PRESIDENT’S SOAPBOX
We had a nice size group for our PARS meeting via ZOOM on Saturday. I
had to keep flipping my screen to be able to see everybody, but it
worked out well. The big news, of course, is the result of our annual
election of officers. All of our officers had agreed to stay on for
another term, and were reelected by a single affirmation vote.
Congratulations to all, and thank you for your continued service. _…_
The contest season is now in full swing. The CQ World Wide DX SSB
contest is over, as is the North American SSB Sprint. Coming up this
month are the two versions of the ARRL Sweepstakes, and the CQ World
Wide DX CW contest. These are great opportunities for station tweaking
and awards chasing. And while propagation is not that great, there is
life on the bands, as detailed by Jim, AI4WL, at the meeting. I’ve even
been able to work into Africa on 30 meters on a couple of occasions.
…_._ de WM3X, Bill Michne, 252-249-1175, drmichne73@gmail.com.
PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) SEP 26,2020 MEETING NOTES
* Thirteen PARS members attended the 9 am meeting chaired by President
Bill Michne via Zoom. Steve Silveira, KO4EDA, was our technical host.
* Regarding reports of awards or special QSO’s, Dick, K4JJW, reported
clean sweeps in the 13 Colonies Contest. Bill reported his new antenna
is doing fine, thank you. Testing it out on 30M, he worked a station in
Mali on his first try. Eddie, K4NGR, has won the Straight Key Century
Club’s (SKCC) Centurion Award after making 100 contacts with other SKCC
members–we assume, using a straight key.
* Bill reported Wally is working on the 2021 dues notices. The club is
solvent.
* Propagation Report by Jim, AI4WL: Solar activity is improving. 2
departing Sunspot regions soon to be replaced by 2 new ones. Slight
chance of M-class flares. Solar Flux 90 day average is 72, a significant
increase. Fair nighttime conditions exist on 80, 40, 20 & 15 meter
bands, poor otherwise. 6 Meter contacts have been mostly meteor scatter;
2M via weather enhanced tropo ducting.
* Mike, K4NLC, reported the Pamlico Emergency Net generated 17.57
man-hours from 4 sessions in Oct. The Simulated Emergency Test (SET) on
Wed, Oct 21, went well with good participation. Participants and the EC
were able to identify the stations they could reliably connect with
directly using 2M FM simplex in a worst case situation. Pamlico AUXCOMM
will get a boost with establishment of a DMR repeater at the
Florence-Whortonsville VFD. Lor, W3QA, explained the differences between
ARES and AUXCOMM stressing the need for both.
* Paul, K4MMB, reported 70 visitors to the N4PRS.org web site in the
last 30 days. They they looked at 231 pages. The repeater page remains
the most visited.
* As for the annual election of officers, Bill had canvased the current
officers and found them all willing to stand for reelection. There being
no other nominations received prior to the meeting or from the floor,
Dick, K4JJW moved and the members present voted to reelect the current
officers by acclamation. Bill is hoping for the next year to bring more
club projects, Fox Hunts, and find mentors for new ham members. Lor
revealed he is involved in a Pico Balloon project and that led to a
exchange about STEM and the challenges of getting young students
interested in ham radio.
* Roanoke Division Vice Director, Bill Morine, N2COP, is establishing a
forum for ARRL affiliated club presidents. Bill Michne plans to
participate on behalf of PARS.
* Recognizing some freezing of video during the Zoom meeting by some
participants, not only was the issue of uneven internet service and
limited bandwidth discussed, but also the recent elevated cyber activity
affecting speed/denial of service, server intrusions, probes, and more.
* There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 0955.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was very low during the 24 hours
ending yesterday at 5 pm local. There is one small sunspot region on the
Sun facing Earth this morning and about to depart; another is emerging.
Solar activity is expected to be very low through Wednesday. On Sunday
the observed Solar Flux Index (SFI) at Penticton was 77. The index is
predicted to register 74 today, 72 Tuesday and Wednesday. The SFI 90 day
trailing average is 72.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet to unsettled yesterday. It is
expected to be quiet to unsettled today and quiet on Tuesday and
Wednesday. The estimated Kp-index of 1 reported at 4 a.m. local this
morning indicates we are currently experiencing quiet geomagnetic
conditions.
For today, we can expect poor daytime and fair nighttime operating
conditions on 80 and 40 meters and fair conditions on 30 and 20. Expect
poor conditions on the higher HF bands. We heard lots of stations
hopping around on 40 Saturday night during the North American Sprint
Contest including two from North Dakota. One of them, plus a Delaware,
would have rounded out a WAS for a few folks we’re sure.
The VHF bands remain mostly quiet, however, as Cedar Island Mark, K1MAP,
advises, there are distant contacts to be made on 2 meters. Recent
weather has brought us tropo ducting up and down the east coast. Yours
truly worked Tim, KG4HOT, up in Schuyler, VA, 217 miles to the NNW on 2M
SSB Thursday evening using a little horizontal loop up in the attic. We
had just been on Donnie’s 6M net and gave it a try. I could hear him on
2 better than on 6.
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
For listing in the PARSgram send me your amateur radio related items
that you have for sale, trade, or wanted. PLEASE let me know when you
have have sold your item or your listing is no longer needed. Listings
will EXPIRE AFTER 90 DAYS unless I hear otherwise.–Jim.
**For Sale**
Heil Foot Switch, push to transmit. $15.00. Contact Ed Valentine, W2YPM,
at 252-637-3161 or w2ypm@earthlink.net. (20201019)
**Estate Ham Equipment For Sale (update)**
Eddie Lyon, K4NGR, provided a long list of equipment he is wishing to
sell on behalf of the wife of a fellow ham who passed several weeks ago.
Major items now remaining on the list with prices originally paid
include a Yaesu FT2000/HF Transceiver $2,115 with Yaesu MD-100 Mic $179
and Yaesu external speaker with phone patch and an Ammeritron AL-811H
Amp $999. “These prices are what he had paid for them brand new so
whatever we can get for them to help his wife Pat out will be most
appreciated.” For a complete list of the remianing items or more
information please contact Eddie at ELyon47@aol.com or 540-905-5839.
(20201019, 20201102)
PARS CALENDAR:
* Nov 28, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Virtual Meeting via
“Zoom” or at Brantleys Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Bill
Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
* Dec 26, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Virtual Meeting via
“Zoom” or at Brantleys Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Bill
Michne, WM3X, 252-249-1175 or drmichne73@gmail.com.
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* 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
COVID-19 OR THE FLU – HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE
As of Oct 28th, our County had tallied 326 COVID-19 cases. Most had
recovered, but 19 were still active including 4 at the Prison and 4 at
Congregate Living Facilities. There have been three deaths.
If you suspect you are catching either the flu or the virus, help with
figuring out which you might have is at at the URL below:
https://mailchi.mp/854d0374fc18/the-flu-vs-covid-how-do-i-tell-the-difference?e=adb5dfd6c4
- Please mask up in public and stay safe. Jim AI4WL
——
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