PARS FOX HUNT AND PARS PICNIC – TWELVE 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 for the awards and BBQ at the Oriental Recreation
Park located behind the fire department near the dog park.
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 new metal roof went on “our” repeater building Friday. This was made
possible by the bequest to the Oriental Repeater Group from Tom Corwin,
KI4NSP, SK. Bruce K4ONC reported it took only about 6 hours and is a
bright white. The color was picked to reduce the summer heat inside. New
solar panels will go on next. There will be some photos soon on the
“What’s Happening” page (https://www.n4prs.org/whats-happening/).
We heard on the “DownEast/Pamlico Six Meter Net” the other night that
the tower climb now being planned will have to wait until September.
Birds have roosted at the top of the tower so no non-emergency climbs
are allowed. The ORG wants to replace the water damaged coax to the old
220 MHz antenna and also replace that antenna with one for the UHF GMRS
repeater. Other work is also being considered.
NET NEWS
For the Communications/Emergency Net last Wednesday, May 13th, we
recorded 18 WinLink and 24 voice check-ins. Our numbers continue to
grow. Three of the voice were by EchoLink (Paul KM4PA, Bill K2TNO, and
Bill K2ONN). Ray took us down memory lane to recall how we first got
into ham radio. Many old timers began as Shortwave Radio Listeners and
AM radio “DXers”… Net participants are requested to update their
radios with the new frequency for the Oriental FM/C4FM-YSF repeater.
Make sure you put in the CTCSS tone (both encode and decode) to avoid
the dreaded buzz saw.
Monday night C4FM Net. Eight folks participated on the net hosted by
KO4OJC (AC2GR, KR4LO, K4HPS, WM3X and AI4WL by RF, KR4ABZ and KM4PA by
Wires-x). 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, K4ONC and AI4WL). We talked a
lot about the Kershaw roof that was to be replaced the next day. Use
any antenna that will resonate and join us if you can, Thursdays at 8pm
on 50.200 MHz USB. BTW, we’re using horizontal polarization.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported 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, Tuesday, and Wednesday with a
chance for M-class flares.
There were 7 numbered sunspot regions on the Sun facing Earth yesterday
at noon. There were 5 last Sunday.
Sunday’s noon Solar Flux Index (SFI) observation at Penticton was 104,
last Sunday’s was 126. The index is predicted to measure 105 today, 110
Tuesday and 115 on Wednesday. The SFI 90 day trailing average was 124
yesterday. It was 126 last Sunday.
The geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. The SWPC expects the field to
be quiet to reach minor storm levels today and Tuesday, then back to
quiet on Wednesday. The planetary K-index at 5 a.m. this morning was
2.33 indicating quiet conditions.
Start checking for activity on 6 meters. Dick K4JJW found lots of FT8
activity Sunday afternoon, mostly limited to CONUS, but also openings to
the south–Mexico, Cuba, Montserrat and Belize. A quick look at
https://www.dxmaps.com/ will tell you what you need to know.
Current conditions (1053Z/18 May): Fair day on 80 and 40 Meters, good at
night; good day and night on 30 & 20; fair day and night 17 & 15; poor
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 ARLD019 DX NEWS and DXWorld.net:
–TONGA, A3. Takio, JH3QFL, is QRV as A31AA from Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu
Island, OC-049, to May 22. Activity is on 80 through 6 meters using FT8.
–JUAN FERNANDEZ ISLANDS, CE0Z. Felipe, XQ7IR, expects to be QRV as 3G0Z
from Robinson Crusoe Island, IOTA SA-005, starting May 19 at
approximately 2100 UTC. Initial activity will be on 160, 80, and 40 meters.
–NETHERLANDS, PA. ON2LVC, ON4LO, ON5SEL, and ON7DE will be QRV as
PA/OR5R from Ameland Island, IOTA EU-038, from May 18 to May 22.
Activity will be on the HF bands and 6 meters using SSB, CW, and FT modes.
–AlSO look for Burkina Faso XT2AW, Indonesia YB, F. Polynesia FO/F6BCW
and more. For 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)
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
especially photos of member activities.
73, Jim AI4WL Editor
——–
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