About

SOARA Logo (small)

The South Orange Amateur Radio Association (SOARA) is a public service, non-profit corporation founded in March 1974 to serve current licensed and prospective amateur radio enthusiasts in the Southern California area.  newsro5The purpose and objectives of SOARA are:

  • To promote Amateur Radio and advance it’s causes.
  • To provide a communications capability and a source of technical support for the benefit of its members and the community
  • To promote fraternalism and cooperation among its members.

SOARA’s charter is that of a community service organization.  SOARA’s members actively provide and participate in Amateur Radio network communications for Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) and ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) groups, athletic events, and other sanctioned activities.

We hold regular club meetings every month except in December. These meetings are typically scheduled for the third Monday of each month except when an observed holidays conflicts. The meeting schedule is published annually on the website and each newsletter. Meetings usually have a guest speaker with a radio or communications related topic. The May and November meetings feature a live auction. The meeting location is at the Mission Viejo Community Center, at the end of Veteran’s Way in Mission Viejo. The meeting time starts at 7:00 PM and visitors and guests are always welcome.

16SOARA has been affiliated with the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) since May 1975 and is designated an ARRL Special Service Club. ARRL-SSC

SOARA sponsors ARRL Field Day in June, an annual summer picnic and a holiday banquet in December.

The “Propagator”, the association newsletter is published monthly and distributed free via email to all members. It is full of club and member news as well as technical articles and items of interest to radio amateurs.

SOARA sponsors classes for prospective licensees and for those licensed amateurs wishing to upgrade. We also conduct FCC license exams, normally prior to the monthly meetings. Further information is available on this website.

SOARA maintains repeater stations on the 2-meter, 222 MHz, and 70cm bands. Most of our repeaters are open to all licensed amateur radio operators. The repeaters located on Santiago Peak are limited to use by members. A board member will provide you with more specific information when you join. There is also a weekly moderated net held Tuesdays evenings at 8:00 PM. Member and visitor check-ins are welcome.

For more information about SOARA membership, visit the Membership Information page. Guests and prospective members are always welcome at any SOARA event.

Page Last Updated: Nov 26, 2022 @ 3:41 pm PT