PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) Jul 30, 2022 MEETING NOTES
* Twenty-six PARS members, visitors and guests attended the 9 am
Saturday Field Day breakfast meeting chaired by President Mike Marsh,
K4NLC, at Brantley’s Village Restaurant. Visitors included boaters Steve
and Hannah Clayton, KK4NNH and KK4SJF respectively, of a ham family out
of Tennessee.
* Lor, W3QA, reminded the group that he was assembling several highly
regarded feature packed pocket-size GDX QRP digital mode multi-band
transceivers. He has 3 available for purchase w/case at $90 each. [See
https://qrp-labs.com/qdx -ed].
* No awards or upgrades were reported although Dick, K4JJW, was
recognized for his outstanding effort during the 2022 Thirteen Colonies
event. He worked them all (and all the special stations) on all modes
and all bands!
* Paul, K4MMB, reported hits on the website jumped in July. There have
been 177 visitors so far with about 350 pages visited. He noted there
were 44 visits on the day of Croakerfest, the day of the N4PRS Parade
Tractor and the “Ham in the Can” that made lots of HF noise along-side
the Neuse.
* Propagation Report: Jim, AI4WL, advised that we are experiencing a
“quiet sun” with a big dip in solar activity. However, as reported by
ARRL’s Tad Cook, “This cycle is progressing nicely”. Our spotless days
have dropped from 208 in 2020, to 64 in 2021, and so far in 2022, only
one day without sunspots.
* Bruce, K4ONC, our county AUXcomm lead, announced the next PCT meeting
will be on August 5th at the Oriental VFD Station 19 on Straight Road.
Mike reported the Pamlico Communications Net met 4 times in July for 14
manhours
* An opportunity for a another repeater in the county was reported by
Bill Michne, WM3X. Access on the Arlington Place tower may become
available. At the same time interest in digital modes such as C4FM and
DStar, a mode provided in newer transceivers, is increasing. The closest
C4FM repeaters now are in Greenville and Englehard. Only the Greenville
repeater offers Fusion. DMR access to the Brandmeister, TGIF, DMR+, and
other popular networks is also limited, with access through hotspots for
these modes the best current option. Lor is contacting the current
Arapahoe tower owner for more information. As he noted, these
opportunities don’t come often.
* The Hurricane Forum sponsored by PARS, hosted by the town of Oriental
and presented by the Newport office of the National Weather Service was
a well attended success. With all seats full at town hall and 40
participants watching via the internet, the well advertised presentation
by Eric Hayden was an eye-opener for the many newcomers who attended.
* The organizers of the Bike MS Cycling on Sep 10th and 11th will need
help from the amateur community. They requested and were granted use of
the Oriental repeater as backup for the New Bern (Grantsboro) repeater
that weekend. They also need communications at rest stops and as
SAGs–ham followers of the racers in pickups for safety, reporting, and
assistance.
* On the Oriental N4ONC repeater–The Motorola VHF dual mode (FM and
DMR) repeater Lor put in place last Saturday for test and evaluation, is
receiving high marks according to Mike. The test will continue for an
indefinite period.
* Buck won the monthly drawing. He received a Brantley’s Restaurant $20
gift certificate.
* Mike suggested that we turn the back table into a monthly
mini-hamfest. Members offering equipment, parts, and other ham related
items for sale or trade are encouraged to bring them to the monthly
meeting.
* There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 09:45 am.
* The meeting was followed by a presentation on remote computing by
Wayne Beasley, KO4OJC. Wayne explained how remote operation has been
made much easier with newer state-of-the-art transceivers and improved
software–much of it free.
BIKE MS VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Bike MS is a 2-day cycling event, this year on September 10 and 11, that
raises funds to support people living with multiple sclerosis. Money
raised through this event funds MS research, programs, services, and
advocacy. Bike MS cyclists enjoy two full days of riding through rural
eastern North Carolina. Each day, cyclists can choose to ride 30, 75, 50
or 100 miles on fully-supported routes. It is big–over a thousand
riders in years past. The ride starts and finishes at Union Point Park
in New Bern. The event and Net Control will be conducted from the New
Bern Convention Center. Help is needed: SAGs who drive the route to
assist riders and report issues and also by hams at rest stops to
provide update information and request logistical or other support.
If you can assist, please contact Bill Sanford, K4VHO at
k4vho.nc@gmail.com or call him at 252-671-7446. You may also register at
https://nmss.galaxydigital.com/need/detail/?need_id=704809. If you wish
SAG duty, https://nmss.galaxydigital.com/need/detail/?need_id=704805
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was very low during the 24 hour period
ending yesterday at 5 p.m. local. There are 3 numbered sunspot regions
on the Sun facing Earth this morning. There were 6 last Monday. The
Prediction Center expects solar activity to be low through Wednesday
with a chance for C-class flares.
At noon yesterday, the observed Solar Flux Index (SFI) at Penticton was
- Last Sunday it was 107. The index is predicted to measure 92 at noon
today, 90 Tuesday and 92 Wednesday. The SFI 90 day trailing average was
126 yesterday, down two from last Sunday. A quiet week.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet to active yesterday. NOAA
expects conditions be quiet to unsettled today then quiet Tuesday. Minor
storm conditions are possible Wednesday. The estimated Kp-index of 2
reported at 8 a.m. local this morning indicates current quiet
geomagnetic conditions.
We can expect poor day and fair operating conditions today on 80 to 40
meters, good on 30 and 20, fair on 17, 15 and 10. The six meter dX
season is winding down but Es conditions continue to appear during the
daylight hours on occasion. They are not predictable.
For an explanation of the numbers used in our PARSgram, see the
excellent article written by Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA at
http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere.
DX THIS WEEK–
From ARLD030 DX news:
TIMOR-LESTE, 4W. Alan, VK1AO is QRV as 4W/VK1AO from Dili until
August 4. Activity is on 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, and 12 meters using SSB,
FT8, JS8, and possibly some CW. This may include some POTA activity as
well on Artauro Island, IOTA OC-232. QSL to home call.
SOLOMON ISLANDS, H4. Bernhard, DL2GAC will be QRV as H44MS from
Honiara on Guadalcanal Island, IOTA OC-047, from July 30 to
September 15. Activity will be on 80 to 6 meters using SSB and
possibly FT8. QSL direct to home call.
HAM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, TRADE, OR WANTED
For listing in the PARSgram send me your amateur radio related items
that are for sale, trade, or wanted. PLEASE let me know when you have
have sold your item or your listing is no longer needed. Listings will
EXPIRE AFTER 90 DAYS unless I hear otherwise.–Jim.
NEW For Sale–Classic ASTATIC D-104 “Lollipop” microphone. It has the
upgrade to a ceramic element and is wired to an 8 pin Icom compatible
plug. This microphone produces excellent audio and has been my regular
use mike for several years. It is in very good condition. $75. Contact
Charlie Overcash, WA4GSI, at 919-210-5168. (20220801)
For Sale:
* Icom IC7600 with 125 power supply and sp23 speaker. This speaker has
filters in it. With hand mic, $1000
* Tentec Jupiter green screen with ps963 power supply and Heil desk mic.
$500
* Second Tentec Jupiter with desk mic and 963 power supply, $500
* Heathkit solid state transceiver built by Yaesu. Heathkit SB-1400 same
as FT-747 but better looking. Has matching power supply, speaker combo,
clean $300
* MFJ 40 mtr QRP CW rig with matching tuner and battery pack. With
chargers and flat key, model num 9040 tuner is 971 power neat late
model. Look up MFJ prices abt 600 for all, my price is $100
* MFJ model 949c manual 300 watt tuner ..clean $75
* Alpha 76ca amp 160-10 meter Peter Dahl trans super clean, $1000
* Acom 1000 amp.. 160-6 meters at 1000 watts built in tuner 3 to 1, $1000
* TE Systems model 0552g ss amp mobile. Needs to be fed with 50 amp
power supply. 20 watts in, 350-400 out, $350
Have other equiptment for future listings. Thanks guys. All of this
equipment is clean and works perfect. Can demo here at home.
Contact Don Smith, KJ4RB at kj4rb@embarqmail.com or 252-568-4011 (If no
answer please leave message). (20220613)
PARS CALENDAR:
* Aug 6, PAMLICO COMMUNICATIONS TEAM MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Oriental
VFD Station 19 on Straight Rd vic. NC-55. AUXCOMM & ARES–All are
welcome. For more info, contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC, 252-626-2730 or
K4ONC@aol.com
* Aug 27, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Mike Marsh, K4NLC,
252-636-1257 or mike@MarshConsulting.org
* Sep 24, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Mike Marsh, K4NLC,
252-636-1257 or mike@MarshConsulting.org
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* Wednesdays,”Pamlico Communications Net”, 7:30 pm local, N4ONC
(Oriental) Repeater, 147.210 + (CTSCC Tone Squelch 88.5).
* 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
73, Jim AI4WL
——–
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