Here is your weekly SARA update!
2026 SARA’s Radios in the Park
Radios in the Park, SARA’s outdoor eyeball QSO party, is winding down with just 1 more outdoor session through September 10th!!! Folks start to gather around 5:30 PM and we wrap up by 8:00 PM every Thursday evening.
Here is the rest of the schedule: (click on the Google Maps Plus link for the location).
Sept 3rd Baytown Township Hall 4020 McDonald Dr N, Stillwater
(Google Maps Plus code: 2554+4M Stillwater, Minnesota)
1st Thursday Tech Topic Night; “Let’s Talk About … Wavelog”
Sept 10th Pioneer Park 515 2nd St N, Stillwater
(Google Maps Plus code: 356R+7J Stillwater, Minnesota)
1st Thursday Technical Topic Night “Let’s Talk About…”
1st Thursday Technical Topic Night features a technical presentation and discussion based upon the level of interest in the club and the willingness of someone to prepare and lead the session. The sessions are livestreamed via Zoom for those who choose to join the session virtually; and are recorded and posted to the SARA YouTube channel for future viewing and reference. Y
The 1st Thursday Technical Topic Nights are held at the Baytown Township Hall, 4020 McDonald Dr N, Stillwater, MN 55082, beginning at 6:00 PM Central (23:00 UTC).
- Sep 3, 2026 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night
“Let’s Talk About … Cloud-based logging with Wavelog” led by Collin KEØIYN - Oct 1, 2026 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night
“Let’s Talk About … 3d Printing and ham radio” led by Leslie KD9ZMI - Nov 5, 2026 NO 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night
due to the pending Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald Special Event Nov 6 – 8, we will not have a Tech Topic on this evening - Dec 3, 2026 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night
To Be Determined!
North Star Radio Convention Oct 10 – Registration is open!
Hosting the 2026 ARRL Dakota Division Convention, the 2026 North Star Radio Convention is Saturday October 10, 2026 from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. The Convention is being held at the Hennepin Technical College, 9000 Brooklyn Boulevard, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445.
Join us at the North Star Radio Convention, the premier statewide event for Minnesota amateur radio enthusiasts. The North Star Radio Convention is known for its expert speakers and workshops covering topics for all experience levels, ensuring there’s something for everyone. Reconnect with old friends and make new ones among amateur radio enthusiasts from across the region.
SARA is a founding club and Platinum Sponsor. We will have an information table as well as hosting the Convention’s official “Get On The Air” station. Plans are afoot to draw more attention to the “GOTA” this year (more to come…)
Register now at https://northstarradio.org/. Early Bird Registration starts at $20 per person, $32.50 with Subway box lunch. Youth (under 21) registration is free (optional lunch is $12.50). Registration includes access to all sessions. Early bird registration ends September 24th, fees will increase after that date.
Special Event: Tri-State Portable – WØJH September 25, 26 & 27, 2026
White Rock, South Dakota
Once again SARA members will have a chance to operate from a remote location! In case you don’t already know, White Rock is where North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota connect. (On a map, look a little northwest of Wheaton, MN or just east of Rosholt, SD. Except for only two residents, White Rock is a ghost town.) This will be our eighth time operating here. Other times include: 1999, 2000, 2002, 2012, 2015, 2019 & 2021.
Simple Plan & Prime Directive:
We’ll set up three stations (two SSB and one CW) to operate from this unique location. We are there to have Amateur Radio FUN! We operate from “Downtown” (SSB), the “West End” (CW) and also from the tri-state marker. The FB SARA Communications Trailer will be onsite.
We operate on HF frequencies (160 – 10m). A list of frequencies and schedules will be available in advance to SARA members, and the event will be listed by the ARRL. WX, propagation and operator bedtimes dictate our schedule.
Mark your calendar now for this rare Special Event Station!
SARA’s Fall General Class License Upgrade Prep Class
SARA will be conducting a General Class license upgrade class again this Fall. The classes will be held on Thursday evenings beginning September 17. Sessions will run from 6:00 PM to 7:50 PM and will be at the Stillwater Public Library, 224 Third Street North.
The SARA instructor team uses the ARRL General Class License Manual for the class. You can order the manual direct from the ARRL store at https://home.arrl.org/action/Store/Product-Details/productId/2009476073 or from Amazon >> click here << in Kindle ebook or the spiral-bound print editions.
Interested in the class? Send Bob WØGAF w0gaf at me dot com an email to get on the class roster.
The SARA POTA Challenge
Summer is coming to an end, but that hasn’t slowed down our POTA hunters and activators. We now have eleven folks who’ve made it to Legend status.
The numbers for July 2026 are now posted on our website. >> CLICK HERE << to view the most recent posted results.
Important Note: The POTA group has changed the minimum number of hunter contacts required to be included in the data feed we use to calculate our totals. You will now need a minimum of 100 hunter contacts to be included in the data feed. We will continue to include anyone that has been on the reports with less than 100 contacts, but new challenge participants will need to make 100 contacts before they are included in these reports. Please reach out to Bob – W0GAF or Brian – KB9TBB if you have questions.
The Parks on the Air resource page is a great place to get your POTA questions answered.
To participate in the POTA Challenge, there are two simple steps required.
– Register for an account at parksontheair.com
– Go out and work some parks
SARA members who have registered on the POTA website https://parksontheair.com/# (sign up is under the Help/Getting Started tab) are automatically included in the SARA Challenges.
This week’s SARA activities
- “Sunday Fusion” Digital Voice Hangout August 30
19:00 Central (Daylight Time) (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 Evening HF Ragchew
Nightly
20:00 Central (01:00 UTC)
Frequency: 3.813LSB +/- QRM
Alternates: 1.966 MHz +/- QRM (LSB), 21.316 MHz +/- QRM (USB) 50.166 MHz +/- QRM (USB) - SARA Monday Morning 75-meter Ragchew August 31
Frequency: 3.856 LSB +/- QRM - Two Meter Tuesday (TMT) Round Robin Ragchew Sept 1
7:00 – ~8:00 pm Central (or until we finish!)
SARA Repeater 147.060+ MHz (DCS/DTCS 026 Normal)
1stTuesday of each month 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. - 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night Sept 3
6:00 PM
Baytown Township Hall
4020 McDonald Dr N, Stillwater
(Google Maps Plus code: 2554+4M Stillwater, Minnesota)
“Let’s Talk About … Cloud-based logging with Wavelog” led by Collin KEØIYN
