Here is your SARA weekly update!
Remembering Fr Metcalf WØJH Special Event Jan 9 – 11, 2026
This event pays tribute to the original WØJH, Father George Metcalf. As a WWII Chaplain for General Patton, Fr. Metcalf helped draft the famous “Weather Prayer.” According to Patton and his troops, this prayer ended 3 months of cloudy, rainy skies in December 1944. It is a prayer that changed history!
This is SARA’s second year for this event. Belwin Conservancy in Afton, MN is again the location. It is located a portion of the donated estate from Episcopalian Fr. Metcalf. This year, we have been granted access to the larger, former residence of the Metcalfs. The setup provides more room for station separation, while allowing dedicated areas for visitors to join us for refreshments and treats. And all indoors!
This event is an excellent chance for operators, especially newly licensed Generals, to learn and hone HF operating and logging skills. Plus, it will be a fantastic opportunity to network with other SARA members and others interested in learning about Amateur Radio.
We are pleased to have a new SARA member from Illinois join us. As a ham, KD4UTL, and Episcopalian clergy, Bishop Brian Burgess learned of our event last year. He is enthusiastic about participating in our 3-day event.
Operating Schedule:
Jan. 9, 10, 11: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Station Locations/Venue:
795 Indian Trail S., Afton, MN
The building has areas to set up radio station gear and comfortable conversation areas for visitors. It is heated and has kitchens and restrooms.
“SignUpGenius” online scheduling will be used to manage 1-hour shifts for Operating and Logging.
Everyone signed up before midnight UTC (6:00 PM Central), Monday, January 5 is entered once in a drawing for very special prizes to be awarded at the SARA monthly meeting on February 14. Must be present to win. The drawings Grand Prize is a new, VHF/UHF hand-held transceiver and charger! There will be more.
Operators: Please use the contact tracking sheets provided to keep track of the contacts made during your shift. No need to keep a manual log, all logging will be via ACLog and handled by your logger. There will be a script for you to use.
Loggers: Keep digital log using ACLog provided on the club laptop computers. Be sure to enter name/call sign of operator and confirm the operating band in the log matches the radio.
Station 1 (Chapel) (80-6m) AND Station 2 (Deck Side) (40-20-10m)
Friday January 9, 10:00 am – 4:00 PM 1-hr shifts for logger and operator at each station
Saturday January 10, 10:00 am – 4:00 PM 1-hr shifts for logger and operator at each station
Sunday January 11, 10:00 am – 4:00 PM 1-hr shifts for logger and operator at each station.
Your callsign, your name, email address, and cell phone will be needed at time of signing up.
An after-event dinner gathering is planned for 6:00 PM Sunday evening at the Bungalow Inn, 1151 Rivercrest Rd N, Lakeland, MN 55043. Food selection will be off the menu. Spouses/Significant Others are welcome to attend.
Eyeball QSO Party
The weekly Eyeball QSO Party is at the Stillwater Public Library Conference Room through the 26th of mARCH 2026 (90 days is as far as we can schedule with the library), except for holidays and 1st Thursdays (Tech Topic Night)
January 1, 2026, New Year’s Day – NO Eyeball QSO Party
SARA Annual Meeting and SWEEP (SARA White Elephant Exchange Party) Jan 3, 2026
The Annual Meeting of the Stillwater Amateur Radio Association is Saturday Jan 3 at 9:15 AM, We will meet in Auditorium A at The Gables at Boutwells Landing (North Entrance) 13575 58th St North, Oak Park Heights.
The constitution and by-laws of the Stillwater Amateur Radio Association call for the election of officers at the annual meeting of the Association. The offices of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer are elected annually. One 2-yr board member is also elected each year.
Nomination of officers was held during the December 13 regular meeting. Only full members can vote as per the Constitution and By-Laws. Associate and Family members are not eligible.
The slate of officers nominated for 2026 are:
President Joe Heitzinger KCØOIO
Vice President Brian Schousek KB9TBB
Secretary Allan Boucher KFØMNS
Treasurer Dave Leikam KØAIF
Director ’26-’27 Tim Grotheer KFØJEL
Director ’25-’26 Collin O’Connor KEØIYN (mid-term, not up for election)
The position of Trustee is appointed by the Board of Directors at the first meeting of the newly elected Board in January.
The SARA White Elephant Exchange Party (SWEEP) makes its annual return at this meeting.
Do not miss the 2026 SWEEP!
Yes, it is almost time for SARA’s fun meeting of the season. Immediately following the 2026 annual meeting and election of officers, we will hold the ever-popular, always fun White Elephant gift exchange. (As an unknown source on 75m said, “It’s about the most fun you can have with your clothes on!”)
As if you need a reason to participate, consider these benefits:
- Clean your shack of something (or things) you no longer need or want!
2. Go home with something more useful/desirable than you started with!
3. Have FUN with guaranteed SURPRISES! (As one SARA member said, “I laughed so hard, I almost wet my pants!”)
Pretty Simple Routine:
Each participant brings at least one wrapped “White Elephant” gift. This could be something related to Amateur Radio that you have laying around your Ham Shack; maybe something that you do not use or no longer need.
If you do not have a “White Elephant” you are willing to part with, maybe buy something with a maximum value of ~$10. (Maybe make a trip to Harbor Freight or Ax-man Surplus?!)
Notes:
- Do not spend a lot of time/energy on wrapping. You can use a paper or plastic grocery bag – or even a garbage bag for large, odd, shaped items.
- We encourage you to look through your shack; you must have something you no longer want or need.
- As a last resort, you can let your spouse/XYL select an item from your shack to serve as a gift! (You may NOT want to go this route!!)
- All gifts and packaging must leave the meeting room.
Where will the infamous “Flying Ham” land this year?
We have the 2nd Saturday Breakfast on the 1st Saturday again this Saturday due to the meeting shift. 7:30 AM at Perkins, 20250 Frontage Road in Stillwater.
1st Thursday Technical Topic Nights “Let’s Talk About…”
1st Thursday Technical Topic Night features a technical presentation and discussion based upon the level of interest in the club and the willingness of someone to prepare and lead the session. The sessions are livestreamed via Zoom for those who choose to join the session virtually; and are recorded and posted to the SARA YouTube channel for future viewing and reference.
The 1st Thursday Technical Topic Nights are held at the Baytown Township Hall, 4020 McDonald Dr N, Stillwater, MN 55082, beginning at 6:00 PM Central (00:00 UTC).
- NO January 1, 2026 session – Happy New Year!
- Feb 5, 2026 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night
“Let’s Talk About … Pico Balloons” led by Brian KB9TBB - Mar 5, 2026 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night
“Let’s Talk About … Logging Workflows” led by Dale WØDHZ - Apr 2, 2026 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night
“Let’s Talk About … Meshtastic” led by Collin KEØIYN - May 7, 2026 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night
“Let’s Talk About … Antenna Analyzers” led by Joe KCØOIO
The SARA POTA Challenge
The SARA POTA Challenge 2025 monthly numbers available are posted on the radioham.org website. >> CLICK HERE << to view the current results for 2025. November 2025 numbers were shared at the December meeting and have been posted to the website this week. A note about the November numbers, a problem developed within the pota.app data processing routines shortly before Thanksgiving. The processing related to the Top Activator and Top Hunter totals was unable to be completed for a period and the result returned from the queries our team uses to track the monthly totals was impacted. As a result, November numbers in the SARA Challenge are not for the complete month. The development team at POTA has corrected the issue and all appears correct as of Dec 14.
POTA raised the minimum contacts returned in the Top Hunter search to 50 Hunter contacts. This is a limitation placed on the hunter database by POTA. For the remainder of 2025, we will continue to carry all those who have been listed as participants with more than 10 contacts that we have as of the August report. Unfortunately, the threshold will change for the 2026 Challenge, not by our choice, but because of what data we can extract from POTA’s database.
SARA members who have registered on the POTA website https://parksontheair.com/# (sign up is under the Help/Getting Started tab) are automatically included in the SARA Challenges.
This week’s SARA activities
- “Sunday Fusion” Digital Voice Hangout Dec 28
SARA Repeater 147.060+ MHz (DCS/DTCS 026 Normal)
or connect via WIRES-X to the W0JH-Room 63969
System Fusion digital voice hangout to expand use and familiarity with the digital voice capabilities available on the WØJH repeater. - SARA Evening HF Ragchew
Nightly
20:00 Central (02:00 UTC)
Frequency: 3.813LSB +/- QRM
Alternates: 1.966 MHz +/- QRM (LSB), 21.316 MHz +/- QRM (USB) 50.166 MHz +/- QRM (USB) - SARA Monday Morning 75-meter Ragchew Dec 29
Frequency: 3.856 LSB +/- QRM - Two Meter Tuesday (TMT) Round Robin Ragchew Dec 30
7:00 – ~8:00 pm Central (or until we finish!)
SARA Repeater 147.060+ MHz (DCS/DTCS 026 Normal)1stTuesday is Emergency Power Night – participants are encouraged to operate the stations on emergency power.
The Tuesday evening on-air round robin ragchew, featuring the “Ask the Elmer” segment. The group leaders focus on encouraging any and everyone, especially those new to the airwaves, to join the session via the repeater. - NO 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night Thursday Jan 1
HAPPY NEW YEAR - SARA Saturday Breakfast Jan 3
7:30 AM Central
Perkins Restaurant
2050 Frontage Road, Stillwater - SARA Annual Meeting and White Elephant Exchange Party (SWEEP) Jan 3
9:15 AM Central (15:15 UTC)
Auditorium A
Boutwells Landing
North Entrance
13575 58th Street North, MN 55082
