SkyWarn Spotter Recognition Day 2022

Posted on by Pat Hagge

The National Weather Service in LaCrosse will hold a virtual SkyWarn Spotter Recognition Day on Saturday, December 3rd from 8:00am to 4:00pm CT.

The RARC took a vote to host locally at the Rochester EOC (Fire Station #2 basement) and the room has been reserved for use that day. We will have the NWS virtual Zoom meeting running in the meeting room and from the Radio Room be utilizing VHF, HF and Echolink equipment to make contacts. Pizza and beverages will be available between 10:00am and 2:00pm for any active and future active SkyWarn members from Olmsted and surrounding counties.

Feel free to bring your portable station, coax and antenna to make contacts. If you are bringing any equipment, please reply to the Groups.IO E-mail about the subject to ensure accommodations can be made. Any updates and other discussion will be on the Groups.IO e-mail reflector.

2022 Field Day Sign-Up

Posted on by Pat Hagge
Dave and Drew on the radio at Field Day in 2021.

Field Day is coming up on June 25th and 26th this year. Like last year, the Rochester Amateur Radio Club is holding the event at W0BM’s farm and running as a Class 2A club. If you are unable to make it out there, you can still participate from home and submit your points with the Club.

There is a sign-up sheet on Google Docs (https://tinyurl.com/39cbjsxm) for time slots on the different stations. There are also sign-up spots for setup, tear down and dinner (help gage the amount of food needed) on that document.

More information can be found on June’s edition of the RARC Hamster (page 4) and on the RARCHams Groups.IO.

Thank you to Taylor (WB0RSJ) for putting this year’s Field Day together for the RARC! We look forward to seeing you out there!

[Canceled] May 2022 ARES Meeting: What Is In Your Go Kit?

Posted on by Pat Hagge
Go Kit Unassembled

[Update 5/10/2022] Due to unforeseen circumstances, the meeting on the 14th will be canceled. The topic “What Is In Your Go Kit” will be moved to be the topic for June’s (June 18th) meeting.

The May ARES Meeting will be held May 14th, 2022 starting at 9:00am at the Rochester Fire Station #2 (2185 Wheelock Dr NE). The program for this month’s meeting will be “What Is In Your Go Kit?” and you are asked to bring you go kit and communications equipment.

We will review the decisions to help you build, update and change your go kit as needed. You can bring anything from an HT, to a shack on your back, and/or your mobile set up. The program is to get you to think of what you should have and why your kit will be different then someone else.

The monthly ARES meetings are held monthly the Saturday after the RARC monthly Tuesday meeting. These meetings are currently replacing the BUG meetings previously held at this time.

[Fixed] 147.255 Repeater Issues – New Primary/Secondary

Posted on by Pat Hagge

[Updated 5/5/2022]
“The Olmsted EOC has completed the service work on the 147.255 repeater and wants us to give it a good test run to verify it is working as it should. We will begin using it in the normal Sunday ARES net rotation, Echolink is back on that repeater and it is again the primary skywarn net repeater.”
– W0STV / Steve Wiebke

Anyone who experiences any continued issues with the 147.255 repeater, please notify W0STV.

There have been some resent issues found on the 147.255 repeater. Olmsted County has been made aware of this so it can be fixed. In the meantime, please use the club’s repeaters for all activity:

[Primary] 146.82 PL 100Hz
[Secondary] 147.625 Analog FM PL 100Hz – this is a Yaesu System Fusion repeater, it does Analog and Digital. Turn on TSQL with a 100Hz tone to mute out any digital activity on a non-YSF capable radio. Please watch your s-meter or other busy indicators before transmitting to avoid doubling over a digital transmission.

Please watch Groups.io for further updates on the situation and notices to when the 255 repeater is fixed.

RARC Builder's group

RARC Builder’s group

Posted on by BJ Watts

RARC hosts a Builder’s Day monthly on the Saturday after the RARC Club Meeting. @ 10:00 AM on the Saturday following the normal club meeting each month. The purpose of the Builder’s Day is for any club members to bring in and work on projects such as Raspberry Pi, Arduino, homebrew radios, or any other projects that members are interested in working on. The Builder’s Day will be located in the same location as the monthly meeting – at the Rochester EOC, located in the lower level of the 2185 Wheelock Drive Building (Also Rochester Fire Station No. 2)


Tuesday Evening SE Minnesota 10 Meter Net 28.325Mhz USB - Tuesdays @ 7:00 PM

Tuesday Evening SE Minnesota 10 Meter Net 28.325Mhz USB – Tuesdays @ 7:00 PM

Posted on by BJ Watts


Organised by: Mark Kelm, K0GMK

WHEN:  Tuesday evenings EXCEPT club meeting nights
TIME:  7:00 PM DST (0000 ZULU)
WHERE:. 28.325 MHz USB

The net is open to all classes of amateur radio operators. 

If the net has started when you join just wait for the pause when we ask for additional check-ins and join in with your call sign.

Possible topics for discussion are:

  • New rigs, antennas, equipment and etc.
  • Technical Q&A

PLEASE NOTE: In the event of a SkyWarn activation or lightning in the area the net is cancelled without notice.

RARC Social at Wildwood in Byron - Last Thursday of each month

RARC Social at Wildwood in Byron – Last Thursday of each month

Posted on by BJ Watts

This event is resuming with special conditions

The RARC holds a social event the last Thursday of each month at Wildwood In Byron (This location is new!). Plenty of parking and the food is great. Due to COVID restrictions, we’re restricted to 6 people per table. We meet around 5:30 pm. We have been leaving around 7:30. We discuss anything and everything. It is very informal. Hams that you have not seen at meetings or public service events have shown up. Come and join us.

RSVP to W0STV

PLEASE RSVP by 12:00 NOON on Thursday