Looking Forward December 2025
Welcome to December! As we close out the year I’d like to thank everyone in the club for helping out to make such an awesome community possible. From our monthly VE sessions and club meetings to once-a-year events like Hamfest, Field Day, and the Holiday Party, it’s the amazing teamwork that makes all that possible. It’s been an excellent two years serving as the club vice president, and the number of people stepping up to give insightful presentations about a variety of topics keep people interested in what we do.
Just ahead is our annual Holiday Party, and I’m looking forward to seeing you all and spending an evening together with warm spirits. I’d also like to congratulate those that are taking upon positions of leadership within the club next year, knowing that you’ll all do your best.
When I joined SFARC I joined a community that really cares. A group of hams that went above and beyond to create a club that did more than just amateur radio. By helping out at various events I got to know many others and formed lasting friendships. In the year ahead I hope to continue lending a hand whenever possible while transitioning into a new life as I welcome my fiancee (and soon to be wife) into my family. I look forward to being together with her and showing her what a wonderful club we’ve got in our neck of the woods.
To everyone out there, have a wonderful Holiday season, blessings to you and your family, and may the new year bring many more unforgettable memories.
73 de W6JCZ
Jim Zheng
Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club
Vice President 2024 – 2025
December Family Holiday Fox Hunt, December 27, 2025
Another great year at the Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club is nearing an end. One of the last club events for the year, and holiday tradition, is the December Family Holiday Fox Hunt.
Yes, our December Family Holiday Fox Hunt, as with most SFARC fox hunts, is on the last Saturday of the month which this year is December 27. As with most SFARC fox hunts our December Family Holiday Fox Hunt starts at 9:00 AM.
What is so special about the SFARC December Family Holiday Fox Hunt? As the name suggests, it’s all about making it a family event. It’s an opportunity, at the time of the year when our members are gathering with family, to bring the entire family out, especially the young ones, to a club event, to a club fox hunt, and show them a piece of what Amateur Radio is about and to have a really fun time doing so with your family and other participants families.
To make the December Family Holiday Fox Hunt fun for your entire family we host it is local park where it becomes a walking fox hunt, no driving required. We make it as accessible as possible to those with all levels of mobility. Yet at the same time we make it reasonably challenging and include multiple foxes so there are multiple opportunities to find a fox. The club has done this for several years now and it been very well received by all who have participated. And did I mention there will be prizes for the young ones and treats for all?
The December Family Holiday Fox Hunt will be at Regional Park in Auburn, 3770 Richardson Drive which is just a short distance from the intersection of Highway 49 and Dry Creek Road. We will meet 9:00 AM at the main parking lot near the paddle board courts (38.952465, -121.107092). There will be a pre-meeting to orientate participants to the layout of the park, details of transmitter frequencies and operations, and explain a few “rules”. There will also be loaner Fox Hunting equipment for those that need it and SFARC Elmers on hand with Fox Hunt tips and help for those who desire such.
Thanks to our four Fox tenders for this event; Brian AI6US, John KO6COW, Jayden W6EFM and Frank KG9M.
I strongly encourage you to bring the family out and enjoy this event. It is a blast and a wonderful way to wrap up another great year of family and Amateur Radio with the Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club. As Eric Burton sung in the song San Franciscan Nights, “It will be worth it”.
Greydon KC6SLE
Watts Up This Week
Let’s start with some news from the SFARC VE desk.
CONGRATULATIONS to the newest Ham Radio Techicians licensed last night (12/1). Jack Anderson, John Carlstrom, Vasiliy Kormarchuk, David Nash, Daniel Quistgard, Michelle Russo, and Corde Wagner /AT. Also a BIG congratulations going out to Charles (KO6FNI /AG) who upgraded to General.
Congratulations to all and a big thanks to the SFARC VE team for another successful year of exams, mentoring, and making new hams. 🙂
CHRISTMAS PARTY UPDATES
Last chance to RSVP for the SFARC Christmas Party is December 8, 2025; DON’T DELAY. RSVP now @ https://www.w6ek.org/rsvp
We also have our last planning meeting coming up this Thursday (12/4) @ 6PM in the club Zoom room.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT SFARC TRIVIA NIGHT — THIS FRIDAY!
_ ___ _ ___ _ ___
73,
The Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club (W6EK)
(530) 492-0920
Website: www.w6ek.org
Group.io: groupsio.w6ek.org
Social:
facebook.w6ek.org
twitter.w6ek.org
linkedIn.w6ek.org
instagram.w6ek.org
youtube.w6ek.org
Watts Up This Week | Thanksgiving Edition
Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving—may your radios be clear and your hearts full. This Thanksgiving, we’re grateful for each operator who keeps our hobby alive, supports our events, and checks in on the nets. May your holiday be filled with warmth, gratitude, and great QSOs.
A reminder for the coming weekend, we’re having our club breakfast THIS SATURDAY (11/29) at 7:30A. The Fox Hunt pre-meeting starts at 9:15 AM in the parking lot of Mel’s. The Fox Hunt itself will commence at 9:30 AM and run until all participants report in that they found the Fox, or we reach the “witching hour ” of 11:30 AM. Thank you to our volunteer Fox Tender for this month Mat KO6IMP! Mat will provide details on this Fox Hunt including transmitter frequency, general location, output power, etc., at the Fox Hunt pre-meeting. Best to come prepared for any challenge. 🙂
73 and best wishes as you give thanks for those around you.
_ ___ _ ___ _ ___
73,
The Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club (W6EK)
(530) 492-0920
Website: www.w6ek.org
Group.io: groupsio.w6ek.org
Social:
facebook.w6ek.org
twitter.w6ek.org
linkedIn.w6ek.org
instagram.w6ek.org
youtube.w6ek.org
January 2026 Meeting
Our next club meeting will take place on January 9 at 7:30 PM at the Confluence Church Gym in Auburn, California and on Zoom at zoom.w6ek.org. There will not be a club meeting in December. Instead, please join us for the club Christmas party on December 13!
SFARC POTA THIS WEEKEND
SFARC will be doing a club POTA activation at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area THIS SUNDAY, 11/16, starting @ 10 AM. Bring your portable radio equipment, a filling lunch, and enjoy the great outdoors in zero-noise land with SFARC members! We will be operating phone, digital, and CW modes on as many bands as we have antennas for.
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area: 45211 County Road 32B, Davis, CA 95618
CORRECTION: Watts Up This Week
SFARC will be doing a club POTA activation at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area THIS SUNDAY, 11/16 starting @ 10AM. Bring your portable radio equipment, a filling lunch, and enjoy the great outdoors in zero noise land with SFARC members! We will be operating phone, digital, and CW modes on as many bands as we have antennas for.
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area: 45211 Co Rd 32B, Davis, CA 95618
On 11/12/2025 9:19 AM PST SFARC Club Communication <qst@w6ek.org> wrote:A late but worthy add for THIS COMING WEEKEND.SFARC will be doing a club POTA activation at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. Bring your portable radio equipment, a filling lunch, and enjoy the great outdoors in zero noise land with SFARC members! We will be operating phone, digital, and CW modes on as many bands as we have antennas for.
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area: 45211 Co Rd 32B, Davis, CA 95618REMINDER: CLUB MEETING, THIS FRIDAY @ 7:30PM
If you can’t make it in person, join us on Zoom @ https://meeting.w6ek.org_ ___ _ ___ _ ___73,
The Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club (W6EK)
(530) 492-0920Website: www.w6ek.org
Group.io: groupsio.w6ek.orgSocial:
facebook.w6ek.org
twitter.w6ek.org
linkedIn.w6ek.org
instagram.w6ek.org
youtube.w6ek.org
Watts Up This Week
A late but worthy add for THIS COMING WEEKEND.
SFARC will be doing a club POTA activation at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. Bring your portable radio equipment, a filling lunch, and enjoy the great outdoors in zero noise land with SFARC members! We will be operating phone, digital, and CW modes on as many bands as we have antennas for.
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area: 45211 Co Rd 32B, Davis, CA 95618
REMINDER: CLUB MEETING, THIS FRIDAY @ 7:30PM
If you can’t make it in person, join us on Zoom @ https://meeting.w6ek.org
_ ___ _ ___ _ ___
73,
The Sierra Foothills Amateur Radio Club (W6EK)
(530) 492-0920
Website: www.w6ek.org
Group.io: groupsio.w6ek.org
Social:
facebook.w6ek.org
twitter.w6ek.org
linkedIn.w6ek.org
instagram.w6ek.org
youtube.w6ek.org
November 2025 Meeting
Our next club meeting will take place on November 14 at 7:30 PM at the Confluence Church Gym in Auburn, California and on Zoom at zoom.w6ek.org. Jim (W6JCZ) is giving a talk on the newly updated FreeDV application, including its new RADE “Radio Autoencoder” mode. This new digital voice mode is very promising as it continues to function even with low signal strengths that would make traditional single-sideband voice unintelligible. Come join us and find out how to set up your station for FreeDV, how it works so well, and what you can do to contribute to its development.