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PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) August 29, 2026 MEETING NOTES
* Thirty members, visitors and guests attended the 9am Saturday
breakfast meeting at Brantley’s Village Restaurant chaired by President
Bruce Perkins, K4ONC. Bruce welcomed Jamie Azersky KG2YHS, our newest
member; Joe N2UBI and Ed AD0HY from the Carteret Club and Stan KF4BY
from South Carolina who somehow found us. Wayne shared his certificate
from the recent 13 Colonies event.
* Bruce delivered the Treasurer’s report on behalf of Wally. The
Oriental Repeater Group expects to spend a significant amount of its
balance next month for the Kershaw Tower climb to replace three antennas
and the feedline for one of them. The ORG purchased and Bruce installed
a security camera at the Kershaw site.
* Many members probably noticed the delay in receiving their Monday
PARSgram according to Jim, AI4WL. Gmail has tightened security
requirements. Sixty PARSgrams sent Monday were not delivered. The
PARSgram was resent when noticed on Tuesday. We’re looking at
alternatives. If you don’t get yours, check for it at
https://www.n4prs.org/category
* AI4WL’s PROPAGATION Report: Rather than report just numbers, Jim
talked about the sudden end of the Summer 6M ES season on July 30th. We
had experienced about two months of solid 6M DX this summer. Dick K4JJW
agreed. He reported working 21 Japanese stations in about an hour late
one evening in mid-July. Sam/Dave KD2T spent more time on the HF bands.
He noted that even with good conditions, at over 330 countries
confirmed, it will be difficult to log the 10 or so remaining. All three
reported poor conditions on the 12 and 10 meter bands. Depending on time
of day, the bands 30 through 15, sometimes 17, have been much better.
* PAMLICO COMMUNICATIONS/EMERGENCY NET. Bruce congratulated Buck AA4SN
on his handling of the net during August. Mike K4NLC, our net manager,
will have the net on Wednesday Sep 2nd. Bruce will take the net for the
rest of September. He plans to operate mostly from Station 19.
* The next AUXCOM/PAMLICO COMMUNICATIONS TEAM meeting is scheduled for
Saturday, September 5th.
* Paul K4MMB reported the Website “up and running”.
* Old Business–
— Over 30 attended the the Oriental Hurricane Forum on Aug 17th. GMRS
was pitched and demonstrated. Thanks to those who responded to the GMRS
call.
— Our “emergency deployment” radios now number four and are ready for
use. The antenna at Pamlico College lab building has been checked, next
will be the courthouse antenna. PCN simplex to the courthouse is on the
list to be tried. The KE4TZN Aurora VHF FM repeater has good range. It
could be a backup for the Kershaw radios. The PACE plan is being redone
and will be reviewed at the PCT meeting.
— According to Wayne and Bill O., installing a new controller for the
dual mode Oriental repeater is on the to-do list as is a frequency
reject filter. Co-site interference from the Oriental FM needs to be
eliminated.
* New Business–
— Bill Michne, WM3X, as a nominating committee of one reminded us that
officer elections are in October. Both Jim and Wally have agreed to
stand for re-election. Bruce does not wish to run again.
— Bruce reviewed the recent training with WinLink forms. He stressed
that the training was for familiarity. He recognizes that our members do
not want to be EMCOMM deployable but should have some knowledge of the
most used reporting forms.
— StarLink, now much more widespread, has become a most important
capability during communications outages. Six or seven members have a
terminal. Consider getting a Mini.
* Our next PARS meeting will be on Saturday, September 26th.
* Drawing winners: Mike AB1OU a grab bag with surprise(s) inside, a
coffee cup for Jamie, and Rick NN2S took home the ticket for the
Brantleys Gift Certificate.
* There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:07am.
NET NEWS
Eight folks participated in the Monday night Pamlico C4FM round-table on
August 24th hosted by KO4OJC. Besides Wayne they included KR4LO, KR4ABZ,
AC2GR, AI4WL, K1AUG, KR4COD, and KM4PA from Brevard. Chatter was about
getting web feet from all the rain, Bill almost losing his exhaust pipe,
Paul’s new OCF that works, food trucks almost everywhere, AND our first
internet/email experience in the days of 28.8 Kbs dial-up. For local
users via RF, the repeater’s on 145.390MHz. Remote users can join via
the Wires-X room, for now it’s still “KO4OJC-Room 3” (ID 64163).
Buck AA4SN, our net controller for the month, recorded 16 WinLink and 24
voice check-ins to the Pamlico Communications Net on Wednesday, August
26th. EchoLink check-ins included Pete AG7C from NJ, Mike KR4COD from
Stacy, Paul KM4PA in Brevard and Bill K2TNO from Greensboro. The WinLink
task was to complete a ICS-214 Activity Log from the data given then
think up and list your activities/actions within an impending Hurricane
scenario. At least 10 submitted their log. For some, imaginations went wild.
FOR THE PAMLICO COMMUNICATIONS NET ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26TH, please use
the normal WinLink net check-in form. Mike, K4NLC, will be calling the
net. No special training is planned. Bruce K4ONC will take it for the
rest of September.
For another week the 6M net was brief. Only KO4OJC, K4ONC and AI4WL
joined Charlie WA4GSI on Thursday, August 27th. Charlie said his rotator
problems continue and reported Paul K4MMB and Jane had returned from
Virginia with their new 4 mo. old puppy. Bruce said he had installed the
surveillance camera at Kershaw. He was an unhappy camper. After sweaty
yard work he was not able to get his shower. Brightspeed had drilled
into the water main in front of his house. (BTW, that main flows all the
way to Janerio.) Jim reported on this week’s PARSgram delivery problem.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was low during the 24 hour period
ending yesterday at 5 p.m. local. The Space Weather Prediction Center
expects solar activity to be low today through Wednesday with a slight
chance for M-class flares.
There were 5 numbered sunspot regions on the Sun facing Earth yesterday
at noon. There were 4 last Sunday.
Sunday’s noon Solar Flux Index (SFI) observation at Penticton was 107,
last Sunday’s was 128. The index is predicted to measure 109 today, 105
Tuesday, 105 Wednesday. The SFI 90 day trailing average was 130
yesterday. It was 131 last Sunday.
The geomagnetic field was quiet to active yesterday. The SWPC expects
the field to be quiet to active today, quiet Tuesday and Wednesday. The
planetary K-index at 5 a.m. this morning was 3.33 indicating quiet
conditions.
Current conditions (1118Z/31Aug26): Poor day on 80 and 40 Meters, fair
at night; good day and night on 30 & 20; fair day and night 17 & 15;
poor day, poor at night on 12 and 10. 6M closed. Please go to
https://www.n4prs.org/looking-
DX THIS WEEK–
Extracted from ARRL’s ARLD034 DX NEWS and DXWorld.net:
–9M2, WEST MALAYSIA. The Scouts Association of Malaysia is QRV as 9M15J
from Batu Kawan, Penang, from August 29 to September 4 for the 15th
Malaysian Scout Jamboree. Activity will be on various bands and modes.
–R1/F, FRANZ JOSEF LAND. The RI1FJL team is QRV from Franz Josef Land
and expects to remain active until about September 3 or 4. Activity is
on various bands using various modes, including FT8 using MSHV.
–VY0, NUNAVUT. Mike, VE2XB is QRV as VY0ZOO from Southampton Island,
IOTA NA-007, until September 23. Activity is on 80 to 10 meters using CW
and SSB.
–AlSO look for GRENADA, PANAMA, NEW GUINEA, PALAU and more. See
www.DXWorld.net.
HAM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, TRADE, OR WANTED
Send me your amateur radio related items that are for sale, trade, or
wanted and your contact information. PLEASE let me know when you have
have sold your item or if your listing is no longer needed. Listings
will EXPIRE AFTER 60 DAYS unless I hear otherwise. Thanks, Jim.
* For Sale: National Transceiver NCX-5 with matching power supply and a
microphone. Needs a new home, make offer. Kenwood SP-31 speaker, $100.
Wayne – KO4OJC – 252-241-1962 (20260803)
* For Sale: Solid copper ground and bonding bar, 4″ X 10″ X 1/4″, with 2
high voltage stand-off insulators. It has 3 rows of 7 holes each for
ground wires, $75. For comparison check out DX Engineering for a similar
but smaller item, part no. ERO-EGBA14210JF. Bill Michne, WM3X,
252-671-6703, call or text.(20260720)
PARS CALENDAR:
* Sep 5, PAMLICO COMMUNICATIONS TEAM (PCT) MEETING, Saturday, 9-10:30am.
For more info, contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC, 252-626-2730 or K4ONC@aol.com
* Sep 26, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC,
252-626-2730 or K4ONC@aol.com
SELECTED LOCAL REPEATER/NODE/BEACON STATUS
(See www.n4prs.org/frequencies/ for set-up)
N4ONC VHF FM/EchoLink Oriental (147.210MHz+ CTCSS 88.5Hz) — Operational
N4ONC VHF FM/C4FM-YSF/Wires-x Oriental (145.390MHz- FM CTCSS 100.0Hz) —
Operational.
N4ONC UHF FM Oriental (444.350MHz+ ENC 85.4Hz) — Standby
GMRS Repeater WSFL439 Oriental (Ch 21, Rptr 7 or 462.700MHz+) — Operational
NC4ES DMR Arapahoe (NC4ES Network)(147.285MHz+ CC1) — Operational
locally. NC4ES network temporarily unavailable.
NC4ES FM Arapahoe (147.285MHz+ ENC 88.5Hz/DEC 100Hz) — Operational
in dual mode.
NC4ES DMR Florence (NC4ES Network)(445.6625MHZ- CC1) — Operational
WM3X-ONC C4FM/WIRES-X NODE Oriental (145.530MHz smplx) — Operational
KE4TZN Aurora FM/C4FM-YSF/WIRES-X (145.270MHz- FM CTCSS 131.8) —
Operational
KE4TZN Aurora DMR (PRN Network) (440.550MHz+ CC1) — Operational
Cedar Isl Mark’s Beacons: K4FWS/b FM14ux 144.282 CW; K1MAP/b FM14ux
222.055 CW; K1MAP/b FM14ux 432.305 CW (Very low power for rcvr,
propagation tests)
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* Mondays, “Wayne’s World C4FM Net”, 7:30 pm local, using the C4FM
digital mode on the KO4OJC Oriental FM/C4FM/WIRES-X repeater
(145.390MHz). Those outside RF range may join via Wires-X room
“KO4OJC-Room 3″ (ID 64163. This is a round-table open to all.
Discussions vary with member interest. Radio topics/questions/issues
welcomed.
* Wednesdays,”Pamlico Communications Net”, 7:30 pm local, N4ONC
(Oriental) VHF Repeater, 147.210+ (CTSCC Tone Squelch 88.5). A directed
net open to all. Net activates on call as the “Pamlico Emergency Net”
during emergencies.
* 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-director
PARS WEBSITE: https://www.n4prs.org/
Our Web Master is Paul Jodoin, K4MMB, PARSwebman@gmail.com. You can find
archived PARSgrams, articles, meeting notes, propagation information,
and photos of PARS activities there. Paul welcomes articles and
especially photos of member activities.
73, Jim AI4WL Editor
——–
This email is sent to members of the Pamlico Amateur Radio Society. We
are pleased that you asked to receive our weekly newsletter and hope
that you enjoy reading it. This and previous PARSgrams are archived on
the PARS Website. If you no longer wish to receive the PARSgram please
let us know by reply email or to pamlicoham@pamlico.net.