PARS BREAKFAST MEETING THIS COMING SATURDAY
Our next meeting will be in the back room of Brantleys Village
Restaurant on Broad Street in Oriental at 0900 Saturday, April 26th.
Please park along the side or out back. We hope to see you all there.
Come early for breakfast with your fellow hams. For more information
contact Pamlico Amateur Radio Society President Bruce Perkins, K4ONC,
252-626-2730 or K4ONC@aol.com
Expect to hear about the recent PCT Meeting and DMR, planned and ongoing
efforts on the Kershaw VHF and UHF repeaters, the June EHPC COMMEX,
propagation, DX activity and more. Always lots to talk about plus a
chance for a Brantleys Gift Certificate.
SO WHERE ARE THEY NOW? THE GREAT EASTERN BALLOON ‘ROUND-ABOUT CONTINUES
With two of the original pico balloons still reporting, on Sunday
afternoon the Greenville balloon, NC4ES, was slowly floating just a few
miles off the coast of southern Iceland; the Pamlico balloon, N4PRS, was
moving considerably faster and over western Iraq. It was just last
Monday that they both were over the eastern Pacific and we thought the
Greenville balloon, then moving faster, might actually catch the Pamlico
balloon. Never happen. Greenville went north into Canada, Pamlico went
due east across Mexico.
At 7am EDT this morning, the Greenville balloon was slowly moving east
from Iceland at 16 mph on a track taking her north of the Faroe Islands.
The Pamlico balloon has passed over Kandahar and just crossed over the
border into Pakistan. On her 73rd day of flight, she’s on her 7th lap
around the Earth and according to Traquito has traveled 143,049 miles!
Get updates from Matt, WU2V/Chief Balloonist, and the links for tracking
the balloons at:
https://easternhpc.com/nc4es-pico-balloon-information-page/ and on his
EHPC Facebook page.
PAMLICO EMERGENCY/COMMUNICATIONS NET
Wayne, K04OJC, reported 13 WinLink check-ins and 20 net check-ins for
the Pamlico Emergency/Communications Net last Wednesday, April 9th.
Eight stayed for an ad-hoc DMR gathering on the Arapahoe repeater.
Expect to QSY as directed again this Wednesday.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reports that solar activity was moderate during the 24 hour period
ending yesterday at 5 p.m. local. The Space Weather Prediction Center
expects solar activity to be low today through Wednesday with a chance
for M-class flares.
There are 7 numbered sunspot regions on the Sun facing Earth this
morning. There were 5 last Monday, 9 the Monday before.
Sunday’s noon Solar Flux Index (SFI) observation at Penticton was 156,
last Sunday’s was 164. The index is predicted to measure 160 today, 165
Tuesday and 165 on Wednesday. The much more important SFI 90 day
trailing average was 174 yesterday. It was 174 last Sunday.
The geomagnetic field reached minor storm levels yesterday. The SWPC
expects the field to be quiet to active today, reach major storm levels
Tuesday and Wednesday. The planetary K-index at 5 a.m. this morning was
4.33 indicating unsettled conditions.
For the next several days look for poor conditions during the day on 80
to 40, good at night; good day and night on 30 to 15; and good day, poor
at night on 12 and 10M. Little change. It’s still best on 15 and 17. Go
to https://www.n4prs.org/looking-up/ for the latest observations.
DX THIS WEEK–
Extracted from ARRL’s ARLD016 DX news and DXWorld.net:
–THE GAMBIA, C5. Operators YT3PL, YU5R and F5RAV are QRV as C5R, with
F5RAV also active as C5LT, from Kololi from to May 2. Activity is on the
HF bands and 6 meters using CW, SSB, FT8, and FT4, and on various
Satellites.
–GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, HC8. A large group of operators are QRV as HD8G
from Santa Cruz Island, IOTA SA-004, from to 26 April. Activity is from
two locations on the island with up to eight stations active.
–MINAMI TORISHIMA, JD1. Take, JG8NQJ is QRV as JG8NQJ/JD1 until June
20. Activity is in his spare time on the HF bands using CW and FT8. QSL
via LoTW.
–PRINCE EDWARD AND MARION ISLANDS, ZS8. Yuris, YL2GM will be QRV as
ZS8W from Marion Island from today to May 16 while on work assignment.
Activity will be in his spare time on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB, and
FT8.
HAM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, TRADE, OR WANTED
Send me your amateur radio related items that are for sale, trade, or
wanted and your contact information. PLEASE let me know when you have
have sold your item or if your listing is no longer needed. Listings
will EXPIRE AFTER 90 DAYS unless I hear otherwise. Thanks, Jim.
–FOR SALE: SB 200 Amplifier by Heathkit. In very good working order
with two extra brand new tubes. Reliable 500-600 watts and can be pushed
for more. $400. Charlie WA4GSI, 919 210-5168. (20250310)
PARS CALENDAR:
* APR 26, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC,
252-626-2730 or K4ONC@aol.com
* May 3, PAMLICO COMMUNICATIONS TEAM (PCT) MEETING, Saturday, 9-10:30am,
Oriental VFD Station 19 on Straight Rd vic. NC-55. All are welcome. For
more info, contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC, 252-626-2730 or K4ONC@aol.com
REPEATER/NODE STATUS
(See www.n4prs.org/frequencies/ for set-up)
N4ONC VHF FM Oriental (147.210MHz+ CTCSS 88.5Hz) — Operational
N4ONC (old KR4LO) UHF FM Oriental — Down for repair/replacement.
NC4ES VHF DMR Arapahoe (NC4ES Network) (147.285MHz+ CC1) — Operational
NC4ES VHF FM Arapahoe (147.285MHz+CTCSS ENC 88.5Hz/DEC 100Hz)–Standby
NC4ES UHF DMR (NC4ES Network) Florence — Operational.
WM3X-ONC VHF C4FM/WIRES-X NODE Oriental (145.530 simplex)– Operational.
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* Mondays, “Pamlico 10 Meter Net, 7:30 pm local, on or near 28.464 MHz,
USB. A non-directed net for technicians and above. Radio
topics/questions/issues welcomed.
* Wednesdays,”Pamlico Communications Net”, 7:30 pm local, N4ONC
(Oriental) VHF Repeater, 147.210+ (CTSCC Tone Squelch 88.5). A directed
net open to all. Net activates on call during emergencies.
* 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 WEBSITE: https://www.n4prs.org/
Our Web Master is Paul Jodoin, K4MMB, PARSwebman@gmail.com
73, Jim AI4WL Editor
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