PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) December 18, 2021 MEETING NOTES
* Sixteen PARS members, visitors and guests attended the 9 am breakfast
meeting chaired by President Mike Marsh, K4NLC, at Brantley’s Village
Restaurant.
* Mike presented Wally’s treasurer’s report. The club is solvent.
PARS/ARRL membership renewal forms for CY2022 were mailed to current
members last week.
* Propagation Report: Solar activity was reported to be moderate with
6 sunspot regions and a chance for M class flares. The solar flux was up
to 121 Friday, a big jump from 92 last month. The geomagnetic field was
reported to be quiet.
* Bruce, K4ONC, our county AUXcomm lead reported that the Regional
Communications Exercise on December 9th involving Public Service and
Hospital/Medical agencies and also AUXcomm personnel went well. Lor,
W3QA, helped conduct the exercise at RCC-East in Kinston. A Pamlico
County AUXcomm support team operated at the Florence-Whortonsville VFD
as did a one-man (Gary Mitchelson, NC3Z) Controller/Simulation support
cell. Four others from the Pamlico Communications team operated from
their home stations. All were challenged to accomplish 25 communications
tasks on the events list in response to Exercise “Hurricane Frank”.
* As announced at the November meeting, the N4ONC Repeater Group is
working toward upgrading the now over 20 year old 2M repeater to provide
for both analog and digital (DMR) modes. Lor, W3QA, explained that the
“new” repeater, re-purposed from available components, will operate in
both modes on the same frequency as the current repeater. Additional
CTCSS/DCS codes will be implemented to prevent conflict. The new
repeater’s output will be 100W. The current repeater is at 25W so range
should improve. Antenna repairs have already been done.
* Mike reminded all that the next PARS meeting will be on Saturday,
January 29th. Bill, WM3X, will present some interesting findings from
his analysis of participation and scores from the 2021 ARRL Field Day.
* Chief Elf Bruce, K4ONC, with a little help from his friends,
orchestrated the Christmas gift exchange. There were lot’s of happy
smiles and thank-yous.
* There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:35 am. It
was followed by a review/critique (“Hotwash”) by those involved in the
Regional COMMEX.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported solar activity was low during the 24 hour period ending
yesterday at 4 p.m. local however there was a M1 flare at 1136Z this
morning. There are 7 reported numbered sunspot regions on the Sun facing
Earth. The Prediction Center expects solar activity to be low today
through Wednesday with a chance for M-class flares. On Sunday the
observed Solar Flux Index (SFI) at Penticton was 115. (Last Sunday it
was 80.) The index is predicted to measure 115 today and tomorrow and
then 114 on Wednesday. The SFI 90 day trailing average is up three to 89.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet to active yesterday. NOAA
expects conditions to be quiet to active today, Tuesday and Wednesday.
The estimated Kp-index of 4 reported at 7 a.m. local this morning
reflects our unsettled geomagnetic conditions.
We can expect fair day and good nighttime operating conditions today on
80 and 40 meters, fair on 30 and 20, and mostly poor on the higher
bands. Propagation on six meters is looking up. About 1/3 of the about
50 contacts reported this morning (it is early afternoon) in Europe are
long distance E-layer skip (Es). The rest are a mix of meteor skip and
tropo. Of the few contacts reported in N. America, several are Es.
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.
*FOR SALE* Astron RS-70M in pretty nice shape. $250 Gary Mitchelson,
NC3Z/4, nc3z.gary@gmail.com, 252-745-0655 (20211101)
*FOR SALE* Yaesu FT-2000 from the estate of the original owner. This is
the 100 watt version. In evaluating this radio the frequency display
was found to be weak, and has been replaced with genuine Yaesu parts.
Otherwise, the radio is in full specification working order, and
includes the owner’s manual and associated schematic diagrams. It does
not include a microphone, but there are numerous commercial options.
$750. Prefer local pickup. Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175,
drmichne73@gmail.com. (20211025)
PARS CALENDAR:
* Jan 8, PAMLICO COMMUNICATIONS TEAM MEETING, Saturday, 9am,
Florence-Whortonsville VFD. For more info, contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC,
252-626-2730 or K4ONC@aol.com
* Jan 29, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Mike Marsh, K4NLC,
252-636-1257 or mike@MarshConsulting.org
* Feb 26, 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, 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
We wish you all, our Society members and friends, a safe and very Merry
Christmas. Have a Great Holiday!
73, Jim AI4WL
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