FOR THE 1 Jan 2025 NEW YEARS DAY WEDNESDAY NIGHT NET (PCN):
Please use the normal Winlink Net CHECK-IN form. Mike, K4NLC, will be
taking your check-in. Questions? Contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC,
252-626-2730 or K4ONC@aol.com
REMINDER-FOR SATURDAY 4 JAN 25-
PAMLICO SWIFT WATER TEAM RESPONSE TO HURRICANE HELENE AT THE PCT
Gary Mitchelson, NC3Z, will be making a presentation to the Pamlico
Communications Team (PCT) regarding the Pamlico County Swift Water
Rescue Team’s response to Hurricane Helene in Western NC. He and the
team were one of the first emergency responders into the area. He will
give us a run down of the conditions they faced upon deploying to the
area and the situations they encountered. The photos he will show of the
area will be dramatic.
Gary is the Fire Chief of the Florence-Whortonsville Fire Department
Station 25, holds an Amateur Extra radio license, a SHARES member, a NC
AHIMT COML, member of NC AUXCOM, and lead of the Pamlico County Swift
Water Rescue, to name a few.
This promises to be a very interesting and informative presentation. I
highly recommend any amateur radio operator interested in EmComm to attend.
This presentation, hosted by the PCT, will be held on Saturday, January
4th, 0900hrs at Fire Station 19, Southeast Pamlico Volunteer Fire
Department and EMS, 182 Straight Road, Oriental. All are welcome.
–Bruce, K4ONC
PAMLICO AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY (PARS) December 28, 2024 MEETING NOTES
* Twenty-two members, visitors and guests attended the 9 am Saturday
breakfast meeting and Christmas Exchange at Brantley’s Village
Restaurant chaired by President Bruce Perkins, K4ONC.
* There were no upgrades, awards or new licensees reported for the
month. Bruce welcomed Ray Lewis, a brand new ham and our newest member.
While at the meeting Ray found out that his call, KR4ABZ, had been granted.
* Bruce delivered the Treasurer’s report on behalf of Wally. Bruce
advised that the club, instead of a monetary donation this year, had
purchased and donated a very large screen TV/Monitor to the Oriental
VFD, Station 19. After many PCT meetings and PARS events, it was very
apparent that participants had great difficulty with the stations small
screen. In addition to its own meetings and classes, the station hosts
other groups as well as PARS. All use the monitor. As if on queue, Eric
Kindle, the Oriental Fire Chief appeared and thanked the group for the
gift. He noted that it was on their want list, but unaffordable in the
department’s tight budget. Our continued support to the department is
much appreciated.
* AI4WL’s Propagation Report: About half of the attendees had been on
HF during the week. They agreed that the good conditions are continuing,
especially on the higher HF bands. The Voice of America Coverage
Analysis Program (VOCAP)–discussed in a December QST article on Ten
Meter propagation at the top of solar cycle–was recommended as a time
saver when chasing DX stations. It gives a good indication whether
conditions are favorable for making the desired contact. DX to look for
in January includes Saipan, Wake, Fiji, Galapagos, Benin and more.
* Bruce thanked Mike, K4NLC, for calling the Pamlico Communications Net
(PCN) during the month. Mike reported 19.8 manhours for the four
sessions with 10/11 Winlink check-ins average. Wayne, KO4OJC, will take
the net for most of January and February. Expect to explore more of the
Winlink forms.
* The next meeting of the “Pamlico Communications Team” is at 9am on
Saturday, January 4th, at the Station 19 fire house. The new monitor
will be put into good use by Gary Mitchelson, NC3Z. Gary, lead of the
Pamlico Swift Water Rescue Team and Fire Chief of VFW Station 25. He
will talk about the team’s deployment during Hurricane Helene. [See
announcement nearby–ed].
* Bruce read, then circulated, the thank-you note he received from our
Treasurer, “Wally” Wallace for the club’s special gift in recognition
for her long service to PARS. She apparently was overwhelmed.
* New baseball caps with the PARS logo are here. The cost will be $20,
not $25 as earlier announced, for the embroidered blue cap. Bruce
advised he may have found a new source for logo t-shirts.
* There being no further business the business meeting concluded in
favor of the annual holiday gift exchange. The meeting was adjourned at
09:50 am.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reports that solar activity was high during the 24 hour period
ending yesterday at 4 p.m. local. The largest solar event of the period
was a X1 event observed at 30/0414Z. The Space Weather Prediction Center
expects solar activity to be moderate today through Wednesday. There’s a
chance for X-class flares. Radio blackouts reaching the R2 level are
likely.
There are 11 numbered sunspot regions on the Sun facing Earth this
morning. There were 11 last Monday, 6 the Monday before.
Sunday’s noon Solar Flux Index (SFI) observation at Penticton was 255,
last Sunday’s was 223. The index is predicted to measure 255 today, 240
Tuesday and 210 on Wednesday. The much more important SFI 90 day
trailing average was 207 yesterday. It was 202 last Sunday.
The geomagnetic field was quiet yesterday. The SWPC expects the field to
be quiet to unsettled today, reach severe storm levels Tuesday, and then
be at quiet to minor storm levels Wednesday. The planetary K-index at 7
a.m. this morning was 1.67 indicating quiet conditions.
The solar max is far from over. Expect poor conditions during the day on
80 to 40, fair to good at night; good day and night on 30 to 15; and
good day, poor to fair night on 12 and 10M. Go to
https://www.n4prs.org/looking-up/ for the latest observations.
DX THIS WEEK–
Extracted from ARRL’s ARLD047/48 DX news and DXWorld.net:
–FRENCH POLYNESIA, FO. Hardy, DL7JLL is QRV as FO/DL7JLL from Mangareva
Island, IOTA OC-063, until January 15, 2025. Activity is on 20, 15, and
10 meters using SSB.
–GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, HC8. Gus, HC2FG will be QRV as HD8FG from Santa
Cruz, IOTA SA-004, to January 3, 2025. Activity will be on 6 meters
using FT8. QSL via LoTW.
–OGASAWARA, JD1. Harry, JG7PSJ will be QRV as JD1BMH from Chichijima,
IOTA AS-031, until January 3, 2025. Activity will be on 80 to 10 meters
using CW, SSB, and RTTY.
–MARIANA ISLANDS, KH0. Ken, JO1VRK plans to be QRV as KH0/AJ6VJ from
Saipan, IOTA OC-086, from December 30 to January 3, 2025. Activity will
be on 40 to 10 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8, and FT4. QSL via LoTW.
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 if your listing is no longer needed. Listings
will EXPIRE AFTER 90 DAYS unless I hear otherwise. Thanks, Jim.
–Send me something to sell or for you to give away. Any left overs from
the Christmas Exchange?
PARS CALENDAR:
* JAN 4, PAMLICO COMMUNICATIONS TEAM (PCT) MEETING, Saturday, 9-10:30am,
Oriental VFD Station 19 on Straight Rd vic. NC-55. Special presentation
on Hurricane Helene response by Pamlico’s Swift Water Rescue Team. All
are welcome. For more info, contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC, 252-626-2730
or K4ONC@aol.com
* JAN 25, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. 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 — Operational. PL: ENC 88.5Hz/DEC 100Hz
NC4ES UHF DMR (NC4ES Network) Florence — Operational.
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 WEBSITE: https://www.n4prs.org/
Our Web Master is Paul Jodoin, K4MMB, PARSwebman@gmail.com
Happy New Year! Best wishes and good luck to all.
73, Jim AI4WL Editor
——–
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