PARS SPRING FOX HUNT THIS COMING SATURDAY
Our Spring FOX HUNT and HOUNDS’ SOCIAL AND PICNIC is on track for this
Saturday, April 20th. It starts at the Oriental Fire Station on Straight
Road near the intersection with NC55. Check-in for the hunters starts at
9 am, the hunt will mount up and head out by groups around 9:30. Should
be a fun course for all, especially for those Foxhunting for the first time.
It will be a two hour single stage event with one fox transmitter
operating on 146.590 Mhz. Don’t forget that you need to have your 2M
handheld radio pre-programmed to 146.590 and the 4 Mhz attenuator
off-set frequency programmed for 150.590 Mhz. If you need some practice
with your radio and attenuator try using the New Bern NOAA weather
station on 162.400 Mhz. For newbees and old-timers alike there’s some
good info in Rob Zielfelder’s QST article, “Beginner Foxhunting”
starting on page 55 in the May 2023 QST Magazine. Need some advice,
contact our experts, Bill, KR4LO, or Dick, K4JJW.
Hamburgers and edible non-hunting dogs will be ready around noon. THIS
IS A FREE SOCIAL EVENT for members, family and our foxhunting friends.
You do not have to search for the fox to enjoy the picnic. ALL ARE
INVITED. If you want a burger, MIKE Marsh NEEDS TO KNOW YOU’RE COMING NO
LATER than WEDNESDAY. You might want to bring a lawn chair. Contact
Mike Marsh K4NLC, 252-636-1257 or mike@MarshConsulting.org.
WHERE IS SHE NOW?
The Eastern Express “woke-up” Sunday, at about 7 pm our time. Her signal
was first heard by a Japanese station in Hokkaido, Japan at 6:58 pm EDT.
Suko-san had the little balloon at 43,832 ft in grid IN99rr moving
nearly due East. She had entered the Northern Pacific after a very slow
passage over the Sea of Okhotsk and the Kuril Islands. Depending on the
wind, slow moving to the north, much faster if she ends up going south,
she should (or may) cross the International Date Line tomorrow. In
another day or so it will be time to turn on our receivers and listen
(look) for her little 20 mW wspr signal, call sign NC4ES-6.
That said, Lor, W3QA, advises that it… “Looks like we are going to
spend some time in the far north [after crossing the Aleutian Island
chain and floating northeast towards the Arctic Circle-ed]. Not good for
radio tracking due to aurora and other effects. Signals get absorbed and
few monitoring stations. Patience will be needed.” Oh well.
Paul, K4MMB, has started an “Eastern Express” page on our N4PRS.ORG web
site. Go there for reports, some neat photos and more about her
fascinating adventure.
You can follow her journey on the web at www.wspr.rocks or
https://aprs.fi/info/?call=NC4ES-6. Congrats go to Matt WU2V, Chris
Cieszko, Lor W3QA, and Bruce K4ONC–The NC4ES Eastern Express Team.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reports that solar activity was moderate during the 24 hour period
ending yesterday at 5 p.m. local. Radio blackouts at the R1 level
occurred. The Space Weather Prediction Center expects solar activity to
be low today through Wednesday with a chance for M-class flares. There
are 10 numbered sunspot regions on the Sun facing Earth this morning.
There were 6 last Monday, 7 the Monday before.
Sunday’s noon Solar Flux Index (SFI) observation at Penticton was 178,
last Sunday’s was 125. The index is predicted to measure 180 today, 180
Tuesday and 180 on Wednesday. The SFI 90 day trailing average was 159
yesterday. It was 162 last Sunday.
The geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. The SWPC expects the field to
be quiet to minor storm levels today, quiet to unsettled Tuesday and
quiet on Wednesday. The planetary K-index at 5 a.m. this morning was
0.67 indicating quiet conditions.
For today, propagation is expected to be much the same: poor day, good
night on 80 to 20; good on 17 and 15, and good day, poor night on 12 and
10M.
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 TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK–
Extracted from ARLD015 DX news:
–VIET NAM, 3W. Alex, KU1CW is QRV as 3W9A and has been active on 15
meters using FT8 around 1800z. QSL to home call.
–BHUTAN, A5. Janusz, SP9FIH and Leszek, SP6CIK will be QRV as A52P
and A52CI, respectively, from April 19 to May 4. Activity will be
on 40 to 6 meters using CW, SSB, and various digital modes. QSL via
Club Log.
–EASTER ISLAND, CE0. A group of operators will be QRV as CD0Y from
April 18 to May 6. Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters using CW,
SSB, and FT8. QSL via DJ4MX.ity is on 40 to 6 meters using CW, SSB,
and FT8. QSL via M0OXO.
HAM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE, TRADE, OR WANTED
Send me your amateur radio related items that are for sale, trade, or
wanted and your contact information. 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. Thanks, Jim.
–FOR SALE:
- Kenwood TM-V71A Dual Band 2meters 440 $350
- Kenwood TM-281A $70
- TH 9000 Pi-Ps TYT Mobile with TYT Mike $70
Selling for a friend. All in good shape. Charlie Overcash, WA4GSI,
919-210-5168. (20240401)
–FOR SALE: MFJ-259B antenna analyzer covering 1.8 – 170 MHz. The unit
includes the MFJ-66 dip meter adapter coils for determining the resonant
frequency of LC circuits. It also includes ten rechargeable NiMH AA
Energizer cells, and an AC adapter for using the analyzer and charging
the batteries, as well as complete operating manuals. I am selling
because I need an instrument that covers up to 500 MHz. The price to
PARSGram readers is $125. Bill Michne, WM3X, 252-671-6703, or
drmichne73@gmail.com. (20240219)
–FOR SALE:
- Yaesu FT2DR handheld, digital/analog C4FM includes radio, antenna,
box and data cable $300 obo
- Kenwood TS-820S, operational with strong tubes gives 100+ watts out!
Includes radio, kenwood box, power cord, hand mic and spare donor parts
rig $475 obo
- I’m looking for a backup/ secondary hf + 6m solid state rig so I will
be open to trades or working out a deal if your interested in any of my
listed items!
Contact Cody, KN4RFG, at 252-229-4542 or codyakamudduck2005@gmail.com
(20240122)
PARS CALENDAR:
* Apr 20, PARS SPRING FOX HUNT, Saturday, 9:00 am Hunter’s Check-in at
Oriental VFD Station 19 on Straight Rd vic NC-55. Hunter’s and
spectators social and lunch at noon. All are welcome but you must
register with Mike Marsh, K4NLC, 252-636-1257 or
mike@MarshConsulting.org by Wednesday, April 17.
* Apr 27, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC,
252-626-2730 or K4ONC@aol.com
* May 4, PAMLICO COMMUNICATIONS TEAM MEETING, Saturday, 9-10:30am,
Oriental VFD Station 19 on Straight Rd vic. NC-55. All are welcome. For
more info, contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC, 252-626-2730 or K4ONC@aol.com
REPEATER/NODE STATUS
(See www.n4prs.org/frequencies/ for set-up)
N4ONC VHF FM Oriental — Operational
N4ONC (old KR4LO) UHF FM Oriental — Operational
NC4ES VHF FM/DMR Arapahoe — Non-operational
NC4ES UHF DMR Florence — Non-operational. RFO UNK.
WM3X-ONC VHF C4FM/WIRES-X NODE Oriental (145.530 simplex)– Operational
LOCAL NETS OF INTEREST TO PARS MEMBERS:
* Mondays, “Pamlico 10 Meter Net, 7:30 pm local, on or near 28.464 MHz,
USB. A non-directed net for technicians and above. Radio
topics/questions/issues welcomed.
* Wednesdays,”Pamlico Communications Net”, 7:30 pm local, N4ONC
(Oriental) VHF Repeater, 147.210+ (CTSCC Tone Squelch 88.5). A directed
net open to all. Net activates on call during emergencies.
* 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
73, Jim AI4WL Editor
——–
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