SPECIAL AUGUST BOARD MEETING – August 5, 2026

SPECIAL AUGUST BOARD MEETING – August 5, 2026

August 5, 2026 – SARA Board Meeting Agenda

  • Roll Call of Officers:

President Joe KCØOIO                            _X__     Vice President Brian KB9TBB        ___

Secretary Allan KFØMNS                       _X__     Treasurer Dave KØAIF                    _X__

Director Collin KEØIYN                           _X__     Director Tim KFØJEL                        ___

Trustee Shel NØDRX                               _X__

Also on Zoom Meeting: Bob WØGAF and Tim WØLT

  • Secretary’s Report: Allan KFØMNS – No updates

  • Treasurer’s Report: Dave KØAIF
    • Outstanding bills pending approval
      • Field Day
        • Heavy duty power extension cords $270.89 purchased by KFØMNS
        • Generator fuel $6.35 purchased by KFØMNS
        • Collin moved to approve payment of expenses, Dave KØAIF 2nd. All in favor, motion carried.
        • Annual donation to Baytown Township for use of their facilities
        • $250 suggested; Collin moved to approve amount donated, Shel NØDRX 2nd. All in favor, motion carried.

 

  • Trustee’s Report: Shel NØDRX
    • Club Call renewal; Collin motioned to approve Club Call renewal, Dave KFØAF 2nd. All in favor – motion carried.
  • Reports of Standing Committees
    • Activities and Events
      • Special Events Dave WØOXB
        • White Rock Expedition 2026
          • Sept 25 – 27
            • Co-leader/ organizer Joe KCØOIO
            • WØOXB, KCØOIO, WØGAF, NØODK (pulling trailer), KGØE, WØKEG, KFØMNS have committed so far
            • Budget: $350
          • Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald Nov 6-7-8, 2026
        • SARA POTA Challenge Bob WØGAF & Brian KB9TBB
        • On-air activities
          • Ragchews & on-air (TMT, 80M/160M, 75M Monday, Sunday Fusion)
        • Field Day 2026 Ray NDØG & Tim KFØJEL
          • Results have been submitted; waiting for results to be posted
        • Education & Training: Bob WØGAF
          • 2026 General Class Sept 17 – Nov 5, 2026
          • Room at Stillwater Library has been booked
          • Good interest so far
        • VE Team: Joe KCØOIO
          • Next Session Nov 12, 2026

 

  • Reports of Workgroups:
    • Technology
      • Website:                 Collin KEØIYN – no change
      • Newsletter: Dale KØDTM – on summer hiatus; working on articles on Field Day
      • Repeater:                 Doug N9TOW
        • Status of needed repairs (Cleaning and new cooling fans for repeater, PA, & PS)
        • Planning for future new site (2028 King Plant planned shutdown)
        • Tim WØLT has provided information on new repeater model DR3; still waiting for complete information to be available. Tim suggested not to be a Beta Testing site.
      • Remote Stations Technical Committee: Pat WAØTDA, Keith AGØH, Bill NØCIC, Brian KB9TBB
        • WØJH – Hayward WI – no update
        • KBØSCE – Park Rapids – no update
      • Member Assistance Programs:
        • Member Assistance Programs
          • New email address: hamhelp@radioham.org
            • newhamhelp@ is still valid but is now replaced with the shortened version when promoting
          • Antennas Dave WØOXB (tech resource)
          • Technical support
          • “New” Ham Resources Brian KØPU, Mark KEØQQN, Collin KEØIYN (Loaner Equip)
            • Equipment list for member’s information is now online
          • io & Discord
          • “SARA This Week” email bulletin
        • Meetings:
          • Eyeball QSO Party
            • Radios in the Park season
              • May 14 – Sep 10
              • Jun 4, Jul 2, Aug 6, Sep 3
                • Baytown Town Hall
              • May 21, 28, Jun 18, 25, Jul 16, 23, 30, Aug 20, 27: Locations published in newsletter
              • Sep 10 – Pioneer Park, Stillwater
            • 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night at Baytown Township Hall
              • Jun 4 – Field Day planning – Ray NDØG & Tim KFØJEL
              • Jul 2 – Outdoor activity – no planned tech topic
              • Aug 6 – Mobile & Portable Station Show-N-Tell
              • Sep 2 – “Let’s Talk About … Cloud-based logging – Wavelog” Collin KEØIYN
              • Oct 1 – “Let’s Talk About … 3D Printing for Ham Radio” Leslie KD9ZMI and others
            • Monthly Meeting Programs: Dave N9JNQ, Zack AAØU, Greg KDØEAP
              • Confirmed for 2026
                • Sept 12: Dave Minster NA2AA ARRL CEO
                • Oct 3:
                • Nov 14: John Dean KØJDD “Allstar Link”
                • Dec 12:
                • Jan 2: Sweep
              • Room Reservations: Dan KEØIYF
              • MN POTA: Collin KEØIYN, Brian KB9TBB, … et al
                • MN POTA Meetup August 29, 2026
                • Other events TBD

 

  • Unfinished Business:
    • SARA PICO Balloon club project – the “Flying Ham”
      • Club approved project and budget
      • Progress has been made
        • Rich has applied power to transmitter and has hanging in his back yard. WISPER reports confirm transmissions received in multiple locations.
        • Weights need to be measured, and gas volumes need to be calculated
        • Establish target launch date
      • Trailer upgrades and refit – establish workgroup. (WØZCW, KDØJTG, KCØOIO) ON HOLD
        • On Field Day, Joe KCØOIO captured several pictures of trailer axel. Close examination of the pictures reveals backing plates will not accept electric brake components. **Entire trailer upgrade and refit have been put on hold pending further research of options. **
        • Add electric brakes
        • Add diesel heater
        • New interior lighting as needed
        • Insulate ceiling and add ceiling panels
        • Approved $1500 budget for brakes, heater, frame-mount storage box (for fuels), new lighting, ceiling insulation and plywood or plastic panels.
        • Start after Field Day to have trailer ready for White Rock.
      • AEØSL (SK) Equipment donation
        • IC-7300, KX-3, Palstar AT-500 tuner, Alinco DM-30 power supply, Heil Goldline mic & boom, Comet CAA-500 Mark II analyzer, Comet CHA-250HD 3.5 MHz to 57 MHz vertical, Icom IC-V86 2m HT, Baofeng UV-5R, cwmorse.us cootie key, W1SFR TBCP Cootie/Paddle, W1SFR Titan Straight Key, and vizkey.com 90 degree Viz Key, plus cables and some wire antennas are among the items.
        • Stan stipulated for club use or to pass along to a younger ham.
          • What should we do with the cwmorse.us cootie key, W1SFR TBCP Cootie/Paddle, W1SFR Titan Straight Key, and vizkey.com 90 degree Viz Key? Silent auction of some sort? Signupgenius has an auction function
        • Henry KØHAS Shack Downsizing Project
          • Henry will be moving to a new home and will not have room for his impressive collection of Ham equipment, electronics test gear and components. He has graciously donated a large portion of his collection to SARA.
          • August 11-12 are the dates selected to:
            • Remove antennas from the roof of the garage and wire antennas from the back yard
            • Remove gear, test equipment, spare parts from shack (lower level) and rafters in garage
            • Several totes will be used to collect items and then onto trailers, in trucks and cars. Items will be brought to Collin’s workshop for sorting and storage. Collin has set up tables and chairs to facilitate project.

 

      • Developing relationship with Mississippi Valley Amateur Radio Association of La Crosse, WI
        • Meetup at Frontenac Park July 18, 2026, was cancelled at the last minute due to bus engine problems. New date for meetup TBD

 

  • New banners with new logo
    • SARA Banner in 60” x 24” format: $38.90 each x 2
    • Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald in 60” x 24” format: $38.90 each x 2
    • These are 12 inches longer to fit better with the stands we now have.
    • Positive feedback received
  • Other business?
    • None

 

  • Adjournment:
    • Collin moved to adjourn meeting; Dave KØAIF 2nd. All in favor, motion carried.
    • Meeting adjourned at 7:55 PM hours