Next SARA Club Meeting on Wednesday September 2nd at 7:30 PM
“The Origins of Silicon Valley: Roots in Ham Radio” by Paul Wesling KM6LH
The September 2nd SARA meeting will be an in-person ONLY presentation. The meeting will be held at the usual time and location: the Saratoga Senior Center (19655 Allendale Ave, Saratoga, CA 95070) at 7:30 PM (NOT the Saratoga Fire Station as was done in the past).
There will be the usual pre-meeting gathering at Jake’s (12175 Saratoga Sunnyvale Rd, Saratoga, CA 95070) at 6:00 PM.
Speaker: Paul Wesling KM6LH, IEEE Life Fellow and Distinguished Lecturer (retired from H‐P/Tandem)
When: Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Host: Saratoga Amateur Radio Association
Location: Saratoga Senior Center (19655 Allendale Ave, Saratoga, CA 95070) at 7:30 PM. Cost: none
More information & link: http://k6sa.net/Summary: Why did Silicon Valley come into being?
The story goes back to local Hams (amateur radio operators) trying to break RCA’s tube patents, “angel” investors, the sinking of the Titanic, Fred Terman and
Stanford University, local invention of high‐power tubes, WW II and radar, William Shockley’s mother living in Palo Alto, and the SF Bay Area infrastructure that developed – these factors pretty much determined that the semiconductor and IC industries would be located in California’s Santa Clara Valley, and that the Valley would remain the world’s innovation center as new technologies emerged – computers, then software, mobile, biotech, Big Data, VR/AR, autonomous vehicles and now artificial intelligence – and it would become the model for innovation worldwide.
Paul Wesling, an IEEE Life Fellow and Distinguished Lecturer, has observed the Valley for decades as an engineer, executive, resident, and educator, has presented this talk world‐wide. In this non‐technical presentation, he gives an exciting and colorful history of device technology development and innovation that began in Palo Alto, then spread across the Santa Clara Valley during and following World War II. You’ll meet some of the colorful characters – Cyril Elwell, Leonard Fuller, Lee de Forest, Bill Eitel W6UF, Charles Litton 6AO, Fred Terman 6AE/W6DI, David Packard 9DRV*, Bill Hewlett, Russ Varian and others – extending to Nolan Bushnell W7DUK and Steve Wozniak WA6BND – who came to define the worldwide electronics industries through their inventions and process development.
Paul (KM6LH) received degrees in electrical engineering and materials science from Stanford University, then worked locally at companies including Lenkurt Electric, Sperry‐Univac, and Amdahl, joining Tandem Computers in Cupertino in 1985. Paul retired from HP in 2001, then served as “Mr. IEEE” for the San Francisco Bay Area for 10 years. He is a Life Fellow of the IEEE. He received the IEEE’s Centennial Medal, the Board’s Distinguished Service award, the Society Contribution Award, the IEEE’s Third Millennium Medal, and the EPS Society’s Presidential Recognition Award. He edited the IEEE/ASME/SEMI Heterogeneous
Integration Roadmap for prediction of technology directions in electronics packaging.
* — Packard says, “… the most critical parts were my trip [from G.E., on the East Coast] to Palo Alto and my involvement in ham radio. If it hadn’t been for those two things, the Hewlett-Packard Company would never have come about.”
Zoom link information:
Topic: SARA Zoom Meeting will be an in-person ONLY for September
Time: 07:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting (NOT APPLIABLE this month!)
https://zoom.us/j/99317500744?pwd=RUVXajlQK1dZVWwwQXNZZ3JtME5uZz09
Meeting ID: 993 1750 0744
Instructions on joining:
https://zoom.us/meetings/99317500744/invitations?signature=TNR395LG-x2S_EnPz0nvSi1Fnqj8a1GvkSDFd_gf2P4
Recent and recurring events:
We had an excellent presentation by Joe (KR1JOE) on measuring the output of your HT antennas. Most excellent! A great explanation; somewhat easy yet impressive. Ha!
On Saturday August 8th, we will hold a joint SARA and CERT Practice Drill at West Valley College starting at 9AM.
Saratoga CERT and the Saratoga Amateur (Ham) Radio Association (aka SARA) will be hosting a joint combined “Treasure Hunt” and Radio Drill at West Valley College on Saturday morning, 08 August 2026 (9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.). This will be a fun event that will bring together our CERT volunteer team with our City’s ham radio operators in carrying out an “Easter Egg-style” treasure hunt on the campus.
You should have received an email flyer that provides event specifics, we will gather for the event on the north side of the WVC Learning Resource Center (i.e., the campus library). It is suggested that you park for the event in campus Parking Lot #7.
CERT: The August check-in was cancelled due to the upcoming drill. The next Cox Division CERT radio check-in MAY be Monday September 7th at 5PM using channel 2. The Quito/West Valley check-in will be on Monday September 7th at 6:30PM on channel 3. Stay tuned! All radio reports now require proper Priority setting, Check-In, and Check-Out now.
Thursday evening ham radio “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….or perhaps simply listen and learn.
The August 8th Ham Swap Meet will be the LAST one for the 2026 season. It is typically on the second Saturday of the month from 6AM (registration) until 12 Noon. At West Valley College, Lot 3, 14000 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070. Always a lot of good deals on new and used equipment.
Swap meet link: https://www.electronicsfleamarket.com/
Future events (some dates not set yet):
SARA Upcoming Meetings:
More Fox hunting at West Valley College soon. We will have a proper CERT/SARA drill at West Valley College on August 8th at 10AM
ARES/RACES Communications Drill Saratoga ARES/RACES Communications Drill ARES/RACES website: https://www.scc-ares-races.org/activities/events.php
Paul Wesling’s masterful presentation on Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Our SARA training sessions
There are several other potential upcoming activities. These include: more Fox hunts (open to all hams and non-hams!), antenna build/testing, safety training, others? Please join us in helping plan SARA’s sessions!
More SARA sessions will be planned at Kevin Moran Park such as RF Safety characterization. Will definitely need volunteers to help. More to come.
Looking to help volunteer as a Ham radio operator? Help make a difference during an 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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Note: Our 2-meter repeater S-meter signal strength report is now UP once again, 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 60. Try different power levels. Be curious. FYI: Our 70cm repeater does NOT have this capability.
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 (Main AA6BT is currently DOWN as of August 2025 at 146.115 MHz + 100 Hz) Instead use linked W6ASH 145.270 + 100 Hz or K6SNY 70cm at 443.275 MHz + 107.2 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 |
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.
Meetings
- Meetings are normally on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 PM. We are often In-Person as well as available via Zoom. https://zoom.us/j/99317500744?pwd=RUVXajlQK1dZVWwwQXNZZ3JtME5uZz09
- Meetings will be held in the Saratoga Senior Center (19655 Allendale Ave, Saratoga, CA 95070) at 7:30 PM.
- Prior to the in-person meetings, 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. Please contact someone on the club repeater.
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 March 2025, 38 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.
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, improving individual operating efficiency and strengthening the welfare of amateur radio in the community.
- Our current officers are Jack Griswold KM6ZWR; President, Joe Kraus KR1JOE; Vice President and Treasurer, and our board members Peter Melhus AA6PM, Morris Jones AD6ZH, Don Steinbach AE6PM, Jeff Walker N6ADE, and Walter Spector W6WS.
- 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.