PRESIDENT’S SOAPBOX
Last week I was optimistic about the propagation predictions and was
getting excited about whether I’d see any effect for the ARRL 160 Meter
contest. I finally got my rooftop tower installed and the first antenna
to go up was an inverted L for top band. It consisted of a quarter
wavelength (about 128 feet) of wire one end of which was attached to my
field of 40 buried radials, and the other going up to the tower and then
horizontally to a tree on the other side of the lot. After a little
trimming I had resonance at 1860 kHz and a 2:1 SWR bandwidth of about
100 kHz. I heard a lot of signals on the band but nothing beyond a few
hundred miles. I heard one guy in New England working a European, but I
couldn’t hear the other station. But I decided to fire up the amplifier
and see what I could do. That got me nowhere. The big Ameritron was
supposed to have a plate voltage of 3600 volts, but mine was showing an
anemic 2800 volts. I think the filter caps are going bad, so I just
shut everything down before something really bad happened. If anyone
else in the club worked that contest I’d love to hear how you made out.
…_._ de WM3X, Bill Michne, 252-249-1175, drmichne73@gmail.com.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was low during the 24 hour period
ending yesterday at 5 pm local. The largest solar event of the period
was a C1 event on 6 Dec at 1327Z. There are 2 numbered sunspot regions
on the Sun facing Earth this morning. There were four yesterday. On
Sunday the observed Solar Flux Index (SFI) at Penticton was 91. The
index is predicted to register 90 today and Tuesday and 88 on Wednesday.
The SFI 90 day trailing average is 81, up three from last week.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. It is expected to be
quiet through Wednesday. The estimated Kp-index of 1 reported at 7 a.m.
local this morning indicates we are currently experiencing quiet
geomagnetic conditions.
In contrast to Bill’s report on not so great conditions on 160 this
weekend, Sunday morn I found 4S7AB, a Sri Lanka station 15,706 mi on the
long path gray line from here, working all comers on 40M FT8–except me.
Oh well…
For the next several days, we can expect fair daytime and good nighttime
operating conditions on 80 and 40 meters, fair on 30 and 20, and fair on
17 & 15. The VHF bands have been mostly quiet.
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**
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:
* 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.
* Jan 30, 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
Please mask up in public and stay safe.
73, Jim AI4WL
——
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