McHenry County Wireless Association
Propagation report as of Thursday, January 22, 2026 8:47 AM CST
MCWA Meeting Minutes of January 6, 2026
DRAFT
President Dan KD9M called the Jan 6, 2026 hybrid meeting (in-person and by Zoom) order at 7:00 PM. The Pledge of Allegiance followed, led by Dave K9AT.
Board members present were:
President Dan Larson KD9M, VP Jim McDonald N7US(zoom), Treasurer Joe Robin N9OK, Secretary Lyle Giese W9LRG, Director Gary Kaatz W9TD, Director Bob Smetana KE9CFO, Past President Ralph Iden WB9ICF
There were 32 members in attendance with 2 guests and 10 members via Zoom
Guests
Sue, no license
Erich W9RX(zoom)
Nichole, no license(zoom)
Approval of Minutes
The meeting minutes from the December meeting were previously posted to the MCWA website for review. Motion to accept the minutes Sam KC9GPY. Dave K9AT seconded the motion. Hearing no objections, the minutes were approved.
Membership and Financial Reports
Joe Robin, N9OK presented the membership and financial reports for December 2025.
Opening Balance $10,120.29 as of Nov 29, 2025
Deposits $11.50 Dues minus fee coverage
Expenditures $98.77
$6.62 Digital Ocean
$0.50 CLBT Bank Fee for remote deposit
$91.65 Ralph WB9ICF for Dec Meeting
Final Balance $10,133.02 Dec 31, 2025
Total membership is 148 members. That includes 132 (voting) Members, 14 Family (voting) members and 2 associate members.
Ralph WB9ICF moved to accept the Treasurer’s report and John K9JK seconded the motion. Hearing no objections, the treasurer’s report was approved.
Choice 1: Dues are payable via PayPal MCWAPaypal@gmail.com $10/year. Be sure to select ‘Friends & Family’ when paying via PayPal. Please include your call sign, it helps the treasurer to credit the correct membership.
Choice 2: Cash given to Joe N9OK in person at a regular club meeting.
Choice 3: Checks can be sent to:
Joe Robin N9OK
4410 Billingsgate Lane
Woodstock, IL 60098
Be sure to include your call sign!
Be aware we are now charged $0.50 bank fee per check now.
Recent Events
Future Events
2026 Hamfest Calendar by K9MSG is available at:
https://www.w9dup.org/hamfests.html
Amateur Radio Events also publishes a list at:
https://www.amateurradioevents.com/
McHenry County RACES(mcraces.org) is working on getting a Winter Field day operation going also.
K9RN Field Day committee has been hosting zoom meetings and making progress with the 2026 Field Day preparations. We are planning to have our FD at Rush Creek in Harvard again and are still looking into additional sites for 2027. Next FD zoom meeting will be Jan 19th 7pm. Use the reflector Field Day subgroup if you are interested in helping this effort.
The 415 group(https://www.the415arc.com) will hosting Winter Field day on Jan 24 & Jan 25 at Gary W9GD’s farm, 3208 Bay Road, Crystal Lake, IL All interested persons are welcome, licensed or non-licensed.
Contest Activities
January VHF Jan 18 – 20
BARTG RTTY Sprint Jan 24 -25
Winter Field Day Jan 24-25
N American SSB Sprint Feb 1
School Club Roundup Feb 9 – 13
International DX – CW March 7 -8
Rookie Roundup – SSB April 19
Old Business
New Business
Recents new activities by membership
Joe N9OK talked about assemblying a new QMX QRP rig (80, 60, 40, 30, and 20m) 5 watt transceiver).
Mike WB8BZK is participating in a year long America 250 event. More info on this event can be found at https://www.arrl.org/america250-was/
The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at the Algonquin Township meeting room. Open “eyeball” QSOs start at 6:30 PM, with the meeting starting at 7:00 PM.
Ralph WB9ICF made a motion to adjourn, Joe N9OK seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM.
Program
ARISS ISS Contact Report
Glenn K9OK Angelo KD9QVW Dave K9AT Erich W9RX, Nichole Principal @ Lincoln Magnet School
Posted by Lyle Giese(W9LRG), Secretary, MCWA
MCWA Meeting Minutes of December 2, 2025
VP Jim N7US called the Dec 2, 2025 hybrid meeting (in-person and by Zoom) order at 7:04 PM. The Pledge of Allegiance followed, led by Dave K9AT.
Board members present were:
VP Jim McDonald N7US, Treasurer Joe Robin N9OK, Secretary Lyle Giese W9LRG, Director Gary Kaatz W9TD, Past President Ralph Iden WB9ICF
Absent: President Dan Larson KD9M, Director Bob Smetana KE9CFO
There were 32 members in attendance with 2 guests and 3 members via Zoom
Guests
Warren Pugh KC9IL
Mike Simmons N9GHP
Approval of Minutes
The meeting minutes from the November meeting were previously posted to the MCWA website for review. Motion to accept the minutes Sam KC9GPY. Dave NT9E seconded the motion. Hearing no objections, the minutes were approved.
Membership and Financial Reports
Joe Robin, N9OK presented the membership and financial reports for October 2025.
Opening Balance $9,518.01 as of Nov 1, 2025
Deposits $643.88 Dues
Expenditures $41.60
$6.62 Digital Ocean
$0.50 CLBT Bank Fee for remote deposit
$34.48 N9OK money deposited here by FB, returned to N9OK
Final Balance $10,120.29 Nov 28, 2025
Total membership is 147 members. That includes 131 (voting) Members, 14 Family (voting) members and 2 associate members.
Erich KC9CUK moved to accept the Treasurer’s report and John K9JK seconded the motion. Hearing no objections, the treasurer’s report was approved.
Choice 1: Dues are payable via PayPal MCWAPaypal@gmail.com $10/year. Be sure to select ‘Friends & Family’ when paying via PayPal. Please include your call sign, it helps the treasurer to credit the correct membership.
Choice 2: Cash given to Joe N9OK in person at a regular club meeting.
Choice 3: Checks can be sent to:
Joe Robin N9OK
4410 Billingsgate Lane
Woodstock, IL 60098
Be sure to include your call sign!
Be aware we are now charged $0.50 bank fee per check now.
Recent Events
Future Events
2025 Hamfest Calendar by K9MSG is available at:
https://www.w9dup.org/hamfests.html
Amateur Radio Events also publishes a list at:
https://www.amateurradioevents.com/
The 415 is planning their Winter Field, Jan 24 & 25th, 2026
McHenry County RACES(mcraces.org) is working on getting a Winter Field day operation going also.
Glen N9OK, Angelo KD9QVW, Dave K9At and Erich W9RX are planning an ISS school contact in Springfield on Dec 5th 9:29am. Live feed will be available at https://live.ariss.org Erich W9RX formerly lived in this area and recruited his friends up here to assist in this contact.
Contest Activities
160 Meter Dec 5-7
10 Meter Dec 13-14
Rookie Roundup – CW Dec 21
Stew Perry Topband Challenge Dec 27-28
Straight key Night Jan 1
Kids Day Jan 4
RTTY Roundup Jan 4 -5
January VHF Jan 18 – 20
Old Business
New Business
The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at the Algonquin Township meeting room. Open “eyeball” QSOs start at 6:30 PM, with the meeting starting at 7:00 PM.
John K9JK made a motion to adjourn, John W9JM seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM.
Program
Show and Tell
Door Prizes
Portilos gift cards
Loren K3RFC
Aidan W9POG
Joe KD9KTA
ARRL calendar
Glenn K9OK
Posted by Lyle Giese(W9LRG), Secretary, MCWA
MCWA Meeting Minutes of November 4, 2025
VP Jim N7US called the Nov 4, 2025 hybrid meeting (in-person and by Zoom) order at 7:00 PM. The Pledge of Allegiance followed, led by Dave K9AT.
Board members present were:
VP Jim McDonald N7US, Treasurer Joe Robin N9OK, Secretary Lyle Giese W9LRG, Director Gary Kaatz W9TD, Bob Smetana KE9CFO, Past President Ralph Iden WB9ICF
Absent: President Dan Larson KD9M
There were 31 members in attendance with 2 guests and 8 members via Zoom
Guests
W Rickduel W9XB
Corey Kramer
Approval of Minutes
The meeting minutes from the October meeting were previously posted to the MCWA website for review. Motion to accept the minutes Dave K9AT. Dave NT9E seconded the motion. Hearing no objections, the minutes were approved.
Membership and Financial Reports
Joe Robin, N9OK presented the membership and financial reports for October 2025.
Opening Balance $9,448.82 as of September 30, 2025
Deposits $130.00 Dues
Expenditures $60.81
$6.62 Digital Ocean $6.62
$34.20 FastMail Basic
19.99 Google MCWAPayPal Annual Fee
Final Balance $9,518.01 October 31, 2025
Total membership is 147 members. That includes 131 (voting) Members, 14 Family (voting) members and 2 associate members.
Sam KC9GPY moved to accept the Treasurer’s report and Roger KF9D seconded the motion. Hearing no objections, the treasurer’s report was approved.
Choice 1: Dues are payable via PayPal MCWAPaypal@gmail.com $10/year. Be sure to select ‘Friends & Family’ when paying via PayPal. Please include your call sign, it helps the treasurer to credit the correct membership.
Choice 2: Cash given to Joe N9OK in person at a regular club meeting.
Choice 3: Checks can be sent to:
Joe Robin N9OK
4410 Billingsgate Lane
Woodstock, IL 60098
Be sure to include your call sign!
Be aware we are now charged $0.50 bank fee per check now.
Recent Events
Future Events
2025 Hamfest Calendar by K9MSG is available at:
https://www.w9dup.org/hamfests.html
Amateur Radio Events also publishes a list at:
https://www.amateurradioevents.com/2025hamfests1
The 415 is planning their Winter Field, Jan 24 & 25th, 2026
McHenry County RACES(mcraces.org) is working on getting a Winter Field day operation going also.
Glen N9OK and Angelo KD9QVW are planning an ISS school contact in Springfield on Dec 5th 9:29am.
Recap BOD meeting
Membership is stable
Meeting attendance slightly lower over summer timeframe.
Being a general interest club with many diverse interests, we want to grow the knowledge of all aspects of the hobby.
Finances are strong and stable.
Membership has been strong with steady growth with slight downturn recently
Activities in 2024-2025
Pizza Party, Fox Hunt, POTA, Campout
Budget vs Actual 2024-2025
| Item | Budgeted | Actual | Notes |
| Field Day | 750.00 | 294.50 | Requires club ratification, food donated in 2025 |
| Insurance | 200.00 | 200.00 | |
| Pizza Social | 300.00 | 299.36 | Looking at Dec for the social. Board decide to pay $300 for pizza and charge members $5 -$10 per person |
| Spring Social | 300.00 | ||
| Outreach Actvities | 500.00 | Scouts, etc, POTA, books | |
| Zoom | 150.00 | 149.90 | |
| Website | 130 | 119.20 | DigitalOcean, google domains & POBox |
| Meeting enhancements | 500.00 | 599.99 | Laptop |
| Misc | 50.00 | 14.60 | Unbudgeted misc expenses |
| 2,880.00 | 1,677.55 |
Activities for 2025-26
Pizza Party with program after (Fall) @ Meeting
Fox Hunt
POTA
Campout
Field Day – Need Committee before end of year
Meeting in the park with Dinner
Auction – Idea % to club instead of full amount @ meetings
Push to find some programs for every other month for 2026
| Item | Planned | Actual | Notes |
| Insurance | 200.00 | 200.00 | |
| Website MCWA.ORG | 130.00 | DigitalOcean, Google Domains, POBox | |
| Zoom pro subscription | 160.00 | 159.90 | |
| Miscellaneous | 50.00 | Miscellaneous expenses | |
| Total neccesary | 540.00 | 359.90 | |
| Pizza Social | 300.00 | ||
| Spring Social | 300.00 | ||
| Outreach activities | 500.00 | Scouts, etc, POTA, Books | |
| Field Day | 750.00 | Requires club ratification | |
| Meeting Enhancements | 100.00 | ||
| Total Discretionary | 1,950.00 | ||
| Total Planned | 2,490.00 | 359.90 |
Old Business
New Business
The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at the Algonquin Township meeting room. Open “eyeball” QSOs start at 6:30 PM, with the meeting starting at 7:00 PM.
Sam KC9GPY made a motion to adjourn, John W9JM seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 PM.
Program
FT8 DXing-Fact, Fiction & Hints John K9EL
Posted by Lyle Giese(W9LRG), Secretary, MCWA
MCWA Meeting Minutes of October 7 2025
VP Jim N7US called the Oct 7, 2025 hybrid meeting (in-person and by Zoom) order at 7:00 PM. The Pledge of Allegiance followed, led by Dave K9AT.
Board members present were:
VP Jim McDonald N7US, Treasurer Joe Robin N9OK, Secretary Lyle Giese W9LRG, Director Gary Kaatz W9TD, Bob Smetana KE9CFO, Past President Ralph Iden WB9ICF
Absent: President Dan Larson KD9M
There were 38 members in attendance with 1 guests and 6 members via Zoom
New Members:
Andrew Wood KE9AAH McHenry, IL
Approval of Minutes
The meeting minutes from the September meeting were previously posted to the MCWA website for review. Motion to accept the minutes Dave NT9E seconded the motion. Hearing no objections, the minutes were approved.
Membership and Financial Reports
Joe Robin, N9OK presented the membership and financial reports for September 2025.
Opening Balance $9.884.70 as of August 29, 2025
Deposits $30.00 Dues
Expenditures $465.88
$6.62 Digital Ocean $6.62
$56.42 To KD9M beverages for pizza social
$242.94 To KD9M pizza for pizza social
$159.90 1 year Zoom video service
Final Balance $9,448.82 September 30, 2025
Total membership is 146 members. That includes 130 (voting) Members, 14 Family (voting) members and 2 associate members.
Sam KC9GPY moved to accept the Treasurer’s report and John K9JK seconded the motion. Hearing no objections, the treasurer’s report was approved.
Choice 1: Dues are payable via PayPal MCWAPaypal@gmail.com $10/year. Be sure to select ‘Friends & Family’ when paying via PayPal. Please include your call sign, it helps the treasurer to credit the correct membership.
Choice 2: Cash given to Joe N9OK in person at a regular club meeting.
Choice 3: Checks can be sent to:
Joe Robin N9OK
4410 Billingsgate Lane
Woodstock, IL 60098
Be sure to include your call sign!
Be aware we are now charged $0.50 bank fee per check now.
Recent Events
Future Events
2025 Hamfest Calendar by K9MSG is available at:
https://www.w9dup.org/hamfests.html
Amateur Radio Events also publishes a list at:
https://www.amateurradioevents.com/2025hamfests1
The 415 is planning their Winter Field, Jan 24 & 25th, 2026
McHenry County RACES(mcraces.org) is working on getting a Winter Field day operation going also.
MCWA Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for October 21, 2025 at 6:30pm. It will held at the Crystal Lake Bank & Trust, 5100 Northwest Hwy, Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Old Business
New Business
The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at the Algonquin Township meeting room. Open “eyeball” QSOs start at 6:30 PM, with the meeting starting at 7:00 PM.
Jim W9JWN made a motion to adjourn, Joe N9OK seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:29 PM.
Program
RF Mixers by Gary W9TD
Posted by Lyle Giese(W9LRG), Secretary, MCWA
MCWA Meeting Minutes of September 2, 2025
President Dan Larson (KD9M) called the Sept 2, 2025 hybrid meeting (in-person and by Zoom) order at 7:01 PM. The Pledge of Allegiance followed, led by Dave K9AT.
Board members present were:
President Dan Larson KD9M , VP Wendell Smith N9REP, Treasurer Joe Robin N9OK, Secretary Lyle Giese W9LRG, Director Gary Kaatz W9TD, Glenn Otto K9OK, Past President Ralph Iden WB9ICF
There were 26 members in attendance with 2 guests and 5 members via Zoom
New Members:
Jacob KG7ZXN
Dennis KI6UNC
Approval of Minutes
The meeting minutes from the August meeting were previously posted to the MCWA website for review. Motion to accept the minutes Gary W9TD , Dave K9AT seconded the motion. Hearing no objections, the minutes were approved.
Membership and Financial Reports
Joe Robin, N9OK presented the membership and financial reports for August 2025.
Opening Balance $10,021.32 as of July 31, 2025
Deposits $70.00 Dues
Expenditures $206.62
$6.62 Digital Ocean $6.62
$200.00 ARRL Club Liability Insurance
Final Balance $9,884.70 August 29, 2025
Total membership is 144 members. That includes 128 Voting Members, 14 Family members and 2 associate members.
Jim K9JT moved to accept the Treasurer’s report and Dave K9AT seconded the motion. Hearing no objections, the treasurer’s report was approved.
Choice 1: Dues are payable via PayPal MCWAPaypal@gmail.com $10/year. Be sure to select ‘Friends & Family’ when paying via PayPal. Please include your call sign, it helps the treasurer to credit the correct membership.
Choice 2: Cash given to Joe N9OK in person at a regular club meeting.
Choice 3: Checks can be sent to:
Joe Robin N9OK
4410 Billingsgate Lane
Woodstock, IL 60098
Be sure to include your call sign!
Be aware we are now charged $0.50 bank fee per check now.
Nomination Committee
President – Dan KD9M
VicePresident – Jim N7US
Treasurer – Joe N9OK
Secretary – Lyle W9LRG
Director – Bob KE9CFO
Jim N7US made a motion to accept the nominations. Kieth N9QDS seconded. Since there were no contested positions, An anonymous vote was submitted for the above canidates.
Bob KE9CFO is a Director for two years. Gary W9TD is starting his second year of being a Director.
Recent Events
Dave K9AT reported Hams Over IP(https://hamsoverip.com) is a replacement service since Ham Shack shut down recently.
Future Events
2025 Hamfest Calendar by K9MSG is available at:
https://www.w9dup.org/hamfests.html
Amerateur Radio Events also publishs a list at:
https://www.amateurradioevents.com/2025hamfests1
Old Business
New Business
The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at the Algonquin Township meeting room. Open “eyeball” QSOs start at 6:30 PM, with the meeting starting at 7:00 PM.
Dave N9TE motioned to adjourn, David KD9VEJ seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM.
Program
Eyeball meeting along with cleanup of the pizza party concluded the meeting tonight.
Posted by Lyle Giese(W9LRG), Secretary, MCWA