From the Vice President — Jeff Dickerson, N0JFY:

June is shaping up to be an exciting month for the St. Cloud Amateur Radio Club. With Field Day, VE testing, and ongoing technical activities, there are plenty of opportunities for members to get involved, learn, and enjoy the hobby. Thank you for your continued support and participation.

ARRL Field Day — Saturday, June 27, 2026

Location: Crow Wing State Park
POTA Activation: Begins around 8:00 AM
Official Field Day Start: 1:00 PM

We will begin the day with a Parks on the Air activation starting around 8 AM. This is a great opportunity to warm up the radios, test equipment, and enjoy portable operating in the park.

At 1 PM, we transition into ARRL Field Day. Planned stations include HF SSB, HF CW, digital modes, VHF/UHF, and a GOTA station for new licensees and visitors.

Meals and Potluck: The club will provide lunch and dinner for all Field Day participants. All attendees are asked to bring something to share for the potluck.

Please bring a chair, sunscreen, bug spray, and any personal equipment you wish to use.

VE License Testing — Saturday, June 20, 2026, 10 AM at Clubhouse

The Laurel VE team will host a free testing session for all license classes. Walk-ins are welcome, but preregistration is appreciated.  Please bring:  A valid photo ID, Your FRN, Any CSCEs you wish to apply.

General Membership Meeting — Thursday, June 18, 2026, 7 PM at Clubhouse

Topics include club updates, Field Day planning, technical discussions, and member input. All members and guests are welcome.

Technical Corner: Antenna Build of the Month

2-Meter/70-Centimeter Copper Cactus J-Pole Antenna

This month’s featured project is the classic Copper Cactus J-Pole antenna — a rugged, dual-band antenna made from ½-inch copper pipe. It is inexpensive, durable, and performs extremely well for both home and portable use.

Why Build One?

• Excellent gain and low noise
• No ground radials required
• Handles high power
• Nearly indestructible
• Great for base stations, emergency kits, or Field Day

Materials

• 10 ft of ½” copper pipe
• ½” copper T-fitting
• ½” copper elbow

Club Leadership:

President: Randy Welsand – WJ0L                          Vice President: Jeff Dickerson – N0JFY
Secretary: Kristin Greenwald – KF0RYZ                          Treasurer: Kay Welsand – KB0CEF
Director at Large: Tom Madigan – N0WH    Director at Large: Chris Greenwald – KF0RGH

The Welfare Net – which started in March 2020 as a way to keep track of club members during COVID – has been given a new name:  the NIGHTLY NET!  It will still be held every evening at 7 pm.

We are going to try holding the ARES NET the first Wednesday of the month around 7:15 pm following the Nightly Net.

The St. Cloud Amateur Radio Club will be hosting FREE Amateur Radio License Testing on Saturday, June 20, 2026 at 10 AM at our Clubhouse administered via LAUREL VEC.

Pre-registration is preferred in order to reserve your spot. Walk-ins are permitted.

Click Here to Pre-register for the June 20, 2026 Test Session

Once you have completed pre-Registration, you will be contacted via phone for any additional information needed, and to confirm your spot.

2026 LAUREL TESTING DATES (dates subject to change)
Saturday, January 17, 10:00 AM
Saturday, February 28, 10:00 AM (at Hamfest location)
Saturday, March 21, 10:00 AM
Saturday, April 18, 10:00 AM
Saturday, May 16, 10:00 AM
Saturday, June 20, 10:00 AM
Saturday, July 18, 10:00 AM
Saturday, August 15, 10:00 AM
Saturday, September 5, 10:00 AM
Saturday, October 17, 10:00 AM
Saturday, November 21, 10:00 AM
Saturday, December 19, 10:00 AM

Now is the time to start studying, pass your License Test, and become a Ham! Or, maybe it’s time to upgrade to General or Extra class.

Where is the Clubhouse?

401 4th St North,
Waite Park, MN 56387

Field Day – Saturday, June 27: Crow Wing State Park (just south of Brainerd). Pavilion reserved from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM. While Field Day officially starts at 1800 UTC, we will be there earlier in the day to set up and test equipment as well as participate in Parks on the Air (POTA). All are welcome—both licensed and unlicensed individuals. We will be operating under the Club Call Sign W0SV with Extra Class control operators available so that everyone can get on the air. We will be operating SSB, CW, and Digital (Winlink). FT8 is not able to be used during Field Day. We will set up different types of antennas and equipment, making this a great place to learn. We will have a grill going. We ask that everyone bring something to go with the meat (potluck). Lunch will be around noon and dinner around 5:00 PM. This is a great emergency communications exercise and learning opportunity.

FIELD DAY – WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND
Hands-on emergency communications experience in a real-world setup.
• Operate using club call W0SV (all experience levels welcome)
• Try SSB, CW, and Digital (Winlink)
• Learn antenna setups and compare configurations
• Participate in Parks on the Air (POTA)
• Build confidence in a fun, low-pressure environment
• Enjoy food, fellowship and time on the air
Lunch at Noon | Dinner at 5 PM (Potluck)
New to amateur radio? This is the best day of the year to get on the air—we’ll help you every step of the way.  This is one of the best learning opportunities of the year—don’t miss it!

FIELD DAY – WHAT TO BRING
• Lawn chair
• Beverages
• Radios (The club will provide operating stations – bring yours only if you want to test it and get advice)
• Dish to pass (potluck)

Tech Tip: Antenna Building
Start with accurate measurements for your band. Use quality wire and coax. Keep the antenna as high and unobstructed as possible. Always check SWR and trim in small increments. A good choke balun helps reduce noise and improve performance. Strong mechanical support ensures safety and longevity.

Jim Schmidt’s next Antenna class will start Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 7 PM at the clubhouse. The class will continue on following Tuesdays.  All aspects will be covered including building and testing.