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Next SARA Club Meeting on Wednesday December 4th, 2024 at 7:30 PM

“The Future of Amateur Radio”

Has amateur radio lived past its glory days or is “the best yet to come”?  December’s meeting will summarize the opinions of lots of experts in the world of amateur radio about what the future holds.  Hint: the opinions vary about as much as opinions on US Presidential candidates!  However, there is much to learn from their opinions and how we can enjoy and shape this hobby.

NOTE: New Zoom Link for Monthly SARA meetings — see details below.

News Flash:

Don Steinbach has resigned from his position as Emergency Command/Radio Operator (EC/RO) for Saratoga in the Santa Clara County ARES/RACES organization. He has done an amazing job filling the position for the past twelve years. Tim Howard KE6TIM has recently selected a replacement: “I am pleased to announce that Peter Melhus AA6PM is the new EC/RO for Saratoga.  Peter has been a long time member of Saratoga’s ARES/RACES team and an AEC.  I have full confidence in his leadership abilities to take on the EC/RO role.” Please congratulate Peter when you next see him and thank Don for his most excellent service.

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Other activities

There are several other potential upcoming activities.  These include: more Fox hunts, antenna build/testing, safety training, others?
Please join us in helping plan SARA’s seasons!

On Sunday December 1st, the Los Altos “Festival of Lights” parade will commence at 6PM on Main Street. Numerous Saratoga ham radio operators and CERTs have volunteered to help. It will be a glorious sight to see. Come see the parade. Dress warmly.

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Recent and recurring events:

We had numerous meetings involving Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) documents. We have been designing a new simpler CERT Radio Report form to minimize the amount of writing required per each radio report transmission. Good progress has been made. We resumed CERT monthly radio check-ins in November using the new simplified message form. A second training session will be called soon in December thus the next CERT radio check-in is planned to be on January 6th at 5PM, 2025. Stay tuned!

Thursday evening “Ragchew” question & answer session on our same two repeaters weekly at 9:00 PM. Fun and informative. Typically, a “round robin chat.” Come on…don’t be afraid to hit your PTT button to speak up and ask.

The Ham Swap Meet has ENDED for this year as of Sunday September 8th 2024 at West Valley College, Lot 3, 14000 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070. It will hopefully resume again next year. Always a lot of great ham equipment at low prices.

Future events:

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More SARA sessions at Kevin Moran Park such as RF Safety characterization.
Looking to help volunteer as a Ham radio operator? Help make a difference during a emergency by becoming a trained and credentialed County ARES member. Classes are available through the Santa Clara County ARES/RACES website.

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Monthly in-person meeting venue: The Saratoga Firehouse may be available? If not, another venue must be found. However, the still impending threats of new Covid19 outbreaks have many folks worried. In the meantime, we will continue our meetings only via Zoom. Stay tuned!

Note: Our 2-meter repeater S-meter signal strength report is now UP once again since March 24th, responding with a maximum of “S9 plus 30.” To utilize it, key up the 2- meter site, continue holding your PTT, and hit the “8” key for a second, then release the PTT. You should then receive a signal strength report response. The maximum strength report will be S9 plus 30. Try different power levels. Be curious. Voila!

Documents

Access to Saved Documents Procedure: NOTE: New methodology: Go to the RESOURCES Tab on the Home Page and click on it. Then drop down to PRESENTATIONS and click on it. Scroll down to see the long list of saved documents and presentations from years gone by. You can read and download any of them. There is a wealth of ham radio knowledge covered. Enjoy!

*** Annual Club Dues: ***

With inflation compounded with equipment replacement costs, Zoom, GoDaddy, and governmental fees rising substantially, we have found it necessary to collect annual dues once again. This will be twenty ($20) dollars for an individual or thirty ($30) dollars for a family membership. NOTE: If you paid in November or December of the prior year, you will be credited for the next year. Please help keep our club strong. As of August 14th, 34 members have paid. Thanks!

Current Member Payment

For current members, there is no need to reregister. All one must do is make a dues payment. You have two payment options:

Option#1; pay by submitting a check written out to SARA and mail it to our Saratoga mailbox; SARA, P.O. Box 2034, Saratoga, CA 95070. Be sure to write your callsign(s) on the check!

Option#2; Make a direct payment using our PayPal account at https://PayPal.me/saratogaamateurradio. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the PayPal form where you can enter your name and callsign(s).

New Member Payment and Registration

For new members, please scroll down to the “Read All About Us” section below and use the link to the Membership form. Please print, fill it out, then mail it in. Sorry, but online registration is not available at this time. Payment can be done by either by mailing a check written out to SARA, P.O. Box 2034, Saratoga, CA 95070 or via our PayPal link: https://PayPal.me/saratogaamateurradio. Your new membership will keep you as active on our email distribution list. Help keep our club strong. Thanks.

Nets

• Sundays – 2M Net at 9:00 pm on both K6SA repeaters. Stick around for Morris’s after net lectures. VERY informative.
• Tuesdays – SVECS 2M Net at 8:00 pm on AA6BT at 146.115 MHz + 100 Hz or on linked N6NAC 70cm at 444.625 MHz + 110.9 Hz
• Thursdays – Rag Chew/Question and Answer session at 9:00 pm on both K6SA repeaters

General Information

• Our brochure contains an overview of our club’s history, member interests, net, meetings, activities, and how you might become a member. If you would like to become a member, please complete our membership form and mail it to: Saratoga Amateur Radio Association, P.O. Box 2034, Saratoga, CA 95070.

Our Charter

• Facilitate scientific education and knowledge of radio engineering and communication skills by providing training, reference materials for self-education and operating practice.
• Provide voluntary noncommercial communication, particularly providing emergency communication as a public service and without any remuneration.
• Promote amateur radio by facilitating the exchange of information, improve individual operating efficiency and strengthen the welfare of amateur radio in the community.
• Our current officers are Jack Griswold KM6ZWR; President, Steve Steps AJ6HM; Vice President, Michael Turner N6DXQ; Secretary, and Allison Cassidy N6ALI; Treasurer and our board members Peter Melhus AA6PM, Morris Jones AD6ZH, Don Steinbach AE6PM, Jeff Walker N6ADE, and Walter Spector W6WS.

Meetings

• Meetings are normally on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 PM. As of late 2023, they may be In-Person (depending on member requests) as well as available via Zoom. However, with Covid19 still lingering amongst us we will default to Zoom only.
• The In-Person location has often been at the Saratoga Fire Station, located on 14380 Saratoga Avenue at the corner of Saratoga-Sunnyvale and Los Gatos-Saratoga Roads, in Saratoga. Map A new venue may be necessary. Stay tuned!
• Prior to the meeting, we often have dinner at Jake’s; a Saratoga Restaurant located at 12175 Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road (and Prospect Road). Map. We usually meet around 6:00 PM. Someone will be monitoring the K6SA repeaters while we are at dinner so check-in and say “Hi” if you are on your way.
• We strongly suggest you bring your 2M HT in case you have difficulty finding the meeting. If you have difficulty finding the meeting, please contact someone on the club repeater.

Nets

• Sundays – 2M Net at 9:00 pm on both K6SA repeaters. Stick around for Morris’s after net lectures. VERY informative.
• Tuesdays – SVECS 2M Net at 8:00 pm on AA6BT at 146.115 MHz + 100 Hz or on linked N6NAC 70cm at 444.625 MHz + 110.9 Hz
• Thursdays – Rag Chew/Question and Answer session at 9:00 pm on both K6SA repeaters

SARA Frequencies

Channel Name	Resource Name	R/S	Frequency	Offset	PL
Command	K6SA	Repeater	146.655	– (minus)	114.8
Command	K6SA	Repeater	443.150	+ (plus)	100
Tactical Alt		Simplex	146.505
Tactical Alt 2		Simplex	146.595

Read All About Us

• Our brochure contains an overview of our club’s history, member interests, net, meetings, activities, and how you might become a member. If you would like to become a member, please complete our membership form and mail it to: Saratoga Amateur Radio Association, P.O. Box 2034, Saratoga, CA 95070.

Meeting Guidelines:

Club meetings are normally on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 PM Pacific. A Zoom link will be posted.