PRESIDENT’S SOAPBOX
Last week I posed two questions to our members who might want to borrow
my copy of “The Rod Newkirk Collection,” a book by a once well known ham
that was recently given to me by my first ham buddy from my high school.
The questions were, what and when was cycle 19, and who was Rod
Newkirk? The answers are: cycle 19 was (and still is) the most intense
sunspot cycle ever observed. It peaked in 1958, and its highest daily
sunspot number was 201.3. To put that in perspective, our current cycle
24 peaked in 2014 and had a maximum daily sunspot number of 81.8. The
difference in propagation is stunning. During C-19, 20 meters was open
for world wide DX 24 hours a day, and folks were working long haul DX on
10 meters from their cars on the way to the grocery store with 5 watts
and a short whip. Rod Newkirk, W9BRD, (1922-2012) has a very long
amateur radio resume, but is most famous for writing the “How’s DX?”
column in QST 1947-1978 (which included C-19) in his own unique and very
entertaining style. In his March 1971 column he related a sad but
common story about how young hams were dropping out because their
“mentor Elmer, W9XYZ,” moved away or otherwise disappeared. He ended
the column with…”No more Elmer. We need those Elmers…who keep this
great game young and fresh.” The name stuck, becoming a general term
for ham radio mentors. So two of our members responded with correct
answers to my questions. Dick, K4JJW, was first licensed in 1955, and
Glenn, N4LV, was first licensed in 1959. I will be happy to loan the
book to any other interested PARS member after Dick and Glenn have read
it. …_._ de WM3X, Bill Michne, 252-249-1175, drmichne73@gmail.com.
PAMLICO EMERGENCY NET/ARES
From Mike Marsh, K4NLC:
Wednesday 21 August is our annual SET for the Pamlico County ARES group.
The SET will begin at 7:30 p.m. local time on the Oriental repeater –
147.210 + (PL151.4) with a standard check-in from all. This will be
conducted by K4ONC serving as net control from Pamlico Community College.
Upon completion of the normal check-in, net control will conduct a
Fldigi check-in for those who wish to participate. Your Fldigi message
to net control should consist of your name, location and call sign only.
Your call sign will be called in order to minimize doubles. Net control
will acknowledge receipt of your message.
Upon completion of the Fldigi check-ins and acknowledgments, net control
will shift to K4NLC for the simplex portion of the SET. K4NLC will be
located in KR4LO’s ham shack on Beards Creek. Simplex check-ins will be
conducted on 146.55. Roll will again be called to determine simplex
coverage/non-coverage areas. An Fldigi check-in will again be attempted
via simplex on 146.55.
After the simplex portion is completed we will shift back to the
Oriental repeater to wrap up the SET.
There will be no re-tries at Fldigi at this time – it either works or
doesn’t. Troubleshooting will be done at a later date.
Mike
K4NLC
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was very low during the 24 hours
ending yesterday at 5 pm local. There are no sunspot regions on the sun
facing earth this morning. Activity will continue to be very low
according to the Space Weather Prediction Center. On Sunday, the
reported Solar Flux Index (SFI) at Penticton was 68. The index is
predicted to register 68 today through Wednesday. The SFI 90 day
trailing average is 68.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet to unsettled yesterday. It is
expected to be quiet today and then quiet to unsettled on Tuesday and
Wednesday. The estimated Kp-index of 1 at 5 a.m. local this morning
indicates we are currently experiencing quiet conditions.
We can expect fair daytime and good nighttime operating conditions on 80
and 40 meters for the next few days. Poor conditions will continue on
the higher bands. For the six meter band, expect the openings to be few
and unpredictable.
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.
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**
– Ameritron ALS-606 600W Solid State Linear Amplifier with Power Supply.
New, 2 months ago, I have 2 of them and only need one! Priced at $1,600.
It can be seen and tried at my QTH in Comfort (Jones County), NC. Will
deliver as far as New Bern. For more info contact Terry Brown, KE4ULF at
terbrw@yahoo.com (20190520)
**For Sale**
– Kenwood TS-870SAT Transceiver. Works and looks as new. Has hand mic
and power cable, no box. $650.
– Ameritron ATR-20 Antenna Tuner. Has new roller inductor, works
perfectly. Condx is 9 out of 10! Asking $175.
Contact Don Smith, KJ4RB at kj4rb@embarqmail.com or 252-568-4011 (If no
answer please leave message). (20190520)
PARS CALENDAR:
* Aug 21, Annual Simulated Emergency Test (SET) for Pamlico Emergency
Net/ARES members, Wednesday, 7:30 pm, Oriental Repeater, 147.210 +
(PL151.4). Transmission of message using NBEMS is planned. See
http://www.arrl.org/nbems For more info contact Mike Marsh, K4NLC,
252-636-1257 or mike@marshconsulting.org.
* Aug 31, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Bill Michne, WM3X,
252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
* Sep 28, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s
Village Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact 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. This
net for severe weather warning and reporting is 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.
73, Jim AI4WL
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