SARA This Week Jan 14 – Jan 20
Here is your SARA update for this week!
Annual Membership Dues are payable now
As of this bulletin, 127 members are paid for 2024 (and beyond in some instances). Annual dues for 2024 and beyond are being accepted now. Individual memberships are $20/year, Family memberships are $30/year for the 1st two members and $10/year for each additional family member. Associate memberships are $10/year. Dues can be paid in person, via mail, or online via Paypal. Visit the membership application/renewal page on radioham.org >> CLICK HERE <<
Those not current by Jan 31, 2024 will be dropped from the roster and removed from this email list, the StillwaterMNAmateurRadioAssoc groups.io reflector, remote station WØJH access, and the Stillwater Amateur Radio Association Discord server.
SARA Board of Directors Meeting January 17, 2024
The Board of Directors meeting will be held via Zoom this Wednesday January 17 at 6:30 PM CST (00:30 UTC). SARA Board meetings are open to all members, however, as per our By-Laws, only Board members may make and vote on motions.
SARA POTA Challenge ’23 & ‘24
The SARA POTA Challenge ‘24 has begun! The leader board reset to zero at 0:00 UTC Jan 1. It’s a fresh slate for everyone. Set some goals for yourself to achieve this year.
The SARA POTA Challenge ’23 is now complete. It is astonishing to see the overall numbers for the year. Hunter QSOs exceeded 44,800. Activators logged more than 35,300 QSOs during over 900 activations from nearly 500 parks. Where are you on the final tally boards? Final results are based upon the 2023 data from the POTA database as of January 8, 2024. Prizes have been ordered. Results of the SARA POTA Challenge ’23 will be announced at the annual SARA POTA Challenge Awards Ceremony during the February 10, 2024 SARA meeting.
If you are a SARA member AND have registered on the POTA website https://parksontheair.com/# (sign up is under the Help/Getting Started tab), you are included in the SARA Challenges.
A thorough source of information for those that want to get started POTA hunting or activating is also found on the POTA website. The https://docs.pota.app/ page is a great resource of all info for POTA. Start with the Getting Started with POTA page and go from there.
SARA is sponsoring the MN Parks on the Air Day Saturday June 8, 2024, from 10:00 AM (15:00 UTC) to 6:00 PM CDT (22:00 UTC). The objective is to activate as many MN POTA entities as possible during that day. There will be no scoring. The brand new mnpota.com website is live!
A Minnesota Meetup is being contemplated for August 10th. Location is yet to be determined.
Ice Station WØJH Feb 17 – 18 – 19, 2024
The Ice Station WØJH will be on the air once again Presidents Weekend in February, regardless of the condition of the ice on Lake Elmo (still very much open as of this bulletin, but cold ice-making temps are in the forecast!)
The 2024 planning crew is already coordinating logistics for the event on Lake Elmo, MN. TNX to our gracious hosts Dave (KØAIF) and Anne (KØVOB), their lake-front property and QTH on Lake Elmo Avenue is the location for the event. This is the ninth year for the event and occurs over President’s Day weekend.
We’ll be setting up and operating from a portable ice fishing, tent-type shelter and also from SARA’s self-contained communications trailer. The portable shelter will be on the east side of Lake Elmo; the trailer will be on land, across the road near the parking area. Both stations are kept cozy with portable heaters. The shelter and all gear will be taken down and stowed each evening.
The stations will be on the air each day from around 10:00 AM (16:00 UTC) to 4:00 PM (22:00 UTC).
We’re looking forward to having this year’s newly licensed hams and recently upgraded Generals and Extras participate. At least stop by to see our portable set-ups. We can almost guarantee you’ll come away learning a bit about portable HF operation!
This week’s SARA activities
SARA’s on-air, in-person, and virtual activities are a great way to stay connected with others.
- “Sunday Fusion” Digital Voice Hangout Jan 14
19:00 Central (01:00 UTC)
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 Ragchew (testing new schedule)
Nightly (except Thursdays)
20:00 Central (02:00 UTC)
160M on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays: 1.966 LSB +/- QRM
80M on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays: 3.813LSB +/- QRM
Alternates: 21.316 MHz +/- QRM (USB) 50.166 MHz +/- QRM (USB) - SARA Monday Morning 75-meter Ragchew Jan 15
08:15 Central (14:15 UTC)
Frequency: 3.856 LSB +/- QRM - SARA Two Meter Tuesday (TMT) Round Robin Ragchew Jan 16
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. - SARA Board of Directors Meeting Wednesday Jan 17
6:30 PM
Zoom Teleconference Room - SARA Eyeball QSO Party Thursday Jan 18
6:00 PM – 7:50 PM Central
Conference Room
Stillwater Public Library, 224 3rd Street, Stillwater