PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) May 31, 2025 MEETING NOTES
* Twenty-five members, visitors and guests attended the 9 am Saturday
breakfast meeting at Brantley’s Village Restaurant chaired by President
Bruce Perkins, K4ONC. Dick Goodwin, K4JJW, reported working the
DXpedition on Marion Island, an ATNO for his log and his 343rd country.
* Bruce delivered the Treasurer’s report on behalf of Wally.
* The club will not participate on Field Day weekend as a group, mostly
due to the heat, storms, and tormenting insects that been the norm. Some
folks indicated they will miss the social that has been always been a
part of our Field Day gathering. Wayne and Charlie Overcash offered to
pursue a Fall picnic and POTA effort, perhaps in a park nearby.
* AI4WL’s Propagation Report: Solar activity has been moderate for the
past several days. 10 and 12 meter bands are still hot during the day
but closing earlier at night. There have been geomagnetic storms but
they affect mostly the far northern latitudes. Expect lower solar
activity the next few days. Conditions should be fair during the day for
the middle HF bands, good at night for the low, poor for the high.
* Hank gets congrats for conducting the PCN Wednesday night net. Bill,
KR4LO, will take it in June. Wayne has been handling the DMR “after-net”
on the Arapahoe repeater. Reminders, especially for nets in the digital
modes: leave several seconds between returning, listen for the “channel
clear” tone if your transceiver has one, use the “dashboard
[https://cluster.nc4es.org/]. In nets, turn the channel over to someone
or back to net control to avoid “doubling”.
* The next Pamlico Communications Team meeting will be next Saturday,
June 7th. Mike, AB1OU, will talk about C4FM and Systems Fusion. As
always, if you need help programming your charged up radio, bring it,
your programing cable. Bring your laptop if you have your programming
software on it.
* The two balloons are doing well. The N4PRS balloon has passed over
the Hawaiian Islands headed east on its 9th lap, the NC4ES balloon is
over the eastern coast of Greenland drifting toward Jan Mayen on her 8th.
* June 15th will be the last day to register to participate in the EHPC
Spring COMMEX on June 17th. The Pamlico County PACE Plan was offered as
a model to follow at the recent EHPC Open House in Kinston. Over 60 hams
and AUXCOMM folks attended, some from outside our region.
* Our Oriental N4ONC repeater can be reached through EchoLink. Now
hosted by Wayne in Harlowe, the goal is to host it on site. The Kershaw
UHF repeater is down for repair. The repeater controller purchased to
integrate services for both the VHF and UHF repeater and the internet
will likely be sent back to ARCOM for repair or replacement.
* Bruce is coordinating with the Town of Oriental and Newport Weather
Service office for our “annual” Hurricane Preparedness Seminar,
hopefully in late June or early July. Members are urged to attend. They
can offer “ground truth” experience for newcomers.
* A GMRS repeater has been obtained at no cost. To be sited on the
Kershaw tower, it is envisioned as providing a last ditch communications
means for the public during a disaster, a social communications medium
otherwise. GMRS proved to be of great value in the recovery period after
Hurricane Helene.
* The next PARS meeting will be on June 28th.
* As for door prizes, Charlie WA4GSI took home an AM Radio in a soda
can; Dodge KJ4CFE a first aid kit; Ray KR4ABZ a 3D Printed Map on a
tile, Charlie KO4YWM another tile with PARS logo and Lor W3QA had the
winning number for a Brantleys Gift Certificate.
* There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 10:16 am.
PAMLICO EMERGENCY/COMMUNICATIONS NET
Hank counted 14 WinLink check-ins and 13 net check-ins for the Pamlico
Emergency/Communications Net last Wednesday, May 28th. Bill, K2ONN,
checked in late via EchoLink. There were six who switched over to the
Arapahoe DMR repeater. Expect to do the “DMR post-net net” again this
Wednesday. It will be a directed net. Please listen for guidance from
the controller during the PCN. Please program the Arapahoe NC4ES Chat 1
talk group (TG 27501, TS 1) if you have not already done so. We may use
that talk group, otherwise Arapahoe Local. Bill, KR4LO has the net for June.
GMRS REPEATER OPERATIONAL FOR TESTING
From Bruce, K4ONC:
“Lor [W3QA] and I [K4ONC] installed the GMRS repeater at the Kershaw
tower after the ORG meeting [Saturday, May 31]. It is working very well.
Lor and I did some radio checks with Lor at various locations in the
village and me at my QTH, both on handhelds. Most checks were LC. Wayne
[KO4OJC] also checked in from his QTH [Harlowe] on a HT. Wayne was weak
but readable but improved when he connected his HT to a base antenna. We
think the repeater will work well for us. Those with GMRS radios should
set their radios to Channel 21 and Repeater 7. The receive frequency on
your radio should be 462.700, with transmit at 467.700, PL tone of 131.8
+. I am not sure what the power out is but we can always add an amp if
necessary… The current repeater callsign ID is WRDA838 but will be
changed to my callsign, WFSZ730.”
For more information contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC, 252-626-2730 or
K4ONC@aol.com. Signal/reception reports are welcomed.
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 moderate today through Wednesday with a 15%
chance for an X-class flare each day and a much greater 65% chance for
M-class flares. Radio blackouts reaching the R2 level (10’s of minutes)
are likely on the sunlit side of Earth.
There are 5 numbered sunspot regions on the Sun facing Earth this
morning. There were 7 last Monday, 4 the Monday before.
Sunday’s noon Solar Flux Index (SFI) observation at Penticton was 150,
last Sunday’s was 133. The index is predicted to measure 150 today, 150
Tuesday and 150 on Wednesday. The much more important SFI 90 day
trailing average was 154 yesterday. It was 155 last Sunday.
The geomagnetic field was reached severe storm levels (G4) yesterday.
The SWPC expects the field to reach severe storm levels again today,
reach minor storm levels Tuesday, then be unsettled to active on
Wednesday. The planetary K-index at 5 a.m. this morning was 6.33
indicating a moderate storm was underway producing auroras, noisy radio
conditions especially at higher latitudes.
Look for poor conditions during the day on 80 to 40, fair at night; fair
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 ARLD022 DX news and DXWorld.net:
–FAROE ISLANDS, OY. A group of operators are QRV as OY6FRA, OY/W9MK,
and OY/K4LT to 10. Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB,
and FT8. QSL all calls via WB2REM.
–AMERICAN SAMOA, KH8. Bob, K0NR and Joyce, K0JJW are QRV as KH8/K0NR
and KH8/K0JJW, respectively, until June 9. Activity is primarily on 20
to 10 meters using SSB, FT8, and FT4 while activating various SOTA and
POTA locations. QSL via LoTW.
–MARKET REEF, OJ0. Diego, IZ0EWJ is QRV as OJ0L to June 7. Activity is
on 80 to 6 meters using SSB and various digital modes. QSL via I8KHC.
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: POTA/Field Day package, $550.00. Includes all the accessory
gear that you need for a high quality POTA/Field Day packaged station.
It’s a plug and play set-up. Just plug in your transceiver (IC-7300 or
similar) and you will be on the air in minutes with 100w, all day long.
Multi-band, 80-10m. New cost of components was $1200+, package price is
$550. Package includes:
1. Marine/RV deep cycle 27dc 180A battery in a portable battery box that
includes a digital amp meter and volt meter, and 4 Anderson Power Pole
outputs.
2. Battery Booster, MFJ-4416-C mounted on battery box. The booster is
electronically quiet and rated at 25 amps cont. It works great and will
keep the system output at a constant 13.8V even when the battery voltage
drops to 10.8v. Lots of capacity for full power, all day long.
3. Max Gain Systems, MK-4-HD heavy duty 25′ fiber glass push up mast,
4′ locking sections.
4. Drive on mount for the 25′ Max Gain mast.
5. ICOM AH-4 auto-tuner, 200w, 160-10m (on base of mast)
6. 50′ of pre-wired connecting power cable and RG-59 coax…all cables
needed to get on the air.
7. Inverted L antenna (on storage reel) reconfigurable, 54’/83′, #18
“silky” wire, 100′ 1/8″ Dacron rope.
Contact: Dick Goodwin, K4JJW, rdgjg1964@gmail.com 252-633-7873
Fairfield Harbour (20250519)
–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)
–FREE: ICOM IC 700. Marine SSB, old, free, probably good for parts
only. Does not tx on 8. Glenn Sikes, KG4RYZ, New Bern, 305-744-8000
(20250519)
PARS CALENDAR:
* 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
* June 28, 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 28-29, ARRL Field Day, home operation. To add your score to those
of other PARS members for a combined club score, list your club
affiliation as “Pamlico Amateur Radio Society, LTD”. For more info,
contact Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.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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