PRESIDENT’S SOAPBOX
The combination of the hot weather and the pandemic that won’t go away
is giving us opportunities to try new things to do with amateur radio.
Bands dead? Not really, 6 meters has been pretty good lately. String
up a dipole and give it a try. How about getting started with digital
modes? Lots of information out there, and lots of willing expertise in
the club to get you going. Some believe that traditional modes are
fading out and digital is the future of amateur radio. That’s the tone
of a recent IEEE article provided by Lor, W3QA. You can read it here:
https://spectrum.ieee.org/telecom/wireless/the-uncertain-future-of-ham-radio.
On the other hand, I am of the opinion that the legacy modes aren’t
going away soon. Case in point is CW, whose obituary has been written
and rewritten over and over again in the past two or three decades. But
just tune around the low ends of the HF bands on a contest weekend.
Whether you are a no code or a know code you will be impressed by the
amount of activity. Want to learn CW but think it will take too long?
Well, I just saw a report by a psychologist who has been studying the
rates of various skills development. He has found that the average
person can develop just about any skill to a usable level with just 20
hours of practice. So if you were to learn and practice CW for 30
minutes a day, you could be having routine on air QSO’s in less than a
month and a half, and maybe less than that! …_._ de WM3X, Bill
Michne, 252-249-1175, drmichne73@gmail.com.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was very low during the 24 hours
ending yesterday at 5 pm local. There are no sunspot regions on the Sun
facing Earth this morning. According to the Space Weather Prediction
Center activity will continue to be very low through Wednesday. On
Sunday the reported Solar Flux Index (SFI) at Penticton was 68. The
index is predicted to register 68 today, Tuesday and Wednesday. The SFI
90 day trailing average is 69.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. It is expected to be
quiet to unsettled today and Wednesday, quiet to active on Tuesday. The
estimated Kp-index of 2 reported at 5 a.m. local this morning indicates
we are currently experiencing quiet conditions.
We can expect fair daytime and good nighttime operating conditions on 80
and 40 meters. Expect poor conditions on the higher HF bands. For us,
the Magic Band was quiet for most of the past week, FT8 mostly hit and
miss up and down the coast and into the Midwest and Eastern Canada.
Midwest stations were hopping over us to work European DX. 6M sideband
has been quiet here except for the Thursday night Downeast/Pamlico Six
Meter net hosted by Don Smith, KJ4RB, in Pink Hill.
For an explanation of numbers used in our PARSgram, see the excellent
article written by Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA at
http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere.
HAM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, TRADE, OR WANTED
For listing in the PARSgram send me your amateur radio related items
that you have for sale, trade, or wanted. PLEASE let me know when you
have have sold your item or your listing is no longer needed. Listings
will EXPIRE AFTER 90 DAYS unless I hear otherwise.–Jim.
** FOR SALE**
HyGain 18 AVQ 10 thru 80 ground mounted vertical. Base section ruined by
Florence, replaced with new section from HyGain, antenna not
reinstalled. Antenna in 3 sections for transport – base, middle and top
with counterpoises, longest about 8 feet. $100 and you transport. Call
Art KB1TX at 252-571-1752. (20200511)
PARS CALENDAR:
* Jul 29, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Virtual Meeting via
Radio or at Brantleys TBD. For more info, contact Bill Michne, WM3X,
252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* Tuesdays, Newport Weather Service SKYWARN Practice Net, 9:00 pm
local, Oriental (147.210+ (PL151.4)) and all other local repeaters. This
net for severe weather warning and reporting is continously monitored
upon activation.
* Wednesdays, Pamlico Emergency Net Practice and Rag Chew/ARES, 7:30
pm, Oriental Repeater, 147.210 + (PL151.4).
* Thursdays, “DownEast/Pamlico Six Meter Net”, 8 pm local, 50.200 MHz,
USB. A non-directed open net to promote operation on the ‘Magic Band’.
(For more nets see www.arrl.org/arrl-net-directory-search )
PARS WEB SITE: https://www.n4prs.org/
Our web Master is Paul Jodoin, K4MMB, 561-308-3456, PARSwebman@gmail.com
PARSgram ITEMS
We are always looking for items of interest to PARS members to put in
the PARSgram. If you run across a timely item or think of something you
believe would interest our folks, please send it to me. Thanks.
AND A SPECIAL NOTE ON FACE MASKS
Stay safe. Help stop the spread. Please wear your mask when out in
public places. If folks are telling you a mask is dangerous or not
effective, please read Dr. Mac Ernst’s response at
https://mailchi.mp/6572c3b80ac5/a-doctors-answer-to-false-claims-about-face-masks?e=adb5dfd6c4
73, Jim AI4WL
——
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