SARA This Week: Aug 8 – Aug 14

SARA’s Radios in the Park: this Thursday August 12. I’m going to be trying to figure out if my HFedz 160M-6m end fed half wave antenna truly is deaf or is it a matter of how it’s configured: inverted L, inverted V, sloper – what works?

RITP is held at Valley View Park, 5421 Osgood Ave N in Oak Park Heights starting around 5:30 PM and going until around 8:00 PM.  Reservations for the pavilion have been secured with the City of Oak Park Heights. We are required to follow all State and CDC health and safety guidelines. Please help us comply with these guidelines. Attending the event is your choice.

Radios in the Park has scheduled dates of  Aug 12, Sept 2, and Sept 23 at Valley View Park.

Eyeball QSO Party – Outdoor Sessions

The Thursday Eyeball QSO Party – Outdoor Sessions continue August 19 as we will return to Brekke Park in Oak Park Heights. Brekke Park is located at 5500 Omar Avenue. From Osgood Avenue North, go west on Upper 56th St North to Omar Ave (1st left) then south on Omar into the park. Brekke Park worked out well for us this past Thursday. Plenty of space and there’s even two picnic shelters in the park. Eyeball QSO Parties run from about 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

Monthly General Meetings to resume in September

The monthly 2nd Saturday meeting of the Stillwater Amateur Radio Association is set to resume on Sept 11. Boutwells Landing has notified us that we are booked for the usual meeting room for September through December, however they have not advised us of COVID-19 protocols. Given the current surge in the Delta variant, a senior residential care facility is likely to be extremely cautious when it comes to outside visitors and use of their facilities. It may be necessary to conduct our September entirely via Webex or possibly outdoors. The Board will continue to monitor developments with Boutwells.

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Wednesday 2-meter Round Robin Ragchew

Longtime host of the Wednesday 2-meter Round Robin Ragchew and SARA past President Rick Brennan KØBR has informed me that the Brennan household will be moving to the west of the Twin Cities in mid-September. Rick will be out of range of the repeater, therefore he will be stepping down as host of the Wednesday sessions. Rick has been the primary host of this Ragchew on the SARA repeater since its inception some 12 or so years ago. Many thanks go to Rick for his dedication and service to SARA over the years, and we look forward to catching him on the air from his new QTH in future.

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EFHW Antenna Group Build Project?

The growing interest in portable operations such as POTA (Parks on the Air), along with some interest in building your own antenna has led to some interesting discussions at the Outdoor Eyeball QSO Parties over the past few weeks. The idea of offering a “SARA” End-fed Half Wave antenna kit is gaining traction. A parts list and pricing are being gathered. For this project to progress, I still need someone to step forward and coordinate the project. Drop me an email if you are interested.

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Amateur Extra Class License Upgrade Study Group

SARA and the South East Metro Amateur Radio Club (SEMARC) are considering a joint offering of an Amateur Extra Class license study group. The study group concept is not an instructor-led class, rather group members each take a weekly session / license manual chapter from the license manual and serve as the group leader for that chapter. This helps focus group members through increased interaction and discussion. The clubs can make available facilitators that would add particular insight to the topic discussion each week.

SARA has facilitated successful Amateur Extra Class study groups in the past. A joint offering from SARA and SEMARC will increase the number of participants and enhance the study group experience. If you want to upgrade to Amateur Extra Class and are interested in this potential study group, please let me know via email ASAP so that plans can be finalized for a study group yet this Fall.

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SARA Special Event Stations 2021

Tri-State Special Event out in the near-ghost town of White Rock, SD (Pop. 2) is August 27 – 29.

A Webex White Rock planning session is scheduled for the team and all interested Monday evening at 7:00 PM. A WEBEX invite was sent to members this past Friday.

The White Rock Special Event is as close as many of us will get to a “roughing it” DXpedition experience. The location has no electricity, no running water (unless it rains), and no toilets. That said, there are options for overnight accommodations: camping on-site (tent and RV) or a hotel room at the nearby Dakota Magic Casino. We set up at least one station in town and another part-time station about a mile north at the marker for the borders of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

The 17th annual “Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald” Special Event is scheduled for Oct 29 – 31. The Trail Center at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park has been reserved for the weekend. The Mariner Motel in Silver Bay is the primary lodging, and there is also the AmericInn in Silver Bay and with more lodging choices up and down Highway 61. And tent camping is available at the State Park for the more hardy. More to come as we get closer to the dates.

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This week’s SARA activities