PAMLICO COMMUNICATIONS TEAM JANUARY 3,2026 MEETING QUICK NOTES
–Plan on PARS on-line membership renewal next year.
–The old ARES form has been replaced by PCT Emergency Service form.
PCT members encouraged to take Incident Command System (ICS
100,200,700,800) classes. All are online.
–Little interest in PCT group participation in Winter Field Day.
–EHPC spring COMMEX scheduled for Thursday, June 25, 2026. Expect the
emphasis on Amateur Radio after H. Helene experience to continue.
Sign-up at https://terms.ncem.gov/TRS/
—Congrats to Ray, KR4ABZ, on his most professional homebrew 9:1 unun.
–Spring Fox Hunt: Tentative date Saturday May 30th at Oriental “Dog
Park” ILO regular meeting; June 6th as back-up. Plan on 2 Fox event.
Find first fox to get frequency for second. Awards for winner(s) already
purchased.
–Wayne KO4OJC and Bill KR4LO described, displayed and demonstrated fox
and hound equipment as well as map and software tools. Check out
“SigTrax” for cell phones. Audio Direction Finder kit and antenna show
and tell. Considerations for a good FOX location discussed.
–Lor W3QA demonstrated how to find the fox with only your HT, tinfoil,
and your body.
–PARS HAS A FACEBOOK PAGE (“Pamlico Radio Society”) with a short VIDEO
of Wayne’s presentation about fox hunt antennas and direction finding.
There’s lots of other PARS news there too.
–Being considered, a Stratospheric Balloon payload fox. The balloon
carrying a beacon bursts at 100,000 ft. Go find it somewhere in ENC.
–Antenna build and testing session on Saturday April 18th at Bill
Olah’s shop likely. Sea Scouts to be invited.
–StarLink Mini bought for the Oriental Repeater upgrade now being
tested at Kershaw at low cost 1Mbs data rate. This same set-up is
providing reliable NC4ES network connectivity at Arapahoe site. In
response to questions, Lor showed and described his personal Mini.
–For more information contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC, 252-626-2730 or
K4ONC@aol.com.
NET NEWS
According Mike K4NLC there were 17 WinLink check-ins and 18 voice
check-ins for the Pamlico Emergency/Communications Net last Wednesday,
December 31st, New Years Eve. There were two check-ins via Echolink,
Paul KM4PA (ex-KO4MHM) from Brevard and Bill K2TNO from Greensboro. For
January, Mike passed the net over to Wayne, KO4OJC. AI4WL is on tap for
February.
Monday night C4FM Net: On the 29th, nine folks showed up for the now
weekly roundtable hosted by KO4OJC (WM3X, KR4LO, K4NLC, AI4WL, KR4ABZ,
KO4MHM, K4ONC, KR4CYB). For local users via RF it’s on 146.310MHz and
remote users via Wires-X room “KO4OJC-Room 3” (ID 64163).
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reports that solar activity was low during the 24 hour period
ending yesterday at 4 p.m. local. The Space Weather Prediction Center
expects solar activity to be low with a 50% chance for M-class flares
and a 10% chance of X-class flares today, Tuesday and Wednesday.
There are 7 numbered sunspot regions on the Sun facing Earth this
morning. There were 10 last Monday, 5 the Monday before.
Sunday’s noon Solar Flux Index (SFI) observation at Penticton was 157,
last Sunday’s was 188. The index is predicted to measure 155 today, 150
Tuesday and 145 on Wednesday. The more important SFI 90 day trailing
average was 147 yesterday. It was 146 last Sunday.
The geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. The SWPC expects the field be
quiet to unsettled today; quiet Tuesday and Wednesday. The planetary
K-index at 7 a.m. this morning was 2.67 indicating quiet conditions.
Current conditions: Poor during the day on 80 and 40 Meters, good at
night; good day and night on 30 & 20; good day and night 17 & 15; good
day, poor at night on 12 and 10. As always, we recommend you go to
https://www.n4prs.org/looking-up/ for the latest observations.
DX THIS WEEK–
Extracted from ARRL’s DX NEWS and DXWorld.net:
–NEW CALEDONIA, FK. Phil, VK3HA, is QRV as FK1TS until January 31, QSL
to home call.
–SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS. Ivo, LZ1AAW, plans to be QRV as LZ0A from
station St. Kliment Ohridski on Livingston Island, IOTA AN-010, until
mid-February 2026. Activity will be in his spare time.
–CAMBODIA, XU. Tom, DL7BO, is QRV as XU7GNY to January 18. Activity is
on 160 through 6 meters using CW, SSB, and FT8, and concentrating on the
lower bands.
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 60 DAYS unless I hear otherwise. Thanks, Jim.
FOR SALE: SWR/wattmeters: MFJ-868 Giant SWR/Wattmeter, 20/200/2,000
watt ranges, 1.8 – 30 MHz, $150. Mirage MP2 VHF SWR/wattmeter,
50/500/1500 watt ranges, 50 – 200 MHz, $125. Bill Michne, WM3X,
252-671-6703, drmichne73@gmail.com. (20251208)
PARS CALENDAR:
* Jan 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
* Feb 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/BEACON STATUS
(See www.n4prs.org/frequencies/ for set-up)
N4ONC FM Oriental (147.210MHz+ CTCSS 88.5Hz) — Operational
GMRS Repeater Oriental (Ch 21, Rptr 7 or 462.700MHz+) — Operational
NC4ES DMR Arapahoe (NC4ES Network)(147.285MHz+ CC1) — Operational
NC4ES FM Arapahoe (147.285MHz+ CTCSS ENC 88.5Hz/DEC 100Hz) — Standby
NC4ES DMR Florence (NC4ES Network)(445.6625MHZ- CC1) — Operational
WM3X-ONC C4FM/WIRES-X NODE Oriental (145.530MHz smplx) — Operational
KO40JC FM/C4FM/WIRES-X Baird Creek (146.310MHz- CTCSS 131.8) — Operational.
Cedar Isl Mark’s Beacons: K4FWS/b FM14ux 144.282 CW; K1MAP/b FM14ux
222.055 CW; K1MAP/b FM14ux 432.305 CW (Very low power for rcvr,
propagation tests)
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* Mondays, “Wayne’s World C4FM Net”, 7:30 pm local, using the C4FM
digital mode on the KO40JC FM/C4FM/WIRES-X repeater, Baird Creek
(146.310MHz). Those outside RF range may join via Wires-X room
“KO4OJC-Room 3″ (DTMF ID 64163). This is a round-table open to all.
Discussions vary with member interest. 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
——–
This email is sent to members and friends of the Pamlico Amateur Radio
Society. We are pleased that you asked to receive our weekly newsletter
and hope that you enjoy reading it. This and previous PARSgrams are
archived on the PARS Website. If you no longer wish to receive the
PARSgram please let us know by reply email or to pamlicoham@pamlico.net.