PRESIDENT’S SOAPBOX
We’ve all heard it…CW is dead! Well, maybe, maybe not. As a dedicated CW operator, I wanted to find some way to assess the health of the CW community. What I want to do is build an antenna system for my new QTH that is optimized for the CW portions of all bands from 160 meters to 70 cm, including satellites. It seems like a tall order, but I am fortunate in having the real estate, tall trees, high buildings, tower structures, and my trusty Air Boss to make it all happen. BUT, if there are no CW ops to talk to the exercise would be a complete waste of time, effort, and money. So, where are all the CW ops? I started looking at the CW only clubs online, of which I am a member of several. I started with NAQCC, a QRP CW only club. They currently list 9,366 members. Next on my list was SKCC, a group that emphasizes straight key operation. They currently list 20,218 members. Both of these clubs are free to join. By contrast, FISTS is a CW club that charges an annual membership fee. They are currently at 19,242 members. They are now offering free two year memberships to new and returning members, and I expect their membership will grow. These numbers are modest when you consider the total number of licensed hams in the country, something north of 700,000. But the vast majority of those 700,000 hams are not active, so the active CW operators form a significant portion of the active ham population. Need more convincing? Check out LCWO.net, a CW learning site. They currently list…are you ready for this?…107,801 subscribers! So, CW is alive and well, at all speeds from 5 to 50 wpm. And I’m going to put up my antennas! …_._ de WM3X, Bill Michne, 252-249-1175, drmichne73@gmail.com.
IN THE NEWS
Dick Nelson, N3DAV, passed along a pointer (https://www.theregister.co.uk/AMP/2019/04/05/amateur_radio_spectrum/ ) to an article in the British “The Register” by Thomas Claburn on the request (RM-11831, Kolank) to the FCC to ban a number of digital modes commonly used by the amateur radio community. Many of those modes are increasingly used by amateurs and others to support our emergency services. The proponents claim these modes encrypt the content or otherwise make the messages unmonitorable by the “listening” public. The article includes a response of our Lor Kutchins, W3QA, the president of the Amateur Radio Safety Foundation in support of WinLink which would be rendered ineffective by any such ban.
Editors note: This is a most important issue. It deserves our consideration and support. For more see “Petition for Rule Making..” in The ARRL Letter for April 4, 2019 (http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter?issue=2019-04-04 ) and a short description of the impact to WinLink with FCC Petition RM-11831 on the WinLink Home Page (https://winlink.org). It also provides a pointer to the formal motion and arguments you can paraphrase for use in your comment to the FCC. The 30 day comment period ends April 28th.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was very low during the 24 hours ending yesterday at 5 pm local. There is one very large sunspot region on the sun facing earth this morning. According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, even with the big sunspot, activity is expected to be very low today through Wednesday. (A caveat, the SWPC is keeping in a slight chance for a C-class flare each day .) On Sunday, the reported Solar Flux Index (SFI) at Penticton was 75. The index is predicted to hold at 75 through Wednesday. The SFI 90 day trailing average has risen by one to 72.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. It is expected to be quiet today through Wednesday. The estimated Kp-index of 3 at 8 a.m. local this morning indicates quiet conditions.
We can expect fair daytime and good nighttime operating conditions on 80 and 40 meters for the next few days. Fair conditions are expected for 20 and 30 meters, both night and day. Poor conditions will continue on the higher bands. On the other hand, conditions are looking up for 6 meters. The Magic Band was loaded with E skip contacts last evening. According to DXmaps, about 85 percent of those reported were FT8, the balance CW and SSB.
For those following the prediction of the pundits, check out the article ” Experts Predict a Long Deep Solar Minimum” by Dr. Tony Phillips at https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2019/04/10/experts-predict-the-solar-cycle/
For an explanation of numbers used in our PARSgram, see the excellent article written by Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA at http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere.
THIS WEEK’S DX CHALLENGE
DJIBOUTI, J2. A group of operators will be QRV as J20DX from April13 to 21 from Sept Frere Island, IOTA AF-059, and then as J20DX/p from Moucha Island, IOTA AF-053. Activity will be on 80 to 6 meters using CW and SSB. QSL via LoTW.
OTHER ACTIVITY ON THE RADIO:
This info is extracted from the weekly 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.
* 20/1300-21/2200Z Apr 1.8-UHF Nebraska QSO Party, CW Ph Dig (www.qcwa.org/chapter025.htm)
* 20/1600-21/0400Z Apr 3.5-28 Michigan QSO Party, CW Ph (www.miqp.org/Rules.htm)
* 20/1800-20/2159Z Apr 1.8-50 Feld Hell Sprint, Dig (sites.google.com/site/feldhellclub)
* 20/1800-21/1800Z Apr 1.8-144 Ontario QSO Party, CW Ph (www.va3cco.com/oqp)
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 are a great way to get those last states for your Worked All States (WAS) Award.)
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. Listings will EXPIRE AFTER 90 DAYS unless I hear otherwise.–Jim.
**For Sale**
– 440 REPEATER.
I have a moto. master 2 base 440 repeater, with cellwave duplexers. new controller card, can be programed via ht. also has a new 85.00 preamp for receive. 100 watt pa with extra pa and heat sink assembly. all you need is coax, antenna, and power supply. works well can be demonstrated here in my shack. if you need or want one for your area, please don’t hesitate to make an offer, very very reasonable. is in excess to my needs — we put one up 5 miles away at 700 ft so don’t need one here. don’t be afraid of [making] a small offer. Contact Donie Smith, KJ4RB at kj4rb@embarqmail.com. (20190409)
**For Sale**
– CUSHCRAFT 17B2 2 METER SSB ANTENNA
Original cushcraft , not mfj version, in the box sealed for $150.00 they list for mid $300’s now. It is 31 ft long when assembled. Contact Donie Smith, KJ4RB at kj4rb@embarqmail.com. (20190409)
**For Sale**
– Pristine ICOM R-71A Receiver – Full set of filters – SSB FL-44A (2.4 kHz), SSB FL-30 (2.3 kHz), SSB wide FL-70 (2.8 kHz), CW FL-32 (500 Hz). See, https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.radio.info/SA4AWmUI8js for filter descriptions. Includes EX-310 voice synthesizer. Realigned in 2008 and memory/battery module installed, then unit double-boxed and placed in storage. Unit powers up and works 100% (tested 4-8-2019). In “like-new” condition. Original finish pristine. Original box, manuals, power cord included. I took exceptional care of this receiver. Asking $375. Contact Eric Halber, KM4RDE, at 919-491-8641 or ephalber@gmail.com. (20190409)
** For Sale**
– MFJ-259B HF/VHF SWR ANALYZER. Unit has some slight cosmetic paint scratches but is completely functional. Covers 1.8 to 170 MHz. $160.00.
– MFJ-949E VERSA TUNER II. Like new condition. Features cross needle SWR/POWER meter that reads peak or average power, has two coax outputs, and built-in dummy load. Maximum 300 watts. Includes manual. $100.00. Contact Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175, drmichne73@gmail.com. (20190401)
UPCOMING REGIONAL HAMFESTS:
A complete list can be found on your PARS Website, www.n4prs.org
***RARSFEST 2019, Saturday, April 20, 8 am-3 pm, Jim Graham Building, State Fairgrounds 1025 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh (www.rarsfest.org)***
PARS CALENDAR:
* Apr 27, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village Restaurant, Oriental. Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
* May 2, Emergency Communications Training for ARES, Thursday, 7-9 pm, Brinson Building Room 412, Pamlico Comunity College, Mike Marsh, K4NLC, 252-636-1257 or mike@marshconsulting.org
* May 25, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village Restaurant, Oriental. Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
* Jun 6, Emergency Communications Training for ARES, Thursday, 7-9 pm, Brinson Building Room 412, Pamlico Comunity College, Mike Marsh, K4NLC, 252-636-1257 or mike@marshconsulting.org
* Jun 21, Field Day setup, Friday, time TBD, Pamlico County Shrine Club, NC306, Grantsboro, Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com
* Jun 22-23, ARRL Field Day, Saturday-Sunday, Pamlico Shrine Building, NC306 Grantsboro,
Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
* July 6, FCC License Examination/VE Session, Saturday 9am, Oriental Town Hall, Oriental. Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* Mondays, Pete’s “Pamlico Swamp Roundtable” (“Swamp Net” for some), around 8 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 10 Meter Band voice segment open to technician licensees and above. Radio related topics/questions/issues welcomed.
* Tuesdays, Newport Weather Service SKYWARN Practice Net, 9:00 pm local, Oriental (147.210+ (PL151.4)) and all other local repeaters. Open net for severe weather warning and reporting continously monitored upon activation.
* Wednesdays, Pamlico Emergency Net Practice and Rag Chew/ARES, 7:30 pm, Oriental Repeater, 147.210 + (PL151.4).
* Thursdays, “DownEast/Pamlico Six Meter Net”, 8 pm local, 50.200 MHz, USB. A non-directed open net to promote operation on the ‘Magic Band’.
(For more nets see www.arrl.org/arrl-net-directory-search )
PARS WEB SITE: https://www.n4prs.org/
Web Master is Paul Jodoin, K4MMB, 561-308-3456, PARSwebman@gmail.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