PRESIDENT’S SOAPBOX
One of my favorite reads in recent QST’s has been the series entitled “A
Look Back.” It’s fun to see pictures of those rigs of yesteryear, but
the January edition was the best yet for me. It featured an article
reprinted from the March 1971 edition entitled “A 75/80-Meter Vertical
Antenna Square Array,” written by James Lawson, W2PV. In the 50’s and
60’s Jim was a powerhouse on 80 meters. We both lived in the same
county in upstate New York, and both belonged to the same club. He was
much older than I and was way beyond me in knowledge and experience in
ham radio, so I didn’t know him very well. He lived on the main road
that connected Schenectady and Troy. You couldn’t miss his place,
several acres of towers and beams and wire hanging in the sky. The
antenna described in the QST article consisted of four 53 foot HYGain
HyTowers in a square pattern on top of a vast radial field. It was
quite good on transmit as I understand, but he used it primarily as a
receive antenna, preferring to use his really heavy artillery to be
heard. We used to joke that when Jim was on the air you could hear him
on your receiver even when it was switched off! …_._ de WM3X, Bill
Michne, 252-249-1175, drmichne73@gmail.com.
COMING SOON: PARS MEETING SATURDAY, JAN 30, 2021
**** 9:AM VIA “ZOOM” *****
We will be holding this month’s PARS meeting via Zoom. Prior to the
meeting, it is recommended to download the Zoom application to the
device you wish to use. Steve Silveira, KO4EDA, will again be our
technical host for the meeting.
If you are on MacOS or Windows proceed to https://zoom.us. In the top
right corner there is a drop down menu labeled “Resources”. Click the
“Download Zoom Client” link to install. If you are on an iPhone or iPad
get the app from the App Store, and if you are on Android phone or
tablet, get the app from Google Play Store.
Here is the meeting link and ID for the PARS Monthly Meeting:
Topic: PARS Monthly Meeting
Time: JAN 30, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Zoom Meeting Link:
https://cravenk12.zoom.us/j/96038396148
Meeting ID: 960 3839 6148
Dial in: 1-646-558-8656
You can join the meeting one of 3 ways:
- Click the link to join the meeting, on MacOS and Windows you should
be prompted to Open the Zoom App, and on mobile devices and tablets it
should just open.
- Open your Zoom App (MacOS, Windows, and Mobile Devices) and click
“Join a Meeting” (or the “Join” Button if already signed in), then type
in the Meeting ID and enter your name and click Join.
- If you cannot seem to get Zoom working or do not have a compatible
device, dial in via the phone number provided above.
Agenda:
0900 PARS Monthly Business Meeting
1000-1015 Check-in for others attending this month’s presentation.
1015 Special presentation by Bob Heil, K0EID.
If you have questions regarding “Zoom” that you can’t resolve, please
email Steve at rastoban@gmail.com.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was very low during the 24 hour period
ending yesterday at 5 pm local. There are two numbered sunspot regions
on the Sun facing Earth this morning. On Sunday the observed Solar Flux
Index (SFI) at Penticton was 77. Solar activity is expected be very low
through Wednesday with chances for C-class flares. The index is
predicted to register 77 today, Tuesday and Wednesday. The SFI 90 day
trailing average is 85, the same as last Monday.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. It is expected to be
quiet to active today, Tuesday and Wednesday. Solar winds are the cause.
No storms are predicted for the next 24 hours. The estimated Kp-index of
0 reported at 7 a.m. local this morning indicates we are currently
experiencing quiet geomagnetic conditions.
For the next several days, we can expect good daytime and good nighttime
operating conditions on 80 and 40 meters, fair on 30 and 20, and poor on
the higher bands. It was good to see lots of activity on 6M this weekend
during the ARRL January VHF Contest. As expected most contestants were
using the digital modes, especially FT8. The HF bands were also busy for
the North American SSB QSO Party.
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.
WINTER FIELD DAY
Sharing a reminder from Dick Goodwin, K4JJW:
Hi Ya’ll: Just a heads up that Winter Field Day is the last weekend of
this month. It runs for 24 hours, starting Saturday afternoon at
2:00PM, EST. Complete info is available at www.winterfieldday.com.
Considering that we have been Covid19 restricted it can be an
opportunity (weather permitting) to set up anything that puts out RF and
enjoy some outdoor time or you can participate from indoors, your porch,
RV, or whatever. The Rules are essentially the same as the summertime
Field Day except this event is not sponsored by ARRL. Logs can be
submitted if you wish. For those using N3FJP’s AClog there is a handy
Winter Field Day logging program patterned after the regular Field Day
log. I’m not suggesting a organized club effort but it can be a nice
opportunity for individual operations or a small get-together under
Covid19 guidelines. The weather was nice last year and Buck AA4SN and I
set up in nearby Whitehurst park and enjoyed the day. Depending on
weather I’ll probably play for a while on CW just to make some contacts.
73 Dick K4JJW
HAM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, TRADE, OR WANTED
For listing in the PARSgram send me your amateur radio related items
that you have 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.
**Estate Ham Equipment For Sale**
Eddie Lyon, K4NGR, provided a long list of equipment he is wishing to
sell on behalf of the wife of a fellow ham who passed several weeks ago.
Major items now remaining on the list with prices originally paid
include a Yaesu FT2000/HF Transceiver $2,115 with Yaesu MD-100 Mic $179
and Yaesu external speaker with phone patch and an Ammeritron AL-811H
Amp $999. “These prices are what he had paid for them brand new so
whatever we can get for them to help his wife Pat out will be most
appreciated.” For a complete list of the remianing items or more
information please contact Eddie at ELyon47@aol.com or 540-905-5839.
(20201019, 20201102)
PARS CALENDAR:
* Jan 30, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Virtual Meeting via
“Zoom”. Our special guest speaker will be Bob Heil, K9EID, of Heil
Sound. For more info, contact Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or
drmichne73@gmail.com.
* Feb 27, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Virtual Meeting via
“Zoom”. Our guest speaker will be Marv Hoffman, WA4NC, ARRL North
Carolina Section Manager. For more info, contact Bill Michne, WM3X,
252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* 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
Please mask up in public and stay safe.
73, Jim AI4WL
——
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