PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) Dec 31, 2022 MEETING NOTES
* Twenty PARS members, visitors and guests attended the 9 am Saturday
breakfast meeting chaired by President Mike Marsh, K4NLC, and the annual
holiday gift exchange at Brantley’s Village Restaurant.
* No awards or upgrades were reported. Mike welcomed Robbie Pegram,
KO4KQC, our newest member.
* Mike delivered the Treasurer’s report on behalf of Wally.
* Propagation Report: Moderate sun. Friday’s M3 class flare caused a
short HF blackout over the Pacific. There are 8 sunspot groups today vs
4 last month yielding a SSN of 121. Expect good HF operating conditions
to continue. Dick, K4JJW, reported working Crozet Island, number 3 on
the most wanted list, recently on 30 Meters. The operator’s using a
special protocol on FT8. [See FT8WW’s QRZ page for instructions.-ed]
* ARES/Pamlico Communications Net: Mike reported 4 nets in December.
* Bruce,K4ONC, advised the date and topic of the next Pamlico
Communications Team meeting is TBD.
* Paul reported that there have been 222 visitors already this month,
perhaps the highest number he’s seen.
* Mike reminded all that the Arapahoe (Arlington Place) repeater is
operational for both Analog and DMR modes. The coverage area extends
well into Craven, Carteret, and Beaufort Counties. [147.285 MHz,
standard offset, 88.5 Hz CTCSS]
* Bill, WM3X, commented that his C4FM/WiresX node [Node 90588, Room
00588] is up 24/7. Equipment is dedicated on 145.53 MHz. He welcomes
users and reports.
* Bruce has not yet found a replacement to print “PARSware” shirts and
caps. Locally available “rubber patch” printing is not acceptable.
* Paul offered he’s just read a disturbing book on the world’s reliance
on the all-connected digital world: “This Is How They Tell Me The World
Ends”. He opined that no ham would be able to put it down.
* After the gifts are exchanged, at least four members will rotate
their antennas during Dick’s practice Fox Hunt .
* There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:35 am. It
was followed by the PARS annual amateur radio related holiday gift exchange.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reported that solar activity was low during the 24 hour period
ending yesterday at 4 p.m. local. There are 6 numbered sunspot regions
on the Sun facing Earth this morning. There were 6 last Monday. The
Prediction Center expects solar activity to be low today through
Wednesday. There is a chance for M-class flares during the period.
Yesterday’s noon Solar Flux Index (SFI) observation at Penticton was
- Last Sunday’s was unavailable. The index is predicted to measure
155 today, 158 tomorrow and 155 on Wednesday. The SFI 90 day trailing
average was 134 yesterday, up one from last Monday.
The Earth’s geomagnetic field was quiet to active yesterday. It is
expected to be quiet to unsettled today, quiet Tuesday and then reach
minor storm levels on Wednesday. Geomagnetic storms are possible on Jan.
4th when a slow-moving CME is expected to hit Earth’s magnetic field.
The estimated Kp-index of 1.67 reported at 7 a.m. local this morning
indicated quiet geomagnetic conditions.
For today, we can expect fair to good operating conditions on the HF
bands 80 through 15 meters, fair day but poor night on 12 and 10.
For an explanation of the numbers used in our PARSgram, see the
excellent article written by Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA at
http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere.
DX THIS WEEK–
Extracted from ARLD052 DX news:
CROZET ISLAND, FT/W. Station FT8WW is QRV and expects to be there
until March 2023. He’s using MSHV protocol for FT8. He was worked by
K4JJW on 10.131 MHz. See QRZ for more. QSL via OQRS/LOTW.
HAM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, TRADE, OR WANTED
For listing in the PARSgram send me your amateur radio related items
that are 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: I have three SignaLink interfaces for digital sound card
modes given to me by a friend to sell for him. Each comes complete with
a USB cable and radio interface cable. Two have six-pin mini-DIN cables
for any radio with that standardized data port. One has a cable to
interface to a Baufeng UV-5R or equivalent radio (I believe it’s the
Kenwood standard mic plug). They sell new MSRP for $140 these days. He’s
wanting $60 for one. Great for Winlink, FM Packet radio, WSJTx and so
much more. The manual link:
https://www.qsl.net/kb7tbt/manuals/Tigertronics/SignaLinkUSB.pdf Lor
Kutchins, W3QA, kutchins@w3qa.net or 252-349-0466. (20221219)
– For Sale: Ameritron AL-811 3 tube has new 572b tunes. It works but
needs some work, possibly just some cleaning. I have extra 811 tubes
some might be good that can go with it. $ 400 obo. Cody Vanhook, KN4RFG,
can call or text (252) 229-4542 (20221212)
PARS CALENDAR:
* Jan 28, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Mike Marsh, K4NLC,
252-636-1257 or mike@MarshConsulting.org
* Feb 25, PARS MONTHLY MEETING and Annual Christmas Gift Exchange,
Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village Restaurant, Oriental. For more info,
contact Mike Marsh, K4NLC, 252-636-1257 or mike@MarshConsulting.org
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* Wednesdays,”Pamlico Communications Net”, 7:30 pm local, N4ONC
(Oriental) Repeater, 147.210 + (CTSCC Tone Squelch 88.5).
* 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
Happy New Year!
73, Jim AI4WL
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