For January, we are starting the new year with an opportunity to operate HF from the club station (Hopefully everyone remembers any new skills they discovered during the club’s Field Day event this past June). The event is Saturday January 21st, 2023 starting at noon and concluding at 6:00pm, held at the DMRAA club station at the Fort Des Moines Museum 75 E Army Post Rd, Des Moines, IA.  This event will replace the scheduled monthly meeting that would have been held 01/24/2023.

During this time frame is the North American QSO Party contest. This contest provides an easy way to get on the air and make contacts without a complicated contest exchange or having to think of what to say next. Each station will send a name and state. The name is not supposed to change during the contest as this confuses other participants. For our operations as W0AK we will send the name Bob and state of Iowa.

You do not need to be a current DMRAA member or have an amateur radio license with HF privileges to participate. There will be someone available the duration of the event to answer questions and coach, if needed. If you are unlicensed or technician class with limited HF privileges you will be able to operate under a control operator.

Due to the current antenna limitations of the club station, we will have one radio/transmitter on the air onsite and will operate a remote station to get more people on the air.  For this reason, there is a “sign-up sheet“. This is so that there is some ability to space those wanting to operate out over the entire period. We will attempt to accommodate everyone we can and signing up for a time slot does not guarantee operating the entire time slot.  One person could both operate and log, so two people per time slot maximizes operating time.

Those that want to find out more about the North American QSO Party or want to operate the contest from a home station can download the rules here.

In the event of adverse winter weather and/or potentially poor driving conditions on 1/21, please check this site for updates if the event is cancelled.  Those signed up will get a direct email.

Contact Dean Madsen, N0XR 515-770-7437 if you have any questions.

Future meetings:

01/24/23 No meeting (replaced by HF activity)
02/07/23 DMRAA Board Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm
02/18/23 DMRAA One-Day Technician License Class – Preregistration required
02/28/23 DMRAA Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm, Bob Jimmerson, KA0OMM, will cover soldering from PL259s to board level repair.
03/07/23 DMRAA Board Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm
03/28/23 DMRAA Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm, Paul Cowley W0YR will present Radio Direction Finding and foxhunting activities.
04/04/23 DMRAA Board Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm
04/??/23  DMRAA Hamfest
04/25/23 No meeting (replaced by hamfest)
05/02/23 DMRAA Board Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm
05/23/23 DMRAA Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm, DMRAA Club Election and Field Day Presentation
06/06/23 DMRAA Board Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm
06/23/23 Field Day Setup @ Fort Des Moines Museum 1pm
06/24/23 Field Day @ Fort Des Moines Museum 8am
06/25/23 Field Day @ Fort Des Moines Museum 8am, Tear down 1pm
06/27/23 No meeting (replaced by Field Day)
07/04/23 No board meeting
07/25/23 DMRAA Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm, meeting topic TBD
08/01/23 DMRAA Board Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm
08/22/23 DMRAA Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm, meeting topic TBD
09/05/23 DMRAA Board Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm
09/26/23 DMRAA Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm, meeting topic TBD
10/03/23 DMRAA Board Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm
10/24/23 DMRAA Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm, meeting topic TBD
11/07/23 DMRAA Board Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm
11/28/23 DMRAA Annual Chili Feed & Auction
12/05/23 DMRAA Board Meeting @ Fort Des Moines Museum 7pm
12/??/23 DMRAA Christmas Party
12/26/23 No meeting (replaced by the Christmas Party)