FOR THE 12 FEB 2025 WEDNESDAY NIGHT NET (PCN):
Please use the normal Winlink Net CHECK-IN form. Wayne, KO4OJC, should
be at the controls, otherwise Mike, K4NLC. BTW, Wayne reported that
there were 20 net check-ins and 14 Winlink check-ins for last
Wednesday’s (5 Feb) Pamlico Communications Net. Questions? Contact Bruce
Perkins, K4ONC, 252-626-2730 or K4ONC@aol.com
AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ACT RE-INTRODUCED
Extracted from ARRL member bulletin for February 8, 2025: Last week, two
U.S. Senators and two Representatives announced their joint
re-introduction of legislation in the Senate and the House to “restore
the right to Amateur Radio operators to install the antennas necessary
to serve their communities.”
“The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act of 2025 (H.R. 1094 and S.
459) would require homeowner associations to accommodate the needs of
FCC-licensed Amateur Radio operators by prohibiting the enforcement of
private land use restrictions that ban, prevent, or require the approval
of the installation or use of Amateur Radio station antennas.”
The draft House version can be found at:
https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Advocacy/HR1094%20House%20Private%20Land%20Use%20Bill.pdf?utm_source=Informz&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=ARRL&_zs=vndbn&_zl=9xlE3
NORTH CAROLINA QSO PARTY
Our North Carolina QSO Party is coming up soon, on Sunday February 23rd.
That’s the day after our February PARS meeting. The objective for NC
Hams is “to activate as many NC counties as possible and to make contact
with everyone”. Here’s what you need to know… The party is from 10 am
to 8 pm on Sunday, Feb 23, 2025. The exchange is call sign and county,
“Pamlico” or “PAM” for us. Signal report is optional. Bands are 80/75
through 2M; no 160 or WARC bands. Modes include phone, CW, Digital.
FT8/4 is treated as a special activity in 2025. The complete rules are
at www.ncqsoparty.org/rules.
SO WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
The Friday launch of the three balloons from Greenville went off right
on schedule. The race is on to see which one will be around the world
first! Two of the three, N4PRS-11 and NC4ES-8, were just off the shores
of the Western Sahara around noon yesterday. This morning at 1238Z they
were over central Algeria and still fairly close together. Unfortunately
the third balloon, (NC8TF-11, Task Force 8 Urban Search & Rescue from
Durham), was heard only briefly on Friday and has not been heard since.
Follow the high-flyers at:
https://easternhpc.com/nc4es-pico-balloon-information-page/
AND in THE BIT BUCKET:
–Mike’s Winlink HF RMS is up and running. Probably the easiest way to
correctly load his info–call K4NLC and frequencies–is from the Channel
List. (From the VARA or ARDOP HF Session Screen, click on “Channel
Selection”.) He’s operating with relatively low power on 20 Meters only.
Being on 20 and so close, we may not always make the connection. Be sure
to update your Channel List before looking for Mike’s call, else you
won’t find it.
–A tidbit for the PARSgram from Dick, K4JJW. Club Log maintains
operating statistics based on log up-loads. Last week there were 1.22
million QSOs logged into their system. The breakdown by mode is as
follows: 66.8% FT8 and FT4; 17.75% CW; 12.93% SSB 1.89% RTTY 0.63%
Misc. Just 7 years ago FT8 and FT4 didn’t even exist and SSB and CW
shared the spectrum at over 40% each. It’s been an amazing shift.
SOLAR NUMBERS TODAY
NOAA reports that solar activity was low during the 24 hour period
ending yesterday at 4 p.m. local. The Space Weather Prediction Center
expects solar activity to be moderate with a slight chance for an
X-class flare today and tomorrow. Expect activity to be low Wednesday
with a chance for M-class flares. Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level
are likely.
There are 11 numbered sunspot regions on the Sun facing Earth this
morning. There were 8 last Monday, 9 the Monday before.
Sunday’s noon Solar Flux Index (SFI) observation at Penticton was 163,
last Sunday’s was 216. The index is predicted to measure 165 today, 170
Tuesday and 175 on Wednesday. The much more important SFI 90 day
trailing average was 191 yesterday. It was 194 last Sunday.
The geomagnetic field was reached minor storm levels yesterday. The SWPC
expects the field to be unsettled to minor storm levels today, unsettled
to active Tuesday and then quiet to active on Wednesday. The planetary
K-index at 7 a.m. this morning was 4.00 indicating unsettled conditions.
Expect mostly good conditions to continue: 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 at night on 12 and 10M. Best on 15 and 17. Go to
https://www.n4prs.org/looking-up/ for the latest observations.
DX THIS WEEK–
Extracted from ARRL’s ARLD006 DX news and DXWorld.net:
–SOLOMON ISLANDS, H4. Bernhard, DL2GAC will be QRV as H44MS from
Malaita, IOTA OC-047, to May 7. Activity will be on 80 to 6 meters
using SSB and FT8. QSL to home call.
–MINAMI TORISHIMA, JD1. Take, JG8NQJ is QRV as JG8NQJ/JD1 until early
March. Activity is on various HF bands using CW and some FT8. QSL via
JA8CJY.
–SEYCHELLES, S7. Bruni, VE3BRU is QRV as S79/VE3BRU from Eden Island,
IOTA AF-024, 20 Feb. Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters using CW and
SSB. QSL via LoTW.
–MARSHALL ISLANDS, V7. A group of operators will be QRV as V73WW from
February 11 to 23. Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB,
RTTY, FT8, and FT4. QSL via DJ4MX.
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.
–FOR SALE: Kenwood TS-50 hf transceiver 80 thru 10, 100 watt with
external kenwood tuner $400. Also a 6Meter 3 element beam $50. Contact
Bob, WA2FIS, at 732-533-8387. (20250113)
PARS CALENDAR:
* FEB 22, PARS MONTHLY MEETING, Saturday, 9am, Brantley’s Village
Restaurant, Oriental. For more info, contact Bruce Perkins, K4ONC,
252-626-2730 or K4ONC@aol.com
* MAR 1, PAMLICO COMMUNICATIONS TEAM (PCT) 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 DMR Arapahoe (NC4ES Network) (147.285MHz+ CC1) — Operational
NC4ES VHF FM Arapahoe (147.285MHz+CTCSS ENC 88.5Hz/DEC 100Hz)–Standby
NC4ES UHF DMR (NC4ES Network) Florence — Operational.
WM3X-ONC VHF C4FM/WIRES-X NODE Oriental (145.530 simplex)– temp non-op
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
73, Jim AI4WL Editor
——–
This email is sent to members and friends of the Pamlico Amateur Radio
Society. We are pleased that you asked to receive our weekly newsletter
and hope that you enjoy reading it. This and previous PARSgrams are
archived on the PARS Website. If you no longer wish to receive the
PARSgram please let us know by reply email or to pamlicoham@pamlico.net.