PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) APRIL 25, 2015 MEETING NOTES
(Thanks to Tom Corwin and Greg Wadsworth for taking notes at this meeting.)
* Twenty-five PARS members and guests attended the breakfast meeting
chaired by President Bill Olah, KR4LO, at Brantley’s in Oriental Saturday.
* “Wally” Wallace KK4ASP presented the treasurers report. She passed out
copies of 2015 PARS member roster.
* Mike Hurm,K4HPS, our ARES EC, reported on the Area 3/4
Meeting held April 18th in Warsaw, NC that had about 30 attendees from
ENC. They talked about the Amateur Radio Parity Act (HR 1301), the importance of documenting for Federal decision makers the value amateur radio contributes to public service, and about emergency communications system plans. Interestingly, the
ability to fall back to simplex communications is being re-emphasized
despite the ongoing adoption of new voice and digital technology.
* Bill Cresswell, K2ONN, circulated the sign-up sheet for Field Day caps
and t-shirts. Mike Marsh, K4NLC, plans to order them this week. [Contact
Mike at 636-1257 or mike@marshconsulting.org if you want one]. The Saturday
dinner will be prepared by Brantley’s, cost anticipated to be $12. Field
Day set up will be Friday, June 26; operations start 2 pm. Saturday and run
through Sunday closing at 2 pm.
* Greg KM4DZM, our publicity chair updated members on new content on the
Club Website (http://n4prs.org). Greg has taken on the PARS “float” for the
Croakerfest Parade on July 4th and wants suggestions. He also will order
new Technician License Manuals for the County and Pamlico College libraries.
* Randy Davis, K4WRD, reported that 8 measuring tape 2M antennas were
assembled in Bill Olah’s shop for the coming Fox Hunt. A second session is
planned as is a testing/training session for new fox hunters.
* The club’s 5KW generator went on the auction block. It brought in $300
for the club treasury–thank you Mike Hurm. The club members agreed to
purchase a quieter portable Honda EU2000i to replace the one sold.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was low during the 24 hours
ending yesterday at 5 pm local. The largest recent solar event was a B4
flare observed at 27/0204Z. There are 4 numbered sunspot regions on the disk
facing Earth, only one offering a chance for significant flares and that one
is rotating off the Earth facing disk. The sunspot count this morning is 55,
eighty-seven down from the 142 reported by NOAA last week. The Solar Flux
Index (SFI) is 119, also well down from the 152 in our last PARSgram. The
forecast shows the SFI staying about the same until Wednesday. According to
the Space Weather Prediction Center, solar activity is expected to be low
through Wednesday.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. The geomagnetic
field is expected to be quiet today and Tuesday and be quiet to unsettled on
Wednesday. The K-index was reported by NOAA to be a quiet 2 at 0800 local
this morning.
THIS WEEK’S DX CHALLENGE
NORFOLK ISLAND, VK9N. Operators Chris, VK3QB, Luke, VK3HJ, Roy,
VK3GB, and Oly, VK3XDX are QRV as VK9NT until May 4. Activity is on
160 to 10 meters using CW and SSB with two stations active. QSL via
VK2CA.
QSO QSO CORNER
This is the place to post contacts with DXpeditions, Special Event
Stations, or special QSO’s you would like to share.
Another quiet week radio-wise in the County….
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 :
* 7th Call Area QSO Party: 1300Z, May 2 to 0700Z, May 3
* Indiana QSO Party: 1600Z, May 2 to 0400Z, May 3
* Delaware QSO Party: 1700Z, May 2 to 2359Z, May 3
* New England QSO Party: 2000Z, May 2 to 0500Z, May 3 and 1300Z-2400Z, May
3
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.)
DXPEDITIONS TO WATCH FOR
(Courtesy of the [DX] Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin #1212, April 26, 2015)
3W, VIETNAM (Press Release). The Mediterraneo Dx Club released the following
info on April 24th [edited]: (Press Release #1) – Do you know Da Nang?
Maybe yes, maybe not. Da Nang city is one of the major port cities in
Vietnam, situated on the Est Sea, but, overall, Da Nang will be the next
destination of the Mediterraneo International Dx Club Team, and so it will
be soon on the air any mode/any band. Great news to save in your DXCC
scheduled logbook. First of all the callsign: 3W3MD
The leader Antonio, IZ8CCW, and the co-leader Gabriele, I2VGW, are
happy to announce to the DXer Comunity that, with the great help of a
local friend, Bac, XV2A, from October 31st to November 10th, they have
planned the new DXpedition on the beach of Da Nang.
According to the evaluations that they have done, they are confident
to give to a lot of DXers the possibility to work this Country on the
Low bands, WARC and especially in the Digital modes.
At the moment the team is already full of skilled operators, as a matter
of fact: 20 people coming from 8 (eight) countries. On the air will be
five stations around the clock.
For any further news and updates please stay tune because the official
web site of this new great adventure is coming.
73’s MDXC H.Q.
HAM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, TRADE, OR WANTED
——————–
* FOR SALE– MFJ-1796 1/2 wave vertical, 2-40 meters, except the 2 and
6 meter radiators have been misplaced. No guarantee they will be found. Does
come with manual and spare radiators. Has 2 QSOs to its credit. Includes a
couple 10 foot pipes for mounting. Assembled, and elements already trimmed.
SWR depends on location and height. $130, which is half the new price. The
price will come down until someone buys it.
Jim Scheer, W4NLD, Jim.scheer@gtri.gatech.edu, or cell or text at
253-876-3733 (20150420)
* FOR SALE — Shakespeare 5309-R VHF Antenna.Used.23 Feet.Two
piece.West Marine $599.00.Best reasonable offer.Ralph AC2GR 252-649-1212
(20150330)
* FOR SALE–[ Remaining major items from estate of Jim Reynolds,W4YLO.
Proceeds go directly to his widow, Peggy.]
ICOM PS-125 25 amp pwr supply. Orig. price $399
Price is $175.
ICOM PW1 High Frequency Linear Amplifier – HF/50 MHz All Band 1+kW
out. Automatic antenna tuner built-in. This was bought on Jan. 7,
2012,and has had little use. Has orig. box, manual, remote head and
cables. Original price $4,649.95 (cc invoice available).
Will sell for $3000 firm, – pickup in New Bern, can ship but buyer pays.
FOR INFO OR PIX contact Al, W8UT, email anchor@ec.rr.com
(20150330,20150413, 20150420)
* 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).
——————–
(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:
* May 30, PARS Monthly Meeting, Saturday, 9 am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. Bill Olah, KR4LO, 249-0287 or w_olah@yahoo.com.
* Jun 27-28, ARRL Field Day, Saturday, 2 pm – Sunday, 2 pm. Neuse Drive,
Oriental. Mike Marsh, 636-1257 or mike@marshconsulting.org
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