PRESIDENT’S SOAPBOX
Last chance to order Field Day T-shirts and hats through PARS. The shirts are $17.95 and come in sizes from small (S) to 6XL. The hats are $12.95. If you order through the club we will pay the shipping and tax. You can check out the shirts and hats at www.arrl.org. I will be placing the order later this week, so let me know by Thursday what you want. After that you will have to order on your own. _…_ Field Day plans have progressed nicely and everything is just about ready. Our site is now on the Field Day locator on the ARRL website, and the Saturday night barbecue dinner arrangements are in the works. As in the past we will be operating on Saturday from 2:00 PM until about 6:00, and Sunday morning from about 9:00 until about noon. So plan on coming out and having some fun. …_._ de WM3X, Bill Michne, 252-249-1175, drmichne73@gmail.com.
HURRICANE COMMUNITY FORUM
PARS is sponsoring a Hurricane Community Forum at the Oriental Town Hall on Wednesday June 12 from 6 to 8 pm. Conducted by the National Weather Service office in Newport, the class is free and open to everyone. The goal is to provide forecasts for the hurricane season, information on hurricane preparedness, and to answer questions. This class will benefit newcomers and those that have gone through hurricanes alike. For more information on this class you can go to weather.gov/mhx or call the NWS at 252-223-5122 ext 5. You can also call our PARS coordinator, Bruce Perkins, K4ONC, at 252-249-6015 or k4onc@aol.com.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was very low during the 24 hours ending yesterday at 5 pm local. There are two sunspot regions on the sun facing earth this morning. Although the sunspots are weakening, there remains a chance for C-class flares each day through Wednesday. Activity will be otherwise very low according to the Space Weather Prediction Center. On Sunday, the reported Solar Flux Index (SFI) at Penticton was 76. The index is predicted to drop to 75 for today through Wednesday. The SFI 90 day trailing average is 72.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet to active yesterday. It is expected to be quiet today and Tuesday and then reach minor storm levels on Wednesday. A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) from eruptions on May 10-11 is expected here in the early hours Wednesday UTC (late Tuesday local time). The estimated Kp-index of 1 at 5 a.m. local this morning indicates quiet conditions.
We can expect fair daytime and good nighttime operating conditions on 80 and 40 meters for the next few days. Fair conditions are expected on 30 and 20 meters. Poor conditions will continue on the higher bands. Reports of recent North America 6M activity on DXmaps were nil this morning. However, 6M is active in Europe, lots of Es, some contacts double-hop, nearly all are FT8.
THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE – Continued
WALLIS AND FUTUNA ISLANDS, FW. Nobby, G0VJG will be QRV as FW5SG from Wallis Island, IOTA OC-054, until May 20. Activity is on 60 to 6 meters using SSB and FT8. QSL via M0OXO or OQRS. (Nobby was heard in the Southeast on 30M SSB late Thursday evening.)
HAM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, TRADE, OR WANTED
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. Listings will EXPIRE AFTER 90 DAYS unless I hear otherwise.–Jim.
**For Sale**
– 440 REPEATER.
I have a moto. master 2 base 440 repeater, with cellwave duplexers. new controller card, can be programed via ht. also has a new 85.00 preamp for receive. 100 watt pa with extra pa and heat sink assembly. all you need is coax, antenna, and power supply. works well can be demonstrated here in my shack. if you need or want one for your area, please don’t hesitate to make an offer, very very reasonable. is in excess to my needs — we put one up 5 miles away at 700 ft so don’t need one here. don’t be afraid of [making] a small offer. Contact Donie Smith, KJ4RB at kj4rb@embarqmail.com. (20190409)
**For Sale**
– CUSHCRAFT 17B2 2 METER SSB ANTENNA
Original cushcraft , not mfj version, in the box sealed for $150.00 they list for mid $300’s now. It is 31 ft long when assembled. Contact Donie Smith, KJ4RB at kj4rb@embarqmail.com. (20190409)
**For Sale**
– Pristine ICOM R-71A Receiver – Full set of filters – SSB FL-44A (2.4 kHz), SSB FL-30 (2.3 kHz), SSB wide FL-70 (2.8 kHz), CW FL-32 (500 Hz). See, https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.radio.info/SA4AWmUI8js for filter descriptions. Includes EX-310 voice synthesizer. Realigned in 2008 and memory/battery module installed, then unit double-boxed and placed in storage. Unit powers up and works 100% (tested 4-8-2019). In “like-new” condition. Original finish pristine. Original box, manuals, power cord included. I took exceptional care of this receiver. Asking $375. Contact Eric Halber, KM4RDE, at 919-491-8641 or ephalber@gmail.com. (20190409)
** For Sale**
– MFJ-259B HF/VHF SWR ANALYZER. Unit has some slight cosmetic paint scratches but is completely functional. Covers 1.8 to 170 MHz. $160.00.
– MFJ-949E VERSA TUNER II. Like new condition. Features cross needle SWR/POWER meter that reads peak or average power, has two coax outputs, and built-in dummy load. Maximum 300 watts. Includes manual. $100.00. Contact Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175, drmichne73@gmail.com. (20190401)
PARS CALENDAR:
* May 25, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village Restaurant, Oriental. Our special guest will be Bill Morine, N2COP, Vice Director of the ARRL Roanoke Division. For more info, contact Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
* Jun 6, Emergency Communications Training for ARES, Thursday, 7-9 pm, Brinson Building Room 412, Pamlico Comunity College, Mike Marsh, K4NLC, 252-636-1257 or mike@marshconsulting.org
* Jun 12, Hurricane Community Forum, Wednesday, 6-8 pm, Oriental Town Hall. Class by the NWS Newport is sponsored by PARS. For more, contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC, at 252-249-6015 or k4onc@aol.com.
* Jun 21, Field Day setup, Friday, time TBD, Pamlico County Shrine Club, NC306, Grantsboro, Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* Mondays, Pete’s “Pamlico Swamp Roundtable” (“Swamp Net” for some), around 8 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 10 Meter Band voice segment open to technician licensees and above. Radio related topics/questions/issues welcomed.
* Tuesdays, Newport Weather Service SKYWARN Practice Net, 9:00 pm local, Oriental (147.210+ (PL151.4)) and all other local repeaters. Open net for severe weather warning and reporting continously monitored upon activation.
* Wednesdays, Pamlico Emergency Net Practice and Rag Chew/ARES, 7:30 pm, Oriental Repeater, 147.210 + (PL151.4).
* 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 WEB SITE: https://www.n4prs.org/
Web Master is Paul Jodoin, K4MMB, 561-308-3456, PARSwebman@gmail.com
PARSgram ITEMS
We are always looking for items of interest to PARS members to put in the PARSgram. If you run across a timely item or think of something you believe would interest our folks, please send it to me. Thanks.Jim AI4WL
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