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Next SARA Club Meeting on March 6th, 2024 at 7:30 PM

“Total Solar Eclipse”


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

The March SARA meeting will combine both ham radio and Astronomy.  

On April 8th, 2024 there will be a Total Solar Eclipse passing through the U.S.  This will be the last Total Solar Eclipse in the continental US for more than 20 years.

We all should know (it is on the ham radio license exam), that HF radio propagation is affected by the ionosphere — which in turn is affected by the Sun.  The Sun is blocked long enough during a Total Solar Eclipse to affect the ionosphere and thus in turn affect HF propagation.

The March meeting will be an introduction into the many ham radio Citizen Science projects that are being planned for this Solar Eclipse.  You do not need to travel to the path of the eclipse to participate.  Actually, the best locations will be 100’s of miles away from the eclipse path.   


Zoom Meeting Information
Sign up via our email announcement list to receive SARA net and meeting updates.
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Upcoming events:

Recent and recurring events:

Thursday eveningRagchew” 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 will restart on Sunday March 10th 2024 at West Valley College, Lot 3, 14000 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070. It opens at 6:00AM and will run until Noon 12PM. Lots of great deals for ham gear. Hopefully it won’t be raining. There will be a three (3) dollar parking fee which you have to pay for yourself at specific machines. These should be monthly!

Future events:

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 county ARES/RACES website.

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Monthly in-person meeting venue: The Saratoga Firehouse may be available soon. However, impending threats of new Covid19 outbreaks still have many folks worried. In the meantime, we will continue our meetings only via Zoom.

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

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.

Mission

  • 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.

Meeting Guidelines:

  • Meetings are normally on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 PM. As of June 8th, 2022, 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 SaratogaMap 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.

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

Saratoga Frequencies

SARA Members should have the following frequencies programmed into their VHF/UHF radios. A complete list of all county frequencies and local jurisdictions can be found at the ARES-RACES website at this link.

Channel NameResource NameR/SFrequencyOffsetPL
CommandK6SARepeater146.655– (minus)114.8
CommandK6SARepeater443.150+ (plus)100
Tactical AltSimplex146.505
Tactical Alt 2Simplex146.595

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.

Mission

  • 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.

Meeting Guidelines:

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