PRESIDENT’S SOAPBOX
Saturday’s PARS meeting saw some really nice gifts exchanged. As I
looked around at them I was mentally composing a wish list of my own.
_…_ The weather has been very conducive to antenna work, and there
have been several antennas in motion, some going up and others coming
down. A couple of PARS volunteers took down a damaged dipole for
Priscilla, N4TNP. She has decided to stay exclusively on VHF. Bill,
KR4LO, took down his house based HF antennas in preparation for setting
them up for the new shack in the shop building. Paul, K4MMB, is
starting to put up some sky metal at the new home QTH. I’m getting
close to raising my new four band beast. And Jim, AI4WL, reported that
the first sun spots of cycle 25 have been spotted, hopefully helping to
make all this effort worthwhile. _…_ This week will see the annual
Straight Key Night operating event, beginning at 0000 UTC on January 1,
and running for 24 hours. It’s not a contest. Rather it’s a fun event
on CW using only manual keys, and many participants use vintage
equipment as well. Code speeds range from very slow to moderate. The
idea is to make friendly contacts. Make one or many. Vote for best
fist and most interesting QSO. See December QST for details, and have
fun! …_._ 73 and Happy New Year de WM3X, Bill Michne, 252-249-1175,
drmichne73@gmail.com.
PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) Dec 28, 2019 MEETING NOTES
* Seventeen PARS members, visitors and guests attended the 9 am
breakfast meeting chaired by President Bill Michne, WM3X, at Brantley’s
Village Restaurant.
* Bill presented the treasurer’s report and opened a discussion of the
club’s liability insurance policy. The current policy appears adequate
although it does not provide Directors and Officers’ coverage which will
be addressed. Coverage for the privately owned W4SLH Oriental Repeater
which our members maintain was discussed. It was noted that ARRL may
offer insurance coverage.
* Propagation Report: Solar activity continues to be very low. Two
sunspot regions from Cycle 25 appeared on Dec 24 but disappeared 3 days
after. Although the bottom continues, DX is still to be had on HF
especially when using digital modes.
* Mike Marsh, K4NLC, our ARES coordinator, reported 4 training sessions
in December for 10.7 mh. The next ARES/AUXCOMM meeting will be 7 p.m.
February 6th at PCC. Required to qualify at level 2, EC001-S is now
available on-line; courses 100, 200 and 700 are prerequisites. See the
ARRL website for more.
* Bill reported that Marvin Hoffman, WA4NC, of Boone will become the
new ARRL NC Section Manager when Karl Bowman’s term expires this Spring.
* He also announced that Paul, k4MMB, has volunteered to handle club
PIO duties for Pamlico County media. Janice has agreed to continue for
outlets outside our county. It was a stretch for Janice to cover Pamlico
from her home in Stella.
* Licensing exams will continue on a quarterly basis in CY2020–they
are now scheduled for Jan 4, Apr 4, Jul 11 and Oct 3.
* Plans are being made for a 4 week Tech course followed by a General
level course this Winter. They will be at the PCC Bayboro Annex if
arrangements can be made.
* Bill remarked on ARRL lab compliance tests reported in the Jan 2020
QST Magazine. One manufacturer sells products clearly out of compliance.
* Paul reported the club web site has had 471 visitors in the last 120
days. Most came from Google searches, many from Towndock add.
* Bill Olah has visited Denny Giorgio, KD2DSY, weekly and Denny would
welcome visitors. He is in the Pruitt Nursing Home in New Bern. Visitors
are encouraged as are phone calls (cell 862-324-5339).
* Bill O. also shared his excitement with his new SDR Play, a
remarkable device for a relatively low price.
* Ahead: “Intro to WinLink” in February, Skywarn Course/Refresher.
* The meeting was adjourned at 0956 followed by the annual holiday gift
exchange.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was very low during the 24 hours
ending yesterday at 4 pm local. There are no sunspot regions on the Sun
facing Earth this morning although we did have two from new Cycle 25
appear on Christmas Eve before disappearing after three days. These were
not the first. Several others appeared briefly in 2019.
Solar 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 72. The index is predicted to register 72 today
and Tuesday, 71 on Wednesday. The more important SFI 90 day trailing
average is up one to 70.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. It is expected to be
quiet to unsettled today through Wednesday. The estimated Kp-index of 0
reported at 7 a.m. local this morning indicates we are currently
experiencing very quiet conditions.
We can expect good daytime and good nighttime operating conditions on 80
and 40 meters for the next few days; fair conditions both day and night
on 30 and 20. Poor conditions will continue on the higher bands. 6
Meters has shown little activity except for those using meteor scatter
propagation.
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
ANTARCTICA. Chris, W2RTO is QRV as KC4/W2RTO and KC4USV from the
McMurdo Station, IOTA AN-011, until February 21, 2020. Activity is
on the HF bands using SSB, FT8 and some PSK31. QSL via K7MT.
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** by Fred Elsner, W4fae, 252-637-3742 (20191028)
1) Icom 7600 SOLD
2) Icom 7000 SOLD
3) LDG 100 auto tuner, perfect size and electrical match for a Icom
7000. $80. Fred, W4fae, 252-637-3742
4) West Mountain Rig Blaster Advantage (for digital mode operating}.
With all cables etc. $100.
**For Sale ** by Jim Cason, AC4JC, 252-636-0407 or jlcason@yahoo.com
(20190930 updated 2019-12-09)
– TenTech 411 Amplifier, uses three 811A tubes, similar in size to the
Collins “S” line amplifier. An almost new set of Chinese made 811’s
included. The amp is running vintage US Made 811A’s (higher power
output), and I have a number of additional vintage 811’s included. up to
100 watt drive, up to 600 watt RF output into 50 ohm load. Capable of
full QSK along with a Jupiter or other TenTec transceivers on CW;
possibly with other rigs. Can be operated on 110 volt, I have it wired
for 220 volt (don’t have 220 available in the house, or I might keep
it). Built before 10 meter capability was removed from amps, although I
really used it mostly on 75 and 40. Best pricing information I could
find on these is selling for an average of $650. ** Any Reasonable
offers will be seriously considered.**
– TenTec 229B Tuner, capable of a full 2KW PEP, built as an L-network,
where additional capacitor has been added to cover 160 meters even. Has
a 4-position RF switch. Best pricing information I could find on these
is selling for an average of $250. ** Any Reasonable offers will be
seriously considered.**
– Full 2KW Rotary Coaxial Switch SOLD
– B&W 50 ohm Dummy Load/Wattmeter, capable of full power BRIEFLY. Has
10/100/1KW meter. Overheating lamp is small 110 volt bulb and is burnt
out. Working but not sure of accuracy. $50.
– DX Engineering DXE-BAL050-H05-A 2KW Continuous, 5KW Intermittent 1:1
Coaxial Balun. This sells for $139.99 new, will sell for half that
price, $70. Has never had more than about 600 watts put through it.
PARS CALENDAR:
* Jan 4, FCC License Examination/VE Session, Saturday 9am, Oriental
Town Hall, Oriental. Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or
drmichne73@gmail.com.
* Jan 25, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Bill Michne, WM3X,
252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
* Feb 6, Emergency Communications for ARES/AUXCOMM, Thursday, 7-9 pm,
Brinson Building Room 411, Pamlico Community College, Mike Marsh, K4NLC,
252-636-1257 or mike@marshconsulting.org
* Feb 29, 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:
* 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/
Our 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.
Happy New Year! See you at the Running of the Dragon on New Year’s Eve.
73, Jim AI4WL
——
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