The W0SV Signal — September 2026
What a wonderful stretch of ham radio activity we have enjoyed these past few weeks! The August Annual Picnic on the 29th was, by all accounts, a tremendous success — the turnout was fantastic, the food was outstanding, and the fellowship was exactly the kind of thing that makes SCARC such a special club. Thank you sincerely to everyone who brought a dish to share, helped set up and tear down, and simply showed up with a smile. And what a way to follow it up: our Parks on the Air (POTA) outing at Lake Maria State Park on September 2nd was equally memorable. Operators had portable stations humming on multiple HF bands by mid-morning, and the contacts were rolling in. The evening dinner capped it off perfectly. My sincere thanks to every member who participated in both events — you are the reason this club has thrived for over 100 years.
I want to draw everyone’s attention to our FREE Laurel License Testing session coming up on Saturday, September 19th at 10:00 AM at the clubhouse. Whether you know someone who has been studying for their Technician ticket, or a General-class operator eyeing their Extra, this is a tremendous opportunity — and it costs nothing. Please spread the word in your neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities. Every new ham we bring into the fold strengthens our public service capability and brings fresh energy to the club. If you can volunteer as an examiner or simply show up to encourage the candidates, your presence makes a difference.
Fall is my favorite operating season, and I hope it is yours as well. The bands come alive as the leaves turn, and there is no shortage of reasons to get on the air — whether it’s chasing DX on 40 meters, participating in a contest, or simply checking into the Nightly Net on 146.940. I also want to emphasize the importance of our ARES/EmComm activities heading into the final quarter of 2026. Emergency preparedness is not a once-a-year drill — it is a mindset and a commitment. I encourage every licensed member to consider joining ARES and to attend the October 2nd Emcomm Meeting. Together, let’s keep W0SV strong, active, and ready to serve Central Minnesota. See you on the air — and at the clubhouse.
73, Randy Welsand
President, St. Cloud Amateur Radio Club
| Mon., Sept. 14 | Activity Night | 6:00 PM at the Clubhouse — project night, radio programming help, ragchew |
| Thurs., Sept. 18 | General Membership Meeting | 7:00 PM at Clubhouse — all members welcome |
| Sat., Sept. 19 | FREE Laurel VE License Testing | 10:00 AM at Clubhouse — all license classes, pre-registration required; contact Chris [email protected] |
| Mon., Sept. 21 | Activity Night | 6:00 PM at the Clubhouse |
| Mon., Sept. 28 | Activity Night | 6:00 PM at the Clubhouse |
| Thurs., Oct. 1 | Emcomm Meeting | 7:00 PM at Clubhouse — ARES/EmComm planning |
| Wed., Oct. 7 | Central MN Regional Hospital Net | 1:00 PM on 146.940 MHz repeater |
| Thurs., Oct. 8 | Board Meeting | 7:00 PM at Clubhouse |
| Thurs., Oct. 15 | General Membership Meeting | 7:00 PM at Clubhouse — all members welcome |
Antenna Modeling for Beginners: Getting Started with EZNEC and 4NEC2
Have you ever wished you could test a new antenna design before spending an afternoon on the tower or stringing wire through the trees? Antenna modeling software makes this possible — and best of all, it is entirely free. Programs like EZNEC (by W7EL) and 4NEC2 (available at qsl.net) allow any ham with a modest computer to simulate virtually any antenna design and obtain detailed predictions of gain, radiation pattern, feedpoint impedance, and SWR across a range of frequencies. For the intermediate-level operator curious about why some antennas outperform others — or wanting to optimize a design before committing to materials and effort — these tools are indispensable.
Both programs are built on the NEC2 engine — the Numerical Electromagnetics Code, originally developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory — which solves Maxwell’s equations over a wire-geometry model you define. The workflow is conceptually straightforward: you describe your antenna as a set of wire segments in three-dimensional space, specify your feed point, set the operating frequency (or a sweep range), define the ground model (free space, perfect ground, or a real-ground approximation using Sommerfeld-Norton methods), and run the simulation. The program returns SWR plots, gain figures in dBi, and — most visually compelling — azimuth and elevation radiation pattern plots that show you exactly where your antenna is putting RF. EZNEC’s interface is particularly friendly for beginners, while 4NEC2 offers additional power and flexibility for more advanced users.
As a practical example, consider modeling a simple half-wave dipole for 40 meters (7.150 MHz). In EZNEC, you would enter a single wire approximately 20 meters long (about 66 feet), oriented horizontally, with the feed point at the center. Set the height above ground — say, 35 feet — select a “Real/High Accuracy” ground type with medium-quality soil constants, and run a frequency sweep from 7.0 to 7.3 MHz. Within seconds, you will see an SWR curve showing the resonant point and bandwidth, plus elevation and azimuth pattern plots. The elevation pattern for a 40m dipole at 35 feet will typically show a broad lobe peaking at 20–30 degrees above the horizon — a classic low-angle DX pattern. Toggle the height to 70 feet and watch the pattern sharpen; drop it to 15 feet and notice the increased high-angle radiation more suited to regional communication.
This ability to instantly compare the effect of height is one of modeling’s greatest practical gifts. You can also experiment with nearby structures — add a wire approximating a metal fence or rooftop, and observe how it distorts the pattern. Feed point impedance modeling helps you choose the right matching network: a 40m dipole in free space shows roughly 73 ohms at resonance, but real-ground effects and height can shift that noticeably. It is worth remembering that models are idealizations. Real wire has loss, connectors introduce reactance, and the ground under your antenna is never perfectly uniform. A well-constructed model typically predicts patterns and trends very reliably, but absolute gain figures and precise resonant frequencies may vary by a few percent in practice. Use the model as a powerful guide and sanity-check, not as a gospel printout.
Ready to try it yourself? The EZNEC demo version (free, handles up to 20 wire segments — plenty for most basic antennas) is available from W7EL’s website. 4NEC2 is a full-featured free download at qsl.net/4nec2. The ARRL Antenna Book is an excellent companion reference, with worked modeling examples for dozens of antenna types. And if you get stuck on wire coordinates, ground settings, or interpreting a confusing pattern plot, bring your laptop to a Monday night Activity Night — there are members in this club who love nothing more than a good antenna modeling session over coffee. The air is going to get good this fall. Let’s get those antennas optimized.
Resources: EZNEC Demo — w7el.com/EZNEC | 4NEC2 — qsl.net/4nec2 | ARRL Antenna Book (available from arrl.org). Bring antenna questions to Monday Activity Nights!
Club Announcements:
1. AED Now at the Clubhouse — The club has recently installed an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at the clubhouse. All members are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with its location during your next visit. A brief AED awareness and familiarization session will be scheduled at a future Activity Night — watch for the announcement. Safety first, always.
2. Club Dues Reminder — Annual membership dues are coming due for renewal. Individual membership is $35/year; Family membership is $50/year. Dues may be paid by cash, by check payable to “St. Cloud Amateur Radio Club,” or online via the club website using PayPal. Please contact Treasurer Kay Welsand with any questions. Keeping the club funded keeps the lights on and the repeaters running!
3. SCARC YouTube Channel — Did you miss a license class or training session? Check the SCARC YouTube channel for recordings of past classes covering Technician, General, and Amateur Extra material, as well as antenna construction sessions and Morse code instruction. An excellent resource for self-study and review at any license level.
4. Air Force MARS — Members interested in the Air Force MARS (Military Auxiliary Radio System) program are encouraged to visit the club website for more details. MARS offers a distinctive opportunity to serve alongside the military in communications exercises and interoperability drills — a meaningful way to extend your public service beyond the traditional ARES role. See Jim Hagen AJ0CM for additional information.
5. Central MN Skywarn — Fall Storm Season — Fall weather in Central Minnesota can be unpredictable, and Skywarn-trained SCARC members are reminded to stay weather-aware and check in on Skywarn nets when activated. New Skywarn spotter training sessions may be scheduled in the coming months — watch the club Facebook page for details. Your local knowledge and radio skills are exactly what the National Weather Service needs.
6. Change Coming to SCARC Nets — Starting September 21, and as per club member suggestion, the net schedule will be as follows:
• Monday — Nightly Net, 7:00 PM, 146.940 MHz Repeater
• Tuesday — ARES Net, 7:00 PM, 146.550 MHz Simplex
• Wednesday — Nightly Net, 7:00 PM, 146.940 MHz Repeater
• Thursday — 2M Single Sideband Net, 7:00 PM, 144.240 MHz USB
• Friday — Nightly Net, 7:00 PM, 146.940 MHz Repeater
• Saturday — Elmer Net, 9:00 AM, 146.940 MHz Repeater
• Sunday — The Fusion Net, 7:00 PM, 146.940 MHz Repeater (Digital Narrow)
Kay will be in contact with the net Controls for assignments!
7. Zoom Meetings Coming Soon — The club will be adding the ability to join club functions via ZOOM in the near future. This will allow members to participate remotely from anywhere. More details to follow — stay tuned to Facebook and the club website for updates.
8. Stay Connected — Facebook & Website — Between newsletter editions, the best ways to stay current with SCARC news, event updates, and last-minute changes are the club Facebook page and the club website (see the clubhouse address for details). Follow, like, and check back regularly — important announcements don’t always wait for the monthly newsletter!
The W0SV Signal is the monthly newsletter of the St. Cloud Amateur Radio Club, Inc. (SCARC), W0SV. Club meetings are held at 401 4th St. N, Waite Park, MN 56387. Submissions, corrections, and contributions for the October 2026 issue are welcome — please contact the club secretary. All amateur radio operators, SWLs, and interested parties are welcome to attend SCARC events.