PRESIDENT'S SOAPBOX
Boy, what a great PARS meeting we had on Saturday. Of course, we had the usual agenda items which by now are predictable (the club is solvent, the sun spots are not, etc.) Those were followed by a discussion of our expanding role in public service (yes, it is). Mike, K4NLC, Bruce, K4ONC, and myself attended the annual Pamlico County Non-Profits breakfast at the college, where Mike presented a brief update on our implementation of the new ARES paradigm. The main attraction of the meeting was the informative and entertaining presentation and Q&A session by Bill Morine, K2COP, Vice-Director of the Roanoke Division of ARRL. Bill summarized the Leagues position on four major issues the League is dealing with, and shared his views on them as well. One of the biggest disappointments is that ARPA, the Amateur Radio Parity Act, is dead. This means that hams living in housing developments with restrictive covenants regarding antennas have no recourse, a situation that bodes ill for amateur radio. The Q&A touched on such topics as why hams either don't join the League, or drop out after one or two years, and whether the Leagues push for expanded HF privileges for Technician class licensees will increase activity. _..._ Final arrangements for Field Day will be made at the ARES training meeting at the college on June 6 at 7:00 PM. Meanwhile, the dinner is $15.00 per person, so get your order in to Mike, K4NLC. The T-shirts and hats have been ordered and delivered. Let me know if you still want one and I'll place another order (tax free and no shipping charge...what's not to like?). ..._._ de WM3X, Bill Michne, 252-249-1175, drmichne73@gmail.com.
PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) May 25, 2019 MEETING NOTES
* Twenty-eight PARS members, visitors and guests attended the breakfast meeting chaired by President Bill Michne, WM3X, at Brantley's Village Restaurant. As part of our round of introductions, Bill welcomed our special guest, Bill Morine, N2COP, Vice Director of the ARRL Roanoke Division, to our meeting.
* Twenty-eight PARS members, visitors and guests attended the breakfast meeting chaired by President Bill Michne, WM3X, at Brantley's Village Restaurant. As part of our round of introductions, Bill welcomed our special guest, Bill Morine, N2COP, Vice Director of the ARRL Roanoke Division, to our meeting.
* Bill presented the treasurer's report on behalf of Treasurer Wally Wallace, KK4ASP.
* Propagation Report: Solar activity continues to be very low; no Sunspots now, 80 days (55%) without this year. The approaching bottom may be stretched out. DX is still to be had on HF and 6 Meters has awakened with E layer skip.
* Mike Marsh, K4NLC, our ARES coordinator reminded all of the next ARES Training Session on June 6th at which the emphasis will be on developing a radio plan for Field Day. Operations will involve at least 5 transceivers, 3 sharing one antenna.
* The annual PARS Dinner on Field Day Saturday will be BBQ with all the fixins cooked on site by Shrine members at $15/plate. A sign up sheet was started. By all reports these folks cook a great meal and it's not to be missed.
* President Bill re-addressed Field Day.
- Again at the Pamlico Shrine Club on NC306 in Grantsboro. Antenna/equipment set-up on Friday.
- Transceivers, antennas and multiplexers accounted for. Expect to operate Voice, CW, Digital including WinLink and FT8.
- WE WILL NEED OPERATORS. Plenty of seats to be filled, no waiting!
* Bill gave KUDU's to Paul Jodoin, K4MMB, for his major improvements to the N4PRS Web site. It's now open, reorganized, easier to use. Give it a try! Send your photos and suggestions to Paul.
* Bill, VP Bruce Perkins, K4ONC and Mike Marsh, K4NLC all attended Pamlico Non-Profits Breakfast. Mike gave a well received short pitch on ARES and EMCOM. Planning has already started for likely Oriental hosting of Cycle NC in CY2020.
* PARS sponsored VE session scheduled for Saturday, Jul 6. Please get the word out to prospective HAMs.
* Bruce reported that we will not participate in Croakerfest this year; that PARS shirts and Logo items are for sale on the web site, and the HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS FORUM by the NWS is on track for June 12th. Expect forecast for this year. a H. Florence report, and questions answered.
* Bruce yielded the floor to Vice Director Morine, who offered remarks that were wide ranging but centered on 4 major outcomes of the January ARRL Directors meeting:
1. The ARRL has withdrawn its support for the Amateur Radio Parity Act. Those living in restrictive HOA's will not be insured consideration by their HOA for installation of effective antennas. After nearly 6 years of review and near passage in Congress, one director convinced a majority of the others, mostly new, that the legislation as written was flawed.
2. Entry Level Licensing expanding HF privileges to the technician class is expected to go into effect in October.
3. New ARES Plan with 3 levels recognizes requirements of served agencies for acceptably trained and deployable volunteers while also recognizing the contribution of and need for "untrained" members.
4. Symbol Rate Petition to eliminate the current symbol rate restriction is expected to be accepted by the FCC. US only Country to be so limited, FCC has allowed "Pactor 4" rates in emergencies. The petition has a small but loud, vocal, and well funded opposition but with unfounded justification.
Q&A discussion included the Field Day Rules (no dupes) that frustrates GOTA success, QST Magazine focus, ARRL fiscal condition (good), ARRL membership survey and more.
Bill was thanked for a most thoughtful, informative and interesting presentation.
* The meeting was adjourned at 1055.
* The meeting was adjourned at 1055.
THE BIT BUCKET--
- Check out the "ARRL Roanoke Division" Facebook page. A nice post by Bill Morine on his visit to our club meeting on Saturday with some pics. Bruce, K4ONC. [You don't need to be on Facebook, just google "ARRL Roanoke Division" and select the page - ed.]
- 6 June 2019 – ARES/Field Day meeting at PCC at 7 p.m. – Will hammer out the details to be accomplished for a successful field day. All participants and curious are encouraged to attend. Mike, K4NLC
- Field Day dinner will be a BBQ dinner prepared on site by 2 of the Shrine folks. BBQ, baked beans, slaw, hush-puppies and tea. Cost is $15 per person. I need all hard dinner commitments not later than 15 June! You can pay me at Field Day but I need that commitment for planning purposes. A big thank you to all that signed up and paid at our Saturday meeting. Call or email: mike@marshconsulting.org or 252-636-1257.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was very low during the 24 hours ending yesterday at 5 pm local. There are no sunspot regions on the sun facing earth this morning. Activity will be very low through Wednesday according to the Space Weather Prediction Center. On Sunday, the reported Solar Flux Index (SFI) at Penticton was 68. The index is predicted to be 67 today through Wednesday. The SFI 90 day trailing average is 72.
The Earth's geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. It is expected to be quiet today, quiet to active Tuesday and then unsettled to active Wednesday. The estimated Kp-index of 3 at 5 a.m. local this morning indicates quiet conditions.
We can expect poor daytime and fair nighttime operating conditions on 80 and 40 meters for the next few days. Poor conditions will continue on the higher bands. The six meter band was open from east to west Sunday evening with lots of E-layer skip reported.
The Earth's geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. It is expected to be quiet today, quiet to active Tuesday and then unsettled to active Wednesday. The estimated Kp-index of 3 at 5 a.m. local this morning indicates quiet conditions.
We can expect poor daytime and fair nighttime operating conditions on 80 and 40 meters for the next few days. Poor conditions will continue on the higher bands. The six meter band was open from east to west Sunday evening with lots of E-layer skip reported.
For an explanation of numbers used in our PARSgram, see the excellent article written by Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA at http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-
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***
- Ameritron ALS-606 600W Solid State Linear Amplifier with Power Supply. New, 2 months ago, I have 2 of them and only need one! Priced at $1,600. It can be seen and tried at my QTH in Comfort (Jones County), NC. Will deliver as far as New Bern. For more info contact Terry Brown, KE4ULF at terbrw@yahoo.com (20190520)
**For Sale**
- Kenwood TS-870SAT Transceiver. Works and looks as new. Has hand mic and power cable, no box. $650.
_ Astron PS-20 Power Supply. Looks good, works fine. Was used with the TS-870. $60.
- Ameritron ATR-20 Antenna Tuner. Has new roller inductor, works perfectly. Condx is 9 out of 10! Asking $175.
Contact Don Smith, KJ4RB at kj4rb@embarqmail.com or 252-568-4011 (If no answer please leave message). (20190520)
**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 Don Smith, KJ4RB at kj4rb@embarqmail.com. (20190409)
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 Don 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/
** 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:
* 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
* Jun 22-23, ARRL Field Day, Saturday-Sunday, Pamlico Shrine Building, NC306, Grantsboro, Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
* July 6, FCC License Examination/VE Session, Saturday 9am, Oriental Town Hall, Oriental. Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175or drmichne73@gmail.com.
* Jul 27, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley's Village Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact 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-
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.
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.
This being Memorial Day, please take time to remember and honor those who died while serving in our United States Armed Forces. Be safe.
Jim AI4WL