PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) MAY 30, 2015 MEETING NOTES
* Thirty-three PARS members and guests attended the breakfast meeting
chaired by President Bill Olah, KR4LO, at Brantley’s in Oriental Saturday.
* “Wally” Wallace KK4ASP presented the treasurers report. She still has
copies of the club roster for those that were not at the April meeting.
* Mike Hurm,K4HPS, our ARES EC, reported the Pamlico Emergency Net met four
times in April for 12.29 man-hours.
* In my VHF report, I reported that Mid-Atlantic states are finally
experiencing E-layer skip activity . An opening into the Upper Mid-west and
Canada on the 25th provided many contacts for Mike K4HPS, Dick K4JJW and me.
The improved conditions come just in time for the big June ARRL VHF Contest
Jun 13-15 and for Field Day when strong signals can fill up the band.
* The new club generator is ready for Field Day according to Randy, K4WRD.
* The Fox Hunt trial has been delayed, but not for long. Probably after
Field Day according to President Bill.
* Field Day planning is on track according to Mike K4NLC, Again at the
Neuse River site of past years, 2 stations will be active as well as a GOTA
station and a “free” SSB VHF station. GOTA rules have loosened to allow any
“generally inactive” hams to “G-O-T-A”. After the formal meeting, Glenn
N4LV, demonstrated the n3fjp field day logging software and discussed
logging do’s and don’ts. Mike noted that PARS members can
download a copy for familiarization. Call Mike for the password. A final
planning meeting will be on Saturday, 0930 in Brantley’s back dining room.
* PARS will again support the Annual Dragon Boat Races at River Dunes,
15-16 August, according to Tom Finta, K8TF. Tom’s looking for a few
volunteers with 2M HT’s to provide coordination/control communications
around the venue. Stepping down as PARS coordinator, Tom is looking for a
replacement for next year.
* Tom Corwin, KI4NSP, reminded all that he holds a club owned HT that can
be checked out on loan. Call him for more info.
* Three folks responded to a call for presentation ideas. Installing mobile
and boat antennas, using “Club Log”, remote operations, radio connectivity
with the internet, digital operations, and IRLP were just a few that were
listed.
* As for awards, Bill, WM3X, advised he now has all states confirmed
CW/QRP–power at 5 watts or less. Quite an accomplishment!
W4DXCC DX AND CONTEST CONVENTION
(Forwarded by Dave, N4ENE. Note the “B00TCAMP’; family fun stuff)
The W4DXCC DX and Contest Convention is the South East’s largest and best
attended ham radio event for 10 years running. Located at the MainStay
Suites in Pigeon Forge Tennessee September 25-26th 2015. A full schedule of
popular presenters speak on DX and Contest subjects throughout the main
convention with prize drawings between presenters, drinks and snacks
included. Equipment manufacturers are on hand to demonstrate new products
and answer your equipment questions face to face. A banquet rounds out the
day where the grand prizes are drawn.
This year we have a day long Ham Radio Bootcamp to Elmer New hams on station
construction, building antennas, operating, DXing and Contesting. This is a
must attend for the New ham who does not have an Elmer.
A full range of shopping for the family is located nearby along with water
parks, go cart tracks and Dollywood for the kids. Bring the family for a
wonderful weekend full of Fun.
Check out the WEB site for more details, filling fast, book early
www.W4DXCC.com
VHF CONTEST COMING SOON
(Extracted from the ARRL Letter for May 28, 2015)
Summer is nearly here, and that means it’s time for the ARRL June VHF
contest, June 13-15! Participants in the US and Canada (and their
possessions) work stations in as many different Maidenhead grid squares as
possible, using the bands above 50 MHz. Stations outside the US and Canada
may only work stations in the US and Canada (and their possessions).
Stations in KH0-9, KL7, KP1-KP5, CY9, and CY0 count as W/VE stations and may
be worked by DX stations for contest credit.
The June VHF Contest occurs at the start of the summer sporadic E season,
and intense openings on 6 meters and even 2 meters are possible. It’s a
whole new world of propagation possibilities that also include tropospheric
ducting, aurora, and even meteor scatter and moonbounce. With many HF
transceivers on the market equipped for 6 meters and sometimes for other
VHF/UHF bands, getting on the air for this event is easier than ever….
The ARRL June VHF Contest begins at 1800 UTC on Saturday, June 13, and
continues through 0259 UTC on Monday, June 15.
[And even the most simple antenna will work during a band opening. A 6M
dipole is just under 10 feet long and if up at 18 feet will do just great.
Put one together and give 6 Meters a try. Listen on 50.125, Upper Side
Band, the 6M calling frequency for activity. Then make your contact and move
up if you are going to chat.–jim]
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was very low during the 24 hours
ending yesterday at 5 pm local. The largest recent solar event was a B6
flare observed at 01/0340Z. There are 4 numbered sunspot regions on the disk
facing Earth. The sunspot count this morning is 47, down from the 74
reported by NOAA last week. The Solar Flux Index (SFI) is 94, nearly the
same as the 99 in our last PARSgram. The forecast shows the SFI rising a
little to105 by Wednesday. According to the Space Weather Prediction
Center, solar activity is expected to stay very low through Wednesday.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. The geomagnetic
field is expected to remain quiet through Wednesday. The K-index was
reported by NOAA to be a quiet 2 at 0500 local this morning.
Your best HF bands will likely be 20 and 17M, 40M at night.
THIS WEEK’S DX CHALLENGE
LORD HOWE ISLAND, VK9L. Christoph, DL1YAF plans to be QRV as
DL1YAF/VK9L from May 30 to June 3. Activity will be on 80 to 10
meters using CW and SSB. QSL to home call. [This will be a tough one under
current conditions and we don’t have much time!]
QSO QSO CORNER
This is the place to post contacts with DXpeditions, Special Event
Stations, or special QSO’s you would like to share.
All quiet on the Eastern Front….
OTHER ACTIVITY ON THE RADIO:
This info is extracted from the ARRL Letter, from the WA7BNM Contest
Calendar, the ARRL Contest Update or the ARRL Contest Corral. You can
receive the Letter weekly via email as a member of ARRL :
* 06/0000Z Jun-07/2359Z 10-10 Int. Open Season PSK Contest (PSK)
* 06/0400Z Jun-07/2000Z DigiFest (Dig)
* 06/0600Z Jun-06/0800Z Wake-Up! QRP Sprint (CW)
* 06/1500Z Jun-07/1500Z RSGB National Field Day (CW)
* 06/1500Z Jun-07/1459Z IARU Region 1 Field Day (CW)
* 06/1600Z Jun-07/0400Z Alabama QSO Party (CW, PH)
See the ARRL Contest Branch page
ARRL Contest Update http://www.arrl.org/The-ARRL-Contest-Update/ and the
WA7BNM Contest Calendar
for more info. Looking for a Special Event station? Be sure to check out the
ARRL Special Event Station Web page
a LIST OF STATE QSO PARTIES, see
http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/stateparties.html. (State QSO parties
and the W1AW Centennial Stations are a great way to get those last states on
your Worked All States (WAS) Award list.)
HAM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, TRADE, OR WANTED
——————–
* FOR SALE — Yaesu FT 450 Transceiver, MD 100 desk mike and a Pyramid
35 amp power supply. All for $650 and can be seen in action at my QTH to
check it out. All you will need is an antenna to be on the air. Charlie
Overcash, WA4GSI, charlie@dockline.net or 252-249-1257. (20150601).
* FOR SALE–Hank Aaron WB4ROA, long time PARS member is moving. He is
selling much of his equipment. Brian Shepard K4LTE is handling the sale.
For a Yaesu FT-2000 and other Yaesu transceivers, DMU-2000 for $500, / RF
Mu-tuning kit 80/40m band for $300.00, and RF Mu-tuning kit 30/20m band for
$300.00.
Command Technologies Commander Amplifier 2KW for $1500.00.
Yaesu-7800R 2M/70cm Transceiver for $150.00.
Heil Headset Pro Set Quiet Phone with HC-5 mic for $80.00, retailed for
$155.00.
MXL Studio Condenser Microphone MXL-2003 for $100.00, retailed for $163.00.
Heil Hand Switch for $25.00.
Foot Switch for $20.00.
Array Solutions Six Pack ( remote antenna switch) 2 radios-6 antenna ports
per radio for $300.00, retailed for $450.00.
Array Solutions Rat Pack (remote antenna switch) 6 antenna positions for
$100.00, retailed for $250.00.
Astron SL-11 pwr supply for $50.00, retailed for $89.00.
Bencher Keyer for $150.00.
Plus lots of coax and cables-most coax uses N-connectors and were
professionally made by Cable X.
PL259 adapters for .50 cent ea. (28-total)
UHF Male Crimp (type PL259) connectors $2.00 ea. (37-total)
Type N Male crimp for RG8 $2.00 ea. (15-total)
PL259 Connectors $1.00 ea. (16-total)
PL259 UHF Male to female tee adapter connectors, $4.00 ea. (total-9)
BNC Male to UHF female connectors, $2.00 ea. (total-2)
Added items–
Palstar zm30 digital antenna analyzer, $200.00
ICOM M1V VHF Handheld radio with HM-125 speaker microphone and a new BC-119N
desk top charger, $175.00
Aceco FC-6002 RF Tracer, $150.00
Contact Brian at k4lte2@centurylink.net or at his cell 252-670-5531.
(20150511, 20150518)
* FOR SALE– MFJ-1796 1/2 wave vertical, 2-40 meters, except the 2 and
6 meter radiators have been misplaced. No guarantee they will be found. Does
come with manual and spare radiators. Has 2 QSOs to its credit. Includes a
couple 10 foot pipes for mounting. Assembled, and elements already trimmed.
SWR depends on location and height. $130, which is half the new price. The
price will come down until someone buys it.
Jim Scheer, W4NLD, Jim.scheer@gtri.gatech.edu, or cell or text at
253-876-3733 (20150420)
* FOR SALE — Shakespeare 5309-R VHF Antenna.Used.23 Feet.Two
piece.West Marine $599.00.Best reasonable offer.Ralph AC2GR 252-649-1212
(20150330)
* FOR SALE–[ Remaining major items from estate of Jim Reynolds,W4YLO.
Proceeds go directly to his widow, Peggy.]
ICOM PS-125 25 amp pwr supply. Orig. price $399
Price is $175.
ICOM PW1 High Frequency Linear Amplifier – HF/50 MHz All Band 1+kW
out. Automatic antenna tuner built-in. This was bought on Jan. 7,
2012,and has had little use. Has orig. box, manual, remote head and
cables. Original price $4,649.95 (cc invoice available).
Will sell for $3000 firm, – pickup in New Bern, can ship but buyer pays.
FOR INFO OR PIX contact Al, W8UT, email anchor@ec.rr.com
(20150330,20150413, 20150420)
——————–
(Send me your amateur radio related items for sale, trade, or wanted for
listing in the PARSgram. PLEASE let me know if your listing is no longer
needed. ITEMS listed will EXPIRE AFTER 90 DAYS unless I hear
otherwise.–Jim).
UPCOMING REGIONAL HAMFESTS:
A complete list can be found on your PARS Website, www.n4prs.org
PARS CALENDAR:
* Jun 20, Field Day Planning Meeting, Saturday,9:30 am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental, Mike Marsh, K4NLC, (252) 636-1257
* Jun 27-28, ARRL Field Day, Saturday, 2 pm – Sunday, 2 pm. Neuse Drive,
Oriental. Mike Marsh, 636-1257 or mike@marshconsulting.org
* Jul 25, PARS Monthly Meeting, Saturday, 9 am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. Bill Olah, KR4LO, 249-0287 or w_olah@yahoo.com.
PARS NETS:
* Mondays, Pete’s “Swamp Talk” roundtable, around 8:15 pm local,
28.463 MHz plus or minus, USB. This is an informal forum originally
established to assist our new Hams. The frequency is in the 10M voice
segment open to technician licensees and above. Radio related
topics/questions/issues welcomed.
* Wednesdays, Pamlico Emergency Net Practice and Rag Chew, 7:30 pm,
Oriental Repeater, 147.210 + (PL151.4).
PARS WEB SITE:
https://www.n4prs.org/
Web Master is Larry Wall, KK4SEO, wallmailbox@yahoo.com.
ABOUT THE PARSgram
The PARSgram is a weekly email publication for members of the Pamlico
Amateur Radio Society (PARS), an association of amateur radio operators
located in, near, or from Pamlico County, North Carolina. The PARSgram
contains announcements and information about current and planned activities
of the Society and other items of specific interest to its members. Except
to summarize information related to Solar Activity or announce expeditions
of amateur radio operators to unique distant places, special event stations,
and contests, it does not generally repeat information available elsewhere.
The PARSgram does offer a means to make known to its subscribers radio
equipment and other related items for sale or trade. Since PARS members may
have limited internet access, the PARSgram is sent in text format and kept
relatively short. Log on to the PARS Website at https://www.n4prs.org/ for
longer news articles, photos, archived PARSgrams and more. We are always
looking for items of specific interest to our members to put in the
PARSgram. If you run across a timely item or think of something you think
would interest our folks, please send it to me at jth350@embarqmail.com. —
Jim Hartmeyer, AI4WL, Editor (20150406)
Jim, AI4WL