SARA This Week Nov 26 – Dec 2
Here is your SARA update for this week!
The future of “Signals from SARA” Hybrid Forum Thursday Nov 30
Pat WAØTDA will be retiring as editor upon completion of the December 2023 issue.
Now is the time for SARA to determine the future of our newsletter and how it factors in with all our communications paths including this weekly bulletin, our radioham.org website, the StillwaterAmateurRadioAssociation groups.io reflector, SARA’s Discord server, and SARA’s Facebook page. This important discussion needs to look at numerous questions including continuing the newsletter, what schedule: current Sept – May monthly, bimonthly, quarterly, twice a year? How can we improve/expand content and more contributors?
A hybrid in-person/online forum to discuss the future of Signals from SARA along with better use of our additional communications streams will be held on Nov 30. This forum is during the Thursday Eyeball QSO Party (in-person) and will be held in the Margaret Rivers Room B. There is plenty of space for a good-size turnout. The forum will also be livestreamed online via the SARA ZOOM Teleconference Room. The meeting will begin at 6:15 PM CST (00:15 UTC)
This is an important forum as it will determine the path SARA will take with Signals from SARA newsletter going forward. Do want to see the newsletter continue? What kind of content do you want in our newsletter? How often would you like to receive the newsletter? Are you willing to contribute content to the newsletter – be it technical information, personal experiences in ham radio, historical recaps, club activity reports and photos, …? Are you willing to help produce the newsletter? We need your input to guide Signals from SARA into the future! Do not miss this forum if you want Signals from SARA to continue and improve.
Nominations and Election of Officers for 2024
SARA’s officers are elected annually during the Annual Meeting of the Association held in January each year. The offices of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and one director (2yr term) are open for election at that time. Nominations will be made during the December monthly meeting. The current office holders are:
President: Joe Heitzinger KCØOIO
Vice President: Bob Jensen WØGAF
Secretary: Dave Iverson N9JNQ
Treasurer: Rich Smith, ADØSN (Rich will be stepping down at the end of his current term.)
Director (Expiring term): Brad Harris VE3MXJ
Director (mid-term): Brian KØPU
If you are willing to serve SARA as an officer, please contact me or one of the current Board members for details of the position.
Annual Membership Dues
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 <<
SARA POTA Challenge ‘23
The October recap along with some interesting charts is available on the radioham.org >> CLICK HERE << to view the update page.
There are just 5 weeks left to the 2023 SARA POTA Challenge. Where will you be on the final results boards. The 2023 final results and awards ceremony will be held 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 Challenge 2023.
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 POTA Activity Day. The date will be 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 web domain mnpota.com has been secured and the website is being developed. Mark your calendars now.
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 Nov 26
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: 3.813 LSB +/- QRM or 1.966 LSB +/- QRM
Alternates: 21.316 MHz +/- QRM (USB) 50.166 MHz +/- QRM (USB) - SARA Monday Morning 75-meter Ragchew Nov 27
08:15 Central (14:15 UTC)
Frequency: 3.856 LSB +/- QRM - SARA Two Meter Tuesday (TMT) Round Robin Ragchew Nov 28
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 Eyeball QSO Party and “Signals from SARA” Forum Nov 30
6:00 PM – 7:50 PM Central
Margaret Rivers Room B
Stillwater Public Library, 224 3rd Street, Stillwater
AND SARA’s Zoom Teleconference Room
Forum will begin at 6:15 PM (00:15 UTC)