2021 W0TBC Memorial Award
2023 Simonet Memorial Award
SARA Does Skywarn
AGØH 2013
OXB Special Install
Release to Listen Award 2013
Ice Station WØJH 2014
Ice Station WØJH 2014
2014 SARA Officers
2018 WØTBC Memorial Award-NØDRX

SARA This Week May 8 – May 14

Good morning!

Here’s SARA’s happenings this week.


SARA New Ham Night May 12

New Ham Night 2022 will be Thursday May 12 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Valley View Park 5421 Osgood Ave N in Oak Park Heights. If you are a new ham, this is for you! Originally designed for all newly licensed hams, the information presented is helpful for the newly upgraded ham as well.

Get the answers to key questions such as: How Much $$$ Do I Need to Spend? What Should Be My First Radio? What Antenna Should I Use?

Learn how to: Make Your First QSO/Contact; Check into Nets; Use Common Protocols; Use Repeaters; Improve Operating Skills; Operate Simplex; Program Radios; Find Help

You’ll learn “Dos and Don’ts” to help you have more fun communicating.

If you’d like help programing radios, especially handhelds; bring ‘em!

It’s All About Getting on the Air! You’ll learn ways to have more fun when operating from your home, car or portable.

An introduction to the SARA New Ham Resources, a service of our Member Assistance Program, is on tap as well. Technical assistance, operating guidance, and loaner equipment are all components of SARA’s New Ham Resources. The team is led by Brian NØBJE and Mark KEØQQN. The NHRT can be reached by email at newhamhelp@radioham.org.

All SARA members are encouraged to join the special “Get On The Air” net on the SARA repeater at 7:30 PM.


SARA’s Summer in the Parks

Starting May 12, the weekly Eyeball QSO Party moves outdoors for the summer months. We will visit different Stillwater-area parks throughout the summer with Eyeball QSOs, 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, on the schedule for May 12 (New Ham Night), June 2, June 23, July 14, 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, or nearby MN & WI State Parks for “Late Shift” POTA activations. Watch the SARA This Week bulletin for details each week.


SARA Monthly Meeting Saturday May 14

The monthly meeting of the Stillwater is this coming Saturday at Boutwells Landing 13575 58th Street North, Oak Park Heights MN 55082. We meet in Auditorium A downstairs. Boutwells Landing’s Covid protocols requires masks in the common spaces and a temperature check is taken when signing in at the front desk. The desk is staffed beginning at 9:00 AM so please do not enter the facility until 9:00. The meeting will begin once we have established the ZOOM livestream, usually around 9:20 to 9:30 AM.

This is the last meeting before our summer break. Our program this month will be presented by Steve Bonine KAØOBI. Steve spent a year as station manager of the US station at the South Pole. He will share the story of how he wound up there and his year spent at the South Pole.

We have moved the livestream to Zoom. Livestreamed via Zoom. SARA members receive link via email. Contact Joe KCØOIO at president at radioham dot org by Friday evening for Zoom link if you wish to visit the meeting livestream.


SARA POTA Challenge ’22

The Challenge is underway! Spring is here and warmer weather is ahead. Look for POTA activations by SARA members to increase. 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

March stats are on the radioham.org website. 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. Word is that a brand new POTA participant has made over 500 contacts in just one month of activations! And he’s on the road again this week!

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.

A SARA POTA activity day is being planned for Saturday June 11. Thunder Bay Brad will be joining us for the fun. The day will begin with the 2nd Saturday Breakfast at Perkins in Stillwater, followed by a POTA activations from some of the POTA entities in our area.


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 May 8
    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)
    Frequency:  1.966 LSB +/- QRM
    Alternates: 21.316 MHz +/- QRM (USB) 50.166 MHz +/- QRM (USB)
  • SARA Monday Morning 75-meter Ragchew May 9
    08:15 Central (14:00 UTC)
    Frequency:  3.856 LSB +/- QRM
  • SARA Two Meter Tuesday (TMT) Round Robin Ragchew May 10
    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 New Ham Night Thursday May 12
    Time 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
    Valley View Park, 5421 Osgood Ave N, Oak Park Heights, MN 55082
  • SARA 2nd Saturday Breakfast May 14
    Time: 7:30 AM
    Perkins Restaurant, 2050 Frontage Road, Stillwater, MN 55082
  • SARA Monthly Meeting May 14
    Time: 9:30 AM (reception desk opens at 9:00 AM)
    The Gables at Boutwells Landing, 13575 58th Street North, Oak Park Heights MN 55082. See Monthly Meeting info above for facility protocols
    Livestreamed via Zoom. SARA members receive link via email. Contact Joe KCØOIO at president at radioham dot org by Friday evening for Zoom link if you wish to visit the meeting livestream.