Welcome

arrlAn ARRL Affiliated Special Service Club

The Santa Fe Trail Amateur Radio Club is a general-purpose club with the goal of promoting and supporting the educational and operational aspects of ham radio through ham radio classes, on-the-air events, and hands-on activity. THE SATURDAY BREAKFAST MEETINGS ARE HELD  AT PERKINS IN GARDNER EACH SATURDAY. YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US 6:30 AM TO ~8:30AM.  The monthly business meeting is the 2nd Saturday of each month. This meeting is a hybrid meeting in which you can attend in person at Perkins in Gardner or you can attend via a Zoom connection. Additionally, the club holds a Tech Night presentation via Zoom the last Thursday evening of each month at 7:30 pm. Log in to the web site and select the "Links/Zoom Links" menu to find meeting links or contact a club officer. 

Member Survey

     "The Santa Fe Trail Amateur Radio Club wants to better serve its members and strengthen the amateur radio community. Please share your opinions about club activities, meetings, communication, training, and future priorities by responding to the survey below.

     Your responses may be anonymous. Please answer honestly and constructively. The survey should take approximately 5–8 minutes. If you need any assistance in completing the survey please reach out to Trig - KC0RPY."

https://forms.gle/1ZBLnKUnKDF7f17i6

Upcoming Events

10 Nov 2026;
08:00PM -
SFTARC Net
14 Nov 2026;
08:00AM -
SFTARC business meeting
14 Nov 2026;
08:00AM - 05:00PM
2026 Nixa ARC Hamfest - Saturday, November 14th, 8:00AM
17 Nov 2026;
08:00PM -
SFTARC Net
24 Nov 2026;
08:00PM -
SFTARC Net
01 Dec 2026;
08:00PM -
SFTARC Net
08 Dec 2026;
08:00PM -
SFTARC Net
wb0cnk
    Welcome to this edition of our newsletter.

     November brings a thrilling on-the-air operating opportunity for SFTARC, as Kansas sponsors its second month of the ARRL America 250 event. Our very own member, Jeff (KSØJD), is coordinating this effort for Kansas as part of the year-long ARRL Worked-All-States operating event celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. I encourage every member to get on the air, log some contacts, and make this historic milestone a massive success for Kansas.

     In line with our club mission, everyone should actively help and encourage fellow operators to take that next exciting step, whether it means trying out a digital mode, upgrading your station equipment, or putting up an improved antenna. I encourage you to find out what another member might like to do and offer your help, or form a group to help them.

     We are also actively looking for fresh ideas, guest presenters, and new topics to make our Tech Nights even more engaging. Please suggest speakers or topics you are interested in or know other club members would be interested in.

     Looking back at our summer volunteer schedule, SFTARC found itself a little short on docents for our assigned months at the historic Ensor Park and Museum. Our club and Amateur Radio have a unique connection to preserving and sharing the legacy of Marshall and Loretta Ensor, and I urge you to consider stepping up to support docent shifts next year. The grounds of Ensor Park and Museum offer many possibilities for club activities. Let your ideas for outdoor radio operations and special events there (or anywhere) be known.

     On a logistical note, our club is currently searching for an evening meeting location. We need a space that can accommodate our members while perhaps also allowing us the freedom to host hands-on radio building projects. If you know of a community room, church hall, or local facility that might fit our needs, please reach out to a club officer with your suggestions.

     Leadership and community involvement go hand-in-hand, and our upcoming November business meeting will feature elections for club offices. I encourage every member to participate by nominating candidates, running for an office yourself, or volunteering to serve on a committee. Above all, be sure to cast your votes by attending the meeting or joining on Zoom. True enjoyment of this hobby comes from actively participating in club events and rolling up your sleeves to help organize events.

Trail Bytes

Midwest Division Town Hall Sept 24. 2026
01 Oct 2026

The Santa Fe Trails Amateur Radio club hosts a monthly virtual Tech Night.  For the September Tech Night we asked members to join in an ARRL Midwest Division...

B-25 Project and Miltary Radios
29 Aug 2026

Mike Laney (KEØGHU) presented a talk on the B-25 Project and the radios used in the WW II bomber. Mike included several stories about the B-25 in WW II and the airmen who...

Field Day at Lake Olathe (Mid 1990s)
26 Aug 2026

This newspaper article about Field Day at Lake Olathe is from the mid 1990's. I found it in some of my old storage boxes. Some interesting old memories. The following...

Military Radio - Pat, KFØOYS
13 Aug 2026

Pat, KFØOYS presented a talk on Military Radios for the SFTARC July 2026 Tech Night.He presented details for a simple radio made from readily available parts.

Kansas QSO Party Signup
08 Aug 2026

       Good Day to the Santa Fe Trail Amateur Radio Club.  It is that time of year again for the Kansas QSO party.  I am Jeff...

FD in Clolorado - Ex Honeywell-Olathe Hams
12 Jul 2026

Several retired Honeywell-Olathe employees now live in Colorado and belong to their local Chaffee Lake Amateur Radio Association.  The local paper wrote up this very...

Field Day at a Ham Radio Landmark
03 Jul 2026

Brian, WQØA, presented a video on his YouTube channel titled "Field Day at a Ham Radio Landmark | Ensor Museum, Santa Fe Trail ARC & More". The video started with an...

Introduction to Grounding for Ham Radio
02 May 2026

At our April 30th, 2026, tech night, George McCarville, WB0CNK, covered essential grounding techniques for ham radio, focusing on safety, lightning, and RF grounding. Key...