SO WHERE ARE THEY NOW? THE GREAT EASTERN BALLOON ‘ROUND-ABOUT CONTINUES
About time for a bit of a review… Remember, our two balloons were
launched from Greenville within 5 minutes of each other way back on
Thursday February 7th. Yesterday, Sunday May 11th, they both had been
floating around the Earth for 93 days. At just after 2pm EDT, the
Pamlico balloon was over the warm Pacific approaching the beach of sunny
Manzanillo, Mexico. She was on her 8th lap and had traveled 180,682
miles. The Greenville balloon, NC4ES, had caught different winds,
traveled slower, and was on her 6th lap and on a more northern track
around the globe. Just before 2pm, after traveling 119,026 miles she was
over the cold Barents Sea between Svalbard and Norway. According to
their most recent Traquito reports, both balloons are doing just fine
floating easterly well above the airliners: Pamlico at 46,129 ft,
Greenville at 42,257 .
This morning, the Pamlico balloon is still asleep. Her last report 12
hours ago put her over central Mexico likely to pass north of Mexico
City. The Greenville balloon is awake. At 0658am EDT she was slowly
approaching Russia’s Severny Island, a very cold and desolate place indeed.
Our congrats go Matt and Lor and the rest of the EHPC-NC4ES launch team.
You guys done good!
PAMLICO EMERGENCY/COMMUNICATIONS NET
Hank, KW1ZRD, reported 16 WinLink check-ins and 17 net check-ins for the
Pamlico Emergency/Communications Net last Wednesday, May 7th. Listen
for Hank again on Wednesday. If you do DMR, be prepared to switch over
to the Arapahoe NC4ES repeater local talk group after the regular net
closes.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reports that solar activity was low 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.
There are 6 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 126,
last Sunday’s was 159. The index is predicted to measure 125 today, 120
Tuesday and 120 on Wednesday. The much more important SFI 90 day
trailing average was 165 yesterday. It was 168 last Sunday.
The geomagnetic field was quiet to unsettled yesterday. The SWPC expects
the field to be quiet to unsettled today and Wednesday. It’s to be quiet
to active on Tuesday. The planetary K-index at 5 a.m. this morning was
1.67 indicating quiet conditions.
Conditions were not good for the Armed Forces Day Cross Band Test on
Saturday. The poor conditions were likely caused by an ongoing filament
eruption first observed on May 6th. The high-speed winds from coronal
holes were expected to continue over the weekend and apparently did.
Look for poor conditions during the day on 80 to 40, good at night; good
day and night on 30 to 15; and fair day, poor at night on 12 and 10M. Go
to https://www.n4prs.org/looking-up/ for the latest observations.
DX THIS WEEK–
Extracted from ARRL’s ARLD019 DX news and DXWorld.net:
–LESOTHO, 7P. Mark, KW4XJ and Arina, KO4PZT are QRV as 7P8AB and 7P8NB,
respectively, until mid-2025.
–NAMIBIA, V5. Remo, HB9SHD is QRV as V51/HB9SHD until June 15. Activity
is holiday style on 40 to 6 meters using SSB and various digital modes.
QSL via LoTW.
–PRINCE EDWARD AND MARION ISLANDS, ZS8. Yuris, YL2GM is QRV as ZS8W
from Marion Island to May 16 while on work assignment. Activity will be
in his spare time on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB, and FT8. This one
remains tough to log–a one man operation part time and #11 on most
wanted list. Good luck.
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.
–UPDATED FOR SALE: FOR SALE: Astron VS-50M 50-amp power supply. Like
new condition with original box and paperwork. LED upgrade installed for
both meters. This item currently sells for over $500. First $375 takes.
Mike, AB1OU, 203-981-0215.(20250428)
–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:
* May 31, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC,
252-626-2730 or K4ONC@aol.com
* June 7, 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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