SHE’S HEADED OUR WAY
Her weak signal was not reported for a day. It looked like she was stuck
over the Gobi Desert. Her little 20 mW tracker was talking but no one
heard her. Then, the “Eastern Express” appeared a couple hundred miles
east of Tokyo. This morning, https://aprs.fi/info/?call=NC4ES-6 shows
the pico balloon’s last position about midway across the Pacific
floating east at 49000 ft. Already being heard by west coast stations,
she should wake in a couple of hours. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow we
should be able to see her little signal ourselves (call sign NC4ES-6).
PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) MAR 30,2024 MEETING NOTES
* Twenty-one members, visitors and guests attended the 9 am Saturday
breakfast meeting chaired by President Bruce Perkins, K4ONC, at
Brantley’s Village Restaurant.
* Club roster’s were distributed.
* There were no upgrades or new licensees reported for the month.
* Bruce delivered the Treasurer’s report on behalf of Wally. The club’s
doing OK. Kershaw internet and the PARs web service were paid for.
* AI4WL’s Propagation Report: Despite some strong flare activity during
the past week, only a few members noticed a disruption. There was a
X-class flare Thursday around 4 pm EDT over the Pacific but no CME
resulted. The 15 and 17 meter bands remain the most reliable for DX
propagation.
* Paul, K4MMB, reported the PARS Web site had 175 visitors in the past
30 days. “All’s well”. USA visitors increasing.
* ARES/PCN. Bruce thanked Wayne KO4OJC, for running the Wednesday nets
in March, Charlie, WA4GSI is on tap for April. The next Pamlico
Communications team meeting is on Saturday, April 6.
* Bruce and Bill, KR4LO, advised that after several stormy and cloudy
days the solar replacement charge on the Kershaw batteries could not
keep up with the drain from heavy repeater usage. It dropped such that
the repeaters shut-down. Quickly noticed, a temporary fix was made. Two
additional solar panels are being added to effectively double the
charging rate.
* The FOX HUNT and HOUNDS’ SOCIAL AND PICNIC is on track for Saturday,
April 20th. It will start at the Oriental Fire Station on Straight Road.
Check-in for the hunters starts at 9 am, the hunt will mount up and
start by groups around 9:30. Hamburgers should be ready around noon.
This is a club social event, members do not have hunt the fox to enjoy
the picnic, all are invited but Mike Marsh needs to know who’s coming.
[Mike Marsh, K4NLC, 252-636-1257 or mike@MarshConsulting.org] All
hunters will win a prize. Bill, K2TNO, designed–with a lot of help–and
framed the certificates. They were on display at the meeting.
* Tripp Beasley, KI4KEB, and Wayne, KO4OJC did a show & tell of Tripp’s
POTA package, all of which fits in a medium backpack. Of particular
interest, the Wolf River Coil TIA Antenna and the Xeigo G90 QRP transceiver.
* In a fascinating presentation, Lor Kutchins, W3QA, enlightened the
group on PICO Balloons focusing on the construction, launch, and
tracking of the “Eastern Express”, NC4ES-6. The current configuration
uses a new very strong small “Yokohama” balloon filled with hydrogen gas
lifting a payload comprised of a Zachtek1 WSPR tracker, super capacitor,
2 tiny solar panels, and very thin wire dipole antennas–total weight
14.7 grams or about 1/2 of an ounce! This is the 6th NC4ES balloon. In
2021, NC4ES-4 reached 36K ft. altitude, circumnavigated the Earth 1.5
times and was downed over Iraq. After floating more than 13,000 miles so
far, NC4ES-6 is over the Gobi Desert moving East at 42K ft. [Flight
monitoring is available in a simple format at APRS.fi <http://aprs.fi/>.
Search for NC4ES-6 there. More data with telemetry spots and mapping can
be played with at LU7AA.org/wsprx.asp <http://lu7aa.org/wsprx.asp>.
-PARSgram 2024-03-25]
* Lor W3QA, drew the winning number for a Brantleys Gift Certificate;
Jeffery Cunniff, a PARS coaster; and Charlie, WA4QSI, a DX-Engineering
baseball cap.
* There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 10:50 am.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reports that solar activity was high during the 24 hour period
ending yesterday at 5 p.m. local. The largest solar event was a M9 event
observed at 30/2116Z March. Since late Saturdays high we have a big
change in activity. The Space Weather Prediction Center expects solar
activity to be low today through Wednesday with only a slight chance of
a M-class flare each day. There are 4 numbered sunspot regions on the
Sun facing Earth this morning. There were 7 last Monday, 6 the Monday
before.
Sunday’s noon Solar Flux Index (SFI) observation at Penticton was 134,
last Sunday’s was 195. The index is predicted to measure 130 today, 125
Tuesday and 125 on Wednesday. The SFI 90 day trailing average was 164
yesterday. It was 163 last Sunday.
The geomagnetic field was quiet to active yesterday. The SWPC expects
the field to be quiet to unsettled today, Tuesday and on Wednesday. The
planetary K-index at 8 a.m. this morning was 2.00 indicating quiet
conditions.
For today, propagation is expected to be much the same as Monday: Poor
day, fair night on 80 and 40; good on 30 to 15, and fair day, poor night
on 12 and 10M. Watch for surprise openings on 6 meters. Conditions have
been good for strong openings into South America.
For an explanation of the numbers used in our PARSgram, see the
excellent article written by Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA at
http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere.
DX TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK–
Extracted from ARLD013 DX news:
–MEXICO, XE. A group of operators are QRV as 4A5D from Maria Madre
Island, a possible new IOTA, until March 30. Activity is on 20, 15,
and 10 meters using SSB and FT8. It is also POTA MX-0171. QSL via
EA5GL.
–VANUATU, YJ. Operators VK3HJ, VK3QB, VK6CQ and K0BBC are QRV as
YJ0VK until April 11. Activity is on 40 to 6 meters using CW, SSB,
and FT8. QSL via M0OXO.
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 your listing is no longer needed. Listings will
EXPIRE AFTER 90 DAYS unless I hear otherwise. Thanks, Jim.
–NEW FOR SALE:
- Kenwood TM-V71A Dual Band 2meters 440 $350
- Kenwood TM-281A $70
- TH 9000 Pi-Ps TYT Mobile with TYT Mike $70
Selling for a friend. All in good shape. Charlie Overcash, WA4GSI,
919-210-5168. (20240401)
–FOR SALE: MFJ-259B antenna analyzer covering 1.8 – 170 MHz. The unit
includes the MFJ-66 dip meter adapter coils for determining the resonant
frequency of LC circuits. It also includes ten rechargeable NiMH AA
Energizer cells, and an AC adapter for using the analyzer and charging
the batteries, as well as complete operating manuals. I am selling
because I need an instrument that covers up to 500 MHz. The price to
PARSGram readers is $125. Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-671-6703, or
drmichne73@gmail.com. (20240219)
–FOR SALE:
- Yaesu FT2DR handheld, digital/analog C4FM includes radio, antenna,
box and data cable $300 obo
- Kenwood TS-820S, operational with strong tubes gives 100+ watts out!
Includes radio, kenwood box, power cord, hand mic and spare donor parts
rig $475 obo
- I’m looking for a backup/ secondary hf + 6m solid state rig so I will
be open to trades or working out a deal if your interested in any of my
listed items!
Contact Cody, KN4RFG, at 252-229-4542 or codyakamudduck2005@gmail.com
(20240122)
PARS CALENDAR:
* Apr 6, PAMLICO COMMUNICATIONS TEAM 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
* Apr 20, PARS SPRING FOX HUNT, Saturday, 9:00 am Hunter’s Check-in at
Oriental VFD Station 19 on Straight Rd vic NC-55. Hunter’s and
spectators social and lunch at noon. All are welcome but you must
register. More info to come.
* Apr 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
REPEATER/NODE STATUS
(See www.n4prs.org/frequencies/ for set-up)
N4ONC VHF FM Oriental — Operational
N4ONC (old KR4LO) UHF FM Oriental — Operational
NC4ES VHF FM/DMR Arapahoe — Non-operational
NC4ES UHF DMR Florence — Operational on the NC4ES.org Network
WM3X-ONC VHF C4FM/WIRES-X NODE Oriental (145.530 simplex)– Operational
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* Mondays, “Pamlico 10 Meter Net, 7:30 pm local, on or near 28.464 MHz,
USB. A non-directed net for technicians and above. 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 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 WEB SITE: https://www.n4prs.org/
Our Web Master is Paul Jodoin, K4MMB, 561-308-3456, PARSwebman@gmail.com
Happy April Fools Day!
73, Jim AI4WL Editor
——–
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