[continued from previous message]   
      
   Unlike here in VK , in the UK RSGB have to have separate news readers for   
   each frequency.   
      
   You can listen out for RSGB operators on all modes and all bands, with   
   activity taking place at any time, although you are particularly likely to   
   hear them before and after the GB2RS broadcasts.   
      
   Find out more via the GB70RS page at QRZ.com   
      
   (rsgb)   
      
   --------------------   
   Special event station LZ 75 IPA is active right throughout 2025   
   celebrating the 75th anniversary of the International Police   
   Association.   
      
   QSL via Club Log's OQRS, or direct to LZ 3 HI.   
      
   (425 dx news )   
      
   ---------   
   Lonar Meteor Lake Special Event AU 6 LON.   
      
   Lonar Meteor Lake is a creator lake formed by the impact of a meteor   
   5 MILLION years ago. It is an astronomical wonder in itself. VU2DSI,   
   Datta from India will be operating/activating from this unique place in   
   the world of astronomy from 20 th to 24 February. Lonar Meteor Lake is  in   
   the Buldhana district of the state of Maharashtra in India.   
      
   (ard)   
   ------------------------------------------------------------*   
      
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ASTRONOMY (and Wireless Weather)   
      
   In all likelihood, asteroid 2024 YR4 will slip silently past the Earth.   
      
   Based on the data so far, theres an estimated chance of only 2.1% to 2.3%   
   that it will collide with planet Earth  December 2032.   
      
   Under normal circumstances, if somebody told you there was a roughly 98%   
   chance of something NOT happening, you probably wouldnt give it a second   
   thought. Theres certainly a case to be made that you should feel that way   
   in regards to this particular event  frankly, its a lot more likely that   
   some other terrible thing is going to happen to you in the next eight   
   years than it is an asteroid is going to ruin your Christmas party.   
      
   While the chances are still excellent that 2024 YR4 will zip harmlessly   
   past our Blue Marble in 2032, its not outside the realm of possibility   
   that some big decisions might need to be made in the next few years.   
      
   Thats where advanced space-bound observatories like the James Webb Space   
   Telescope come in. While our instruments on Earth soon wont be able to   
   see 2024 YR4, the JWST will not only be able to keep its gaze on the   
   asteroid for longer, but the infrared observatory is uniquely suited for   
   capturing critical data about its size and shape.   
      
   (twiar)   
   WHEN "KILLER ELECTRONS" JOIN THE CHORUS   
      
   For this story we turn to John Williams VK4JJWs.   
   They're called chorus waves but these disturbances, first discovered in the   
   earth's magnetic field decades ago, are apparently nothing to sing about.   
      
      
   For one thing, scientists realise these bursts of energy are not necessarily   
   limited to the earth and nearby planets; their presence may pose dangers to   
   deep space travel.   
      
      
   When the waves are converted to audio, the signals are said to chirp,   
   mimicking birdsong. The dark side to this sweet song is the discovery that   
   the waves are capable of accelerating particles to almost the speed of light   
   - a rate that would endanger astronauts and spacecraft passing through them.   
   Scientists have dubbed these particles "killer electrons."   
      
      
   The finding was made recently by researchers at Beihang University in China   
   and published in the journal Nature. The researchers detected the chorus   
   waves through use of NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, a study of the   
   earth's magnetic field that utilises four satellites flying in formation.   
      
      
   Earth isn't the only planet experiencing this phenomenon. Scientists now know   
   that the waves can occur near any planet in our solar system with a magnetic   
   field. In fact, a magnetic field is no longer a prerequisite: The waves have   
   been found on Venus too, which has no magnetic field. They are created   
   instead when solar wind enters the atmosphere from transient fields. All of   
   which leads scientists to a chorus of questions.   
      
      
   This is John Williams VK4JJW.   
      
   (NPR, PEG HART WA2YBZ, SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, LIVE SCIENCE)   
      
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - BALLOONS   
      
   The Young Ladies Radio League (YLRL) launched a Pico Balloon on Saturday   
   February 15th from Arizona, US. The balloon is currently traversing the   
   Atlantic ocean at around 44,000 feet.   
      
   Vicki N6KLS president of YLRL, Tom N6BT and K7CNT launched the YLRL K4LMB   
   Pico Balloon from Kingman, Arizona. Was very calm air and the balloon went   
   straight up and within 3 hours it was at 43,000ft heading straight for   
   Nogales AZ, it dipped into Mexico and then turned back to the NE and   
   crossed the Rio Grande River and ended the day south of Midland Texas.   
      
   It travelled a whopping 1,800 miles overnight.   
      
   This balloon and tracker was generously donated by Bob Goulden KJ7VBX.   
   Thank you Bob, the YLRL group members are very excited about this flight   
   and are hoping for a great flight. It's at a great altitude still and   
   traveling at 94 mph.   
      
   The balloon can be tracked here.   
   tinyurl.com/bzd2e6vc   
      
   The Young Ladies Radio League has also announced the Memorial Scholarship   
   program for 2025. The scholarship program is aimed at women Amateur Radio   
   Operators studying radio, communications, electronics or Amateur Radio   
   related arts and sciences.   
      
   The YLRL is an international non-profit organization of women Amateur   
   Radio enthusiasts founded in 1939 and is the longest running YL club in   
   the world. The YLRL is sponsoring three memorial scholarships for 2025:   
      
   The Ethel Smith K4LMB Memorial Scholarship $2,500 award   
      
   The Mary Lou Brown NM7N Memorial Scholarship also $2,500.   
      
   The Martha Wessel K0EPE Memorial Scholarship worth $1,500.   
      
   The YLRL believes that education in the fields or radio, communications,   
   electronics and Amateur Related arts and sciences will play an important   
   role in shaping the worlds future. Through these Memorial Scholarships,   
   YLRL hopes to encourage female students to learn more about Amateur Radio.   
      
   To qualify, students must be female, have an Amateur Radio License, meet   
   the requirements listed on the YLRL.net website and apply using the online   
   application April 30, 2025.   
      
   Application link:   
   YLRL.net/Scholarships   
      
   (ard and eHam)   
      
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FINAL FRONTIER   
   AMSAT-VK Secretary - secretary@amsat-vk.org   
      
   The oldest of the Starlink satellites are coming back to Earth and NASA   
   has detected metallic vapours in the atmosphere as they disintegrate.   
   These are among the so-called Generation 1 satellites that were launched   
   starting in 2018.   
      
   All that debris is adding up and apparently having other effects:   
   The SpaceWeather website said that just one of these satellites can   
   produce about 30 kilograms of aluminium oxide. This compound is known to   
   erode the Earths ozone layer.   
   Astronauts say the darndest things.   
   But as a group of students here recently discovered, the tricky part is   
   pinning one down to answer questions.   
      
   Their hard work paid off when they met at the Clifton Arts Centre and   
   Sculpture Park for an opportunity that few people have ever dreamed of.   
   Using an amateur radio setup, 10 children from area schools connected with   
   astronaut Donald Pettit for an exclusive -- but scripted -- chat about   
   life on the International Space Station.   
      
   They asked him how he celebrates his birthday, how he keeps track of time   
   and how he manages to fall asleep.   
      
   Its principal at the time, Sandra Giordano, had already planned for the   
   entire student body to make contact with an astronaut. To ensure that   
   opportunity was not lost, she formed her own amateur radio club outside of   
   school and redeployed some teachers to carry out the mission. The new   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)