SARA This Week Jan 10 – Jan 16
SARA gathers daily via on-the air nets and ragchews. We also gather virtually for the weekly SARA Eyeball QSO Party or Tech Topic Thursday session, the monthly General member, and Board meetings. Although we’d love to gather in-person, our current on-air and virtual gathering plan remains the best choice for the health and safety of all our members.
SARA Monthly Meeting January 9th Video available
The video recording of the January 9th, 2021 meeting is now available on our YouTube channel. This is an unlisted channel on YouTube. The link to view the video has been emailed to members. The presentation on amateur radio satellites, AMSAT, and ARISS by Frank N1UW begins at the 32:00 minute mark.
The 2021 officers of the Stillwater Amateur Radio Association were elected during this meeting.
- President Joe Heitzinger KCØOIO
- Vice President Bob Jensen WØGAF
- Secretary Dave Iverson N9JNQ
- Treasurer Rich Smith ADØSN
- Director 2021-2022 Zack Zacccagnini AAØU
- Director 2020-2021 Doug Farrell N9TOW
The position of Trustee is appointed by the Board and that appointment will occur at the Jan 21 Board meeting.
Time is short to renew your SARA membership for 2021!
We finished 2020 with 119 members. As of Jan 9, 2021 we have 96 members paid for 2021.
Do you need to renew your membership or you would like to join SARA? Then proceed right to SARA’s online membership application and renewal forms at radioham.org/sara-
Have you seen benefit in your SARA membership? A new antenna installation with assistance from our M.A.P. antenna team? A source of information on radios, mobile installations, HT programming, use the repeater, elmering from knowledgeable members, and so on?
The SARA Dues year runs January 1 through December 31. Annual full membership dues are $20/yr. Associate (non-voting) memberships are available for non-licensed folks and those who chose at $10/yr. Family memberships start at $30/yr for 2 licensed amateurs in the family plus $10/yr for each additional family member. We ask that family members reside at the same address. Family membership renewals and applications are asked to mail your dues payment as payment via Paypal is not offered for that membership option.
Dues payments may also be sent via mail to:
Stillwater Amateur Radio Association
1618 Pine Street West
Stillwater, MN 55082.
Please include your callsign in the Memo for proper tracking in our records.
The radioham.org website is a secure site backed with a SSL certificate to protect your private data. No private data is stored on the website or it’s hosting servers. This ensures that our website protects your personal information when completing the application and renewal processes. Financial transaction security is provided directly via Paypal once you enter Paypal’s payment portal.
Technical Topic Thursday Session January 14 7:00 PM (01:00 UTC)
This month’s session will be on “Setting up your Ham Shack” with Tom Gillispie WØTFG. Tom will cover many points of consideration for setting up your shack: electrical, grounding & bonding, location, ergonomics, budget, time, antenna location. cable runs …
The session will be via the SARA Webex virtual meeting room beginning at 7:00 PM Thursday evening. Webex meeting invites will go out to all members in a separate email.
The February 11th topic “Using the MFJ-259/269 Antenna Analyzers.” Who better to present the topic than Martin Jue K5FLU, founder and owner of MFJ Enterprises.
First “First Tuesday” On-Air Emergency Exercise successful
Our inaugural sessions kicked off January 5. The first Tuesday of each month, those who can operate from backup, non-commercial grid power, are encouraged to check into our on-air activities. The day’s sessions had the following level of participation:
- Lunch Room: 9 Total check-ins (Backup Power = 7)
- 2m Tuesday Round-Robin Ragchew (TMT): 14 Total Checkins (Backup Power = 13)
- 160m Top Band Round-Robin Ragchew: 16 Total Checkins (Backup Power = 14)
Checking in with Emergency/Backup Power is optional (check in any way you can!) Next Sessions: February 2 & March 2 (Main topic of discussion will be “Operating from Emergency/Backup Power”)
This week’s SARA activities
SARA’s on-air and virtual activities are a great way to stay connected with others. These activities provide healthy social contact while maintaining personal distancing.
- SARA HF Digital Net Sunday Jan 10
Time: 19:00 Central (01:00 UTC)
Frequency: 3.584.15 Look for the net up 500-1000 Hz +/- on your waterfall.
Mode: PSK63
- SARA Top Band Ragchew
Nightly
Time: 20:00 Central (02:00 UTC)
Frequency: 1.966 LSB +/- QRM
Alternates:
21.316 MHz +/- QRM (USB)
50.166 MHz +/- QRM (USB) - SARA Monday Morning Ragchew Jan 11
Time: 09:00 Central (15:00 UTC)
Frequency: 3.856 LSB +/- QRM - The Lunch Room
Daily (Monday thru Friday)
Time: 12:00 Central
SARA Repeater 147.060+ MHz (DCS/DTCS 026 Normal)
– anyone can open the Lunch Room if the usual host is not there.
- SARA Two Meter Tuesday (TMT) Round Robin Ragchew Jan 12
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 - SARA Two Meter Wednesday Round Robin Ragchew Jan 13
Time: 9:00 PM
SARA Repeater 147.060+ MHz (DCS/DTCS 026 Normal)
The Wednesday evening SARA Ragchew on the SARA repeater - SARA Virtual Technical Topic Thursday “Setting up a Ham Shack” Thursday Jan 14
Time: 7:00 PM (01:00 UTC Jan 15)
SARA Webex virtual meeting room
WEBEX meeting info will be provided separately