[continued from previous message]   
      
   Metrovick 950, mercifully, used more modern junction devices.   
      
      
   The Metrovick wasnt totally transistor-based. Like the somewhat newer TRADIC   
   from Bell Labs, it used a vacuum tube to produce a clock signal with enough   
   oomph to feed the whole machine. The first fully transistorized machine is a   
   bit of a moving target, but is probably either the Harwell CADET, the IBM   
   604, or an ICBM guidance computer from Burroughs. Want to know more? You can   
   read the original engineering reporthere.   
      
      
   ancientgeek.org.uk/misc/Report_on_the_Metrovick_950.pdf   
      
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - CW   
      
   QSO Party Day Contest organized by Marconi Club is scheduled for Saturday,   
   January 3rd, 2026 its as always in "short contest" format and is now inits   
   8th edition.   
      
      
   The purpose of the event is to introduce the club and CW to the younger   
   generations and bring together all those who truly love and believe in   
   telegraphy. The event will involve all members of the historic club, which   
   has nearly 1000 members from all over the world, and all enthusiasts of the   
   wonderful and magnificent art of CW.   
      
      
   Further information may be found at marconiclub.it   
   (IRTS)   
      
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - FINAL FRONTIER   
   AMSAT-VK Secretary - secretary@amsat-vk.org   
      
   BLAST OFF - VK6   
      
   Varda, and their team, with leadership and staff comprised of veterans   
   from SpaceX, Blue Origin, major pharmaceutical companies, and Silicon   
   Valley was founded in January 2021.   
      
   Now Varda has signed an agreement for 20 more manufacturing spacecraft   
   landings where? none other than at Australias Koonibba Test Range.   
      
   Koonibba Test Range was reported, in 2020, to be the world's largest   
   privately owned rocket test range and the world's first permitted by an   
   indigenous community to be launched from their land. The range allows   
   companies, universities, space agencies and other organisations to pay   
   for their rockets to be taken to the site, launched, and rockets and   
   payloads to be recovered.   
      
   Vada has a joint development agreement with United Semiconductor to   
   produce semiconductors in orbit.   
      
   Varda will also now operate two spacecraft simultaneously for the first   
   time, with the launch of their fifth capsule on Transporter-15,   
   joining their fourth mission still in orbit.   
   ----------------   
   Three Chinese astronauts returned from their nations space station last   
   Friday week after more than a weeks delay because the return capsule they   
      
   had planned to use was damaged, likely from being hit by space debris.   
      
   The team left their Shenzhou-20 spacecraft in orbit and came back using the   
   recently arrived Shenzhou-21, which had ferried a three-person replacement   
   crew to the station, Chinas Manned Space Agency said.   
      
      
   The original return plan was scrapped because a window in the Shenzhou-20   
   capsule had tiny cracks, most likely caused by impact from space debris, the   
   space agency said.   
      
   --------------   
      
   SpaceX launched another batch of Starlink broadband satellites November 10on   
   a Falcon 9 rocket.   
      
      
   It was the 94th orbital mission so far this year from Cape Kennedy, breaking   
   2024s record of 93 launches.   
      
      
   A SpaceX executive said at a conference recently that he expected the company   
   to finish the year with 165 to 170 Falcon 9 launches, which would also be a   
   record. The total number of Starlink satellites launched so far in 2025 is   
   2,600. And the years not over yet   
      
      
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - IOTA   
   iota-world.org/   
   OC-035  Vanuatu.-   
      
   Active  YJ 0 GC from Efate Vanuatu is Stan, LZ1GC from 22 November   
   to 5 December on CW, SSB and FT8/FT4 using 160-10 metres with two working   
   stations on different bands and modes  (one on digital modes  and anotherone   
   on  CW/SSB).   
      
      
   QSL YJ0GC via Club Log's OQRS (preferred) or via Stans home callLZ1GC.   
   c21gc.com   
   ---------------   
      
   SA-001 Easter Island.-   
      
   Team 3 G0 YR  will be active from Easter Island, SA-001 from   
   26 November to 3 December. Nine operators will be  QRV  on   
   "all bands, all modes" with 4-5 stations,  and a focus on the low bands.   
      
   They will participate in the  CQ WW DX CW Contest as CE0Y (M/2 or M/M).   
      
   QSLs via Club Log's OQRS  or via RN 3 RQ; full LoTW upload will beAFTER 6   
   months.   
      
   (425dx)   
   --------------   
      
   NA-145 Sint Eustatius. -   
      
   Sint-Eustatius is a public entity of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.   
   Together with Bonaire and Saba, it forms the Caribbean Netherlands.   
      
   Peter, PA4O and Ad, PA8AD will be active as PJ 5 C from Sint Eustatius   
   (NA-145) from tomorrow 23 November to 1 December, including participation   
   in the  CQ WW DX CW Contest.  Outside the contest  they will operate   
   mainly CW with some FT8 and FT4 on 160-10 metres.   
      
   QSL via LoTW and Club Log's OQRS.   
   (425dxnes)   
   ----------------   
   OC REMINDERS   
   ------------   
   ----------   
   ------------   
      
   OC-031 - C21TS - NAURU   
      
   Phill, C 21 TS is active on the island of Nauru, OC-031, until the   
   30th of November. The station is spotted regularly using FT8 on the   
   HF bands. QSL via Logbook of the World or OQRS.   
   See QRZ.com for more information.   
      
   (rsgb)   
      
   ---------   
      
   OC-047 - H44MS - Malaita Island in the Solomons.   
      
   Bernard, H44MS will be active from Manakwai village, nearby Maluu   
   (northern Malaita island) covering the period next year from   
   January 25 to April 10.   
      
   (dx-world)   
      
   -------------   
      
   OC-66 - TX9XG - Rangiroa Atoll.   
      
   Haru, JA1XGI has announced that he will be active from Rangiroa Atoll,   
   French Polynesia (OC-066) as TX9XG during April 1-8, 2026. He plans to   
   QRV on 40-10m; CW, SSB, RTTY & FT8 using the new IC-7300 MK2.   
      
   QSL TX9XG via Haru's home call, JA1XGI using OQRS Club Log.   
      
   (dx-world)   
      
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR YOUNG TIMERS - YOTA   
   (Youngsters On The Air)   
   WIA committee:- Steve VK6SJ, Alec VK2MV and Pete VK2LP.   
   ham-yota.com/category/yota-region-3/   
   facebook.com/groups/YOTAOC/   
   youtube.com/channel/UClAapljf0VQ751sOgu2IzaA   
      
   Santa Net is an annual December event where licensed amateur radio   
   operators use RF and EchoLink technology to connect children with   
   Santa Claus on the airwaves.   
      
   Did you know though that the organisers, particularly in the USA, are   
   experiencing a shortage of Santas? Yep, since 2020, the number of   
   experienced, available Santas has dropped by 10-percent, driven by   
   factors such as an aging workforce, pandemic-related health concerns,   
   and ... well ... performers "going to the North Pole in the sky."   
      
   Santa Net is an annual event hosted by amateur radio enthusiasts that   
   connect very young children, affectionately called "little harmonics,"   
   with Santa Claus via radio waves, according to a story we stumbled across   
   in The Times-Tribune.   
      
   For two decades, each December, families across the US and even here in   
   VKLand have tuned in to specific amateur radio frequencies, eager for   
   their children to share holiday wishes directly with Santa Claus himself.   
      
   So, now I am asking, what are the VK plans for contacting "Big Red" this   
   year?   
      
   We'd love to get news of your clubs Santa Net 2025.   
      
   Drop me a note care of nationalnews@wia.org.au and we'll do the rest.   
      
   (eHam)   
      
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO   
      
   The Peel Amateur Radio Group (PARG) was formed in 1982 by Australian   
   Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) licensed radio and electronic   
   enthusiasts. At that time some PARG members were also members of the State   
   Emergency Service Mandurah Unit.   
      
   As a result, a close association was formed between the two organisations   
   from the beginning. Today PARG has around 35 financial and licenced   
   members. There have been estimated to be around 100 licenced amateur radio   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)