EIDXA Meetings
EIDXA meets quarterly, in January, April, July and October. Normal meeting location is the Mercy Medical Center Hall-Perrine Cancer Center, located south of downtown Cedar Rapids at the intersection of 10th St SE, 8th Ave SE and Mount Vernon Rd SE (a visual aid to this site is provided below). Meetings are occasionally held at alternative sites, which will be clearly announced on this page. The doors open for eyeball QSOs at about 6:30 PM and the formal meeting starts at 7:30. We generally have a program of interest following the business meeting.
Following the meeting, we meet for pizza and refreshments at Godfather's Pizza at 3647 1st Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids (in the Town & Country Shopping Center). Getting to Godfather's Pizza is EASY! Click here for a map and directions.
For minutes of the most recent EIDXA meeting, scroll down the page or click here.
For minutes of previous meetings, see the EIDXA Minutes Archive.
Next EIDXA Meeting:
Date:
Friday, April 12, 2024.
Time:
Doors open at 6:30 PM; Meeting begins at 7:30 PM.
Location:
Hall Perrine Cancer Center rooms A & B at Mercy Medical Center.
Program:
Joe Spinks, AAØKW, comparing a Flex Radio to a Yaesu Ftdx-10.
We plan to continue using Zoom at the Meetings. The Zoom link will be emailed to members before the meeting via the EIDXA Email Reflector.
The
Mercy Medical Center complex is located south of downtown Cedar Rapids,
at the intersection of 10th St SE, 8th Ave SE and Mount Vernon Rd SE
(701 10th Street SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403). Please see the aerial
photo map of the meeting location provided below. In addition, we have
an interactive Google map of the area.
There is free parking directly in front of the Hall-Perrine Cancer
Center.
Enter
Hall-Perrine Cancer Center through the northeast doors. The conference
rooms are adjacent to the entrance. There are no steps to get to the
conference rooms.
We hope to see all of our club members at the meeting. Please consider
bringing a non-member ham guest!
Following the meeting, we will meet for pizza and refreshments at Godfather's Pizza at 3647 1st Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids (in the Town & Country Shopping Center). Getting to Godfather's Pizza is EASY! Click here for a map and directions.
Meeting
Location: (You may click on the photo map
for a larger version.)
Parking is free in
the parking
lot in front of the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center. Enter from 10th St SE
-- parking is to your right from the roundabout. Please enter
Hall-Perrine through the northeast entrance, as marked above. The
meeting room is adjacent to the entrance, and is stair-free. For a
customizable view of the area, check out this interactive Google Map.
Minutes of EIDXA Club Meeting, January 12, 2024, via Zoom (due to blizzard conditions).
CALL TO ORDER AND GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
• Meeting called to order at 7:30 pm by President Glen
Kesselring KØJGH
• A total of 26 attendees were on Zoom as verified by reading
back the list for any omissions.
Attendees on Zoom:
• Glen Kesselring KØJGH
• Todd LeMense KKØDX
• Rick Hadley WØFG
• Glenn Johnson WØGJ
• Bill Caldwell NØLNO
• Tom Vinson NYØV
• David Christ KØLUM
• John Ely WØGN
• Mike Nowack NA9Q
• Jim Spencer WØSR
• Jim Meade NOØB
• George Carsner WØPPF
• Gary Toomsen KØGT
• Andy Moran AAØAM
• Steve Sawyers NAØIA
• Terry Cellman WØAWL
• Scott Augsburger WRØU/4 TN
• Robert Schafer KA4PKB/mobile
• Jerry Rappel WWØE
• Frank Baker WØQC
• Larry Newby WBØB
• Bob Lee WØGXA
• Rod Blocksome KØDAS
• Guy West NØMMA
• Gayle Lawson KØFLY
• George Cooley NG7A
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
REPEATER COMMITTEE:
• No updates
WEB SITE REPORT:
• No updates.
DXpedition FUNDING:
• Terry WØAWL reported that EIDXA is holding off on funding Bouvet
Island. Glenn WØGJ said that there are 4 groups, but none of them
have secured transportation. The Norwegian group claims that it
has, but the boat is still dry docked and it is unknown when it
will be finished. One of the guys Glenn spoke to doesn’t have
faith in that type of boat. There is still plenty of time to
decide which group to fund.
• KØJGH reminded everyone that Clipperton is 5 days away.
CONTESTING COMMITTEE:
• George NG7A recapped some upcoming contests:
1) North American QSO Party, CW Jan 13 1800Z to Jan 14 0600Z
2) CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW Jan 26 2200Z to Jan 28 2159Z,
3) ARRL Inter. DX Contest, CW Feb 17 0000Z to Feb 18 2400Z
4) ARRL Inter. DX Contest, SSB Mar 2 0000Z to Mar 3 2400Z.
He pointed out that Craig KØCF added a list of upcoming contests
at the end of the DX Bulletin on the EIDXA website. Just click
on the DX Bulletin button and scroll to the end.
http://www.eidxa.org/EIDXBulletin.html
PROGRAM COMMITTEE
• Gayle KØFLY reported the plan for upcoming presentations as follows:
o Joe Spinks AAØKW comparing a Flex Radio vs Yaesu Ftdx-10 (next)
o Paige Harper KØPZH on Contesting from PJ2T (summer)
o KØIS on 6M and Satellites
• The club is pretty much set for programs through the end
of the year.
• Discussion followed and members reported that Paige KØPZH did a
good job on PJ2T. The importance of grooming the next generation
of DX/Contester types will help continue to build our club. Rich
W3ACO is looking for more YL candidates to sponsor.
OLD BUSINESS
INSURANCE:
• Glen KØJGH reported that he did set up the club’s insurance policy
in a way that the membership voted for: $1M of liability at
$200/year plus equipment at $14/year for every $1000. He worked with
Al to try to get a valuation of the repeater and came up with $3000
to cover the repeater and the antenna. The policy is issued and in
force. Glenn used the Ottumua’s existing account but listed the
EIDXA policy separately. Glenn has the passwords to get into the
account and has got them in the EIDXA’s club records.
TREASURER’S REPORT:
• Dave KØLUM screen shared a spreadsheet of the club finances that
Mike NA9Q prepared. Mike NA9Q reported the finances for the last
quarter of 2023, covering the months of October, November and
December, which is actually the first fiscal quarter of the club
year. Mike noted that without the proceeds from the WB8ZRL estate,
there would have been a negative cash flow (approximately minus
$1,100) in the general fund.
• A discussion followed on what generated the negative cash flow.
They were from the new expenses: $242 for the insurance, $500 to
send a YL to PJ2T and $200 to fix the repeater.
• There was a question on bank charges and interest. Mike said that
none of the accounts are interest bearing. A discussion followed
on CDs with higher interest rates and savings accounts with
interest. One member pointed out that EIDXA is not incorporated
and if the account gets interest, it gets reported to the IRS. The
question arose at what point does it become an issue if the club
does not have an EIN. Previous club policy was not to incorporate
to avoid a number of issues and complications surrounding financials.
• Contact Mike – NA9Q with any club treasury questions.
• We are financially solvent!
MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING
• Glen KØJGH asked to read the minutes from the last meeting. George
NG7A noted that they were published on the club’s website and read
the October 13, 2023 minutes.
• Glen asked for any questions or corrections. Hearing none, the
minutes stand approved as read.
OTHER BUSINESS
• Gayle KØFLY asked Mike NA9Q if there are other signatories on the
checking account. Mike believes that Rich W3ACO is the second
signatory and will go back and verify that before the next meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
• Jim WØSR motioned to adjourn the meeting with Gayle KØFLY seconding.
The motion carried and the business portion of the meeting adjourned
at 8:10 pm.
10 MINUTE BREAK
PROGRAM:
• Bill Caldwell NØLNO presented “6M DXing with Meteor Scatter.”