2020 S.A.R.A. EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
New Radio Gear For Some SARA Members!
SARA Work Party 2
Split Rock 2013
Fitzgerald Crew 2011
SARA Field Day 2011
2014 SARA Officers
May 14th Fox Hunt! What Fun!
WØJH 2004
Fitzgerald Crew 2012

SARA This Week July 31 – Aug 6

Good morning!

Here’s SARA’s happenings this week.


SARA’s Summer in the Parks

This Thursday we’re back at Valley View Park 5421 Osgood Ave N in Oak Park Heights ~6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

The weekly Eyeball QSO Party is outdoors for the summer months. We will continue to visit different Stillwater-area parks throughout the summer. There will be POTA activations, hands-on radio, POTA portable operating tips and tricks, Mobile Station Show-n-tell, and more possibilities plus a picnic or two. Valley View Park in Oak Park Heights will be a regular location, with the shelter reserved for Aug 4, Aug 25 and Sept 15. Other weeks could see us at Lowell Park in downtown Stillwater, along the St Croix National Wild & Scenic River, along Brown’s Creek State Trail or the Gateway State Trail for “Late Shift” POTA activations. Watch the SARA This Week bulletin for details each week.

August 11 it’s back to Browns Creek Park on Neal Ave. for another POTA activation evening. And expect that we will gather at Lowell Park in downtown Stillwater on August 18.

Heads up: the August 25th session at Valley View Park will feature the Mobile and Portable Show-N-Tell. We’ll also have a picnic supper that night.

And September 1st will be at the St. Croix Boom Site Historic Marker for a POTA activation of K-0637 St Croix National Wild and Scenic River.


New UHF Repeater in Bayport!

Washington County announced a new UHF repeater on the Allen King Power plant smokestack in Bayport.

442.975, DCS of 612.
Mixed mode FM and P25 digital
P25 NAC = $145

Background and technical details:

A Motorola Quantar repeater (110 watt station) has been placed at the Allen King plant smokestack. The station is programmed for mixed mode operation in FM and P25. Coverage is into western Wisconsin and the East Metro.


SARA POTA Challenge ’22

The Challenge has proven to be a great activity for SARA. Hunters and activators alike are enjoying getting on the air and working POTA parks. I’ve been working both sides this month and have been able to do 2 Friday lunchtime activations from the Luce Line State Trail (K-9387) Plymouth Township trailhead which is just minutes from my workplace.

Activators: be sure to post planned activations on the POTA Scheduled Activations. Activators can also drop a note to the SARA groups.io page to give members advance notice. If you are not on the groups.io, sign up now at https://groups.io/g/StillwaterMNAmateurRadioAssoc.

Be sure to check POTA spots regularly for activations.

The goal of this club activity is to encourage SARA members to get on the air; as a park activator, as a park hunter, or both.

SARA POTA Awards are planned for both activators (most parks, activations, QSOs & park to park) and hunters (most parks, most QSOs). Contacts with all POTA stations count. And it doesn’t get any easier for hunter credits as only the activator needs to submit their activation log. Be sure to sign up for an account at parksontheair.com.

The next SARA POTA Activity Day is Saturday August 13th. It all starts with the 2nd Saturday Breakfast. Activators will rally immediately after breakfast. Activators will spread out across the region to spend the day activating and then meet again for dinner and brag session. The last activity day was great fun.

An aspect of the Activity Day involves moving around from park to park or locations of a park entity. This may qualify the activator for the RaDAR (Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio) awards. Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio adds movement to portable operating. A RaDAR transition is moving the prescribed distance from your portable deployment after making five or more contacts.

More information on POTA’s RaDAR awards can be found at https://parksontheair.com/pota-awards/. Scroll down to Rapid Deployment (RaDAR) Awards.

Sounds like Brian KB9TBB is planning an ambitious effort to activate multiple units of the same POTA entity located across a couple of counties in Wisconsin for a RaDAR award. Just another twist to the fun of POTA activating


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.

  • “Sunday Fusion” Digital Voice Hangout July 31
    19:00 Central (00:00 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 (01:00 UTC)
    Due to poor local propagation, the SARA Top Band Crew will QSY (move) to 75m. Look for us AROUND 3.820 to 3.826 MHz (depending on QRM). This change is temporary until the 160m and 75m band conditions change.
    Frequency:  966 LSB +/- QRM AROUND 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 Aug 1
    08:15 Central (14:00 UTC)
    Frequency:  3.856 LSB +/- QRM
  • SARA Two Meter Tuesday (TMT) Round Robin Ragchew Aug 2
    Time: 7:00 – ~8:00 pm Central (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 with the Top Band Ragchew on 160 meters
  • SARA Summer in the Parks Outdoor Eyeball QSO Party Thursday Aug 4
    Time 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
    Valley View Park, 5421 Osgood Ave N, Oak Park Heights, MN 55082