PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) NOV 2014 MEETING NOTES
* Thirty-eight PARS members and guests attended the breakfast meeting
chaired by President Bill Olah, KR4LO, at Brantley’s in Oriental last
Saturday.
* “Wally” Wallace KK4ASP presented the treasurers report. She is still
receiving 2015 membership renewals. If you have misplaced your renewal
letter contact Wally. [or just reply to this email and I will forward your
request on to Wally–Jim].
* Mike K4HPS gave the ARES Report detailing the activity for the months of
October 2014 through January 2015. A Simulated Emergency Test is planned
for the Pamlico Emergency Net Practice at 7:30 PM on Wednesday, February 4.
The SET will allow testing of the new dual band antenna at the EOC in
Bayboro. The Oriental 440 Repeater will also be used for this test. If you
have not already done so, PROGRAM YOUR RADIO to use this repeater on the
frequency of 444.350 MHz, standard offiset, PL tone 85.4.
* Jim AI4WL reported the VHF SSB bands have been extremely quiet although
solar activity has increased recently. (SSN-193, SFI-165, KP-2 at 0700.) No
workable stations were heard on 6M during the recent January VHF Contest.
He reported that the Navassa Island DXpedition advance group was on the
island and operation should start as early as tomorrow, Feb 1. Only Dave,
N4ENE reported having KP1 (Special call K1N for this DXpedition) in his log.
* Dick, K4JJW wondered if others had worked the Iran DXpedition EP6T on
Kish Island. He apparently was the only one who had.
* After comments regarding the increasing lack of operator couth during the
Iran and other DXpeditions, Dick recommended reading “Ethics and Operating
Procedures for the Radio Amateur” by John, ON4UN, and Mark, ON4WW. It can
be found on the ARRL web site at www.arrl.org/operating-ethics Just click
on the document for a download.
* With a surprise presentation of a personally handcrafted “plaque”, Bill
graciously thanked me for years of producing the weekly PARSgram. I was
humbled and without words to adequately respond.
* Jim Scheer, W4NLD, reported on the sale of some donated high value sound
equipment on EBay. Four of the five items listed were sold and he presented
Wally with a check for nearly $400 for deposit to the club treasury.
* Regarding upcoming presentations, Bill advised that a SKYWARN class was
being planned as was the club Fox Hunt. Randy, K4WRD, suggested members
talk about projects they were working on.
* As for new awards, Sam/Dave KD2T reported that he had received DXCC
awards for the 30 Meter band and the 12 Meter band.
* Carl Baxley, KJ4CFG, complemented Bill Michne WM3X on the fine quality of
his instruction. (Carl is taking Bill’s General class license course.)
* With that, Bill Michne reminded all of the FCC Examination session at
6:30 PM on Monday, March 2nd. It is an open exam to qualify for not only
the General Class license but also Technician, and Extra.
* John Keating, KB1KW, of the Carteret County Club talked about the annual
Neusiok Trail Run normally held the second weekend in January. He outlined
the need for communications support and asked for ours next year. The
Neusiok trail is 21.5 miles long running from the Pine Cliff Recreation area
on the Neuse river (just east of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point) to
Oyster Point Campground east of Newport, NC. Running this course is a very
big challenge and some do it several times as part of the event.
* After the formal meeting, Bill conducted an auction of a large number of
electronics items, mostly test equipment, specialized power supplies, wire
and cable.
JACK D.RUSSELL, KK4UTK (SK)
We are sad to pass along that PARS member Jack D. Russell, KK4UTK, 63 of
Merritt, passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015. Jack
served proudly in the USMC attaining the rank of SGT in 1974 as a team
leader with the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company. After serving 4 years with
the Marines, he served another 2 years in the U.S. Army with the 82nd
Airborne Division. After leaving active duty, he began a long career in law
enforcement. For many years he was a Game Warden for the Colorado Division
of Wildlife. Jack loved the outdoors, particularly sailing which brought him
to Pamlico County. Retirement also allowed Jack time to further an interest
in radio. He completed the PARS 2013 Technician Course obtaining his
license in October 2013 and then studied on his own to earn his General
Class Amateur Radio license in January, 2014. He was so excited about
getting on the air that he moved to the Whortonsville area to get room for a
suitable antenna. We are sorry that we did not get to know him better. Our
condolences go out to his sister Denise of Arapahoe and the rest of his
family.
THANK YOU
I was overwhelmed and found myself speechless when, in the middle of our
January meeting, our PARS President Bill KR4LO, on behalf of PARS,
surprised me with a beautiful model of my house complete with Yagi antenna
that he had crafted in recognition of my producing the PARSgram each week.
For over eight years it has been going out to your inbox. Time does fly. We
started the PARSgram in mid-2007 simply to remind members of our monthly
meeting. There was always that confusion, is the meeting on the fourth
Saturday or the last Saturday. Then our publicity chair at the time, Tom
Corwin KI4NSP, began suggesting… “a couple of things that our members
‘ought to know”. It grew from there. I am happy that you appreciate this
weekly addition to your in-box. With your help, suggestions, and items of
interest for our fellow Hams, we will keep this thing going for a while
longer. Thank you, Jim, AI4WL.
PARS BIT BUCKET
* Sam/Dave, KD2T, sent in a pointer to a COAX calculator that might be
useful:
http://qrznow.com/coaxial-cable-attenuation-power-handling-calculator/
* You might have had trouble opening the page for the “New DXER’S Handbook”
discussed in last week’s PARSgram. At the period at the end of the sentence
caused the problem. Sorry. Here’s the URL again: http://www.k7ua.com
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity has been low during the 24 hours
ending yesterday at 4 pm local. The largest recent solar event was a
C1 event observed at 02/1437Z. There are currently 6 numbered sunspot
regions on the disk facing Earth The sunspot count this morning is 132 well
up from the 65 reported by NOAA two weeks ago. The Solar Flux Index is
142 also up from the 127 in our last PARSgram. However, the forecast shows
the SFI dropping to 125 on Wednesday, well below the 90 day trailing average
of 153. According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, solar activity is
expected to be moderate through Wednesday with a slight chance for X-class
flares.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field has been moderate to active during the past
24 hours. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at unsettled to minor
storm levels for the rest of today, reach active levels on Tuesday and vary
between quiet and unsettled Wednesday. The K-index was reported by
NOAA to be an unsettled 4 at 1300 this afternoon.
THIS WEEK’S DX CHALLENGE
NAVASSA ISLAND, KP1, A large group of operators are QRV as K1N through
about February 16. When all stations are up, activity will be on 160 to 6
meters with up to eight stations active using CW, SSB and RTTY. At least
one station will be on 20 meters, 24 hours/day. 160M and 12M will be CW
only and 10M will be SSB only. On the plus side for Pamlico County hams, we
can expect high grade communications paths on several bands each day.
Details of the operation including frequencies and band plan can be found at
www.navassadx.com It you miss Navassa this year, your next chance will not
be before the year 2025! Good luck…
QSO CORNER
This is the place to post contacts with DXpeditions, Special Event
Stations, or special QSO’s you would like to share.
Our first reported K1N success received at 2140 EST 1 Feb 15–
Hi Jim: Allow me to do just a ‘lil chest thumping….worked K1N on 40m
shortly after they first went on the air. At that time they were QRV only
on 40m with a huge pile and not working any other band yet. So I went to
3523 Khz and parked there, turned the volume way up and went back to
watching the Super Bowl. Sure enough, they called their first CQ on 3523
Khz at 0217Z and I scrambled back to the radio in time to be K1N’s first
contact of the Dx’pdn on 80m. Fortunately my hunch paid off….and within 5
minutes the pile up was over 20 Khz wide.
73 Dick K4JJW
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 :
* February 7 — Minnesota QSO Party (SSB, CW, Digital)
* February 7 — Straight Key Party
* February 7-8 — Vermont QSO Party (SSB, CW, Digital)
* February 7-8 — YLISSB QSO Party
* February 7-8 — Ten-Ten Winter Phone QSO Party
* February 7-8 — Black Sea Cup International (SSB, CW)
* February 7-8 — British Columbia QSO Party (SSB, CW, Digital)
* February 7-8 — XE International RTTY Contest
* February 7-8 — AM QSO Party
* February 8 — North American Sprint (CW)
* February 8-9 — Classic Exchange (Phone)
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 — Lightly used Ameritron AL-811H in good working order.
Output power is 800 Watts PEP, 600 Watts CW. It uses four rugged, fully
neutralized low cost 811A PA tubes. A backup set of four tubes is included
with the amplifier. The dimensions are 8 ¼” x 13 ¾” x 15 ½”. The operating
weight is 32 lbs. I am the second purchaser/owner of this amplifier. The
first owner is an active PARS member. This Amplifier has the factory
modification for operation on 10 meters. A copy of the manual is included.
Asking $550. Contact Bill Cresswell, K2ONN at 252-249-0148. (20150126)
* 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. (20150126).
* FREE — Coax. Belden 8281 video cable (blue jacket), 78 ft piece; RG-59U
two pieces (yellow jacket). Pick up in Morehead City or New Bern, contact
Stephen Freeman, KK4JOP, 252-725-3845. (20141215)
* FOR SALE–DRAKE R-8A communications receiver in like-new condition; no
cosmetic flaws, all knobs and meters intact, nesting spiders chased out.
Asking price $500. Comparable to those on Ebay advertised at $695.
Contact Jamie King KJ4JK at (252) 514-7497or kj4jk@arrl.net (20141006)
——————–
(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 HAMFESTS:
* February 7, 2015: Richmond Frostfest, Richmond Raceway Complex,
Richmond, VA, http://www.frostfest.com
* April 4, 2015: 43rd Annual RARSfest/North Carolina State Convention,
Raleigh Amateur Radio Society, State Fairgrounds,
Raleigh, NC, http://www.rars.org/rarsfest
PARS CALENDAR:
* Thru Mar 2, PARS General Class License Preparation Course, Monday
evenings,6:30-8:30 PM, Room 412 in the Brinson Building,Pamlico Community
College, 5049 Highway 306 South, Grantsboro. Contact Bill Michne, WM3X, at
252-249-1175 or by email at billmichne@embarqmail.com.
* Feb 28, PARS Monthly Meeting, Saturday, 9 am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. Bill Olah, KR4LO, 249-0287 or w_olah@yahoo.com.
* Mar 2, 2015, Amateur Radio License Exam Session, Technician, General, and
Extra, Monday evening, 6:30 PM. Room 412 in the Brinson Building, Pamlico
Community College, 5049 Highway 306 South, Grantsboro. For more information,
and TO REGISTER FOR THE EXAM, contact Bill Michne, WM3X, at 252-249-1175 or
by email at billmichne@embarqmail.com.
* Mar 28, 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. Since this is an informal forum originally
established to assist our new Hams, this frequency is in the 10M voice
segment open to technician licensees and above. Radio
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. 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 (20121126)
Jim, AI4WL