PRESIDENT’S SOAPBOX
We had a very good PARS monthly meeting on Saturday, using a net format
on the W4SLH repeater. While the checkins were down compared to last
month’s meeting, the participation, particularly for the discussion of
how to do Field Day this year, was robust. Since it is likely that we
will not be able to have a classical Field Day site with public access,
there seemed to be a lot of support for having individual members
operating from their home stations, At this time ARRL is saying that we
would not be able to pool the individual scores to get a club score, but
we could have an internal club competition using several different
criteria, such as highest QSO rate, highest total score, etc. I welcome
all members, whether you sat in on our on the air meeting or not, to
email me any suggestions you might have for Field Day activities. It
could turn out to be a really fun event. …_._ de WM3X, Bill Michne,
252-249-1175, drmichnt73@gmail.com.
PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) April 25, 2020 VIRTUAL MEETING NOTES
* Fourteen PARS members checked-in to the 9 am breakfast meeting net on
the Oriental Repeater controlled by President Bill Michne using the club
call, N4PRS, Bill advised that the net will meet on the last Saturday
of the month during periods of restricted activity or mobility such as
that caused by the corona virus pandemic.
* There were no reports of awards or upgrades. VEC testing is at a
standstill.
* Bill presented the treasurer’s report on behalf of Wally. Our balance
is up $20 since last month due to sale of donated equipment.
* Propagation Report: Solar activity remains very low with no sunspots
for 90 days so far this year. The solar minimum continues. Early this
month the Space Weather Prediction Center published its prediction for
Cycle 25. SWPC predicts a solar maximum between 105 and 125 (sunspot
number) with the peak occurring between Nov. 2024 and Mar. 2026. Most
forecasts have the maximum plus or minus 20% of Cycle 24. For comparison
and in response to Bill’s question, the peak of famous Cycle 19 occurred
in Oct. 1957 with monthly values around 360 and a smoothed monthly
average of 284. [For interactive charts go to
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/solar-cycle-progression ].
* Mike Marsh, K4NLC, our ARES coordinator, reported that net checkins
are running 12-13, with 5-7 WinLink checkins. His total is 15.74 man
hours for the month with one Wednesday night practice yet to go. All
AUXCOMM training is on hold pending re-opening of PCC.
* Webmaster Paul, K4MMB, delivered the stats on N4PRS.org usage. For
the month to date there were 159 visitors, 347 pages seen, and most of
the visitors were from the US. Please send your photos of PARS/ham
related activities for posting to the club website.
* Regarding Field Day, what should we do? With Covid-19 restrictions
precluding a normal field day, ARRL wants clubs to be “creative”.
Operation from the Shrine Club is a non-option so Bill offered three
options noting there are probably more:
1) Operate from home with or without emergency power, individually
submit score and report PARS club membership. Scores not aggregated by
club. This is the ARRL proposal.
2) Intra-club competition. Competition between members to see who
made the most contacts, highest score etc.
3) Set up some inter-club competition, perhaps with New Bern or Cararet.
Bill recommended option one but encourages other other ideas.
Lively discussion followed on issues such as no GOTA station, dups if
individual scores are aggregated to make up a N4PRS submission, keep it
simple to encourage members to participate, differences in logging
programs, prizes for any intra-club competition like PARS caps, limits
to operating time for option 2 [operate the contest like a short sprint]
etc. Send your thoughts and ideas to Bill.
* Bruce, K4ONC, with Hurricane season approaching, reminded members
that the TarHeel Emergency Net is being given a new life. It meets daily
at 1930 hours on 3.923 MHz. Marv Hoffman, WA4NC, our NC Section Manager,
hosts the net on Thursday nights,
* There being no further business the meeting was adjourned/net closed
at 0938.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was very low during the 24 hours
ending yesterday at 5 pm local. There is one numbered sunspot regions on
the Sun facing Earth this morning. SpaceWeather.com has it as a member
of old Cycle 24 and probably one of that Cycle’s last. Solar 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 69, the same as last Sunday’s reading. The index
is predicted to register 70 today through Wednesday. The more important
SFI 90 day trailing average is 70.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. It is expected to be
quiet to “isolated” unsettled levels today through Wednesday. 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 bands. Es and TEP
propagation is still being reported by DXmaps on 6 meters in the
afternoon into the early evening.
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.
**FOR SALE**
1. Titan DX Multiband Antenna SOLD
2. Daiwa CN101L. SWR AND POWER METER. NEW. (COST $130). $45
3. ASTRON POWER Supply SOLD.
NOTE: All 3 items include instructions Contact: Larry Jones,
ljonesnc4@gmail.com or at 252 617-0525. Will consider reasonable offers.
(20200309)
PARS CALENDAR:
* May 30, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Venue TBD. For more
info, contact Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
* Jun 27-28, ARRL Field Day, TBD, 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.
Stay safe, socialize by radio!
73, Jim AI4WL
——
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