[continued from previous message]   
      
   Solar Max  Is a second Peak coming?   
      
   Last October, NOAA and NASA announced that Solar Max has arrived.   
   Only half the sun got the memo.   
      
   The majority of solar activity has been happening in just one of the suns   
   hemispheresthe south. The solar superstorm of May 10, 2024, for instance,   
   was caused by a monster southern sunspot. It makes you wonder, is the other   
   half of Solar Max still coming?   
      
   For forecasters of the solar cycle, this raises an interesting possibility:   
   Maybe the northern peak is still coming.   
      
   Indeed, there are signs in February 2025 that the pendulum is swinging.   
   This current month, March, sunspots have been more evenly distributed   
   between the two hemispheres, a sign that activity may be shifting north.   
   This discussion focuses attention on the north-south balance of sunspots.   
   A northern shift in the months ahead could herald a second peak and another   
   year or two of excellent auroras before Solar Cycle 25 finally peters out.   
      
   (M0OXO)   
      
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FINAL FRONTIER   
   AMSAT-VK Secretary - secretary@amsat-vk.org   
      
   SONATE-2, a small satellite from Julius-Maximilians-University in   
   Wrzburg, Germany was founded in 1402 and is one of the oldest institutions   
   of higher learning in Germany.   
      
   Now it has reached even higher when SONATE-2 was launched into space.   
      
   A team led by Hakan Kayal, head of the Professorship for Space Technology,   
   spent three years developing and building the satellite, which is about the   
   size of a shoebox. Shortly after the satellite was launched over Madagascar,   
   the first contact was made at the mission control centre on campus.   
      
   One aim of the Wrzburg space mission was to demonstrate that it is possible   
   to train an AI autonomously on board the satellite. SONATE-2 was to learn to   
   independently recognize and photograph anomalies on the Earth's surface,   
   an important step towards increased autonomy for small satellites.   
      
   In addition to the primary AI payload, there are three other payloads on   
   SONATE-2 that have also been successfully tested including an amateur radio   
   payload that offers two amateur radio services to we radio amateurs   
   worldwide. Key frequencies are,   
      
   CW Beacon       at 145.840 MHz   
   APRS Digipeater at 145.825 MHz   
   Slow Scan TV    at 145.880 MHz.   
      
   (eHam)   
      
   ------------   
      
   NASAs SPHEREx and PUNCH missions were launched together on, March 11.   
      
   SPHEREx stands for:-   
   Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization   
   and Ices Explorer.   
      
   It will collect data on more than 450 million galaxies along with more than   
   100 million stars in the Milky Way in order to explore the origins of the   
   universe, contributing to NASA Sciences key goals to discover the secrets   
   of the universe and search for life elsewhere.   
      
   Along for the ride was a second mission, PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the   
   Corona and Heliosphere), a mission consisting of four satellites operating   
   in concert. These small sats will observe the Suns corona as it transitions   
   into the solar wind, supporting NASA Sciences key goals by creating a broad   
   awareness and understanding of how the Sun creates conditions that influence   
   Earth and space, which is increasingly part of the human domain.   
      
   (twiar)   
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - IOTA   
   iota-world.org/   
      
   Pierre, VE 3 KTB, is using the callsign VY  ERC from the Eureka Amateur   
   Radio Club station on Ellesmere Island, IOTA Number NA-8 until the 2nd of   
   April. He is operating CW, SSB and FT8 on various bands.   
   For QSL details see QRZ.com.   
      
   (newsline 2472)   
      
   -------   
      
   Members of the EI DX Group are using the callsign 6 Y 7 EI from Jamaica,   
   IOTA Number NA-97, only until the 24th of March.   
   Listen for them on 160-6 metres where they will be operating using all   
   modes. QSL via M  OXO.   
      
   ---------------   
      
   Adrian, HJ4ADR, is operating holiday style through to the 26th of March   
   using the callsign HJ 4 ADR / .   
   He is operating from Providencia Island, IOTA Number NA-49 on 40 and   
   10 metres using SSB and FT8.   
   See QRZ.com for QSL details.   
      
   (newsline 2472)   
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO   
      
   TARC did the 2025 Defence Welcome to Townsville Expo.   
      
   1st March, the birthday of both the Australian Army and the Royal Australian   
   Navy saw the running of the Defence Welcome to Townsville Expo, organised by   
   the Directorate of Regional Engagement, Defence Member and Family Support,   
   Joint Support Services Division, Military Personnel Organisation, Department   
   of Defence.   
      
   The Welcome Expos are held in communities where Defence members are   
   stationed and have been held in Townsville for many years. The Townsville   
   Amateur Radio Club Inc. has participated in many of the Expos under the   
   leadership of RAN Veteran Iain Morrison VK4IGM to fly the Amateur Radio flag   
   in the Defence Community. The 2025 Expo was supposed to have been held on   
   Saturday 8th February but had to be deferred due to Defence personnel being   
   deployed in North and Far North Queensland to support relief efforts during   
   the Monsoon Weather Event. With Cyclone Alfred safely out at sea (for   
   Townsville)  and with most Defence personnel back in town, the Expo was held   
   at Townsville Stadium, Murray with excellent weather and good attendance   
   from exhibitors and Defence families.   
      
   theTARCinc was there in strength with fearless leader Iain/VK4IGM assisted   
   by Richard/VK4PQV, Dave/VK4HDG, Lyndall/VK4ZM and Gavin/VK4ZZ setting up at   
   7-30am with battery operated audio-visual display, a working HF/VHF/UHF   
   transceiver, a HF Loop antenna on tripod, a hands on send your name in Morse   
   Code setup, a live demonstration of Steve/VK4GFR Kiwi-SDR remote controlled   
   receiver, pamphlets and give away copies of Amateur Radio Magazine and   
   Back-scatter. The team were joined by Wallaby Bob/VK4WJ and were kept busy   
   catching up with members of other community organisations (Flinders Region   
   Girl Guides have already grabbed us for JOTA) and fielding enquiries from   
   Defence families. The TARC stand was visited by Grant/VK4GWA who was   
   involved with running the Townsville Aero Modellers stand just down the   
   lane, Marion and Joe/VK4AM (a RAAF veteran), Mark/VK4TSV, Jo and Ben/VK4YT,   
   Peter/VK4PJH and Sammi and Snow/VK4ME (an Australian Army veteran) and we   
   visited Nigel/VK4NAR - The Sallyman - for the occasional coffee refill. We   
   also took turns in going to see Iain/VK4IGM driving a Tuba for Townsville   
   Brass.   
      
   We were visited by the youth leader of Florence Bay Rovers - they are keen   
   to become radio qualified during 2025.   
      
   The Midday closing time came around too soon and packing up only took half   
   an hour!   
      
   The hams finished up and were well satisfied that the presence of Amateur   
   Radio was well re-energised amongst the Defence community and community   
   groups in the Townsville region.   
      
   Iain/VK4IGM thanks everyone who assisted with the Expo display and hopes for   
   a good roll-up for the early 2026 event.   
      
   (QNEWS)   
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - MILITARY   
   Recordings of military transmissions can be found on the   
   Signal Identification Guide Wiki at   
   sigidwiki.com/wiki/Category:Military   
      
   W4LX - CONTACT,- OVER.   
      
   Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club (FMARC) honours World War II heroes   
   at Buckingham Field, Florida, March 18 - 20 with a special live radio event   
   using callsign W4LX   
      
   W4LX will operate daily on 28.360, 21.360, 14.270, and 147.345 MHz.   
      
   A special certificate is available. Guests attending will be able to watch   
   and listen as operators make contacts to honour the men and women who   
   trained at the base.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)