PRESIDENT’S SOAPBOX
We had our first in person monthly PARS meeting since the start of the
pandemic, about a year ago. We met at Brantley’s, as usual, with 15
members in attendance, 1 member on a zoom call, and 2 guests. Since
Jim, AI4WL, wasn’t present, this edition of the Soapbox will attempt to
highlight the meeting. I’m doing this from memory, so some information
may be missing, for which I apologize. After the introductions we got a
brief update on Lor’s (W3QA) high altitude balloon project. On the
first attempt the balloon was lost somewhere over the Atlantic. The
second attempt is still flying and is on track to make the
circumnavigation. Our Treasurer Wally (KK4ASP) also was not present,
but she provided me with the financial update. We had no expenses
during April, and income from dues ($20) and sale of club equipment
($50). The club continues to be solvent. Mike (K4NLC) gave the ARES
report. Net check-ins on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 PM local time have
been decreasing. Mike and I encourage all ARES folks to check in, even
if you are only a casual listener. You can also check in via WinLiink,
a system that is growing in importance to emergency communication. If
you are not on WinLink Lor (W3QA) has a self paced course course to get
you going. Propagation: Jim (AI4WL) provided me with a propagation
report, which I embellished with some information from the ARRL website.
Propagation Is improving on the higher bands as Cycle 25 is born.
Solar flux indices and the appearance of real sunspots is encouraging,
and Dick (K4JJW) reported some activity on 6 meters. Field Day (June
26,27): With pandemic restrictions easing we are looking forward to
holding a traditional style Field Day at a temporary site. We have
been offered two sites. One is the vacant lot adjacent to the Village
Hardware Store, and the other is the Grantsboro Shrine Club. Both sites
offer advantages. However, when we held Field Day a couple of years ago
at the Oriental Town Hall, the ambient RF noise level along Route 55 in
the village was so high that we struggled to make just a few contacts.
We have used the Shrine Club successfully for two years, and the
consensus view was that low noise was more important than the public
exposure advantage of the hardware store. So we will hold Field Day at
the Shrine Club. I’ll have more to say next week about how we will
operate to take advantage of the rules changes. 73 for now. de WM3X,
Bill Michne, 252-249-1175, drmichne73@gmail.com.
RIDING THE EASTERN EXPRESS
What a trip! As I write this on Sunday afternoon, the “Eastern Express”
carrying call sign NC4ES-2, is about 700 miles west of Baja California
heading our way. Lor and Matt’s little SBS-13 balloon filled with about
a cubic foot of hydrogen and hauling a tiny WSPR-MODE beacon is about to
circumnavigate the globe… quite a feat. At 42,000 ft up, since her
launch on the 12th she has floated over the Atlantic Ocean, Morocco,
Algeria, Greece, Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, India, Tibet,
China, North and South Korea, Japan, and then the Pacific Ocean passing
near Hawaii–about 23,400 miles so far–enroute to Baja California,
Mexico, and home. (I may have missed a country or two.)
Later, Sunday evening– The little high flying balloon ran out of
sufficient sunlight to keep talking around 7:36 pm EDT. About an hour
earlier, Gary NC3Z in nearby Florence had picked up her 20 mW signal. I
caught her as she closed down for the night only 2,241 miles from home.
Let’s see where she is when the sun comes up…
You too can follow her trip wherever the wind takes her at:
https://aprs.fi/#!call=a%2FNC4ES-2&timerange=86400&tail=86400
You can see the raw data as received by WSPR monitoring stations
reporting NC4ES-2 at:
http://lu7aa.org/wspr.asp?banda=20m&other=nc4es&balloonid=00×lot=&SSID=2&launch=20210412142000
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported solar activity was very low during the 24 hour period
ending yesterday at 5 p.m. local. There are four numbered sunspot
regions on the Sun facing Earth this morning. Solar activity is expected
to continue to be low through Wednesday with a chance for M-class
flares. On Sunday the observed Solar Flux Index (SFI) at Penticton was
- (Last Sunday it was 78.) The index is predicted to register 79 today
and then 78 on Tuesday and Wednesday. The SFI 90 day trailing average is
still 76.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field reached minor storm level yesterday. NOAA
expects conditions to be quiet to active today, then quiet Tuesday and
Wednesday. The estimated Kp-index of 3 reported at 5 a.m. local this
morning reflects our current quiet geomagnetic conditions.
For the next several days expect poor daytime and fair nighttime
operating conditions on 80 and 40 meters, fair on 30 and 20, poor on the
higher bands.
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.
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.
Still nothing. Send me one.
PARS CALENDAR:
* May 29, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Bill Michne, WM3X,
252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
* Jun 26-27, ARRL Field Day, Pamlico County Shrine Club, NC-306,
Grantsboro. For more info, contact Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or
drmichne73@gmail.com.
* Jul 31, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. 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
PARS YOUTUBE CHANNEL–N4PRS RADIO
Videos of recorded PARS Meetings, presentations, and club activities can
be viewed on on the N4PRS Radio YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpEMfxc7PQixT0rr5xEKtyQ
PAMLICO CCTF/Duke University Survey
The following is forwarded as a community service for the Pamlico County
CCTF:
“From: Pamlico County’s Covid-19 Community Task Force (CCTF)
To: Citizens of Pamlico County
CCTF is partnering with a team of students from the Duke University Bass
Connections experiential learning project in support of the Pamlico
County Health Department’s COVID-19 response. One portion of the
student team assessment is a survey of community members to: 1)
understand the effectiveness of CCTF’s communications, and 2) better
understand Pamlico County’s citizens’ perceptions of the pandemic. This
survey will help to improve future public health and disaster response
communications in our County.
If you are willing, please complete the survey by Wednesday, April 28th:
https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_86uiPAYLzELFmEm . This survey is
completely anonymous.”
73 and please stay safe, Jim AI4WL
——
This email is sent to members and friends of the Pamlico Amateur Radio
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