board Meeting for the NIARAA. Board minutes will be posted up on the club website. The March 2015 meeting of the Northeast Iowa Radio Amateur's Association (NIRAA) was called to order at 7pm on March 15, 2015 by Mark Colby (N8TWO) Last month's meeting minutes were approved as emailed, treasurer reports $847.07 in the general account. Old Business: - Mark has received some artwork from Spencer, we will be investigating getting postcards and/or business cards printed out for hand-out at club events. - Discussion was made concerning mailing out cards etc to local hams that are not currently members, to remind them of our presence and encourage club participation. - A sign-up sheet for assistance with the Boy Scouts Spring Camporee (bicycle ride) was passed around at the meeting. Contact Mark (N8TWO) if you'd like to assist with the bicycle ride and didn't get your name on the list. The day's event will consist of scouts and guests riding from MacFarlane Park to Gilbertville and back. We require at a minimum four operators, to man a station at each end plus two bycicle mobiles. Manning a third station at LaPorte, as well as additional riders, would be a good plan. Route will be from MacFarlane Park to Gilbertville (9-12) and then back to MacFarlane (1-4) Current volunteers: (feel free to step up, we can always use another hand) N0TKC Taryn Colby W0HHF Dick Nelson WA0TPN Scott Lowe N0CF Chris Conklin N0RXB Wendel Wagner KE0AIX Jerome Palas N0ZYC Nathan Fisher N8TWO Mark Colby New Business: - Concept of creating a "standby group of Club Elmers" was discussed. This may involve designating specific Elmers for specific topics of study, such as license-study, contesting, antenna construction etc. - We are exploring the idea of teaming up with the Tama or Toledo ham clubs for Field Day. We have Lookout Park booked for Saturday. - In an effort to make ham radio more accessible to the public, and larger resources available to new hams, better access to the club station in the red cross, as well as remote access to club member stations via computer link was introduced. - We currently have a number of members interested in participating in emergency communications, but need to get a bit more organized so we can bring these resources together quickly and efficiently when needed. Intermission Snacks provided by Mark and Taryn. Presentation: This month's presentation was by Chris Charron (K0PE) and Lawrence Robinson (UC0ODK) on Bicycle Mobile, covering the use of ham radio while on bicycle. In addition to the expected 2m use while rolling, Chris and Lawrence discussed selection of radios and power sources for use while staging and camping while on longer rides. Use of compact lead-acid batteries as well as solar power in addition to good-performing HF antennas that can travel easily were also addresssed. (I suspect several of us will be keeping an eye out for a solar pack simular to the one that was displayed) A total of three bikes were brought in for show-and-tell, demonstrating an excellent variety of approaches to hardware mounting, wire management, and antenna design/placement. The presentation was clearly popular, and the house was packed to standing-room-only with what may be a record for recent meeting attendance, with 27 present. Has anyone volunteered to provide refreshments for April's meeting intermission? Regular club events: - ARES net check-in is at 9pm every Sunday night, on 146.94/34 - hams meet informally at 9am every Monday morning at HyVee on University Ave - hams meet informally at 12pm every Tuesday for Taco Tuesday at Taco Johns Upcoming Events: - SkyWarn training will be held at 6:30 pm on Tuesday April 2, at the Waverly Civic Center. No sign-up is required. - Des Mointes DMRAA Hamfest will be help from 8 AM to 1 PM on Saturday April 18, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. (3000 East Grand Avenue) Tables are $20, admission is $6. (http://dmraa.com/hamfest-2) - Advanced SkyWarn Training will be held at 6:30 pm on Thursday April 23, at Latham Hall Room 125 on UNI campus. Prior completion of SkyWarn basic training is recommended. - Boy Scouts Camporee Trail Ride will be held on Saturday May 2 on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, starting at 9:00am in MacFarlane Park. - VE Testing will be held at 10 AM on Saturday May 30, at the Curris business building on UNI campus. Please contact Chris (N0CF) in advance to make sure sufficient materials are available for the day of the test. Tonight’s meeting included 16 club members and 11 guests, with a total attendance of 27. members: N0ZYC Nathan Fisher N7PSA Craig Hundley AE0TB Tom Bicket WA0ILD Kermit Kittleson W0HHF Dick Nelson N0HHF Judy Nelson KE0DIG Harold Lucas KE0DII Everett Siddell, Jr NK0T Curt Wilson KE0AIX Jerome Palas K0CQH Dave Knittel N0CF Chris Conklin WA0TPN Scott Lowe KD0ZFY Alan Lamborn W0SJ Stan Johnson N8TWO Mark Colby guests: KD0ZJE Spencer Jensen N0TKC Taryn Colby KE0DBR Alice Palas KB0VWP Bob Tyson W9DRR Donald Russell AD0KR Chris Thatcher W0ALO Chuck Angel W0SMR Sean Rogers KA0DBC Lois Johnson K0PE Chris Charron UC0ODK Lawrence Robinson ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The NIRAA club meets on the 2nd Saturday of every month in the basement of the Red Cross building (2530 University Ave) in Waterloo. Anyone interested in ham radio is welcome to attend. Our primary club repeater is on 146.94 mhz, negative offset, PL tone of 136.5 hz, with coverage centered on Black Hawk County. Officers may be contacted over the air or via email: President, Mark Colby, N8TWO, pres(a)w0mg.net Vice President, Curtis Wilson, NKØT, vp(a)w0mg.net Secretary, Nathan Fisher, NØZYC, sec(a)w0mg.net Treasurer, Scott Lowe, WAØTPN, treas(a)w0mg.net Director, Chris Conklin, NØCF, dir1(a)w0mg.net Director, Stan Johnson, WØSJ, dir2(a)w0mg.net Director, Tom Bicket, AEØTB, dir3(a)w0mg.net - Nathan Fisher Secretary, W0MG You're receiving these meeting minutes because you have given the NIRAA club your email address for minutes an announcements. If you no longer wish to receive email, please reply requesting removal from one or both distribution lists.