PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) DEC 2015 MEETING NOTES
* Thirteen PARS members and guests attended the breakfast meeting chaired
by President Bill Olah, KR4LO, at Brantley’s in Oriental on the 26th.
Business was dispatched quickly in favor of the Christmas End of Year Gift
Exchange.
* There was no treasurer’s report this month. Bill assured those present
that the Society is solvent.
* He updated the group on plans for the club’s next “Fox Hunt”. Decision
on a date was deferred until the January meeting
* Jim, AI4WL, gave a quick report on current solar and geomagnetic
conditions and “weak signal” VHF/UHF activity reported during the month.
* Oriental History Museum management is putting together a program
about “Navigation Before GPS”. According to Tom Finta K8TF, the museum
folks are looking for a person to talk about amateur radio as part of this
program in late Spring,
* Pete Zawasky, AG7C, reported that he had just completed assembling
the components to remotely control the direction of his roof mounted yagi.
This enhances remote operation of his Pamlico home station via the
internet from a condo in New Jersey. Pete offered help and advice to
anyone interested in remote station operation.
* The meeting concluded with the exchange warm wishes for the holiday and
the coming New Year.
PAMLICO EMERGENCY NET (ARES) PRACTICE THIS WEDNESDAY, JAN 6, 2016
The Pamlico Emergency Net meets Wednesday nights at 7:30 pm
local time on the Oriental repeater (147.210 MHz, CTCSS/PL tone 151.4,
standard offset). Contact Mike Hurm, K4HPS, at 252-249-1122 or at
mhurm@aol.com for more information about the net and the Pamlico County
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) program. You do not have to be an
ARES member to participate in the net. It is open to all amateurs who wish
to become familiar with net procedures and hear announcements of interest to
PARS members.
ORIENTAL MUSEUM PLANS HAM RADIO DISPLAY
As part of its program on navigation before GPS, the museum folks want to
give a short presentation on how ham radio is used on boats. Tom Finta K8TF
is looking for a member with crusing experience to give a short informal 15
talk about ham radio on boats and answer questions after. If you can help
out, contact Tom at 249-9838 or fintatom@aol.com Tom has already provided a
HF radio and VHF HT for display.
THE DX CODE OF CONDUCT
As we start the New Year, it is a good time for a reminder on how we
should operate to work those DX stations on our most wanted list:
I will listen, and listen, and then listen again before calling. [This is
the only way to hear if the DX station is working split and where he is
listening for us.]
I will only call if I can copy the DX station properly.
I will not trust the DX cluster and will be sure of the DX station’s call
sign before calling. [It’s amazing how many yahoos connect with the DX
station and then ask for its call sign!]
I will not interfere with the DX station nor anyone calling and will never
tune up on the DX frequency or in the QSX slot.
I will wait for the DX station to end a contact before I call. [This problem
seems to be getting worse. Calling before the stations clear just adds to
the confusion.]
I will always send my full call sign. [Many DX stations no longer answer to
only a suffix.]
I will call and then listen for a reasonable interval. I will not call
continuously. [Another worsening problem. Rude hams just keep sending their
call over and over and over. And some of them yell!]
I will not transmit when the DX operator calls another call sign, not mine.
I will not transmit when the DX operator queries a call sign not like mine.
I will not transmit when the DX station requests geographic areas other than
mine. [It seems this relates to the problem of not listening.]
When the DX operator calls me, I will not repeat my call sign unless I think
he has copied it incorrectly.
I will be thankful if and when I do make a contact.
I will respect my fellow hams and conduct myself so as to earn their
respect.
[For more on the Code, go to www.dx-code.org. There is also guidance for
DXpeditions and DXstations. That information offers clues for us on how
best to get through to those DXstations.]
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was very low during the 24 hours ending
yesterday at 4 pm local. The largest recent solar event was a B4 flare
observed at 0621Z this morning. There are 3 numbered sunspot regions on the
disk facing Earth. The sunspot count this morning is 50, up from the 33
reported by NOAA two weeks ago. The Solar Flux Index (SFI) was 102, down
from the 117 in our last report. According to the Space Weather Prediction
Center, solar activity is expected to continue to be very low for the next
three days with only a chance of C-class flares.. The NOAA forecast has the
SFI rising slightly to 105 today through Wednesday. The 90 day trailing
average is remains at 109.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. Expect quiet to active
conditions today. A CME generated cloud is expected to arrive late today
giving the northern latitudes auroras. The field is forecast to be quiet to
unsettled on Tuesday and reach storm levels on Wednesday. The Kp-index was
reported to be an an extremely quiet zero at 8 a.m. local this morning.
Expect good conditions on 80 through 20 Meters, fair to poor on the higher
bands. Watch for E-layer propagation on 6 Meters.
THIS WEEK’S DX CHALLENGE
6W, SENEGAL. Francis, F6BLP, will be active as 6W7SK from Saly Portudal, 80
kms south of Dakar on the coast, between January
3-31st. Activity will be holiday style using an IC-7100, BLA-350, into G5RV
antenna and inverted L for 160m operating mainly CW (some SSB and RTTY) on
160-6 meters. Look for his low band activity during his local sunrise and
sunset. QSL via F6BLP, direct or by the Bureau. Logs will be uploaded to
LoTW and eQSL. For more details, logs and pictures of his last operation in
Senegal, visit: http://www.f6blp.org
VP8SGI/VP8STI DXPEDITION NEWS (Press Release from the Intrepid-DX Group
VP8STI/VP8SGI Team). (Courtesy of the Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin #1247, Editor
Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW)
Paul, N6PSE, sent out the following on December 31st
[edited]: Greetings from the Intrepid DX Group VP8STI/VP8SGI Team — We
are pleased to report that the R/V Braveheart has arrived in Stanley,
the Falkland Islands and is making preparations for the arrival of the
VP8STI/VP8SGI team. The Braveheart is taking on 90,000 liters of fuel
and enough provisions for their 36 day voyage with the Intrepid VP8 team.
At 59 degrees South, Southern Thule in the South Sandwich chain of
islands is closer to the Antarctic Circle than either Heard Island (53
degrees) or Bouvet Island (54 degrees) The climate will be cold and harsh
with strong winds. Current weather in Southern Thule is -2 degrees C with
moderate winds. After camping in tents on Southern Thule for ten days,
our team will voyage to South Georgia Island and set up camp for an
additional ten days.
Our goals are to operate fast and efficiently and to provide as many
all-time new contacts with these rare entities. We will make the extra
effort to work the most remote and difficult regions.
All of our plans are going very well. We have raised 74% of the funds
needed to complete our Dxpedition. We are very grateful for all Foundation,
Club and Individual support.
We have updated our QSL page and OQRS will be live as soon as we complete
each activation. We will make every effort to upload our logs to Clublog
each day. We expect to have challenges in doing so as at 59 degrees South,
Southern Thule Island is outside of the Inmarsat BGAN coverage footprint.
We are very excited to be activating the #3 and #8 most wanted DXCC
entities on a combined trip. You can view all details of our Dxpedition
at: http://www.intrepid-dx.com/vp8
Upon our return to Stanley, the team will operate as VP8IDX for five
days with an emphasis on 160 meters.
Please watch for updates and announcements in The Daily DX, DX-World,
DX Coffee and DX News. [as well as the OPDX]
Thank you, and Happy New Year!
Paul N6PSE, Co-Leader, VP8 Team
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 except the jingle of bells and the buzz of mosquitos from
around the County this warm holiday season…
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 :
* 09/0500-09/0900Z Jan Old New Year Contest, CW Ph
* 09/1200-10/2359Z Jan SKCC Weekend Sprintathon, CW
* 09/1200-10/1200Z Jan UBA PSK63 Prefix Contest, Dig
* 09/1800-10/0559Z Jan North American QSO Party, CW
* 10/0900-10/1059Z Jan DARC 10-Meter Contest, CW Ph
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
——————–
(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:
* Jan 30, PARS Monthly Meeting, Saturday, 9 am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental, Bill Olah, KR4LO, 249-0287 or w_olah@yahoo.com.
* Feb 27, 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/
* Chief Editor and Administrator is Greg Wadsworth KM4DZM, 252-322-1033 or
gwadsworth1@ yahoo.com
* 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. Log on to the PARS Website at https://www.n4prs.org/ for
longer news articles, photos, archived PARSgrams and more. 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 (20150406)
And best wishes for a very Happy New Year to you all.
Jim, AI4WL