The March meeting of the Spa Amateur Radio Association will be IN PERSON, repeat, IN PERSON at 6pm on Tuesday, March 9 at the Garland County Department of Emergency Management (401 Mid-America Blvd.).
Masks will be required to enter the building and seating will follow social distancing protocols.
All radio amateurs are invited regardless of membership status.
Reminder that this would be an excellent opportunity to get current on dues ($20 per person).
Cold weather go away, and take COVID with you. In the meantime:
We will have our regular monthly meeting Tuesday night, February 9th at 18:00 hrs (local time) via ZOOM. The link is below.
Members and guests are invited to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: S.A.R.A February Meeting 2021
Time: Feb 9, 2021 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us05web.zoom.us/j/85648120619?pwd=Z1lVWnB0VzhJb3RBOEVscGt5OXFyQT09
Meeting ID: 856 4812 0619
Passcode: Ev3m0G
Sorta like that song by Ol’ Blue Eyes, we’ve still got that old Zoom feeling. Hopefully the vaccine is the cure for the Zoom flu. In the meantime:
We will have our regular monthly meeting Tuesday night, January 12th at 18:00 hrs (local time) via ZOOM. The link is below.
Members and guests are invited to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: S.A.R.A January Meeting 2021
Time: Jan 12, 2021 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/95454369371?pwd=Y2Yxd243TGk0aUNYbi9DYWtHTUN5Zz09
Meeting ID: 954 5436 9371
Passcode: 1cL8d7
With an abundance of caution and wanting to protect our members, the Officers have chosen to forego our regular December Dinner Meeting/Party.
We will have a regular monthly meeting Tuesday Night, December 8th at 18:00 hrs (local time) via ZOOM. The link is below. We will conduct a business meeting and hold officer elections during this online meeting. Members are strongly encouraged to attend via Zoom. Looking forward to ‘seeing’ everyone there!
The Spa ARA is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: WB5SPA December Meeting
Time: Dec 8, 2020 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/93910230894…
Meeting ID: 939 1023 0894
Passcode: 5gP4FW
This month’s meeting will be an online Zoom meeting only. To join via Zoom:
You are invited to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Spa ARA Zoom Meeting
Time: Nov 10, 2020 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/93910230894?pwd=YksyM3hGVGZsRHhHMGU4VHB0VGtqdz09
Meeting ID: 939 1023 0894
Passcode: 5gP4FW
This month’s meeting will be an online Zoom meeting only. To join via Zoom:
You are invited to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Spa ARA Zoom Meeting
Time: Oct 13, 2020 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us05web.zoom.us/j/9493820438?pwd=ZWJnTnVEdXA0b1RNdlFlbUIyWkJIQT09
Meeting ID: 949 382 0438
Passcode: iWJF5j
Amateur Radio is good for some things, but it is not necessarily the best tool to share knowledge and converse widely among a group. A free tool that is available that helps facilitate this type of conversation is groups.io. This is a tool we can use to share ideas, experiences, ask questions, and so forth among club members and those locally interested in amateur radio. We’ve set up a group called WB5SPA. Stop by and drop a note and let’s get the conversation started.
Tonight at 6pm will be the monthly meeting of the Spa Amateur Radio Association. This month’s meeting will be a hybrid of a net on the 146.88 repeater and a Zoom meeting. How will this work you ask? Nobody knows – we’re strictly flying by the seat of our pants! So, you’ll have to show up to see where it falls on the spectrum between astounding success and massive dumpster fire. To join via Zoom:
WB5SPA is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: WB5SPA SARA September Meeting
Time: Sep 8, 2020 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/96615452561?pwd=cVB1S3lkYTVaNkN0UDdZV0lVbk4xZz09
Meeting ID: 966 1545 2561
Passcode: 8PGcn9
Much like <insert last 2020 month name here>, a face-to-face meeting is not advisable for
<insert current 2020 month name here> . Our meeting for <insert current 2020 month name here> will be an On-The-Air Net at 6:00PM on the 146.880 repeater. Attached below are the meeting minutes for <insert last 2020 month name here>. Framed copies can be made available on receipt of a large financial gift to the club.
All joking aside, the net will be held on August 11 at 6:00PM.
The first QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo Saturday and Sunday, August 8 – 9, has confirmed what it’s calling “a packed lineup of over 70 great speakers” for the ARRL-sanctioned event. Attendance is free and registration is open.
Presentations will cover a range of topics, with two tracks focused on providing hands-on, practical advice for those just getting started in amateur radio. Steve Johnston, WD8DAS, will demonstrate basic soldering techniques for repairing equipment and building projects. Marcel Stieber, AI6MS, will offer an overview of common battery types, discussing the pros and cons of each — including battery chemistry, common uses and misuses, and everyday application tips.
For experienced operators, topics will cover new techniques, equipment upgrading, 3D printing, and more. Glenn Johnson, WØGJ, will attempt to answer the question, “Is 3 dB Worth a Divorce?” and cover a wide range of antenna topics. Jim Veatch, WA2EUJ, will explain how to build a QRP radio. In his presentation, “The Slot Antenna — Undiscovered Country for Most Hams,” John Portune, W6NBC, will demonstrate how a satellite TV dish can be “slotted” to make an effective outdoor 2-meter or UHF antenna for use in antenna-restricted neighborhoods.
Prominent youth educator Carole Perry, WB2MGP, will moderate a lineup featuring amateur radio’s future leaders. Audrey McElroy, KM4BUN, will speak on, “Getting Girls Involved in STEM, Specifically Amateur Radio!” while hot-air ballooning will be the focus of a talk by Jack McElroy, KM4ZIA, “Highly Flying Kids with HAB.”
QSO Today’s Eric Guth, 4Z1UG, says that one challenge to any ham radio convention, whether in person or virtual, is keeping the content of presentations from becoming overly complicated and overwhelming. “For our inaugural virtual Expo, we’ve made sure that there are great speakers for both beginners and experienced hams,” Guth said. “We’ve asked all of our speakers to be laser focused on their topics while providing hands-on, practical advice.” Each presentation will wrap up with a live question-and-answer session.
For more information or to register, visit the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo website. Attendance is free, and there are early bird prize incentives for registering by July 24.
Visits: 
