The Garden State Amateur Radio Association, Inc. (GSARA) is a ham radio club dedicated to advance the art, science and enjoyment of amateur radio. We have a very diverse group with varied interests. Some of us are interested in operating, some like different modes of communicating and some like building. We meet twice a month to share a program, meet old and new friends, share our latest ham radio conquests or achievements or simply ask a question.
We welcome new members to our club and encourage their participation in club activities. Supporting the club entitles you to use the radio shack on Saturdays (it is usually open), operate the remote station in the clubhouse, have a vote on the direction of the club and participate in all club events and make face-to-face connections with other hams. It is the best $20 ($25 for family membership) you will ever spend! Everyone is always welcome to any meeting.
QSO ONLINE Expo
If you were online for the QSO ONLINE EXPO in early August, you experienced a COVID free ham convention. There were dozens of speaker (the picture above is from KM4BUN who spoke about girls in STEM and ham radio and was a dynamic, inspiring speaker). There were presentations on so many facets of ham radio, lots of vendors who were doing live chat and zooming. It was really a professionally organized and run event but without the usual rain (cf, Dayton Hamvention!, getting almost run over by an electric scooter, and we won’t even talk about the bathrooms or the cost of food! If you want to see videos of the presentations, Google ‘QSO TODAY ONLINE.’
Wednesday Evening Online Coffee Klatch
The club is meeting each Wednesday for a coffee klatch just to connect and shmooze. If you are a member of GSARA you will get an email with all the Zoom room details. Everyone is welcome to join us!
Please join us for a virtual coffee get together on Wednesday, June 17 at 7:30PM
VE Testing Update
We have secured a new testing site which is out-of-doors and sheltered from rain, making it a SAFE location, thanks to all the suggestions made by more than a dozen members.- August 22 10:00 a.m.
- September 26 10:00 a.m.
- October 24 10:00 a.m.
GSARA ID Badges
THE PRESENT ROUND OF ORDERING GSARA BADGES IS CLOSED. WE WILL REOPEN IN THE FUTURE AS SOON AS DEMAND INCREASES.
Join or Renew Your Membership
Paying online has become very popular at the GSARA. It is convenient, fast and easy. You can join as well as renew. Just choose the correct dropdown.
GSARA Swag
GSARA has branded shirts, light winter jackets and baseball caps that you can personalize with your name and callsign. The jackets are S-XL and are $60, 2-XL $62 and 3-XL $63. Caps are in blue or stone and are $21 and golf shirts in blue or stone are $25. Email Art Goldberg to order one today at agold42@gmail.com – and don’t forget to tell him how good a model he is!
Do I have to be licensed to be a part of GSARA?
No. All you need is to be interested in amateur radio and you will be invited and encouraged to take part in all club activities. Of course, to operate in the shack, you will need a license if you are operating without a properly-licensed amateur in the shack with you.
What are the advantages of joining GSARA?
You will be a part of a very active club that is friendly and welcoming. We have many events throughout the year including HamFests, Ham of the Year celebrations, an open shack for you to operate from, stimulating general meetings which always have an interesting program, professional business meetings, testing sessions for hams wanting to upgrade or get a new license, Field Day, equipment loaning program, Elmering program, and much more.
I am not too technical – will I understand what’s going on?
Yes! The members of the club have a wide variety of ham radio and technical expertise. Everyone is most enthusiastic to help you with your next project or explain something to you. We have many technical experts, to be sure. But we also have people who operate in the full spectrum on ham radio: digital modes, radio astronomy, Morse Code, single sideband phone, AM, amateur television, public service events, contesting, building their own equipment and using ham radio with computers. If you have an interest in something, the chances are pretty good someone can help you get started or be a sounding board for your own ideas.
How much is membership?
Membership is $20 ($25/family membership) a year. If there is financial hardship, the club will help out any way it can. The money is used to support the many programs at the club including costs associated for Field Day, equipment acquisition, food, Ham of the Year expenses, website maintenance, etc.
August 2020 Propagator
The new August 2020 Propagator is now available for download or reading online. You can retrieve it from the button below.
Congratulations
Congratulations to the new hams who earned their licenses on July 25! We had 8 people and a whole bunch of VEs. Many are quite local and we look forward to welcoming them to the GSARA. We hope to to see you on the air soon!
Autumn Hamfest
Not surprisingly, the GSARA Autumn Hamfest has had to be cancelled because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The venue we usually use was unavailable because of the health concerns and it was impractical to try to find another suitable place. We certainly hope that the Spring Hamfest goes on as planned.
In the meantime, check out the ‘online hamfest’ on our swap and shop page on the club website and our VE sessions news also on the website.
Swap and Shop
We are offering this free page for club members and other hams to swap, borrow, buy and sell equipment. Feel free to use it at will. If you go to this link, you can find things that other club members are selling or looking to buy.
