PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) AUG 29, 2015 MEETING NOTES
* Thirty-eight PARS members and guests attended the breakfast meeting
chaired by President Bill Olah, KR4LO, at Brantley’s in Oriental Saturday.
* “Wally” Wallace KK4ASP presented the treasurers report.
* Mike Hurm,K4HPS, our ARES EC, detailed ARES activity for May through
August: 18 sessions with 49.05 person-hours participation.
* Mike Marsh, K4NLC, is coordinating PARS’ participation in the 2015
Pamlico County Heritage Day celebration on Oct 3. Planned is the field day
setup last used by Pamlico ARES, possible HF station, both to compare with
other forms of communication such as GMRS, family radios, Goal is to inform
the public and promote Amateur Radio as an emergency service and as a fun
hobby.
* VHF weak signal activity continued its decline in August. A 2 Meter
Sprint will be from 1900-2300 local on September 21. It may bring out the
weak signal operators.
* Solar activity has decreased resulting in a corresponding decrease in
propagation on the higher HF bands, 17 Meters and
above. Geomagnetic storms have increased further degrading radio
communications when they occur.
* Mike Marsh is working with Pamlico College to host an FCC License Session
in November. Open to all, this will offer a local testing station for those
studying on their own.
* Tom Finta, K8TF, reported out on the recent Oriental Dragon Boat Regatta
at River Dunes. Bill Olah, Greg Wadsworth, Charlie Pyles, Torrey Neill,
Carol and Joe Glorioso, Gary Mitchelson, Mike Hurm, Dodge Hickman, and John
Radtke all came out to support. The business providing the boats and race
management has developed its own capability for communications ending the
need for PARS support in the future.
* The last Fox Hunt practice is set for 10 am Saturday, September 12 at
Bill Olah’s place in Grantsboro. (455 Bennett Neck Rd, Grantsboro. For
directions Bill Olah, KR4LO, 249-0287 or w_olah@yahoo.com. )
* The First FOX HUNT will be on Saturday, September 19. The Fox Hunt will
be open to all. Teams are encouraged. The goal is to use a suitable radio
with directional antenna to find the FOX broadcasting on a 2 Meter Simplex
frequency somewhere in the county. The FOX will be easily identifiable once
located. The registration and starting point will be at Brantley’s
Restaurant in Oriental. Registration starts at 9 am, the Hunt begins at 10.
A buffet sandwich luncheon will be provided by PARS to the entrants at
Brantley’s following the hunt. A new dual band Yaesu FT-60R radio will be
the prize for the first to find the FOX. There will be no entry fee for this
first PARS FOX HUNT. Contact either Bill Olah or Randy Davis, K4WRD,
249-1680 or randyd@centurylink.net for more information.
* Bill solicited and determined there is interest in a short presentation
on handhelds and their programming, repeaters and how they work, sub-tones
and more.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was moderate during the 24 hours ending
yesterday at 5 pm local. The largest recent solar event was a B4 flare
observed at 0701Z this morning. There are 4 numbered sunspot regions on the
disk facing Earth. The sunspot count this morning is 50, down from 93
reported by NOAA a week ago at this time. Monster sunspot AR2403 has rotated
off the face of the Sun lowering the count. The Solar Flux Index (SFI) is
92, reflecting the decrease in solar activity. It was 133 in our last
PARSgram. The NOAA forecast shows the SFI dropping to 90 today and tomorrow
and then down to 85 on Wednesday. According to the Space Weather Prediction
Center, solar activity is expected to be low today with chance for M-class
flares and then very low through Wednesday.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet over the weekend. The Earth’s
geomagnetic field is expected be quiet to unsettled today, reach minor storm
levels from an unsettled state tomorrow and again on Wednesday. The Kp-index
was reported by NOAA to be a quiet 2 at 0800 local this morning.
We’ve been asked for a pointer for a refresher on what the numbers in our
weekly report mean to the average ham. Well, your ARRL Web Site is a good
place to start. Try “What the Numbers Mean, and Propagation Predictions–a
brief introduction to propagation and the major factors affecting it ” by
Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA. It can be found at
http://www.arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere
THIS WEEK’S DX CHALLENGE
ALGERIA, 7X. Members of the newly formed Algerian Amateur Radio
Union will be QRV as 7U0ARU during the month of September to
celebrate the creation of their organization. Activity will be on
the HF bands using CW, SSB and various digital modes. QSL via
SM4VPZ.
QSO QSO CORNER
This is the place to post contacts with DXpeditions, Special Event
Stations, or special QSO’s you would like to share.
No reports.
OTHER ACTIVITY ON THE RADIO:
This info is extracted from the ARRL Letter, from the WA7BNM Contest
Calendar, the ARRL Contest Update or the ARRL Contest Corral. You can
receive the Letter weekly via email as a member of ARRL :
* 05/0000-06/2359Z Sep All Asian DX Contest, Phone, Ph
* 05/0600-05/0800Z Sep Wake-Up! QRP Sprint, CW
* 05/1300-06/0400Z Sep Colorado QSO Party, CW Dig
* 05/1300-06/1259Z Sep IARU Region 1 Field Day, SSB, Ph
* 05/1300-06/1300Z Sep RSGB SSB Field Day, Ph
* 05/1600-05/1900Z Sep AGCW Straight Key Party, CW
See the ARRL Contest Branch page
ARRL Contest Update http://www.arrl.org/The-ARRL-Contest-Update/ and the
WA7BNM Contest Calendar
for more info. Looking for a Special Event station? Be sure to check out the
ARRL Special Event Station Web page
a LIST OF STATE QSO PARTIES, see
http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/stateparties.html. (State QSO parties
and the W1AW Centennial Stations are a great way to get those last states on
your Worked All States (WAS) Award list.)
HAM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, TRADE, OR WANTED
——————–
* NEW FOR SALE –SGC SG-2000 transceiver with tuner, asking $800. Gill
Grabowski KB1GHA, 339-832-4257 or grabg1@aol.com.
* FOR SALE — Yaesu FT 450 Transceiver, MD 100 desk mike and a Pyramid
35 amp power supply. All for $650 and can be seen in action at my QTH to
check it out. All you will need is an antenna to be on the air. Charlie
Overcash, WA4GSI, charlie@dockline.net or 252-249-1257. (20150601).
* FOR SALE–Hank Aaron WB4ROA, long time PARS member is moving. He is
selling much of his equipment. Brian Shepard K4LTE is handling the sale.
For a Yaesu FT-2000 and other Yaesu transceivers:
RF Mu-tuning kit 80/40m band for $300.00, and RF Mu-tuning kit 30/20m band
for $300.00.
Command Technologies Commander Amplifier 2KW for $1500.00.
Yaesu-7800R 2M/70cm Transceiver for $150.00.
Heil Headset Pro Set Quiet Phone with HC-5 mic for $80.00, retailed for
$155.00.
MXL Studio Condenser Microphone MXL-2003 for $100.00, retailed for $163.00.
Heil Hand Switch for $25.00.
Foot Switch for $20.00.
Array Solutions Six Pack ( remote antenna switch) 2 radios-6 antenna ports
per radio for $300.00, retailed for $450.00.
Array Solutions Rat Pack (remote antenna switch) 6 antenna positions for
$100.00, retailed for $250.00.
Astron SL-11 pwr supply for $50.00, retailed for $89.00.
Bencher Keyer for $150.00.
Plus lots of coax and cables-most coax uses N-connectors and were
professionally made by Cable X.
PL259 adapters for .50 cent ea. (28-total)
UHF Male Crimp (type PL259) connectors $2.00 ea. (37-total)
Type N Male crimp for RG8 $2.00 ea. (15-total)
PL259 Connectors $1.00 ea. (16-total)
PL259 UHF Male to female tee adapter connectors, $4.00 ea. (total-9)
BNC Male to UHF female connectors, $2.00 ea. (total-2)
Added items–
Palstar ZM30 digital antenna analyzer, $200.00
ICOM M1V VHF Handheld radio with HM-125 speaker microphone and a new BC-119N
desk top charger, $175.00
Aceco FC-6002 RF Tracer, $150.00
Contact Brian at k4lte2@centurylink.net or at his cell 252-670-5531.
(20150511, 20150518, 20150622)
——————–
(Send me your amateur radio related items for sale, trade, or wanted for
listing in the PARSgram. PLEASE let me know if your listing is no longer
needed. ITEMS listed will EXPIRE AFTER 90 DAYS unless I hear
otherwise.–Jim).
UPCOMING REGIONAL HAMFESTS:
A complete list can be found on your PARS Website, www.n4prs.org
PARS CALENDAR:
* Sep 12, Fox Hunt Practice Session, 10 am, 455 Bennett Neck Rd,
Grantsboro. For directions Bill Olah, KR4LO, 249-0287 or w_olah@yahoo.com.
* Sep 19, Fox Hunt, 9 am. Register/start at Brantley’s Village Restaurant,
Oriental. Buffet lunch follows hunt. Bill Olah, KR4LO, 249-0287 or
w_olah@yahoo.com and Randy Davis, K4WRD, 249-1680 or randyd@centurylink.net
* Sep 26, PARS Monthly Meeting, Saturday, 9 am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. Bill Olah, KR4LO, 249-0287 or w_olah@yahoo.com.
* Oct 3, Pamlico County Heritage Day, PARS Support-ARES/Radio Demo,
Heritage Center, NC 55, Grantsboro. Mike Marsh K4NLC, 252-636-1257 or
mike@marshconsulting.com
* Oct 31, PARS Monthly Meeting, Saturday, 9 am, Bill Olah, KR4LO, 249-0287
or w_olah@yahoo.com.
PARS NETS:
* Mondays, Pete’s “Swamp Talk” roundtable, around 8:15 pm local,
28.463 MHz plus or minus, USB. This is an informal forum originally
established to assist our new Hams. The frequency is in the 10M voice
segment open to technician licensees and above. Radio related
topics/questions/issues welcomed.
* Wednesdays, Pamlico Emergency Net Practice and Rag Chew, 7:30 pm,
Oriental Repeater, 147.210 + (PL151.4).
PARS WEB SITE:
https://www.n4prs.org/
Web Master is Larry Wall, KK4SEO, wallmailbox@yahoo.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.
Jim AI4WL