EMERGENCY/SKYWARN NET FREQUENCIES
At the end of this PARSgram you will find an updated list of emergency nets, associated repeaters or stations and their operating frequencies and PL tones. You might find it helpful to cut out the list and keep it near your radio. Please let me know if you find errors. Thanks to Janice, KJ4JPE for the list of repeaters used by Newport SKYWARN. Although it is an active repeater, she advises SKYWARN is not currently using Grifton for the Tuesday practice nets.
PARS NAQP TEAM CONTEST SATURDAY
So here it is folks, a chance for you and a fellow ham or even alone to get on the air, work a bunch of stations–maybe even in the states you need to finish up your WAS–for a couple of hours this coming Saturday. The North American QSO Party runs only 10 hours, so you can do the whole thing if you like, or just a couple of hours in the cool during a hot afternoon. Time is getting short but here is what we would like to do, call it the “Bill Michne Scheme”… Participating club members form into teams of two. The team members operate separately in the contest. They then send me (Bill) a copy of their logs for processing. You only compete with other PARS teams. At the next PARS meeting (and PARSgram) I will post the results. Now for some details. Teams ideally will consist of one more and one less experienced operators. In the days leading up to the contest the more experienced may help the less experienced be sure the radio and antenna are working, assure the less experienced knows how to operate the radio and the contest, how to keep the log, etc. They may even have a few on the air QSO’s between them to be sure everything is working. Set a goal to make, say, 50 or 100 contacts, easily done in an hour or two, so you are not burning the whole day. Again, the contest is the North American SSB QSO Party, August 20, starting at 2:00 PM EDST. Use only the 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter bands. Maximum power 100 watts. Work North American stations, once per band. Exchange name and state or province. Keep track of your operating time. For full rules and for log forms you can print go to www.ncjweb.com. Feel free to call or write me with your questions. Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or billmichne@embarqmail.com. See you in the contest!
NOAA reported solar activity has been low during the 24 hours ending yesterday at 5 pm local. The most recent significant activity was a C1 flare at 0023Z this morning. There are now 3 sunspot regions on the disk facing Earth. The sunspot number (SSN) is 61, little changed from the 63 we saw last Monday. The Solar Flux Index (SFI) is 87, down from the 93 recorded at Penticton Sunday noon a week ago. According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, solar activity is expected to be very low for the next three days with a chance for a C-class flare each day. The NOAA forecast has the SFI rising slightly to 90 for the next three days. The 90 day trailing average is holding at 86.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet over the weekend. The field is forecast to be quiet to active today, reach minor storm levels Tuesday due to solar winds and then be quiet to active again on Wednesday. The Kp-index was reported to be a quiet 2 at 5 a.m. local this morning.
Expect fair conditions on 30 and 20 Meters, poor on the higher bands. Fair day and good nighttime conditions are expected on 80 and 40. It was nice to see activity on the 17M, 15M and even 12, 10 and 6 Meter bands yesterday… not much, but some. For the upper Midwest, there was a surprise but short period of E-layer skip propagation (with contacts over 700 miles) on the 2 Meter band yesterday afternoon.
THIS WEEK’S DX CHALLENGE
5H, TANZANIA (Update). Members of the Ukrainian DX Team (UDXT), operators Alex/UX0LL and Alex/UT5UY, will be active as 5H1XX from Zanzibar Island (AF-032) until August 22nd. They plan to operate CW, SSB and the Digital modes. Activity will be on 160-10 meters with two stations and with an emphasis on the lower and 30/17/12m bands. This operation became possible due to great support of UX0HX and UZ1HZ HAM Radio Family, UW7LL, UR8LV, UR4LRG, UR3HR, UX1UF and UY5LW. QSL via M0URX. Full QSL instructions are available at: https://www.qrz.com/db/5H1XX
QSO CORNER
This is the place to post contacts with DXpeditions, Special Event Stations, or special QSO’s you would like to share.
Zip….
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 :
* 20/0000-21/2359ZAug, 10GHz up ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest
* 20/1800-21/0559ZAug, 1.8-28 North American QSO Party, SSB
See the ARRL Contest Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/>, the ARRL Contest Update http://www.arrl.org/The-ARRL-Contest-Update/ and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info. Looking for a Special Event station? Be sure to check out the ARRL Special Event Station Web page<http://www.arrl.org/special-events>. For a LIST OF STATE QSO PARTIES, see http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/stateparties.html. (State QSO parties are a great way to get those last states on your Worked All States (WAS) Award list.)
Special Event Station–
BRAZIL, PY. A large group of operators are QRV with special event call ZY157CAT until the end of August to celebrate the founding of the city of Catalao 157 years ago. Activity is on the HF bands using CW, SSB and various digital modes. QSL direct to PP2BO.
HAM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, TRADE, OR WANTED
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* FOR SALE–Hy-Gain AV-680 Patriot-Plus HF Vertical Antenna, covers
6,10,12,15,17,20,30,40 and 80 meters. Requires no ground radials, comes
with it’s own counterpoise. About 2 years old, this was my temporary
antenna during my move, I now am putting up more dedicated antennas.
I built a simple mounting system that allows me to raise and lower by
myself if ever needed. It will remain operational here if you are
interested in seeing it’s performance.
I am open to offers, trades, etc.
Gary Mitchelson, NC3Z/4, 252-745-0655 or nc3z@arrl.net (20160620)
* FOR SALE–
The following equipment is being sold because I no longer have the time to
use it or the space to store it. Unless otherwise noted, all units are
fully functional at or above their manufacturer specifications.
Cosmetically they are 9+ out of 10, showing only signs of routine use.
Asking prices are based on the average of recent completed transactions for
the same or similar units on eBay, or are approximately one half of the
original price, and are believed to represent the current market value.
Pictures are available on request. Shipping if necessary is not included.
Local pickup is preferred. All sales are final. Contact Bill Michne at
252-249-1175 or billmichne@embarqmail.com. (20160509)
Yaesu FT-897 HF/VHF/UHF all mode transceiver. Maximum power outputs are:
160-6 meter, 100 W; 2 meters, 50 W; 70 cm, 25 W. Includes the FC-30
automatic antenna tuner, YF-122C narrow filter for CW/digital modes, and
MMB-80 mounting bracket. Does not include the internal batteries for
portable operation as I never purchased them. $700.00.
Ten Tec Titan 425 legal limit linear amplifier. This unit consists of a
lightweight desktop RF deck containing the two 3CX800A7 ceramic tubes and a
separate remote power supply with hypersil transformer. The RF deck can be
switched between HV ranges, the higher one for full legal limit output, and
the lower one for high duty cycle modes such as RTTY. The unit features an
overdrive limit circuit to protect the tubes, and a rapid switching circuit
for preventing “hot switching” during QSK and VOX operation. $1200.00.
Kenwood TS-830S ham band transceiver. Includes the matching SP-230 speaker,
the VFO-230 digital VFO, and the MC-50 microphone. The unit has a full
complement of Fox Tango filters for both CW/RTTY and SSB operation
installed. These filters have very steep skirts to provide exquisite
selectivity. This is a hybrid radio, mostly solid state, but with tubes in
the driver and final amplifier stages. The sale includes two sets of
replacement tubes. I recently had the radio professionally restored to full
original specifications. $800.00.
Kenwood TS-940S solid state 160-10 meters transceiver and general coverage
receiver. This radio does not transmit, and has limited receive function.
If the transmit function can be reestablished it is probably worth
repairing. Otherwise it is good for parts. $75.00.
(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:
* Aug 20-21, PARS Club Contest–North America QSO Party, Saturday, 2 pm- Sunday, 2am, Bill Michne, WM3X,
252-249-1175 or billmichne@embarqmail.com.
* Aug 27, PARS Monthly Meeting, Saturday, 9 am, Brantley’s Village Restaurant, Oriental, Bill Olah, KR4LO, 249-0287 or w_olah@yahoo.com.
* Sep 24, PARS Monthly Meeting, Saturday, 9 am, Brantley’s Village Restaurant, Oriental, 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/
* Chief Editor and Administrator is Greg Wadsworth KM4DZM, 252-322-1033 or gwadsworth1@ yahoo.com
* 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.
73,
Jim AI4WL
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NC/EASTERN NC EMERGENCY AND NTS NETS
These nets are active continuously during declared emergencies on or near
these frequencies. Scheduled Drills (all times local) shown if known:
Emergency Nets:
Pamlico County (ARES) FM Orient. Rptr, 147.210+( PL151.4), 1930 Wednesday
–Backup in order on–
145.230- (85.4) Grantsboro
146.550 simplex
–Other Emergency Nets–
Eastern NC, FM Grifton, 146.685-(88.5), 2100 Thursdays
Beaufort County, 146.955 MHz – (82.5) Washington
Craven County, 145.230 MHz- (88.4) Grantsboro
Carteret County, 28.360 MHz USB
Coastal Carolina Emergency Net (LSB), 3.907MHz, 1900 daily
Tarheel Emergency Net (ARES Net — LSB), 3.923MHz, 1930 daily. Backup on
7.232MHz daytime.
Weather Emergency Nets:
WX4MHX Newport SKYWARN NET 2100 Tuesdays
Oriental and ALL OTHER local rptrs monitored upon activation–
Grifton, 146.685-(88.5)
Grantsboro, 145.23- (85.4)
Columbia, 146.835- (131.8)
Swansboro, 146.76- (88.5)
Jacksonville, 147.0- (88.5)
Jacksonville, 145.19- (88.5) Onslow county
Newport, 145.45- (100)
Newport, 444.825+ (88.5) Downeast 440 Linked System
Englehard, 146.71- (131.5) Outerbanks
NWS Hurricane Watch Net, SSB 14.325, On call
Traffic Handling Nets (Nat Traffic System), daily listed by time:
7:45am, 3.927MHz: Carolina Morning Net (SSB) –
6:30pm, 3.923MHz: North Carolina Evening Net (SSB) –
7:00pm, 3.573MHz: Carolinas Net – Early (CW — 20-22wpm) –
8:00pm, 3.571MHz: Carolinas Slow Net (CW, 8-10wpm) –
8:30pm, 146.685MHz-(88.5): Eastern NC Traffic Net (FM, Grifton Repeater)
10:00pm, 3.573MHz: Carolinas Net — Late (CW, 15-18wpm)
ARRL SPECIAL BULLETINS
In a major communications emergency, monitor W1AW for special bulletins as
follows: Voice on the hour, Digital at 15 minutes past the hour, and CW
on the half hour.
Frequencies (MHz)
—————–
CW: 1.8025 3.5815 7.0475 14.0475 18.0975 21.0675 28.0675 147.555
DIGITAL Bulletins are sent using 45.45-baud Baudot, PSK31 in BPSK mode and
MFSK16 on a daily revolving schedule:
3.5975 7.095 14.095 18.1025 21.095 28.095 147.555
VOICE: 1.855 3.990 7.290 14.290 18.160 21.390 28.590 147.555