NO PARSGRAM ON MONDAY, 19 JANUARY 2015.
We expect to be back on Monday, Jan 26. If not, this is your reminder for
our next Pamlico Amateur Radio Society Meeting at 9 am., Saturday, January
31.
NOSTALGIA TIME-GET OUT THAT OLD J38
Dave Bacon–or is it Sam–KD2T sent along a pointer to a US Navy 1944
Training Video for Hand sending of Morse Code. You can find it at
https://www.facebook.com/QRZNow/posts/787982141239454.
“IS THERE NO HONOR LEFT AMONG DXERS?”
Dave Purifoy, N4ENE, thought this a timely article and there
are other thought provoking opinions and discussions on the blog of N6PSE.
You can find it at
https://n6pse.wordpress.com/2015/01/05/is-there-no-honor-left-among-dxers/
MONDAY NIGHT ROUNDTABLE (“THE SWAMP NET”)
Our Monday night Roundtable on 10 meters was started several years ago by
Pete AG7C in that slice of the 10 meter band open to hams of all license
classes. The idea was to provide an opportunity for our new hams to gain
experience on HF. The gathering now provides a weekly forum for all things
amateur radio and more. Come join us. The net meets at around 2015 hours
on or about 28.463 MHz. For more info, contact Pete at 249-3393.
ARRL JANUARY VHF CONTEST IN TWO WEEKS
VHF operators will be out in force for the ARRL January VHF Contest during
the weekend of January 24 (1900Z) — January 26 (0359Z). This contest gives
hams of all license classes a chance to do some contesting during the winter
months on the Ham bands 50 MHz and up. Although most activity occurs on
these bands during June and July, there are lots of QSOs made on 6 Meters
via sporadic-E in colder months too. Plenty of other chances for enhancement
exist as well. Almost all the newer HF transceivers cover the 6 Meter band
so make up a 9 1/2 foot long dipole and give that band a try. (You might
also find that your 40M antenna will tune there as well). On six meters
start by listening on the USB calling frequency of 50.125 MHz USB and then
move up. (The frequencies of 50.100-50.124 MHz are for DX contacts so don’t
work stateside contacts there.) The exchange is simply your grid square. You
can find that by looking yourself up on QRZ.com and clicking on “details”.
Exchange of signal reports is optional. For the contest rules go to
http://www.arrl.org/january-vhf. BTW, even if you don’t want to
participate in the contest, this is a good time to look for activity on the
VHF bands beyond what you find on the repeaters. Consider using the FM
simplex frequencies if your radio won’t do SSB.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity has been low during the 24 hours
ending yesterday at 4 pm local. The largest solar event of the period was a
C4 event observed at 11/0543Z. There are currently 7 numbered sunspot
regions on the disk facing Earth The sunspot count this morning is 133 up a
few from the 124 reported by NOAA last Monday. It was 108 the week before.
The Solar Flux Index is 154, almost the same as the 150 in last week’s
PARSgram. The forecast takes it to 175 by Wednesday. According to the Space
Weather Prediction Center, solar activity is expected to be low through
Wednesday with a 40% chance for M-class flares and a 10% chance for X-class
flares during the period.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field activity has been at quiet to unsettled
levels during the past 24 hours. The geomagnetic field is expected to vary
between quiet and unsettled today and then quiet Tuesday and Wednesday. The
K-index was reported by NOAA to be a quiet 2 at 0700 local this morning. No
geomagnetic storms are expected during the next 24 hours.
THIS WEEK’S DX CHALLENGE (and one for later)
FERNANDO de NORONHA, PY0F. Leo, PP1CZ is QRV as PY0F/PP1CZ until
January 15. Activity is on 80 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY.
QSL to home call. [Leo was loud here in Whortonsville over the weekend,
Catch him if you can.]
Just so you know, from Wikipedia, Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago of
21 islands and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, 354 km (220 mi) offshore from
the Brazilian coast. The main island has an area of 18.4 square kilometres
(7.1 sq mi) and had a population estimated at 2,718 in 2012. The area is a
special municipality of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco with about 70% of
it established in 1988 as a national maritime park. In 2001 UNESCO
designated it as a World Heritage Site because of the importance of its
environment.
TRISTAN de CUNHA AND GOUGH ISLANDS, ZD9. David, ZS1BCE is QRV as
ZD9A while currently working as a radio technician on Gough Island,
IOTA AF-030, until September. Activity is in his spare time on the
HF bands using SSB and digital modes. QSL via ZS1LS. [A freebee, this is
our second chance for ZD9 in a year’s time.]
QSO CORNER
This is the place to post contacts with DXpeditions, Special Event
Stations, or special QSO’s you would like to share.
Nothing heard from our nether parts or any part for that matter.
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 :
* Jan 17, 1800Z – Jan 18, 0559Z North American QSO Party
* Jan 18, 1400Z – Jan 19, 0800Z Classic Exchange
* Jan 19, 0200Z – Jan 19, 0400Z Run For the Bacon
* Jan 21, 0200Z – Jan 21, 0256Z Locust QSO Party
* Jan 22, 0130Z – Jan 22, 0330Z NAQCC Monthly QRP Sprint
* Jan 23, 2200Z – Jan 25, 2200Z CQ WW 160 Meter Contest
* Jan 24, 1200Z – Jan 25, 1200Z BARTG RTTY Sprint
* Jan 24, 1700Z – Jan 25, 1700Z Winter Field Day
* Jan 24, 1900Z – Jan 26, 0359Z ARRL January VHF Contest
See the ARRL Contest Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/>, the
ARRL Contest Update http://www.arrl.org/The-ARRL-Contest-Update/ and the
WA7BNM Contest Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html>
for more info. Looking for a Special Event station? Be sure to check out the
ARRL Special Event Station Web page<http://www.arrl.org/special-events>. For
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
——————–
* 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)
* FOR SALE/FREE– Last items from Jim Reynolds’ (W4YLO)
station. Jim Reynolds W4YLO is in a care center with late stages of
Parkinson’s disease. His wife would like to sell his shop tools and
equipment and gain back the garage. If you have any interest in these items
please call me, Ed Valentine, and set up a visit time to view them.
– Free, Two large paper format printers. With software and cables. Come
look and take.
– One HP3570 Scanner 8/12 X 10 inch, software and USB cable. $10.
– Dentron Super Tuner ( Rated very good tuner in QRZ) $145.
– Radial Arm Saw 14 inch blade. Made by Delta With a few blades. $250.
– Sorenson Power Regulating Transformer. 6 in x 6 in x 18 in long @ 75 lbs.
1000VA $20.
– Icom AH4 Antenna Tuner $250.
– Bird Power Meter Replacement Slug Socket and in-out connectors $65
– Xantrex True Charge Dual 20 Amps. With remote metering. $165.
– Xantrex 1500 Inverter. $98.
Contact Ed Valentine W2YPM at 252 637-3161 or
w2ypm@earthlink.net for information and pricing.
(20140602/20141222)
——————–
(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.
* Jan 31, 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, time TBA. 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.
PARS NETS:
* Mondays, Pete’s “Swamp Talk” roundtable, around 8:15 pm local,
28.463 MHz plus or minus, USB. An informal forum originally established
to assist our new Hams, this freq. 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.
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