SARA This Week: Aug 23 – Aug 29
SARA’s IN-PERSON ACTIVITIES REMAIN CANCELED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!
Due to the current and fluid situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, SARA is continuing to eliminate nearly all of our in-person activities, including the Eyeball QSO Parties at the Library, monthly meetings at Boutwells Landing and 2nd Saturday breakfasts.
We are expecting to go ahead with a Radios in the Park gathering at Valley View Park on Thursday Sept 3, following all state and national health and safety guidelines, including face masks and practicing social distancing. Brian NØBJE has offered to present his QRP/Portable Operations Thursday Technical Topic on-site that evening. Expect to see equipment and antenna ideas to make such activities successful and enjoyable.
SARA will resume our monthly 2nd Saturday meetings in September as we usually do. However, the monthly meetings will be virtual on-line teleconferences via the SARA Webex conference room. I am planning to open the Webex room up early around 8:15 Central for “Morning Coffee” with your fellow hams. The club meeting will begin at 9:00 AM Central. The program topic for the September meeting will be “Choosing your first radio” moderated by Mark KEØQQN.
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Bob WØGAF reports that we will be resuming the Technician License Class, halted this spring by the pandemic, with virtual class sessions online via Webex on Thursday September 10th. They will run weekly through October 8. We’re working with the SEMARC VE Team and have allocated examinee seats for the Saturday Oct 17 VE Session in Cottage Grove. If you know someone interested in getting their Technician License and won’t mind joining the in-progress class, have the contact Bob WØGAF at his callsign @radioham.org for further details.
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Our virtual Thursday Technical Topic sessions continue this Thursday. We will be taking a break as the Technician License class resumes online via Webex on September 10th. Here’s the line-up through September 12 along with additional suggested topics to be scheduled:
Thursday Technical Topic Suggestions | Moderator | Date
Hamspeak – the language of ham radio Greg K0GW 27-Aug
QRP/Portable Operations (SOTA/POTA) Brian NØBJE 3-Sep (Radios in the Park)
Choosing your first radio Mark KEØQQN 12-Sep (SARA mtg)
SARA Technician License Classes W0GAF et al 10-Sep – 8-Oct
Digital Modes & FLDIGI Primer KC0OIO TBD
Do’s & Don’ts when setting up your shack TBD TBD
MFJ-259/269 Analyzer Training TBD TBD
Setting up digital voice hotspots TBD TBD
Grounding & Bonding your station TBD TBD
Station Electrical Power considerations TBD TBD
Optional but useful shack accessories TBD TBD
Working DX TBD TBD
CW: Ways and trick to learning, setup paddles, keys, keyers TBD
Many of the topics can be group discussion sessions. Others may require a little research. Dig into it a bit and share what you learn. There is no better way to learn a topic than preparing to lead a session. See something of interest or that you have some knowledge and experience, please volunteer to moderate the session. Email me at president@radioham.org if you are interested in moderating a session. You can also email me with additional topic suggestions.
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The working group for SARA’s 2020 Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald Special Event has laid a base course. A comprehensive “distributed operation” is the plan for this year’s Special Event. The Special Event will run Friday Nov 6 through Sunday Nov 8, planned for 9:00 AM CST (1500 UTC) 5:59 PM CST(2359 UTC). Watch for details from SARA’s Special Event coordinator Dave WØOXB soon.
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SARA’s on-air activities (listed below) remain a great way to stay connected with others, boosting the overall wellness of all involved. Those on-air activities provide healthy social contact while maintaining personal distancing.
Here’s this week’s activities!
1. SARA Top Band Ragchew Nightly
Time: 20:00 CDT (0100 UTC)
Frequency: 1.966 LSB +/- QRM
Alternates: 3.960 MHz +/- QRM (LSB) | 21.316 MHz +/- QRM (USB) | 50.166 MHz +/- QRM (USB)
2. SARA Monday Morning Ragchew Aug 24
Time: 8:15 AM CDT (13:15 UTC)
Frequency: 3.856 LSB +/- QRM
3. The Lunch Room Daily (Monday thru Friday)
Time: 12:00PM Central
SARA Repeater 147.060+ MHz (DCS/DTCS 026 Normal)
An informal round robin ragchew every weekday over the noon hour – all are welcome – anyone can open the session!
4. SARA Two Meter Tuesday (TMT) Round Robin Ragchew Aug 25
Time: 7:00 – ~8:00 pm (or until we finish!)
SARA Repeater 147.060+ MHz (DCS/DTCS 026 Normal)
The Tuesday evening on-air round robin ragchew
An HF Afterglow follows on 160 meters at 1.966 MHz LSB +/- QRM
5. SARA Two Meter Wednesday Round Robin Ragchew Aug 26
Time: 9:00 PM
SARA Repeater 147.060+ MHz (DCS/DTCS 026 Normal)
The Wednesday evening SARA Ragchew on the SARA repeater
6. SARA Technical Topic Thursday Aug 27
Time: 7:00 pm CDT
“Hamspeak – the language of ham radio” moderated by Greg KØGW.
SARA Webex meeting room – contact KC0OIO at radioham.org for the link.
73!