PRESIDENT’S SOAPBOX
Ah, the lazy days of summer. With Field Day and Croakerfest behind us, things have quieted down considerably. But not totally. This Saturday, July 6, we will have the regularly scheduled VE session at the Town Hall, beginning at 9:00 AM. I will send out a separate note to the VE’s. If anyone out there wants to take a new license or upgrade exam, let me know and I will send you a confirmation along with the information on what to bring and what not to bring. de WM3X, Bill Michne, 252-249-1175, drmichne73@gmail.com.
FIELD DAY PHOTOS ON N4PRS.ORG
Paul has posted photos taken of our 2019 Field Day gang doing their thing. You can view them at
https://www.n4prs.org/whats-new/ While you are there, look around. The site has been rearranged, opened up, and a friendly place to visit.
NO ARES CLASSROOM SESSION IN JULY
The next emergency communications training session for ARES/AUXCOM will be Thursday, August 1, at Pamlico Community College. For more information contact Mike Marsh, K4NLC, 252-636-1257 or mike@marshconsulting.org
11TH ANNUAL 13 COLONIES SPECIAL EVENT
Are you bored? Think it’s too hot to go out and work in the garden? Do something different. Get on your radio! The “13 Colonies Special Event” takes place between 1300z, July 1st and 0400z July 8th. Try to work all 13 and the 3 special stations including a sister event station in Durham England for a “clean sweep”. Nice certificate, special QSL cards, fun. The special events stations mentioned are: K2A (NY), K2B (VA), K2C (RI), K2D (CT), K2E (DE), K2F (MD), K2G (GA), K2H (MA), K2I (NJ), K2J (NC), K2K (NH), K2L (SC), and K2M (PA) plus bonus stations WM3PEN, GB13COL, and K2Z. All HF bands will be in play, including the WARC bands, with the exception of 60 meters. All modes of operation should be represented – SSB, CW, RTTY, Digital, and the Satellites. (The mode of operation is up to the individual colony state station.) For more details on the stations, suggested frequencies, QSL info and how to obtain the special certificate, see: http://www.13colonies.net Good luck, have fun. (Extracted from The OPDX Bulletin #1420, Ted Mirgliotta, KB8NW ed.)
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. After two days with, we are again looking forward to a number of days without. Activity will continue to be very low through Wednesday according to the Space Weather Prediction Center. On Sunday, the reported Solar Flux Index (SFI) at Penticton was 67. The index is predicted to be 68 for today through Wednesday. The SFI 90 day trailing average is 71.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet to unsettled yesterday. It is expected to be quiet through Wednesday. The estimated Kp-index of 3 at 5 a.m. local this morning indicates quiet conditions.
We can expect good daytime and good nighttime operating conditions on 80 and 40 meters for the next few days. Poor conditions will continue on the higher bands. Six Meters continues to be a challenge for those of us in the black hole (DownEast NC). We may see lots of activity on DXmaps and on the cluster but no joy for us. Turn on the radio, nothing heard, nothing seen. Could it be the heat?
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
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. Listings will EXPIRE AFTER 90 DAYS unless I hear otherwise.–Jim.
**NEW FOR SALE**
– New ultra low loss coax. 240 feet DXE 400 MAX, top of the line ultra low loss, 50 ohm, foam, dual shield, direct bury. DXE equivalent to LMR400. New, recently purchased, still on wood reel. DXE price $.95/ft. This 240’ on reel for $150.00.
Dick Goodwin K4JJW 252-633-7873 rgoodwin41@suddenlink.net
(20190701)
**For Sale**
– Ameritron ALS-606 600W Solid State Linear Amplifier with Power Supply. New, 2 months ago, I have 2 of them and only need one! Priced at $1,600. It can be seen and tried at my QTH in Comfort (Jones County), NC. Will deliver as far as New Bern. For more info contact Terry Brown, KE4ULF at terbrw@yahoo.com (20190520)
**For Sale**
– Kenwood TS-870SAT Transceiver. Works and looks as new. Has hand mic and power cable, no box. $650.
– Ameritron ATR-20 Antenna Tuner. Has new roller inductor, works perfectly. Condx is 9 out of 10! Asking $175.
Contact Don Smith, KJ4RB at kj4rb@embarqmail.com or 252-568-4011 (If no answer please leave message). (20190520)
**For Sale**
– CUSHCRAFT 17B2 2 METER SSB ANTENNA
Original cushcraft , not MFJ version, in the box sealed for $150.00 they list for mid $300’s now. It is 31 ft long when assembled. Contact Don Smith, KJ4RB at kj4rb@embarqmail.com. (20190409)
** For Sale**
– MFJ-259B HF/VHF SWR ANALYZER. Unit has some slight cosmetic paint scratches but is completely functional. Covers 1.8 to 170 MHz. $160.00.
– MFJ-949E VERSA TUNER II. Like new condition. Features cross needle SWR/POWER meter that reads peak or average power, has two coax outputs, and built-in dummy load. Maximum 300 watts. Includes manual. $100.00. Contact Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175, drmichne73@gmail.com. (20190401)
PARS CALENDAR:
* July 6, FCC License Examination/VE Session, Saturday 9am, Oriental Town Hall, Oriental. Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
* Jul 27, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
* Aug 1, Emergency Communications Training for ARES, Thursday, 7-9 pm, Brinson Building Room 412, Pamlico Comunity College, Mike Marsh, K4NLC, 252-636-1257 or mike@marshconsulting.org
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* Mondays, Pete’s “Pamlico Swamp Roundtable” (“Swamp Net” for some), around 8 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 10 Meter Band voice segment open to technician licensees and above. Radio related topics/questions/issues welcomed.
* Tuesdays, Newport Weather Service SKYWARN Practice Net, 9:00 pm local, Oriental (147.210+ (PL151.4)) and all other local repeaters. Open net for severe weather warning and reporting 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/
Web Master is Paul Jodoin, K4MMB, 561-308-3456, PARSwebman@gmail.com
YOUR PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY OFFICERS
President–Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175. drmichne73@gmail.com
Vice President–Bruce Perkins, K4ONC, 252-249-6015, k4onc@aol.com
Treasurer–Gail (Wally) Wallace, KK4ASP, 410-804-1750, wallyandwill@gmail.com
Secretary/Newsletter Editor–Jim Hartmeyer, AI4WL, 252-249-1984, jth350@embarqmail.com
ABOUT THE PARSgram
The PARSgram is a weekly email publication for members of the Pamlico Amateur Radio Society (PARS), an association of amateur radio operators located in, near, or from Pamlico County, North Carolina. The PARSgram contains announcements and information about current and planned activities of the Society and other items of specific interest to its members. Except to summarize information related to Solar Activity and announce expeditions of amateur radio operators to unique distant places, special event stations, and contests, it does not generally repeat information available elsewhere. The PARSgram offers a means to advertise radio equipment and other related items for sale or trade. Since PARS members may have limited internet access, the PARSgram has no attachments and kept relatively short. Go to the PARS Website at https://www.n4prs.org/ for longer news articles, photos, archived PARSgrams and more. We are always looking for items of specific interest to our members to put in the PARSgram. If you run across a timely item or think of something you think would interest our folks, please send it to me at jth350@embarqmail.com. (20190303)
73, Jim AI4WL
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This email is sent to members and friends of the Pamlico Amateur Radio Society. We are pleased that you asked to receive our weekly newsletter and hope that you enjoy reading it. If you no longer wish to receive the PARSgram please let us know by reply email or by email to jth350@embarqmail.com. Thanks.