BIT BUCKET
Sam/Dave KD2T reported in an email last Monday that he received his LotW
confirmations for K1N (Navassa) the day before, on Sunday, Aug 9, 2015. “If
any of the members have been waiting, it is coming.” He was correct. I
checked my account and there they were.–Jim
ENC REPEATER ASSOCIATION FALL PICNIC
Janice Hopkins, KJ4JPE advises that the ENC annual picnic for 2015 will be
on Sunday, September 13th. Set-up will start around noon with the picnic to
follow at 1 pm. The event will be at the Izaak Walton Building, 207 Hadnot
Farm Road, Cape Carteret, NC. Hadnot Farm Road is off Hwy. 58, the highway
that intersects with US17 not far from the Maysville Hamfest site. If
coming from Maysville, it is on the right 1 block before T&W Oyster Bar.
The road is the first left after the Oyster Bar if coming from Swansboro.
Those coming are requested to bring a dish to share. Roast pig and chicken
will be provided. Those planning to attend should contact Janice Hopkins,
hopkinszoo1@msn.com or Dave W4DNA, Association President, at
w4dna@nc.rr.com so they know how many folks to expect.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was very low during the 24 hours ending
yesterday at 5 pm local. The largest recent solar event was a B2 flare
observed at 0845Z this morning. There are 2 numbered sunspot regions on the
disk facing Earth, both small and quiet. The sunspot count this morning is
32, well off from the 87 reported by NOAA a week ago at this time. The Solar
Flux Index (SFI) is 86, also down. It was 115 in our last PARSgram. The NOAA
forecast shows the SFI staying nearly the same at 85 through Wednesday.
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, solar activity is expected
to be extremely low through Wednesday with only a one percent chance for
M-class flares.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field reached major storm levels over the weekend.
A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) hit Earth’s magnetic field on August 15th
(~0800 UT). The impact triggered a strong G3-class geomagnetic storm that
lingered and caused bright auroras around the Arctic Circle. The Earth’s
geomagnetic field is expected reach minor storm levels today, be quiet to
active Tuesday and then become quiet on Wednesday. The Kip-index was
reported by NOAA to be an unsettled 4 at 0800 local this morning.
The NOAA reports that we extract in SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY tell us about recent
solar activity, report measurements of current solar and ionospheric
conditions, and give us forecasts that indicate what our HF radio conditions
will be. All this information is great but what about right now?
As we reported a while back, now we have a tool, a web site by Biz Wichy,
K5BIZ, that offers us a simple picture of real time HF amateur radio band
conditions: www.bandconditions.com The purpose of this experimental web
site is to provide actual band conditions–160 through 15 Meters–for
contesters, net operators, DX’ers or hams just wanting to find a working
band for casual contacts. According to Biz, the information is based on a
new ionospheric sounding method called “HF Ionospheric Interferometry” that
operates like the PolSAR system used by NASA. Besides showing current
conditions, there are other pages that indicate whether conditions are
getting better or worse as well as data from the NOAA site. Be sure to read
the instructions page. Let us know if it works for you.
THIS WEEK’S DX CHALLENGE
CY0, SABLE ISLAND. Aaron, VA1AXC, continues to be active as CY0/VA1AXC
on Sable Island (NA-063) until September 23rd. Activity is SSB only and
mainly on 20 meters usually around 2300z. QSL via JE1LET DIRECT ONLY.
QSO QSO CORNER
This is the place to post contacts with DXpeditions, Special Event
Stations, or special QSO’s you would like to share.
Nada. No reports.
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 :
* 17/0100-17/0300Z Aug Run for the Bacon QRP Contest, CW
* 19/1300-20/0400Z Aug CWops Mini-CWT Test, CW
* 22/0400-24/0400Z Aug Hawaii QSO Party, CW, Dig
* 22/1600-23/0400Z Aug Ohio QSO Party, CW, Ph
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 — 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. (20150601).
* FOR SALE–Hank Aaron WB4ROA, long time PARS member is moving. He is
selling much of his equipment. Brian Shepard K4LTE is handling the sale.
For a Yaesu FT-2000 and other Yaesu transceivers:
RF Mu-tuning kit 80/40m band for $300.00, and RF Mu-tuning kit 30/20m band
for $300.00.
Command Technologies Commander Amplifier 2KW for $1500.00.
Yaesu-7800R 2M/70cm Transceiver for $150.00.
Heil Headset Pro Set Quiet Phone with HC-5 mic for $80.00, retailed for
$155.00.
MXL Studio Condenser Microphone MXL-2003 for $100.00, retailed for $163.00.
Heil Hand Switch for $25.00.
Foot Switch for $20.00.
Array Solutions Six Pack ( remote antenna switch) 2 radios-6 antenna ports
per radio for $300.00, retailed for $450.00.
Array Solutions Rat Pack (remote antenna switch) 6 antenna positions for
$100.00, retailed for $250.00.
Astron SL-11 pwr supply for $50.00, retailed for $89.00.
Bencher Keyer for $150.00.
Plus lots of coax and cables-most coax uses N-connectors and were
professionally made by Cable X.
PL259 adapters for .50 cent ea. (28-total)
UHF Male Crimp (type PL259) connectors $2.00 ea. (37-total)
Type N Male crimp for RG8 $2.00 ea. (15-total)
PL259 Connectors $1.00 ea. (16-total)
PL259 UHF Male to female tee adapter connectors, $4.00 ea. (total-9)
BNC Male to UHF female connectors, $2.00 ea. (total-2)
Added items–
Palstar ZM30 digital antenna analyzer, $200.00
ICOM M1V VHF Handheld radio with HM-125 speaker microphone and a new BC-119N
desk top charger, $175.00
Aceco FC-6002 RF Tracer, $150.00
Contact Brian at k4lte2@centurylink.net or at his cell 252-670-5531.
(20150511, 20150518, 20150622)
——————–
(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 REGIONAL HAMFESTS:
A complete list can be found on your PARS Website, www.n4prs.org
PARS CALENDAR:
* Aug 29, PARS Monthly Meeting, Saturday, 9 am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. Bill Olah, KR4LO, 249-0287 or w_olah@yahoo.com.
* Sep 26, 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. This is an informal forum originally
established to assist our new Hams. The frequency is in the 10M voice
segment open to technician licensees and above. Radio related
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.
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