Located on the historic Santa Fe, California, and Oregon wagon-train trails of the 1800s, our Santa Fe Trail Amateur Radio Club (SFTARC) engages in a number of activities that are educational, enjoyable, and serve the community.  With about 25 active members and a somewhat greater number of not-so-active members, we maintain an informal easy-going atmosphere, supporting and promoting amateur radio in Olathe and Johnson County.

Our club’s on-the-air activities include operating special event stations, including one at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, a Kansas-Day Special Event (the anniversary of Kansas Statehood), the Kansas QSO Party, two events (one each) to honor Olathe ham-radio pioneers Marshall and Loretta Ensor, a POTA event, a weekly 2m net, and of course Field Day. Club members have a variety of interests, ranging from HF through UHF and are active on voice, CW, and digital modes.

SFTARC members serve as docents for the ham-radio-rich Ensor Park and Museum located 6 miles south of Olathe. Among the many interesting items on display, the home-brew 1 KW transmitter stands out. Marshall H. Ensor and his sister Loretta Ensor used this transmitter, housed in a handsome hand-crafted wooden cabinet, to "teach radio by radio" during the 1930s. From 1929 to 1940, this radio course made it possible for thousands of people throughout the US to learn CW and the principles of electronics. Marshall Ensor was named the William S Paley Outstanding Radio Amateur for 1940 for his service to the country and the amateur radio community.

Continuing this tradition of teaching ham radio, the Santa Fe Trail ARC offers classes to those seeking a Technician, General, or Extra class license on a three-year rotating basis, with a Morse code class thrown in every few years.  SFTARC classes are structured to help the students understand the subject matter, rather than to just memorize the answers to questions.

For a period during 2020 and 2021, the club suspended in-person club meetings. During this time meetings were conducted virtually. The experience with virtual connections has benefitted the club, because we now are able to hold hybrid meetings with both in-person and online attendees. More members are participating in both business meetings and Tech Night programs because of the expanded communication format.

The club meets every Saturday morning at the Perkins Restaurant, 2000 E. Santa Fe, Gardner, KS. Earlybirds arrive at 6:30AM, and the ragchewing continues until 8:30 or so. The monthly business meeting of the club takes place at that location on the second Saturday of the month (please check our website for the starting time). 

If you hear KS0KS on the air, please give us a shout. We would be glad to hear from you.