SARA This Week Jan 15 – Jan 21
Here is your SARA update for this week!
SARA 2023 Dues Reminder
If you haven’t yet paid dues for 2023, now is the time to do so. Full member dues are $20/yr, and associate member dues are $10/yr. Family memberships are available at $30/yr for 2, $10/yr each additional family member at the same address.
110 members have paid dues for 2023 (or beyond in some cases) as of Jan 13, 2023. A few more paid dues at the Annual Jan 14 but have not yet been updated in the roster.
Those not current with dues will be removed from this SARA email list by the end of January.
You may pay your dues online using Paypal, via mail, or in person at a SARA meeting or activity. To start the renewal process, please go to the SARA Membership application / renewal page and select the form you wish to complete: renewal with no changes or renewal or renewal with updated information. Once you complete and submit the form, you are directed to the payment page with the Paypal link. Please note that a small service fee is added to cover PayPal costs. SARA’s mailing address is also listed there. Please do not just mail a check to SARA, start the process online with correct renewal form so that your information is correct in the roster.
SARA 2023 Officers
The SARA officers for 2023 were elected at the Annual Meeting on January 14th.
President: Joe Heitzinger, KCØOIO
Vice President: Bob Jensen, WØGAF
Secretary: Dave Iverson, N9JNQ
Treasurer: Rich Smith, ADØSN
Director ‘23-’24 Brian Edgell, KØPU
Director ’22-’23 Brad Harris VE3MXJ
Trustee: is to be appointed at the next Board meeting
The next SARA Board of Directors meeting will be via ZOOM on Wednesday January 25th at 6:30 PM (00:30 UTC). All members are welcome to attend most Board meetings.
SARA POTA Challenge ‘23
The SARA POTA Challenge for 2022 has closed. The 2022 final results have been tabulated and it is impressive! SARA hunters a total of 17,364 hunter QSOs from 10,499 parks. SARA activators made 329 qualified activations from 199 parks with a total of 12,044 QSOs logged. Very impressive when you consider we didn’t get the Challenge started until March!
Individual results will be announced at The SARA POTA Challenge Awards Ceremony taking place at the SARA monthly Meeting on Saturday Feb 11, 2023.
Be sure to check POTA spots regularly for activations.
We are now into the 2023 Challenge. There are updates to SARA Challenge program for this year. The goal is to encourage participation by our members: get on the air! We are continuing with the Legends and Leaders divisions for POTA Challenge Hunter Awards, but have raised the bar to become a Legend.
Legends – Any park hunter achieving 1000 or more hunter QSOs will enter the Legends Division. All Legend participants will be awarded a prize for their legendary performance in the challenge.
Leaders – All participants with less than 1000 park QSOs are in the Leaders Division. Leaders will only compete against Leaders for prizes. The top three scores in the Leaders Division will be award prizes at the end of the challenge.
There are no changes in Activator classes (Total Activations, Total Parks Activated, Total QSOs).
Data Processing Changes
- Totals will be based on date of activity (vs date of upload)
- Ability to break down QSOs by mode (SSB, CW, Digital)
- Members will be included if they have POTA activity, no need to request participation
- Activator parks and QSOs will not count if total QSOs in the activation were less than 10
There will be a fresh focus on providing Activator mentoring opportunities out in the parks. There will be a SARA POTA Activity Day in June, with others possible. There could also be some Activator Rove trips into neighboring states this year. And a few activators may team up for a weekend of activating while camping/cabin-ing at a MN State Park that is not Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.
Challenge participants have started with a clean slate as of 00:00 UTC January 1, 2023. The SARA POTA Challenge 2023 will include all SARA members.
Bob WØGAF and Brian KB9TBB continue to do a fantastic job managing the SARA POTA Challenge.
The 3rd weekend of January is the Winter Support Your Parks weekend. That will be Jan 21-22. Hunters and Activators both qualify for Support Your Parks Award from POTA for hunting or activating next weekend.
This week’s SARA activities
SARA’s on-air and virtual activities are a great way to stay connected with others.
- “Sunday Fusion” Digital Voice Hangout Jan 15
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 Top Band Ragchew
Nightly
20:00 Central (02:00 UTC)
Frequency: 1.966 LSB +/- QRM or 3.820 to 3.826 MHz (depending on QRM).
Alternates: 21.316 MHz +/- QRM (USB) 50.166 MHz +/- QRM (USB) - SARA Monday Morning 75-meter Ragchew Jan 16
08:15 Central (14:15 UTC)
Frequency: 3.856 LSB +/- QRM - SARA Two Meter Tuesday (TMT) Round Robin Ragchew Jan 17
7:00 – ~8:00 pm Central (or until we finish!)
SARA Repeater 147.060+ MHz (DCS/DTCS 026 Normal)
1st Tuesday is Emergency Power Night – participants are encouraged to operate the stations on emergency power.
The Tuesday evening on-air round robin ragchew
New Feature: the “Ask the Elmer” segment
The group leaders will have a renewed focus on encouraging any and everyone, especially those new to the airwaves, to join the session via the repeater. - SARA Eyeball QSO Party Thursday Jan 19
6:00 PM to 7:50 PM
Stillwater Public Library Conference Room
224 3rd Street East, Stillwater, MN 55082