The DMRAA annual NWS Spotter talk was very well attended.  Most were local Hams but we also saw several non-hams attending as well.  Our thanks to Roger Vachalek KCØWFU, Senior Forecaster with the Des Moines Nation Weather Service for a great training.

Kirk Nelson, WL7CLI was awarded the Des Moines Radio Amateur’s Association’s highest award at the recent DMRAA Christmas Party.  Kirk was recognized for his service to the club and service to the many ARES events he assists with, notable are the many hours setting up and managing the APRS trackers used for the IMT Des […]

Hungry Hams enjoyed delicious chili at the DMRAA ChiliFeed.  They also brought some of the best ham gear we’ve seen recently.  It was great to see some of the newer operators to our hobby.  Our thanks to all the folks that helped with assisting the auctioneer, set-up and tear down.  Also to the marvelous cooks. […]

Only a few days away!  The time to clean out the shack before winter sets in.  Bring all those extra items to the DMRAA’s annual ChiliFeed / Auction.  The chili is plentiful as well as the fellowship.  The diner begins at 6:00PM with the auction at 7:00PM. This is a great opportunity for the new […]

Over sixty cub and boy scouts and their parents came out to get on the air during Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) at the Ankeny Outdoor Education Center on Saturday, October 15, 2016. This was the 59th year of scouts making international ham radio contact with other scouts during JOTA. This year 8,358 stations registered […]

Over 140 scouts in grades 1-12 participated in amateur radio activities at Camp Mitigwa on October 8, 2016 as part of Scout Jam, a camporee-style event celebrating 100 years of scouting in central Iowa. Activities included a Morse Code learning station with practice Morse code oscillators, a VHF station which was active on several local […]

Polk County ARES Emergency Coordinator Scott, NØOOD has announced that Polk County ARES is now in possession of a new EMCOMM trailer. The new trailer is a tandem 7’ by 16’ trailer.  It is larger than the previous trailer which is 6’ by 10’.  The new trailer will be called “EMCOMM 1”.  This trailer is […]

The DMRAA conducted another very successful Field Day.  The weather was typical (hot with a rain event).  A nice group assembled and erected two towers and three guyed masts.  The operating started at 1:00 PM and was in full swing a little later.  We had several visitors and operators.  Initial stats indicate over 1200 contacts.The […]

  Yellow Banks County Park is the location for the 2016 edition of the annual ARRL Field Day.  The location this year has been changed.  Due to construction of new shelters at Fort Des Moines County Park the Location has been changed to Yellow Bank County Park, shelter #1.  This beautiful Polk County Park just […]

The weather was great and the bargains were plentiful at the 2016 Des Moines Radio Amateurs Association’s Hamfest.  Several new friends entered Amateur Radio after they passed their Technician’s exam.  Forums included the Iowa Repeater Council meeting and the ARRL Iowa Section forum.  We saw hams from four states as well as Iowa.  Door prizes […]