Here is your SARA weekly update!
Annual Membership dues reminder for 2026
SARA membership for 2026 now stands at 164 members. Thank you! If you haven’t yet paid your dues, please do so now.
Remember, your dues provide important support for our remote stations, our repeater, and our activities.
SARA memberships run on a calendar year basis, from Jan 1 – Dec 31. Per person dues for regular membership is $20/yr, and associate/family membership is $10/yr.
Membership renewals can be done online through the radioham.org website, by snail mail by printing the application form and including your check, or in person at the monthly SARA meeting or weekly Eyeball QSO Party. When using the online option, upon completing the application, you can then pay online with a credit card where you will incur a small convenience fee (currently $1.25), or to avoid that fee just send the form electronically and snail mail the proper dues amount in US dollars by check made out to SARA. Membership updates are made only when funds are received to match the application. Considering current postage and questionable reliability of our current postal service, the postal option would be the least favorable option.
Please consider renewing your membership today! If you joined SARA to access and support our remote bases WØJH and KBØSCE, please consider continuing your support of those stations by renewing your membership. For those recently-licensed members who received complimentary memberships following the Spring 2025 Technician Class, please considering renewing your membership as a full regular member of SARA.
Eyeball QSO Party
The weekly Eyeball QSO Party is at the Stillwater Public Library Conference Room through the 16th of April 2026 (90 days is as far as we can schedule with the library), except for 1st Thursdays (Tech Topic Night).
Schedule Change: February Monthly Meeting will be Feb. 7
To avoid creating a conflict for time with the Ice Station WØJH this year, the next monthly meeting of the Stillwater Amateur Radio Association has been moved to the 1st Saturday, February 7. Same location and time. This meeting features the annual SARA POTA Challenge Awards Ceremony.
Ice Station WØJH Feb 14 – 16, 2026
WØJH returns to air for the Ice Station WØJH Special Event Saturday Fab 14, Sunday Feb 15, and Monday Feb 16, 10:00 AM to 4:00 pm daily. We will operate 2 stations, one from SARA’s nice insulated and heated Eskimo shelter on the frozen surface of Lake Elmo and the other from our trailer onshore.
This year’s event is being led by our host Dave KØAIF and Bob WØGAF. The Special Event operates from Dave’s (and his YL Anne KØVOB) property on Lake Elmo.
SignUpGenius will once again be the tool to manage the operator and logger schedule for the Event. The link to the sign up page for Ice Station WØJH 2026 will be provided in next week’s bulletin.
A work party is planned for Saturday Feb 7, following the SARA meeting, to install the stairs down to the ice surface to allow safe access to the frozen lake.
1st Thursday Technical Topic Nights “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.
We are always looking for topic ideas and discussion leaders for future 1TTT nights. If you have a suggestion or are willing to lead a discussion, please let drop me an email at kc0oio2002@gmail.com.
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 (00:00 UTC).
- Feb 5, 2026 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night
“Let’s Talk About … Pico Balloons” led by Brian KB9TBB - Mar 5, 2026 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night
“Let’s Talk About … Logging Workflows” led by Dale WØDHZ - Apr 2, 2026 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night
“Let’s Talk About … Meshtastic” led by Collin KEØIYN - May 7, 2026 1st Thursday Tech Topic Night
“Let’s Talk About … Antenna Analyzers” led by Joe KCØOIO
This week’s SARA activities
- “Sunday Fusion” Digital Voice Hangout Jan 18
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 (02:00 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 Jan 19
Frequency: 3.856 LSB +/- QRM - Two Meter Tuesday (TMT) Round Robin Ragchew Jan 20
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. - Eyeball QSO Party Thursday Jan 22
6:00 PM
Conference Room
Stillwater Public Library
224 3rd St East
