PRESIDENT’S SOAPBOX
Great PARS net meeting on Saturday, with 15 check-ins. I operated from
the Florence Whortonsville firehouse where we had three students from
the PARS Tech course who took their exams following the meeting. Prior
to the meeting the students were involved in the setup of the equipment
and antenna, an experience not many new Techs get to have. They also
got to check-in to the net as guests and each had a turn at the
microphone. All three passed their Tech exams. They are Joe Lupton of
Merritt, and Bud McClard and Steve Silveira, both of New Bern.
Congratulations! _…_ Since many (most?) clubs will not be holding
their usual Field Day operations, ARRL has decided to allow individuals
operating from home to pool their scores to get an aggregate club score.
Of course, this is how unlimited contest clubs have been operating for
years. I’m hoping that this decision will have the effect of increasing
participation in the event. I intend to operate my station using the
club call. Any club members who have little experience, or do not own a
radio, or just want to operate some different equipment, are welcome to
operate my station. Since I will be serving as control operator, even
Technician licensees can operate using Extra Class privileges. If this
sounds like something you’d like to do, give me a call and we’ll get you
on the schedule. …_._ de WM3X, Bill Michne, 252-249-1175,
drmichne73@gmail.com.
LICENSE TESTING
From Danny Garris WD4CQ, NBARC President:
The Carteret County Amateur Radio Society will be holding a testing
session on Saturday, June 13th. The testing will be held at Cox’s Family
Restaurant, 4109 Arendell St. Morehead City, NC. They will eat breakfast
at 8:30 AM and begin testing sometime shortly after 9:00 AM. If anyone
wants to take a Ham Radio License Test they can walk in.
For More Info Contact:
Pete Wenk, W3ENK
pete@petewenk.com
Ph: (252) 241-8373
CCARS President
http://www.w4ymi.com/
ORIENTAL REPEATER TEMPORARILY OFF THE AIR
On Tuesday, May 26th, in the early afternoon the Oriental Repeater had
to be taken off the air. Bruce, K4ONC, reported, “… Sounded like
someone was watching an old comedy show on TV and had their radio (HT?)
on VOX. I tried calling on the radio to the offender to no avail. The
repeater kept timing out. Glenn, N4LV, also heard the transmission and
finally shut down the repeater for about 30 minutes.”
Reminder–HT’s or any other radio on a repeater frequency SHOULD NOT
have VOX turned on.
PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) May 30, 2020 VIRTUAL MEETING NOTES
* Fifteen PARS members checked-in to the 9 am breakfast meeting net on
the Oriental Repeater. It was controlled by President Bill Michne using
the club call, N4PRS. Bill was operating from the Florence-Whortonsville
Fire Department, the site of the postponed VE Session/License Exam for
students of the Winter Tech Course. Before the net check-in sequence,
examinees Steve, Bud and Joe greeted net members.
* There were no reports of awards or upgrades.
* Bill presented the treasurer’s report on behalf of Wally. There was
no change from the April report.
* Propagation Report: Solar activity remains very low with no sunspots
however flare activity occurred yesterday on the backside of the Sun
giving us a very slight chance of an M-Class flare in the next few days.
[The Sunspot dissipated before rotating into view–Jim]. We are into a
28 day stretch without Sunspots, 119 days for the year, so the solar
minimum continues. That said, there is DX to be found on HF and VHF,
even from Pamlico County. Six Meters has been particularly active this
past week.
* Mike Marsh, K4NLC, our ARES coordinator, reported 13.9 man hours for
the four net practices in the month of May. All AUXCOMM training is on
hold pending re-opening of PCC.
* Regarding Field Day, the ARRL has made two important rule changes for
2020. First, Class D (home stations using commercial power) stations
can work other Class D stations for credit. Second, home stations can
report club affiliation. From that, a total aggregate score will be
published for each club. This is just like what most most major contests
provide: a total score for clubs made up of those reported by club
members. The ARRL has urged vendors of contest logs to modify their
programs to accommodate these important changes. Bill offered we will
talk more about Field day via the PARSgam in the weeks ahead.
* There being no further business the meeting was adjourned/net closed
at 0914.
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. This is our 30th day in a row without; the
solar minimum continues. Solar activity will continue to be very low
through Wednesday, however there is a slight chance for a C-class flare
each day according to the Space Weather Prediction Center. On Sunday,
the reported Solar Flux Index (SFI) at Penticton was 71. The index is
predicted to register 71 today through Wednesday. The SFI 90 day
trailing average is 70.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet to unsettled yesterday. It is
expected to be quiet today, tomorrow and Wednesday. The estimated
Kp-index of zero reported at 5 a.m. local this morning indicates we are
currently experiencing very quiet conditions.
We can expect fair daytime and good nighttime operating conditions on 80
and 40 meters, fair day and night on 30 and 20. Expect poor conditions
on the higher bands. After a week of vigorous activity, 6 Meters is
quiet as I write this on Sunday night. Over the past week, there have
been openings from here in ENC into the West Coast, Canada, Europe,
South Africa, South America and the Caribbean. This has been mostly FT8
but also some CW and even some sideband activity. Not Bad at all for the
month of May. Let’s hope it continues in June.
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-earth-the-ionosphere.
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**
HyGain 18 AVQ 10 thru 80 ground mounted vertical. Base section ruined by
Florence, replaced with new section from HyGain, antenna not
reinstalled. Antenna in 3 sections for transport – base, middle and top
with counterpoises, longest about 8 feet. $100 and you transport. Call
Art KB1TX at 252-571-1752. (20200511)
** FOR SALE**
1. Titan DX Multiband Antenna SOLD
2. Daiwa CN101L. SWR AND POWER METER. NEW. (COST $130). $45
3. ASTRON POWER Supply SOLD.
NOTE: All 3 items include instructions Contact: Larry Jones,
ljonesnc4@gmail.com or at 252 617-0525. Will consider reasonable offers.
(20200309)
PARS CALENDAR:
* Jun 27-28, ARRL Field Day, TBD, Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or
drmichne73@gmail.com
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* Tuesdays, Newport Weather Service SKYWARN Practice Net, 9:00 pm
local, Oriental (147.210+ (PL151.4)) and all other local repeaters. This
net for severe weather warning and reporting is 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/
Our 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.
Stay safe.
73, Jim AI4WL
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