[continued from previous message]   
      
   the spacecraft itself. Its also occasionally been used to deliver components   
   destined to be mounted to the outside of the ISS, such as the for the outside   
   of the ISS, such as the International Docking Adapter (IDA) and the roll-out   
   solar panels.   
      
      
   While the ability to have the Dragon raise the orbit of the International   
   Space Station obviously has value to NASA, the implications of this   
   experiment go a bit farther.   
      
      
   SpaceX has already been awarded the contract to develop and operate the   
   Deorbit Vehicle which will ultimately be used to slow down the ISS and put it   
   on a targeted reentry trajectory sometime after 2030. Now that the company   
   has demonstrated the ability to add additional thrusters and propellant to a   
   standard Dragon spacecraft via a module installed in the trunk, its likely   
   that the Deorbit Vehicle will take a similar form.   
      
      
   So while the development of this new capability is exciting from an   
   operational standpoint, especially given deteriorating relations with Russia,   
   its also a reminder that the orbiting laboratory is entering its final days.   
      
   (twiar)   
      
   WORLD WIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS   
   SUMMITS ON THE AIR, WORLD WIDE FLORA, FAUNA PROGRAM,   
   PARKS ON THE AIR and other ADVENTURE GROUPS.   
      
   hema.org.uk/index.jsp   
   minesontheair.com/about-mota   
   parksontheair.com/   
   sota.org.uk   
   sotawatch.sota.org.uk/en/   
   facebook.com/SotaAustralia/   
   wwffaustralia.com/   
      
   VKFF National Get Together October 24-27 Canberra   
      
   Not long to go now before the 2025 VKFF National Get Together in   
   Canberra.  This event is for those interested in the World Wide Flora   
   Fauna park program, no matter if you are a beginner or an experienced   
   park activator or hunter.   
      
   The Get Together commences on Friday 24th October and concludes on Monday   
   27th October, 2025.   
      
   The Get Together includes a Friday evening dinner, Saturday   
   presentations, a raffle with excellent prizes, a Saturday evening dinner   
   with a guest speaker, a Sunday morning BBQ breakfast and linked dipole   
   construction session, Sunday VKFF park activations, a Sunday evening   
   dinner, and some visits to Canberra tourist locations on Monday.   
      
   You must register to attend this event.   
      
   Walk ups will not be accepted.   
      
   You can attend whatever part of the Get Together you choose, but you must   
   register.  Registration closes on Friday 10th October 2025.   
      
   More information on the 2025 VKFF National Get Together can be found on   
   the WWFF Australia websitet:   
      
   wwffaustralia.com   
      
   Many thanks for listening.   
   73   
   Paul VK5PAS   
   The VKFF National Co-Ordinator.   
      
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - IOTA   
   iota-world.org/   
   --------------------------   
   ----------------   
   Listen for Claudio, HB9OAU, operating as SV5/HB9OAU from Karpathos Island in   
   the Dodecanese Islands, IOTA number EU-001, from the 13th through to the 25th   
   of September. He will operate SSB and  CW on 40-6 metres. See QRZ.com for QSL   
   details.   
      
   (newsline2498)   
      
   Members of the Inverness and District Amateur Radio Society will be active   
   as GS 0 RIV  from the island of  North Uist (EU-010) now until 26September.   
      
   They will operate  SSB,  CW  and  FT8/FT4.   
      
   QSOs will be uploaded to  LoTW, Club Log, eQSL and QRZ Logbook;   
   paper QSLs unfortunately will not be available.   
      
   (sourced to 425dx news)   
      
   ---------------   
   ---------------   
   OC REMINDERS   
   ------------   
   ----------   
      
   OC-002 CHRISTMAS ISLAND   
      
   VK 9 QO October 3-7, 2025 on 40-6m; CW, SSB, RTTY, the FT modes and   
   Satellites QO-100 and RS-44.   
      
   HF / VHF QSL via JI 1 LET.   
   SAT QSL via JA 3 GEP.   
      
   (DX-WORLD)   
      
   -------------   
      
   OC-026 - WE9G/KH2 - Guam.   
      
   Work Rikk, WE9G, operating as WE9G/KH2 from Guam, IOTA number OC-026.   
      
   Rikk is on the air till the 26th of September as a single operator using   
   two radios. His activation will be mostly digital modes with some CW and   
   SSB.   
      
   160-6m.   
      
   See QRZ.com for QSL details.   
      
   (newsline 2497)   
      
   ---------   
      
   OC-047 - H44MS - Malaita Island in the Solomons.   
      
   Bernard, H44MS will be active from Manakwai village, nearby Maluu   
   (northern Malaita island) covering the period September 20 to   
   November 25 then a small break, followed by more activity next year from   
   January 25 to April 10.   
      
   (dx-world)   
      
   -------------   
      
   OC-054 - WALLIS ISLAND.   
      
   The  DX Obsessed Group  will  be active as FW5K from Wallis Island   
   (OC-054) from 20 October to 7 November, including a Multi-2 entry in the   
   CQ WW DX SSB Contest.  Six operators will be QRV on 160-6 metres CW SSB   
   FT8 and RTTY.  QSL via Club Log's OQRS;  QSOs will be uploaded to LoTW   
   6 months after the end of the DXpedition.   
      
   (425 DX and dxobsessed.org/home)   
      
   -----------   
      
   One for next years IOTA Diary   
      
   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 --- ASTRONOMY (and Wireless Weather)   
      
   Like a solar storm itself, a controversy over solar cycle predictions is   
   heating up. Andy Morrison K9AWM tells us more.   
      
      
   As this year brings the solar maximum of Cycle 25, a  different kind of solar   
   storm has been raging - one that challenges the longstanding and prevailing   
   paradigm scientists use to help arrive at forecasts. Sociologist and   
   statistician Frank Howell K4FMH has done an extensive study of this so-called   
   NASA-NOAA-ISED prediction formula, which utilizes a consensus methodology,   
   pitting it against the work of solar physicist Scott McIntosh of Lynker   
   Space.   
      
      
   In this busy, high-profile year for the sun and its activity, Frank has   
   written extensively and presented a series of virtual talks on the subject in   
   the US and overseas. He has also discussed the competing models extensively   
   in his blog, K4FMH.com. Frank's most recent talk, "Progress in the   
   Revolution: Sunspot Cycle Forecast Accuracy at Cycle 25," was given to   
   Pennine [PEN-NINE] Ham in the UK, and can be seen on their YouTube channel.   
      
      
   This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.   
      
   Whether the NASA team or the McIntosh team prevails, one thing is certain:   
   Like CMEs themselves, this scientific competition over solar predictions   
   promises to rage for some time to come.   
      
   (NEWSLINE2498)   
      
   WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS ---- MARITIME.   
      
   The Battleship Iowa Amateur Radio Associations (BIARA) NI 6 BB will   
   celebrate the U.S. Navys 250th birthday with radio operations from   
   October 4 - 19, 2025.   
      
   Frequencies will be on or near those listed on biara.org   
      
   Battleship Iowa Amateur Radio Association will use modes at the   
   discretion of the individual control operators manning NI 6 BB and   
   operating hours are expected to be between 1400 and 2400 UTC.   
      
   QSLs will be available per the detailed instructions found on the   
   biara.org website.   
      
   (arrl letter)   
      
   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   
      
   Our story this week takes us inside the pages of a new fiction book for   
   young readers.   
      
   There are many dimensions to Lorilyn Roberts, KO4LBS. The Florida   
   resident is an educator, a storyteller and a ham -- something she has   
   wanted to be since childhood. Although she enjoys CW, one of her   
   preferred modes when she is OFF the air is fiction. In many of the books   
   she has authored, she uses that mode to communicate with faith and   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)