PARS FOX HUNT AND PARS PICNIC – ONLY 20 DAYS AWAY
The Spring FOX HUNT and PARS PICNIC are on track for Saturday, May 30th.
ALL local hams and their families ARE INVITED. The FOX HUNT and BBQ
picnic are FREE. This will be a two-stage hunt involving both VHF and
UHF. The hunters will start out looking for the Fox on VHF. Upon
locating the first Fox, they will then be provided the UHF frequency for
the second Fox. This is a timed event. Prizes will be awarded for
finding one and/or both Fox transmitters. After the hunt, all
participants will meet at the Oriental Recreation Park, located behind
the fire department near the dog park for the awards and BBQ.
Hamburgers and hot dogs will be grilled at the Oriental Park off
Straight Rd. behind the Fire Station. Please bring a side dish or desert
to share, folding chairs, and any special beverages you want. Water will
be available. The FOX HUNT runs from 9a-noon. HUNTERS MUST BE AT THE
FIRE STATION BY 0845 for check-in and a quick briefing. The BRIEFING
STARTS AT 9AM SHARP. The picnic starts at noon or soon thereafter. You
don’t have to do the Fox Hunt to enjoy the picnic. PLEASE RSVP BY
TUESDAY, May 26th to chief cook Mike Marsh, 252-636-1257, or
mike@marshconsulting.org. He needs to know how much to buy!
REPEATER UPDATE
The ORG was busy again last week at the Kershaw tower site. On Monday
Bill KR4LO and Wayne KO4OJC adjusted the audio levels for the
annunciator and ID’er serving the VHF “Oriental” and UHF repeaters. On
the same day, Wayne fixed the YSF repeater Wires-X function making it
more consistent for RF users. On Wednesday, they changed the frequencies
on the YSF repeater while Bruce K4ONC and Mike K4NLC took down the solar
panels so the roof can be replaced this week. Here’s the notice of the
frequency change in case you missed it:
“The call sign and frequency of the Oriental Repeater Group’s (ORG)
Yaesu FM/C4FM YSF Wires-x repeater have been changed. The call sign has
changed from KO4OJC to N4ONC to reflect ORG ownership. To avoid possible
conflict with other repeaters, the frequency has changed to 145.390MHz
with a standard (600KHz) negative offset. (User transmit will be on
144.790MHz.) The CTCSS tone of 100Hz is unchanged.”
There’s several photos on our web site of the ORG boys working at
Kershaw, https://www.n4prs.org/whats-happening/, with more to come.
NET NEWS
For the Communications/Emergency Net last Wednesday, May 6th, we
recorded 17 WinLink and 26 voice check-ins. Three of the voice were by
EchoLink (Paul KM4PA, Bill K2TNO, and Ray KR4ABZ). The frequency pair of
the VHF FM/C4FM repeater had been changed that day so a quick test for
co-site interference was conducted. While the FM/C4FM repeater was
transmitting, the substitute NCS, AI4WL, re-recalled each check-in for a
“signal report”. No interference was noticed even though the two
antennas are only a few feet apart. An intermittent and unrelated noise
was noticed on the “Oriental” repeater. It’s being monitored. Net
participants are requested to update their radios with the new frequency
ASAP.
Monday night C4FM Net. Seven folks participated in the net on Monday the
27th hosted by KO4OJC (AC2GR, KR4LO, K4HPS, WM3X and AI4WL). For local
users via RF it’s on 145.390MHz. Remote users can join via the Wires-X
room–for now it’s still “KO4OJC-Room 3” (ID 64163).
Five participated in the DownEast/Pamlico Six Meter roundtable on
Thursday the 30th (WA4GSI, KO4OJC, N1IG, N1ZLE and AI4WL). The summer Es
season is approaching so expect some “outsiders” to check-in. Use any
antenna that will resonate and join us if you can, Thursdays at 8pm on
50.200 MHz USB.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was high during the 24 hour period
ending yesterday at 5 p.m. local. The Space Weather Prediction Center
expects solar activity to be low today, Tuesday, and Wednesday with a
chance for M-class flares and a slight chance for X-class flares.
There were 5 numbered sunspot regions on the Sun facing Earth yesterday
at noon. There were 8 last Sunday.
Sunday’s noon Solar Flux Index (SFI) observation at Penticton was 126,
last Sunday’s was 143. The index is predicted to measure 128 today, 128
Tuesday and 122 on Wednesday. The SFI 90 day trailing average was 126
yesterday. It was 129 last Sunday.
The geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. The SWPC expects the field to
be quiet to unsettled today, quiet Tuesday, and back to quiet to
unsettled on Wednesday. The planetary K-index at 5 a.m. this morning was
1.00 indicating quiet conditions.
Current conditions (1128Z/11 May): Fair day on 80 and 40 Meters, good at
night; good day and night on 30 & 20; good day and night 17 & 15; fair
day, poor at night on 12 and 10. Please go to
https://www.n4prs.org/looking-up/ for the latest observations.
DX THIS WEEK–
Extracted from ARRL’s ARLD018 DX NEWS and DXWorld.net:
–RODRIGUES ISLAND, 3B9. Suvarna, VU3OPT, is QRV as 3B9G from grid
MH10qh until May 20. Activity is on 20 to 10 meters.
–TONGA, A3. Takio, JH3QFL, is QRV as A31AA from Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu
Island, OC-049, from May 13 to May 22. Activity is on 80 through 6
meters using FT8.
–FRENCH POLYNESIA, FO. Didier, F6BCW, is QRV as FO/F6BCW from Tikehau
Atoll, OC-066, from early May until mid-July. Activity is on 80 through
6 meters using CW and SSB.
–MINAMI TORISHIMA, JD1. Take, JG8NQJ is QRV as JG8NQJ/JD1 during his
spare time until mid-May. Activity is focused on CW and FT8.
–AlSO look for Burkina Faso XT2AW, Kanton Island T31TTT, and Mauritius
3B8DX. For more and the details, see www.DXWorld.net.
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: I have a SquareSDR v1 for sale. This is the original version,
not the v2 which was released last month and costs almost $600 (when
available). The Square SDR (https://www.wideservis.cz/square-sdr/) is an
upgraded design of the Hermes Lite 2 using better components and with
the N2ADR filter board built in, eliminating a common failure point of
the original HL2. Runs Thetis and multiple slices on older PCs no
problem. Software sees it as identical to the HL2.
I’m the original owner of this radio, and it has worked extremely well
the entire time. This is an incredible little radio with an unbelievable
price to performance ratio. $400 for PARS members. You can see this
radio on my QRZ page at https://www.qrz.com/db/N1IG. Ant Crook N1IG, at
N1IG@proton.me or 240-575-3700 (20260427)
FOR SALE: Yaesu SP-2000 external speaker with protective cover. Perfect
condition. $100.00. Sam/Dave Bacon at davebacon1943@gmail.com. (20260302)
PARS CALENDAR:
* May 30, SPRING FOX HUNT and Picnic, Oriental VFD Station 19/Oriental
Dog Park. Straight Road, Oriental. Alternate date, June 6.
* Jun 6, 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
* Jun 27, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC,
252-626-2730 or K4ONC@aol.com
SELECTED LOCAL REPEATER/NODE/BEACON STATUS
(See www.n4prs.org/frequencies/ for set-up)
N4ONC VHF FM Oriental (147.210MHz+ CTCSS 88.5Hz) — Operational
N4ONC VHF FM/C4FM-YSF/Wires-x Oriental (145.390MHz- FM CTCSS 100.0Hz) —
Operational.
N4ONC UHF FM Oriental (444.350MHz+ ENC 88.4Hz) — Operational
GMRS Repeater WSFL439 Oriental (Ch 21, Rptr 7 or 462.700MHz+) — Standby
NC4ES DMR Arapahoe (NC4ES Network)(147.285MHz+ CC1) — Operational
NC4ES FM Arapahoe (147.285MHz+ 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
NOTE: The WM3X-ONC WIRES-X node will be unavailable May 15 thru May 27.
KE4TZN Aurora FM/C4FM-YSF/WIRES-X (145.270MHz- FM CTCSS 131.8) —
Operational.
KE4TZN Aurora DMR (PRN Network) (440.550MHz+ CC1) — 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 N4ONC Oriental FM/C4FM/WIRES-X repeater
(145.390MHz). Those outside RF range may join via Wires-X room
“KO4OJC-Room 3″ (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 as the “Pamlico Emergency Net”
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. You can find
archived PARSgrams, articles, meeting notes, propagation information,
and photos of PARS activities there. Paul welcomes articles and photos
of member activities.
73, Jim AI4WL Editor
——–
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