Hurricane Irene Discussion #8

000
WTNT44 KNHC 221504
TCDAT4

HURRICANE IRENE DISCUSSION NUMBER 8
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092011
1100 AM AST MON AUG 22 2011

DATA FROM A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE...RADAR AND SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATE THAT IRENE HAS CONTINUED TO GRADUALLY BECOME BETTER ORGANIZED. HOWEVER THE WINDS WINDS HAVE NOT INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AND THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS AROUND 988 MB IN THE LAST CENTER DROPSONDE. THE INITIAL INTENSITY HAS BEEN INCREASED TO 70 KNOTS IN THIS ADVISORY. SINCE THE CORE OF THE HURRICANE IS NOT FORECAST TO MOVE DIRECTLY OVER THE HIGH TERRAIN OF HISPANIOLA...AND THE OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE QUITE FAVORABLE... THE OFFICIAL FORECAST CALLS FOR INTENSIFICATION...AND MAKES IRENE A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH MOST OF THE DYNAMICAL GUIDANCE AND IN FACT...EVEN GLOBAL MODELS FORECAST A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN THE CENTRAL PRESSURE OVER THE NEXT TWO OR THREE DAYS. IRENE IS BECOMING A LARGE CYCLONE...AND BASED ON BUOY OBSERVATIONS THE TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND 160 N MI TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER.

RADAR AND RECONNAISSANCE FIXES INDICATE THAT THE HURRICANE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST OR 295 DEGREES AT ABOUT 12 KNOTS. IRENE IS CURRENTLY LOCATED SOUTH OF A NARROW SUBTROPICAL RIDGE WHICH IS FORCING THE CYCLONE ON A WEST-NORTHWEST TRACK. HOWEVER...MOST OF THE GLOBAL MODELS SHOW THE GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT A LARGE UPPER TROUGH ALONG THE UNITED STATES EAST COAST. THIS PATTERN WILL INDUCE A MORE NORTHWESTWARD AND THEN NORTHWARD TRACK THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED. BASED ON THE LATEST GUIDANCE... THE OFFICIAL TRACK FORECAST HAS BEEN SHIFTED TO THE EAST...BUT STILL REMAINS SLIGHTLY WEST OF THE MODEL CONSENSUS. ALTHOUGH IT IS TOO EARLY TO BE CERTAIN...THE CURRENT GUIDANCE LESSENS THE THREAT TO SOUTH FLORIDA.

DO NOT TO FOCUS ON THE EXACT FORECAST TRACK...ESPECIALLY AT DAYS 4 TO 5...SINCE THE MOST RECENT 5-YEAR AVERAGE ERRORS AT THOSE FORECAST TIMES ARE 200 AND 250 MILES...RESPECTIVELY.


FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INIT 22/1500Z 19.2N 67.5W 70 KT 80 MPH
12H 23/0000Z 19.9N 69.2W 75 KT 85 MPH
24H 23/1200Z 20.5N 71.4W 80 KT 90 MPH
36H 24/0000Z 21.2N 73.2W 85 KT 100 MPH
48H 24/1200Z 22.0N 75.0W 90 KT 105 MPH
72H 25/1200Z 25.0N 77.5W 100 KT 115 MPH
96H 26/1200Z 28.5N 79.0W 100 KT 115 MPH
120H 27/1200Z 32.5N 80.0W 100 KT 115 MPH

$$
FORECASTER AVILA

Hurricane Irene Advisory #8A

000
WTNT34 KNHC 221748
TCPAT4

BULLETIN
HURRICANE IRENE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 8A
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092011
200 PM AST MON AUG 22 2011

...IRENE MOVING AWAY FROM PUERTO RICO...TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS DISCONTINUED...

SUMMARY OF 200 PM AST...1800 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...19.3N 68.1W
ABOUT 150 MI...240 KM WNW OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO
ABOUT 50 MI...80 KM NNE OF PUNTA CANA DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...80 MPH...130 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 290 DEGREES AT 12 MPH...19 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...989 MB...29.20 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES IN WATCHES AND WARNINGS WITH THIS ADVISORY...

THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR PUERTO RICO...VIEQUES AND CULEBRA HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED.

THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR THE SOUTH COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC WEST OF SANTO DOMINGO HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* NORTH COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FROM THE HAITI BORDER EASTWARD TO CABO ENGANO
* SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* NORTH COAST OF HAITI FROM LE MOLE ST. NICHOLAS EASTWARD TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BORDER
* CENTRAL BAHAMAS

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* SOUTH COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FROM SANTO DOMINGO EASTWARD TO CABO ENGANO
* ALL OF HAITI

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.


DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
AT 200 PM AST...1800 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IRENE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 19.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 68.1 WEST. IRENE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH...19 KM/H...AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK THE CORE OF IRENE WILL BE MOVING JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND HAITI TODAY...NEAR OR OVER THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS ON TUESDAY...AND NEAR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS EARLY WEDNESDAY.

DATA FROM A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE INDICATE THAT THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR NEAR 80 MPH...130 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. IRENE IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES...45 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 185 MILES...295 KM TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER.

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE ESTIMATED FROM A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE WAS 989 MB...29.20 INCHES.


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS WILL REACH THE NORTHERN PORTION OF DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BY THIS AFTERNOON. HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BY TONIGHT. THE HIGHEST WINDS ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR OVER AREAS OF ELEVATED TERRAIN. HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS TUESDAY...AND ARE POSSIBLE IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS BY LATE TUESDAY.

RAINFALL...IRENE IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ACROSS PUERTO RICO AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE EXPECTED OVER NORTHERN HISPANIOLA...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF UP TO 10 INCHES POSSIBLE OVER HIGHER TERRAIN. THESE RAINS COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES IN AREAS OF STEEP TERRAIN. RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.

STORM SURGE...A STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS ALONG THE ENTIRE COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. STORM SURGE WILL ALSO RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 4 TO 6 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND TURKS AND CAICOS. NEAR THE COAST...THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS WAVES. ELEVATED WATERS LEVELS WILL CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY SUBSIDE IN PUERTO RICO AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.


NEXT ADVISORY
-------------
NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...500 PM AST.

$$
FORECASTER AVILA

T.S. Don Public Advisory #6

000
WTNT34 KNHC 290232
TCPAT4

BULLETIN
TROPICAL STORM DON ADVISORY NUMBER 6
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL042011
1000 PM CDT THU JUL 28 2011

...DON HEADING TOWARD THE TEXAS COAST...


SUMMARY OF 1000 PM CDT...0300 UTC...INFORMATION
-----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...24.7N 92.5W
ABOUT 370 MI...600 KM SE OF CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS
ABOUT 325 MI...520 KM ESE OF BROWNSVILLE TEXAS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...50 MPH...85 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 290 DEGREES AT 14 MPH...22 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...998 MB...29.47 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY...

THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE TEXAS COAST SOUTH OF PORT MANSFIELD TO THE MOUTH OF THE RIO GRANDE IS CHANGED TO A TROPICAL STORM WARNING.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* TEXAS COAST FROM THE MOUTH OF RIO GRANDE TO SAN LUIS PASS

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.


FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED STATES...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.


DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
AT 1000 PM CDT...0300 UTC...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM DON WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 24.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 92.5 WEST. DON IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH...22 KM/H...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE UNTIL LANDFALL LATE FRIDAY OR EARLY SATURDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 50 MPH...85 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ONLY SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS ANTICIPATED BEFORE THE CENTER REACHES THE TEXAS COAST. A GRADUAL WEAKENING SHOULD BEGIN THEREAFTER.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 100 MILES...160 KM MAINLY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER.

LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE ESTIMATED BY AN AIR FORCE PLANE WAS 998 MB...29.47 INCHES.


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA BY LATE FRIDAY.

STORM SURGE...A STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 1 TO 2 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL...MAINLY ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST NEAR AND TO THE NORTHEAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL. NEAR THE COAST...THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DAMAGING WAVES.

RAINFALL...DON IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES FROM THE CENTRAL TEXAS COAST WESTWARD INTO SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 7 INCHES.


NEXT ADVISORY
-------------
NEXT INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY...100 AM CDT.
NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...400 AM CDT.

$$
FORECASTER AVILA

STS-135 On Track for Early Thursday Landing

NASA:

MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-151

NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO EARTH FOR FINAL TIME THURSDAY

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The final flight of NASA's 30-year-old space shuttle program is scheduled to end on Thursday, July 21, when Atlantis and its STS-135 crew return to Earth. The landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida marks the completion of a 13-day mission to supply the International Space Station for the post-shuttle era.

Thursday's Kennedy landing opportunities are at 5:56 a.m. and 7:32 a.m. EDT. Atlantis' entry flight control team, led by Flight Director Tony Ceccacci, will evaluate weather conditions at the landing site before giving approval to Atlantis to return. If the shuttle is unable to come home Thursday, additional opportunities are available on Friday at Kennedy and at the backup landing site, Edwards Air Force Base in California. Recorded updates about landing are available at 321-867-2525.

Journalists are invited to cover news briefings and special events to commemorate the historic event. To cover landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) runway, reporters must sign up at Kennedy's press site for transportation. NASA will accommodate as many news media representatives as possible, but the number is limited because of safety requirements.

At about 7:45 a.m., NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson will make comments at the shuttle runway. The remarks will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

>From about 8 - 9 a.m. on Thursday, following the astronaut's departure from the shuttle runway, a limited number of journalists at the SLF will be allowed near Atlantis for a photo opportunity and comments from Bolden and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana. Interested journalists must e-mail Allard Beutel at allard.beutel@nasa.gov by 5 p.m. Wednesday. Space is limited.

At 10 a.m., NASA officials will hold a briefing at Kennedy's press site to discuss Atlantis' STS-135 mission. The event will be broadcast live on NASA TV and the agency's website. The participants will be:
- Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations, NASA Headquarters
- Bob Cabana, director, Kennedy Space Center
- Mike Moses, space shuttle launch integration manager
- Mike Leinbach, space shuttle launch director

Also at about 10 a.m., Atlantis will be towed from the runway and parked outside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 (OPF-2) for several hours to give employees an opportunity to walk around and photograph the shuttle. Reporters interested in covering the move must sign up at the press site for transportation to the photo opportunity locations. These events will not be carried live on NASA TV.

At 11:45 a.m., Bolden and Cabana will host an employee appreciation event outside OPF-2. Journalists can cover the event from a designated media area near the main stage. News media representatives interested in covering the event must sign up at the press site for transportation. The event will be broadcast live on NASA TV and the agency's website.

At about noon, following opening comments at the employee event, the STS-135 crew is expected to participate in a post-landing news conference from the press site. The astronauts' availability is subject to change. Immediately after a 20-minute media question-and-answer session, the astronauts will go to the employee appreciation event to talk briefly to the work force. The events will be broadcast live on NASA TV and the agency's website.

The Kennedy press site will open for shuttle Atlantis' landing at 8 a.m. Wednesday and remain open until 6:30 p.m. Thursday. News media representatives approved for STS-135 mission badges can pick them up at NASA's Pass and Identification Building on State Road 3 on Wednesday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Thursday from 2 - 4 a.m. The last bus will depart from the press site for the SLF about one hour before landing.

If the shuttle landing is diverted to Edwards after Thursday, reporters should call the public affairs office at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at 661-276-3449 for access. Dryden has limited facilities available for previously accredited journalists.

If Atlantis lands Thursday, it will have spent 307 days in space and traveled nearly 126 million miles during its 33 flights. Atlantis launched on its first mission on Oct. 3, 1985. For the latest information about the STS-135 mission and accomplishments, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
The NASA News Twitter feed is updated throughout the shuttle mission and landing. To follow, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/NASA

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For more information about the space station and its crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

-end-

And that is the final QRT for the Space Shuttle program. Many people in this aerospace-dependent region are distressed about the absence of a well-planned program to create and fly its replacement. We seem to be getting a lot of vague talk about decades-off exploration missions, while waiting for private industry to miraculously come up with a heavy-lifting solution that can be flown at a profit. The USA used to have bigger dreams than that.

MT Editor Sends Message Via Night of Nights

The following traffic was passed over KPH/KFS/KSM last night:

qtc
nr21 cknc san francisco radio kph/kfs/ksm 0100gmt 13 july =
to all ships and stations=
greetings from the site of the former station vbh kingston ontario. i have been an active radio listener for 50 years, an amateur for 35 years and the son of a landline telegrapher. i am a licensed captain and have used hf and vhf marine radio=
capt ron walsh/ve3go marine columnist monitoring times magazine ar

Very cool.

Night of Nights XI 2011 Details

There are some changes. This info comes from the MRHS web site.

KPH:

Transmit: 426 500 4247.0 6477.5 8642.0 12808.5 17016.8 22477.5

QSX: All ships can call on 500 kHz and ITU Channel 3 all bands.
Channel 3 freqs: 4184.0 6276.0 8368.0 12552.0 16736.0 22280.5kc

The KPH/K6KPH receive/operation site is open to the public beginning at 3 PM Pacific (5 minutes ago). Tours to the transmitter site are available for true believers in the benevolent god RF. This building has plenty of that. The transmitter site is remote controlled and quite distant from the receive.

KFS:

Transmit: 12695.5 17026.0
QSX 500 and Channel 3, same as KPH

12695.5 will be on a 1940s vintage Press Wireless PW-15, formerly at the KFS transmitter site in Palo Alto, CA and one of the transmitters on the air on 12 July 1999. 17026.0 will be on a Henry transmitter [commercial grade, and no slouch either].

KSM:

Transmit: 426 500 6474 8438.3 12993
QSX: 500 and Channel 3, same as KPH

(see KPH listing for frequencies).

QSL for KPH, KFS, and KSM:

Ms. DA Stoops
P.O. Box 381
Bolinas CA 94924-0381
USA

Denice is an ace telegrapher who worked at KPH in its heyday.

WLO:

Transmit: 4343.0 8658.0 12992.0 16968.5
QSX: 500 and Channel 3 (same as KPH)

(No 2 MHz this year.)

WLO is the ShipCom station in Mobile, AL. It still handles HF commercial ship traffic, though not in CW.

WLO QSL:
WLO Radio
7700 RINLA AVENUE
MOBILE, ALABAMA 36619
USA

KLB:

Transmit: 488 500 (A1 & A2), 8582.5 (A1A)
QSX: 500 8368.0

KLB is the ShipCom station in the Seattle area. QSL is same address as WLO.

KKUI:

WWII Victory ship SS AMERICAN VICTORY will be on the air attempting contact will all the coast stations above. They'll use the best calling frequency for the prevailing propagation at the time but they usually call KSM on 12552.0.

K6KPH:

Amateur station K6KPH will transmit and listen on 3550, 7050 14050 and 21050 for KPH, KFS and KSM reception reports.

Professional operators will be at the key and commercial procedures [see below] will be used. But please don't hesitate to call, no matter what your code speed or experience level may be. We look forward to your call.

[They switch to usual amateur procedure if there's a pileup, which there often is. There's more on the web site.]

QSL: Same as KPH.

It's Night of Nights Time!

It seems like a long time ago that commercial Morse code vanished in the United States, but even so I can't believe that this is the 11th one of these. Yes, Night of Nights XI is here.

Night of Nights came from the original defiance of a group of skilled Morse telegraphers and maritime radio people who decided they'd be damned before the most perfect communication system ever invented was going to vanish with all the other forgotten technologies. And now it's #11.

It seems almost beyond belief that the grand-daddy of West Coast stations, RCA's KPH, is back on the air, even one night a year. It is now part of the Pt. Reyes National Seashore, and the incredible dedication of these people have made its window-rattling Morse code audible again. (The rest of the year, the call belongs to Globe Wireless at another site, where the only on-air ID is a distinct hex code that can only be copied with special software.)

Every ham dreams of suddenly getting access to a rhombic farm and receive site with miles of antennas. Here is a group that actually did it.

MRHS:

Each year on 12 July the MRHS holds its Night of Nights event on the anniversary of the supposed last commercial Morse message sent in the US. On that night historic stations KPH and KFS return to the air along with our own KSM. Listen on the air or join us at the receive site in Point Reyes, CA.

While MRHS station KSM is on the air every Saturday, on Night of Nights we originate stations KPH and KFS in addition to KSM. We will joined on the air by KLB, WLO and KKUI. See below [next post -Hugh] for details.

You can participate by listening or by visiting the ex-RCA receive site to see the action in person. If you'd like to operate K6KPH just bring your key. No license required!

Here are the details of the event:

Date: 12 July 2011 Pacific time, 13 July gmt
Doors open: 3:00pm Pacific time
On air time: 5:01pm Pacific time, 0001 gmt

Freqs & QSL info in the next post!

NASA Evaluates Possible Lightning Strike Near STS-135 Pad

NASA Blog:

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 10:43:56 AM PDT

The space shuttle launch team is evaluating a possible lightning strike within one third of a mile from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Engineers will review data to determine if the lightning affected space shuttle Atlantis or any of the pad's ground support equipment. A continuing band of thunderstorms has prevented teams from conducting a detailed pad inspection, which must be performed before the Rotating Service Structure can be rolled back from the shuttle.

After the rollback, the teams will continue work that must be performed before fueling Atlantis' external tank early tomorrow morning. The rollback originally was planned for 2 p.m. EDT.

At this morning's briefing, Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters reported that the launch weather forecast remains unchanged, with a 30 percent chance of favorable weather for the 11:26 a.m. liftoff. The forecast is a more favorable 80 percent when the filling of the huge external fuel tank is set to begin.

At 5 a.m. this morning, the countdown entered a planned hold at the T-11 hour mark, and will resume at 7:01 p.m. tonight.

The astronauts had an early wakeup call as they continue to prepare for tomorrow's launch of Atlantis on the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station.

It's Alexanderson Alternator Time!

I'm a bit late with this. The 2011 Alexanderson Day is TODAY, July 3rd (UTC)!

From their web site:

SAQ will be on air on the Alexanderson Day on Sunday 3rd July 2011. We send a message at 09:00 UTC and 12:00 UTC and we start the transmitter about half an hour before each transmission for tuning. The frequency is as usual 17.2 kHz CW.

QSL-reports are kindly received:

QSL reports can be given via:

- E-mail to: info@alexander.n.se

- or fax to: +46-340-674195

- or via SM bureau

- or direct by mail to: Alexander - Grimeton Veteranradios Vaenner, Radiostationen, Grimeton 72, S-432 98 Grimeton, SWEDEN

Note: SAQ is now a member of the Swedish Amateur Association (SSA) and "QSL via bureau" is OK.

Those with VLF capability might want to try for this one. The low frequency can spread out around the world, though noise can be staggering. There is also a WebSDR in the Netherlands which tunes this range.

SAQ is the world's last functional Alexanderson RF alternator. This giant, generator-like machine creates a 200 kW signal into an antenna truly described as majestic. At one time, a network of these linked the world, as they briefly replaced "King Spark" in the era before vacuum tubes.

The well preserved station is now a World Heritage Site. More information is here.

WWV Geoalert Is Saved!

According to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center web site, the 18/45 minute "Geoalert" broadcast will not go away in September after all!

The original "WWV Replacement Instructions" at this link have been replaced by the following:

SWPC is no longer planning to discontinue the broadcast of its synoptic Geo-Alert products on the WWV and WWVH radio stations. SWPC plans to continue this service for the foreseeable future.

Additionally, updates to the content of this product are underway as a result of the feedback process. For example, in addition to providing the current, daily solar flux at 2800 MHz, we are evaluating adding more frequent observations at 2695MHz. Other improvements to the message content will also be evaluated. Stay tuned to this site for the latest status on these updates.

For additional comments or questions, please email us at swpc.wwv@noaa.gov.

Night of Nights 2011 Official Announcement

From R. Dillman, MRHS:

[Details are subject to change. Check our Web site at http://www.radiomarine.org for updates.]

Each year the MRHS commemorates 12 July 1999, the date on which the supposed last commercial message was sent in the US. On that date we pick up the thread, keep the faith and maintain the traditions of maritime radio communications so that the skills and traditions of all the radiotelegraphers who came before us will be maintained.

While MRHS station KSM is on the air every Saturday, on Night of Nights we originate stations KPH and KFS in addition to KSM. We hope that other stations will join us on the air this year including KLB and WLO.

You can participate by listening or by visiting the ex-RCA receive site (details below) to see the action in person. If you'd like to operate K6KPH just bring your key. No license required! If you have a commercial radiotelegraph license bring it along. You can sit the circuit at KSM and have your license endorsed for coast station service.

Here are the details of the event:

Date: 12 July 2010 Pacific time, 13 July gmt

Doors open: 3:00pm Pacific time

On air time: 5:01pm Pacific time, 0001 gmt

Station and frequency information (subject to change):

-----

KPH

KPH will transmit on 426, 500, 4247.0, 6477.5, 8642.0, 12808.5, 17016.8 and 22477.5kc.

MF and 22Mc will be on Henry transmitters, rest of KPH HF on 1950s vintage RCA K and L sets.

KPH operators will listen for calls from ships on ITU Channel 3 in all bands. The Channel 3 frequencies are 4184.0, 6276.0, 8368.0, 12552.0, 16736.0 and 22280.5kc on HF and 500kc on MF.

Reception reports may be sent to:

Ms. DA Stoops
P.O. Box 381
Bolinas CA 94924-0381
USA

-----

KFS

KFS will transmit on 12695.5 and 17026.0 -

12695.5 will be on a 1940s vintage Press Wireless PW-15, formerly at the KFS transmitter site in Palo Alto, CA and one of the transmitters on the air on 12 July 1999. 17026.0 will be on a Henry transmitter.

KFS will listen for calls from ships on HF Channel 3 (see KPH listing for frequencies).

Reception reports may be sent to:

Ms. DA Stoops
P.O. Box 381
Bolinas CA 94924-0381
USA

-----

KSM

KSM will transmit on 426, 500, 6474, 8438.3 and 12993kc.

We don't have enough antennas to accommodate the other KSM frequencies when KPH and KFS are on the air. A failure of any of the RCA transmitters may cause a KSM transmitter to be diverted to cover KPH.

KSM will listen for calls from ships on 500kc and HF Channel 3 (see KPH listing for frequencies).

Reception reports may be sent to:

Ms. DA Stoops
P.O. Box 381
Bolinas CA 94924-0381
USA

-----

To be confirmed

WLO

WLO will transmit on 2055.5, 4343.0, 8658.0, 12992.0 and 16968.5kc

WLO will listen for calls from HF Channel 3(see KPH listing for frequencies).

Reception reports may be sent to:

WLO Radio
7700 RINLA AVENUE
MOBILE, ALABAMA 36619
USA

-----

To be confirmed

KLB

KLB will transmit on 488, 500 (A1 & A2), 8582.5kc

KLB will listen for calls from ships on 500kc and 8368.0kc.

Reception reports may be sent to:

WLO Radio
7700 RINLA AVENUE
MOBILE, ALABAMA 36619
USA

-----

K6KPH

K6KPH, the MRHS amateur station, will transmit and listen on 3550, 7050 14050 and 21050kc for KPH, KFS and KSM reception reports.

Professional operators will be at the key and commercial procedures will be used. But please don't hesitate to call, no matter what your code speed or experience level may be.

K6KPH verification reports may be sent to:

Ms. DA Stoops
P.O. Box 381
Bolinas CA 94924-0381
USA

-----

Remember, this is a public event. If you are in the area you are invited to join us at the RCA receive site, 17000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd in the Point Reyes National Seashore north of San Francisco. If using a computer mapping program add "Inverness" after the address above even though the station is well beyond that town.

Doors open at 3:00pm Pacific time. Snacks will be served. Tours of the transmitting station may be arranged for "true believers" by appointment only.

VY 73 de MRHS

NASA Announces Final Shuttle Schedule

NASA Press Release:

June 28, 2011

Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov

Stephanie Schierholz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-133

NASA ANNOUNCES PRELAUNCH EVENTS AND COUNTDOWN DETAILS FOR FINAL SHUTTLE FLIGHT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- News conferences, events and operating hours for the news center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., are set for the final space shuttle launch.

Atlantis is scheduled to liftoff at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8, to begin the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station.

A NASA blog will provide countdown updates beginning at 6:30 a.m. on July 8. Originating from Kennedy's Launch Control Center, the blog is the definitive Internet source for information leading up to liftoff.

During the mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle website can read about the crew's progress. As Atlantis' flight concludes, the NASA blog will detail the spacecraft's return to Earth. For NASA's launch blog and continuous mission updates, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Detailed lists of countdown milestones, news briefing times and participants, and hours of operation for Kennedy's news center and media credentialing office are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news

The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated throughout the shuttle launch countdown, mission and landing. To follow, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/nasa

Free wireless Internet access is provided at the Kennedy Press Site news center and annex. Instructions for wireless access will be available at the news center. Due to the volume of users, accessibility may be limited. Reporters should bring a backup.

For NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

-end-

NASA Sets Launch Date For Final Space Shuttle Mission

NASA Press Release:

June 28, 2011

Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov

Stephanie Schierholz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 11-193

NASA SETS LAUNCH DATE FOR FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis' Commander Chris Ferguson and his three crewmates are scheduled to begin a 12-day mission to the International Space Station with a launch at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The STS-135 mission is the final flight of the Space Shuttle Program.

The launch date was announced Tuesday at the conclusion of a flight readiness review at Kennedy. During the meeting, senior NASA and contractor managers assessed the risks associated with the mission and determined the shuttle and station's equipment, support systems and personnel are ready.

Atlantis' STS-135 mission will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module filled with supplies and spare parts to sustain space station operations after the shuttles are retired.

The mission also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM), an experiment designed to demonstrate and test the tools, technologies and techniques needed to robotically refuel satellites in space - even satellites not designed to be serviced. The crew also will return an ammonia pump that recently failed on the station. Engineers want to understand why the pump failed and improve designs for future spacecraft.

The crew consists of Commander Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim. They are scheduled to arrive at Kennedy on Monday, July 4, for final launch preparations.

STS-135 is the 135th shuttle mission, Atlantis' 33rd flight and the 37th shuttle mission to the station.

For more information about the STS-135 mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
For more information about the space station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station

-end-

Excalibur Pro Update

The new Winradio Excalibur Pro is now listed in the Grove catalog for a price of $1,649.95 US. The entry states that advance orders are being taken.

More Details on Winradio Excalibur Pro

Well, it looks like the Winradio WR-G33DDC Excalibur Pro is considerably closer to market. As we know, it has been vapor for quite some time, but now one has been shown at the recent Dayton Hamvention.

Winradio has also updated the spec sheet. As promised, this is indeed the high-end version of its digital down-conversion design for a software defined radio (SDR).

The specs, though not verified by any independent testing yet, are quite remarkable. But, since it's a DDC design, so is the demand on computing resources. A 2 GHz dual-core processor is the absolute minimum, and a 2.4 gig quad-core is required for full features. I would also imagine that, when you're in full rock and roll processing the 4-MHz RF bandwidth in real time, that your desktop supercomputer is not good for much else.

The software appears to offer some powerful features. Winradio claims that its spectrum analyzer can display up to the radio's entire 9 kHz to 49.99 MHz bandwidth simultaneously in real time, while you also receive three simultaneous and completely independent signals.

No US prices or availability dates are known here. A price of 1800 Euros has been published by a foreign dealer. At the current exchange rate, that works out to a cool $2600 American.

Hurricane Hunter Season Begins

As of June 1, the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season is in progress. The first TCPOD (Tropical Cyclone Plan Of the Day) was issued yesterday. In fact, it did order investigation of an area of interest in the Gulf of Mexico. This daily product is available from NOAA's NHC Aircraft Reconnaissance page, which is here:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/reconlist.shtml

.

Hurricane Hunters are US Air Force Reserve personnel who fly specially outfitted WC-130J aircraft on long missions which make repeated passes through tropical disturbances at 10,000 feet while returning weather and position data to the National Hurricane Center in Florida. The radio call sign is TEAL.

In hurricanes, they fly cross-shaped patterns that pass through the eye, where they drop a weather instrument called a dropsonde. This parachutes down to the sea, transmitting the whole time while the sonde operator records its data.

This mission began in 1944, but it still provides essential ground truth that has been shown to increase the accuracy of hurricane forecasting.

NOAA also flies some aircraft reconnaissance missions, in various types of aircraft depending on altitude.

Flights increase in large hurricanes that may threaten land, when more frequent fixes are needed.

NATO PSYOPS Are Back

Yesterday morning (around 1000 UTC), the usual NATO psychological operations messages were heard throughout Europe on 10125 kHz USB. This is in the middle of the 30 meter amateur band, but one should remember that existing utilities were grandfathered in when amateurs got to use this segment. It's said to be a Lybian government frequency.

This morning, same time frame, various voices and languages were heard on 9376 kHz USB, again throughout Europe. Signals were weak/readable in Norway.

Earlier transmissions of this nature have been aimed at Lybian military personnel, usually sailors, who are loyal to Ghadafi. These personnel are advised, on repeating voice loops, to stand down and go home, rather than face destruction.

WX4NHC Air Test Is June 4

From ARRL:

05/23/2011

The annual WX4NHC On-the-Air Station Test from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami will take place Saturday, June 4, 1300-2100 UTC (9 AM – 5 PM EDT). “The purpose of this annual station test is to test all of our radio equipment, computers and antennas using as many modes and frequencies as possible in preparation for this year’s hurricane season,” said WX4NHC Assistant Amateur Radio Volunteer Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R. “This is not a contest or simulated hurricane exercise.”

WX4NHC will be on the air on HF, VHF and UHF, plus 2 and 30 meter APRS. Suggested SSB frequencies are 3.950, 7.268, 14.325, 21.325 and 28.525 MHz, +/-QRM. Ripoll said that WX4NHC will mostly be on 14.325 MHz, but will make announcements when the station changes frequencies. WX4NHC also will be on the VoIP Hurricane Net 1700-1900 UTC (IRLP node 9219/EchoLink WX-TALK Conference) and on South Florida area VHF/UHF repeaters and simplex. Stations looking to participate in the annual station test may be able WX4NHC on HF by using one of the DX spotting networks, such as the DX Summit website.

Entire story here.

STS-134 Tanking Continues

Fueling of the external tank continues. The count is on schedule for a 8:56 a.m. EDT (1256 UTC) launch. Astronauts are awake and suiting up.

Weather has a 70 per cent chance of allowing launch.

No specific frequencies have been reported yet for the Booster Recovery Vessels. Frequencies reported on recent missions include 5711, 6751, 7665, 7833, 9043, 9132, 10780, 11104, 11548, 13212, and 14837 kHz USB.

Armed Forces Day Update

Due to the flood emergency in the US, the Army Corps of Engineers has changed its plans from those shown in the original schedule for the communication tests:

A quick note - due to regional flooding in the St. Francis River basin, the WUG-231 operation from the W.G. Huxtable Pumping Plant in Marianna, AR will not be possible. Instead, look for WUG-2/B which will be operating from Memphis, TN. Frequencies will remain the same as for WUG-231 operation.

Jim Pogue - KH2AR

STS-134 New Countdown Details

From NASA:

Liftoff is planned for 8:56 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 16, to begin the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.

A NASA blog will provide countdown updates beginning at 3:30 a.m. May 16. Originating from Kennedy's Launch Control Center, the blog is the definitive Internet source for information leading up to liftoff.

During the mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle website can read about the crew's progress and watch the mission's four spacewalks live. As Endeavour's flight concludes, the NASA blog will detail the spacecraft's return to Earth. For NASA's launch blog and continuous mission updates, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Detailed lists of countdown milestones, news briefing times and participants, and hours of operation for Kennedy's news center, and media credentialing office are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news

The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated throughout the shuttle launch countdown, mission and landing. To follow, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/nasa

2011 Armed Forces Day Communication Test

The annual Armed Forces Day crossband event and other special operations are tomorrow, May 14. Again this year, these are a week earlier than the actual observance of Armed Forces Day, which comes during the Dayton Hamvention.

From the Official Bulletin:

The annual celebration features traditional military to amateur cross band communications SSB voice and Morse Code tests. These tests give Amateur Radio operators and Short Wave Listeners (SWL) an opportunity to demonstrate their individual technical skills, and to receive recognition from the appropriate military radio station for their proven expertise. QSL cards will be provided to those stations making contact with the military stations.

MILITARY-TO-AMATEUR CROSS BAND SSB & CW TEST CONTACTS.
Military-to-Amateur cross band operations will take place on the dates/times in ZULU (UTC), and frequencies listed below for each station. Voice contacts will include operations in single sideband voice (SSB). Some stations may not operate the entire period, depending on propagation and manning. Participating military stations will transmit on selected Military MARS frequencies and listen for amateur radio stations in the Amateur bands indicated below. The military station operator will announce the specific amateur band frequency being monitored. Duration of each voice contact should be limited to 1-2 minutes. The following stations will be transmitting on MARS frequencies listed below which are provided as "Window/Dial Frequency" in kHz.
Some stations will use CW to provide the opportunity to check in by Morse Code.

Army Stations
STATION: AAZ (14 May 1400Z - 15 May 0300Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
4038.9 kHz LSB 80M
6913.0 kHz LSB 40M
14.402.0 kHz USB 20M
13.996.0 kHz USB 20M
18.211.0 kHz USB 17M
7577.0 kHz CW 40M
13.507.0 kHz CW 20M
7639.5 kHz RTTY 40M
13512.5 kHz MT-63 20M
Location: Fort Huachuca, AZ
Address:
Commander NETCOM/9th ASC
ATTN: NETCOM-OPE-M (MARS) (31)
2133 Cushing Street
Ft. Huachuca, AZ 85616-7070
POC: Mr. Dewayne Smith
DSN: 821-7324
Commercial: (520) 533-7324

STATION: AAC (14 May 1300Z - 15 May 0100Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
3348.5 kHz LSB 80M
7363.0 kHz LSB 40M
13.910.5 kHz USB 20M
27.788.5 kHz USB 10M
Location: Lexington, KY
Address:
HQ 3RD BDE, 95TH DIV (IT) MARS STATION
Barrow Army Reserve Training Center
1051 Russell Cave Pike
Lexington, KY 40505
POC: Barry Jackson, AAR4BZ
Commercial: (859) 227-0137

STATION: ABH (14 May 1600Z - 15 May 2300Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
3350.0 kHz LSB 80M
4441.5 kHz LSB 80M
4792.5 kHz LSB 80M
7360.0 kHz LSB 40M
7721.5 kHz LSB 40M
8040.0 kHz LSB 40M
14402.0 kHz USB 20M
14438.5 kHz USB 20M
14487.0 kHz USB 20M
17443.0 kHz USB 17M
17592.5 kHz USB 17M
20976.0 kHz USB 15M
20558.5 kHz USB 15M
Location: Schofield Barracks, HI
Commander, 396th Signal Company
30th Signal Battalion, 96857
POC: WO1 William Pemberton
Commercial: (808) 655-3387

STATION: WAR (14 May 1200Z - 2400Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
4020.9 kHz LSB/CW 80M
7314.0 kHz LSB/CW 40M
14438.5 kHz USB/CW 20M
27991.0 kHz USB/CW 10M
Location: Pentagon, Washington, DC
Address:
Pentagon Amateur Radio Club
ATTN: AFDCBT
PO Box 2322
Arlington VA 22202
POC Mr. Gary Sessums
Station telephone:
Commercial: (703) 693-8423 DSN 223-8423

STATION: WUG-231 (14 May 1300Z - 15 May 0200Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
4032.9 kHz LSB 80M
7.424.0 kHz LSB 40M
6.826.0 kHz LSB/CW 40M
14.486.0 kHz USB 20M
14.663.5 kHz USB/CW 20M
20.973.5 kHz USB/CW 15M
Location: Memphis, TN
Address:
USACE Memphis District Office
ATTN: Jim Pogue
Public Affairs Office Room B-202
167 N. Main St.
Memphis, TN 38103-1894
POC: Mr. Jim Pogue
Commercial: (901) 544-4109

NAVY/MARINE CORPS STATIONS

STATION: NAJ (14 MAY 1200Z - 15 MAY 0400Z)
NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION, GREAT LAKES, IL
FREQUENCY EMISSION AMATEUR BAND
4011.5 KHZ LSB/MT63 80M
7376.5 KHZ LSB 40M
14467.0 KHZ USB 20M
21758.5 KHZ USB 15M
ADDRESS: MR. DAVID OUELLETTE/NNN0ASG
6148 WEST CUTLER RD
DEWITT, MICHIGAN 48820
COMMERCIAL: (517) 515-6080

STATION: NBL (14 MAY 1200Z - 15 MAY 0400Z)
NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION, GROTON, CT
FREQUENCY EMISSION AMATEUR BAND
4041.5 KHZ LSB 80M
7371.5 KHZ LSB 40M
14391.5 KHZ USB 20M
20623.5 KHZ USB 15M
POC AND ADDRESS: ROBERT VETH, DIRECTOR REGION ONE
4 LANTERN LANE, CHELMSFORD MA 01824-1316
COMMERCIAL: (978) 256-5264

STATION: NNN0ASF (14 MAY 1200Z - 15 MAY 0400Z)
NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION, NNN0ASF
FREQUENCY EMISSION AMATEUR BAND
4014.0 KHZ LSB 80M
7394.5 KHZ LSB 40M 1200-2359Z, 0200-0400Z
7394.5 KHZ LSB PSK31 40M 0000-0200Z
13974.0 KHZ USB 20M 1200-1800Z, 2000-0400Z
13974.0 KHZ USB PSK31 20M 1800-2000Z
20997.0 KHZ USB 15M
POC AND ADDRESS: NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION NNN0ASF
KEN KEEHNER, PO BOX 224, BENNINGTON KS 67422
COMMERCIAL: (785) 488-2241COMMERCIAL: (978) 256-5264

STATION: NNN0CQQ (14 MAY 1500Z - 15 MAY 0400Z)
EX-USS MIDWAY MUSEUM SHIP MARS STATION
FREQUENCY EMISSION AMATEUR BAND
4003.0 KHZ LSB 80M
7351.5 KHZ LSB 40M
14463.5 KHZ USB 20M
20936.0 KHZ USB 15M
POC AND ADDRESS: JOSE GARZA, NNN0XBQ
9789 PASEO MONTRIL, SAN DIEGO CA 92129-3910
COMMERCIAL: (858) 484-0469 CELL: 858-254-0175

STATION: NUW (14 MAY 1500Z - 15 MAY 0400Z)
NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION, NAS WHIDBEY ISLAND, WA
FREQUENCY EMISSION AMATEUR BAND
4044.0 KHZ LSB 80M
7381.5 KHZ LSB 40M
13528.5 KHZ USB 20M
20952.5 KHZ USB 15M
POC AND ADDRESS: NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION
MR. DIGGER O'DELL, 260 W. PIONEER FSC BLDG.
NAS WHIDBEY ISLAND, WA 98277
COMMERCIAL: (360) 675-2823 DSN: 820-8038

STATION: NWKJ (14 MAY 1200Z - 15 MAY 0400Z)
FREQUENCY EMISSION AMATEUR BAND
4010.0 KHZ LSB 80M
7348.0 KHZ LSB 40M
14478.5 KHZ USB 20M
20994.0 KHZ USB 15M
ADDRESS: EX-USS YORKTOWN (CV-10)
PATRIOTS POINT MARITIME MUSEUM, SC
C/O FRED HAMBRECHT/NNN0GBS
129 INDIAN TRACE COURT
GILBERT, SC 29054
COMMERCIAL: (803) 657-3602

STATION: NWVC (14 MAY 1200Z - 15 MAY 0400Z)
FREQUENCY EMISSION AMATEUR BAND
4O41.5 KHZ LSB 80M
7389.0 KHZ LSB 40M
13826.0 KHZ USB 20M
20678.5 KHZ USB 15M
ADDRESS: USS LST 325
840 LST DRIVE
EVANSVILLE, IN 47713
POC: PERRY BALLINGER, NNN0VNO
COMMERCIAL: 330-932-8612/330-705-8449

Endeavour Launch Scrubbed for APU Problem

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:18:33 AM PDT

Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach has scrubbed today's STS-134 launch attempt because of an issue associated with Auxiliary Power Unit 1 heaters. There will be at least a 48-hour scrub turnaround while engineers assess the issue. NASA Television will air a news conference later this afternoon.

STS-134 Count Underway

NASA:

Preparations for space shuttle Endeavour's launch are continuing as planned at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A. STS-134 Commander Mark Kelly and his crew also are continuing their prelaunch activities. Liftoff to the International Space Station is scheduled for 3:47 p.m. EDT Friday.

The weather forecast calls for a 70 percent chance of favorable conditions at launch time, according to Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters. The only concerns for launch may be the crosswinds at the Shuttle Landing Facility and a low cloud ceiling associated with a front moving into Central Florida.

The rotating service structure (RSS) is scheduled to be retracted at 7 p.m. today but may be delayed because of possible storm activity over the center. Teams will have about a four-hour leeway for the storms to clear out with no affect on Friday morning's external tank fueling, now planned for 6:22 a.m.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is in the process of performing an aerial survey of yesterday's brush fire, which was southeast of the Turn Basin and about three miles from the launch pad. The brush fire now is fully contained, and the plan is to burn off the remaining fuel within the fire area to help eliminate any smoke on launch day.

Links:

For NASA's launch blog and continuous
mission updates, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Detailed lists of countdown milestones, news briefing times and participants, and hours of operation for Kennedy's news center and media credentialing office are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news

The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated throughout the shuttle launch countdown, mission and landing. Four of Endeavour's crew members -- Johnson, Chamitoff, Fincke and Kelly -- may post updates from the mission to their Twitter accounts. To follow, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/NASA

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Box

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Taz

http://www.twitter.com/AstroIronMike

http://www.twitter.com/ShuttleCDRKelly

For NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

WWV Geoalert to Cease in September!

The US NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center has issued the following bulletin pertaining to the WWV "Geoalert" at 18 minutes after the hour:

On 06 September 2011 the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) will discontinue the broadcast of its synoptic Geo-Alert products on the WWV and WWVH radio stations starting with the 12 UTC products. These products are operationally available via the following two other mechanisms:

*SWPC's Product Subscription Service at https://pss.swpc.noaa.gov.
The WWV product can be found under the "Forecast and Summaries" section.

* SWPC's Web page - http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpdir/latest/wwv.txt

Customer comments and questions related to the cessation of this service can be directed to SWPC by sending email to swpc.wwv@noaa.gov by 30 June 2011.

I would imagine that this decision was made for the usual government budget reasons, since practically everyone, myself included, gets the numbers over the Internet. Still, it's kind of sad to watch everything on the radio go away one piece at a time.

Amateur High-Altitude Balloon DOES NOT Launch Tonight

The launch is postponed per ARRL:

The Project Blue Horizon 5 high-altitude transatlantic balloon flight originally scheduled for Friday, April 22 [UTC, tonight in Pacific time], has been postponed to April 27 - 29.

The Project Blue Horizon team is attempting to break current Amateur Radio high-altitude balloon records for distance (3361.81 miles) and duration (49 hours, 45 minutes). The payload will be carried beneath a 54,000 cubic foot capacity helium-filled balloon cruising between 85,000 and 100,000 feet.

During the flight amateurs worldwide are encouraged to monitor the N2XE CW telemetry beacons at 7.1023 and 10.1466 MHz. The balloon is also equipped with an APRS beacon at 144.39 MHz using the call sign KC2ZJH. Amateurs can send reports via e-mail to PBH15.data@gmail.com. More information about the program is at the Project Blue Horizon website. Launch and flight updates will also be available on Twitter.

K6HPH & KSM On-Air for International Marconi Day

K6KPH, the amateur station of the Maritime Radio Historical Society, will be on the air for this year's International Marconi Day on Saturday 30 April.

K6KPH will use the transmitters of ex-Marconi, ex-RCA coast station KPH at the 1913 Marconi site in Bolinas, California. Operators will be at the 1929 ex-RCA receive site at Point Reyes, California.

Several volunteer operators, will be manning the K6KPH operating positions. Among these will be ace operator Rick Wahl, ex-NMC, ex-KPH.

Hours of operation:

1700 - 2359GMT

Frequencies:

3550.0
7050.0
14050.0
21050.0

Transmitters will be Henry commercial HF5000D units except for 7050.0 which will be using a 1950s vintage RCA transmitter. TPO for all transmitters will be 1.5kW.

Visitors are welcome. The receive site is located at 17400 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Inverness, California (the station is actually well past Inverness but that's the town name that works with most on-line mapping programs).

Coast station KSM will also be on the air with the usual press and weather service on all Morse and RTTY frequencies.

For details on IMD see:

http://www.gb4imd.org.uk/

For details on K6KPH and KSM see:

http://www.radiomarine.org

International Marconi Day is April 30!

This year's International Marconi Day is Saturday, April 30, beginning at 0000 UTC and going until 2359. Details are at http://www.gb4imd.org.uk/ .

IMD is held annually on the Saturday closest to the birthday of Guglielmo Marconi. It provides an opportunity for amateurs around the world to make point-to-point direct contact with historic Marconi sites. An award is given for working these.

Stations operate on or near these sites. These are all around the world. Here's the organizers' list (not all are confirmed):

CW1GM Punta Del Este City, Uruguay
DA0IMD Borkum Island
EI0IMD  County Cork - Mizen Head
EI0MAR Martello Tower, Co Dublin
EI4MFT Clifden, County Galway
F5JYD/IMD Wimereux, France
GB0CMS  Caister, Norfolk
GB0MBS Dorchester, Dorset
GB0MGY Harlow, Essex
GB100MWT Sandford Mill Chelmsford
GB1PBL Portland Bill, Dorset
GB2GM Poldhu Cove, Cornwall
GB2M Lochboisdale Marconi Wireless Station
GB2MB  Haldon Hill, Exeter, Devon
GB2MD Radio Society of Great Britain
GB2MT Writtle, Essex
GB2OWM Orkney Wireless Museum
GB2SFL South Foreland Lighthouse
GB2SJ Souter Point Lighthouse
GB4FPR Fort Perch Rock.NB (On 500 KHz CW also)
GB4HMD Holyhead, North Wales
GB4IMD Nr. Falmouth, Cornwall [CRAC Station]
GB4M Daventry
GB4MBC Flatholm Island
GB4MBP Bass Point, The Lizard, Cornwall
GB4MD Waunfawr, Wales
GB4MDI Lavernock Point
GB4MHS Oxford
GB4MIW  Alum Bay, Isle of Wight 
GB4MPC Marconi Point, Cullercoats
GB5FHC Fraserburgh, Scotland
GB5LT Calshot, Nr. Southampton
GB6MD Brean Down, Somerset
GB8IMD Netheravon Camp, Salisbury Plain
GB8MD Tywyn, Wales
I0KHP/IMD Villa Dei Principi, Civitavecchia 
I4CDH/IMD Bologna
II4SM Sasso Marconi
IY0GA Capo Figari, Golfo Aranci, Sardinia
IY0IMD Forte Michelangelo, Civitavecchia
IY0ORP Rocca di Papa, Rome
IY0TC Torre Chiaruccia, Santa Marinella, Rome
IY1MR Rapallo, Genova
IY1SP La Spezia
IY1TTM Sestri Levante
IY4FGM Villa Griffone, Pontecchio, Bologna
IY5PIS Coltano, Pisa, Italy
K2NJ  Somerville, New Jersey 
K6KPH Bolinas, Point Reyes,Ca
KM1CC Wellfleet, Cape Cod, Mass.
MN0MRG Ballycastle, Northern Ireland
N2MO Wall, New Jersey
OE11M  Vienna, Austria
PA6IMD Gouda, The Netherlands
TF3IMD Hofdi, Reykjavik, Iceland
VE1IMD Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada
VE2CRD Drummondville, Quebec, Canada
VK2IMD Wahroonga, NSW, Australia
VO1AA Signal Hill,St Johns,Newfoundland 
VO1BZM Newfoundland, Canada
W1AA/MSC Nantucket Island, Mass.
W2LIS Long Island
W2MRC Somerset, New Jersey
W2RC/IMD Rocky Point, NY
W8K Elberta/Frankfort, Michigan
WA1WCC Chatham, Mass

STS-134 Countdown Events

NASA ANNOUNCES STS-134 PRELAUNCH EVENTS AND COUNTDOWN DETAILS

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- News conferences, events and operating hours for the news center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., are set for the final scheduled launch of space shuttle Endeavour. Liftoff is targeted for 3:47 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 29, to begin the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station.

Endeavour's crew members are Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Greg H. Johnson and NASA Mission Specialists Mike Fincke, Drew Feustel and Greg Chamitoff and European Space Agency Mission Specialist Roberto Vittori.

A NASA blog will provide countdown updates beginning at 10:30 a.m. April 29. Originating from Kennedy's Launch Control Center, the blog is the definitive Internet source for information leading up to liftoff.

During the mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle website can read about the crew's progress and watch the mission's four spacewalks live. As Endeavour's flight concludes, the NASA blog will detail the spacecraft's return to Earth. For NASA's launch blog and continuous mission updates, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Detailed lists of countdown milestones, news briefing times and participants, and hours of operation for Kennedy's news center and media credentialing office are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news

The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated throughout the shuttle launch countdown, mission and landing. Four of Endeavour's crew members -- Johnson, Chamitoff, Fincke and Kelly -- may post updates from the mission to their Twitter accounts. To follow, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/NASA

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Box

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Taz

http://www.twitter.com/AstroIronMike

http://www.twitter.com/ShuttleCDRKelly

For NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

-end-

Amateur High-Altitude Radio Balloon Launches Tonight (Maybe)

ZCZC
The Project Blue Horizon 5 high-altitude transatlantic balloon is scheduled for launch, weather permitting, at 0400 UTC (midnight EDST) Friday, April 22, from Oswego, New York. The weather forecast for launch time calls for clear to partly cloudy conditions.

The Project Blue Horizon team is attempting to break current Amateur Radio high-altitude balloon records for distance (3361.81 miles) and duration (49 hours, 45 minutes). The payload will be carried beneath a 54,000 cubic foot capacity helium-filled balloon cruising between 85,000 and 100,000 feet.

Amateurs worldwide are encouraged to monitor the N2XE CW telemetry beacons at 7.1023 and 10.1466 MHz. The balloon is also equipped with an APRS beacon at 144.39 MHz using the call sign KC2ZJH. Amateurs can send reports via e-mail to PBH15.data@gmail.com.

More information about the program, including the latest projected flight path, is at the Project Blue Horizon website at, http://www.projectbluehorizon.com. Launch and flight updates will also be available on Twitter at, http://twitter.com/#!/PBH5 .
NNNN

NASA Announces Prospective Shuttle Locations

April 12, 2011

David Weaver
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
david.s.weaver@nasa.gov

Allard Beutel
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
allard.beutel@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 11-107

NASA ANNOUNCES NEW HOMES FOR SHUTTLE ORBITERS AFTER RETIREMENT

WASHINGTON -- After 30 years of spaceflight, more than 130 missions, and numerous science and technology firsts, NASA's space shuttle fleet will retire and be on display at institutions across the country to inspire the next generation of explorers and engineers.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden on Tuesday announced the facilities where four shuttle orbiters will be displayed permanently at the conclusion of the Space Shuttle Program. Shuttle Enterprise, the first orbiter built, will move from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York. The Udvar-Hazy Center will become the new home for shuttle Discovery, which retired after completing its 39th mission in March. Shuttle Endeavour, which is preparing for its final flight at the end of the month, will go to
the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Atlantis, which will fly the last planned shuttle mission in June, will be displayed at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.

"We want to thank all of the locations that expressed an interest in one of these national treasures," Bolden said. "This was a very difficult decision, but one that was made with the American public in mind. In the end, these choices provide the greatest number of people with the best opportunity to share in the history and accomplishments of NASA's remarkable Space Shuttle Program. These facilities we've chosen have a noteworthy legacy of preserving space artifacts and providing outstanding access to U.S. and international visitors."

NASA also announced that hundreds of shuttle artifacts have been allocated to museums and education institutions:

Various shuttle simulators for the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum of McMinnville, Ore., and Texas A&M's Aerospace Engineering Department

Full fuselage trainer for the Museum of Flight in Seattle

Nose cap assembly and crew compartment trainer for the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio

Flight deck pilot and commander seats for NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston

Orbital maneuvering system engines for the U.S. Space and Rocket Center of Huntsville, Ala., National Air and Space Museum in Washington, and Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum.

For more information about other shuttle program artifacts that are available to museums and libraries, visit:

http://gsaxcess.gov/htm/nasa/userguide/NASA_SSPA_Pamphlet.pdf

NASA also is offering shuttle heat shield tiles to schools and universities that want to share technology and a piece of space history with their students. Schools can request a tile at:

http://gsaxcess.gov/NASAWel.htm

For a map of the future locations for the orbiters and shuttle artifacts and for more information on visiting the facilities, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/topics/shuttle_station/features/shuttle_map.html

For more information about NASA's placement of the space shuttle orbiters, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/transition

For information about the Space Shuttle Program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


-end-

E10 Still QRT

As April begins (and this is no April Fool), the presumed Israeli Phonetic Alphabet Station (ENIGMA E10) still has not been heard since 0130 UTC on March first. A month later, it would appear that an operation which once used at least 100 frequencies and 22 call signs is still off the air.

While the timing remains interesting, there is still nothing known on why this happened, or whether the broadcasts will ever come back. There may never be.

Much more in the June column.

UK Ofcom Caught Lying on BPL/PLT (No April Fool)

Ofcom, the UK "FCC," has been caught in a lie, or at least a strong political spin, regarding the legality of a popular device used widely in that country for in-home Broadband over Power Lines/ Power Line Telecomm (BPL/PLT).

On the record, Ofcom has long maintained the position that the equipment operates within the law as it exists in that country. However, a legal request for documents has recently turned up a test result commissioned by Ofcom, which was apparently suppressed when it came back showing the units well in excess of electromagnetic compatibility standards.

At present, it strongly appears that a major UK regulatory agency developed a policy for political rather than engineering reasons, and then spent years intentionally covering up data in conflict with this policy. There, as here, the word for this is corruption.

Here's the first part of a story in The Register UK:

Ofcom forced to publish tests on dodgy radio kit
FOI request prompts action
By Bill Ray
Posted in Wireless, 31st March 2011 12:07 GMT

Ofcom has been forced to disclose its own tests showing that powerline networking kit does breach the European EMC Directive, but still won't do anything to enforce compliance.

Despite claiming there was no evidence that PLT kit built by Comtrend and supplied by BT was breaching EU rules on electromagnetic emissions, the regulator has now been forced by a Freedom of Information request to publish independent research, commissioned by them, which shows exactly that.

The request was pursued by Peter Walker, a radio amateur who eventually had to take Ofcom to an ICO Tribunal to get the regulator to hand over the study - which appears to contradict Ofcom's line in stating that the equipment tested, which was supplied by Ofcom, does not comply with the standards required by EU legislation.

...

Recent FEMA ALE Hits, by Frequency

4780.0 -- FC8FEM002
5402.0 -- FR7FEM
7348.0 -- FC8, FM8FEM
8050.0 -- FC8
9462.0 -- FC0FEM, FC0FEM008, FC8, FC8FEM, FC8FEM004, FR3FEM, FR5FEM
10194.0 -- FC0FEM, FC0FEM008, FC6FEM001, FC8, FC8FEM, FC8FEM004, FM8FEM, FR7FEM
10493.0 -- FC8
10588.0 -- FC0FEM, FC6FEM001, FC8, FM8FEM, FR1FEM, FR7FEM
11108.0 -- FC0FEM008
12216.0 -- FC0FEM008, FC6FEM001, FC8FEM004
13446.0 -- FC0FEM, FC8, FC8FEM, FM8FEM, FR5FEM
13894.0 -- FC0FEM002
14776.0 -- FC0FEM, FC1FEM, FC4FEM, FC6FEM001, FC8, FC8FEM, FM8FEM, FR4FEM
15708.0 -- FC0FEM, FC8, FC8FEM004, FR1FEM, FR5FEM
16201.0 -- FC0, FC0FEM, FC0FEM008
19969.0 -- FC0FEM008, FC6FEM001, FR4FEM, FR5FEM, FR7FEM
21866.0 -- FC4FEM, FR1FEM, FR5FEM

E10 is QRT!

First, an apology.

I work hard at keeping up with all this. I have sniffed out fishery frequencies at a time when that operation has good reason to be as secretive as any military. I have followed Libyan air ops via remotes. I have kept up with 11 other trouble spots.

At the same time, I have run daily cruises through 10 MHz of suddenly active HF spectrum looking for whatever changes have occurred in the past 6 spotless years.

It would appear, however, that I didn't try hard enough. My only excuse is that the human brain has its limits. In this case, it meant that I got behind on the ENIGMA 2000 list.

Today I just saw something that everyone else has known about for 10 days. E10, the Israeli Intelligence Phonetic Alphabet Station, the largest or second largest "numbers" operation in the world, has not transmitted since March first. The extensive network of ENIGMA members, which has followed every photon coming from E10 for years, reports only nil.

The shutting down of E10, even if it comes back eventually, is huge utility news. No one knows why this has happened, and probably no one ever will. The timing appears superficially to be interesting, but then this could also be simply looking for connections that don't exist. There is no information upon which to base a conclusion at this time.

More when I stop watching tsunami activity in CA.

Heads up! CONUS West Coast Now Tsunami Warned!

http://1.usa.gov/b0bOUt

TSUNAMI MESSAGE NUMBER 4
NWS WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER PALMER AK
1244 AM PST FRI MAR 11 2011

THIS MESSAGE UPDATES THE ALERT STATUS TO WARNING AND ADVISORY.

...A TSUNAMI WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT WHICH INCLUDES THE
COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA AND OREGON FROM POINT
CONCEPCION CALIFORNIA TO THE OREGON-WASHINGTON BORDER...

...A TSUNAMI WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT WHICH INCLUDES THE
COASTAL AREAS OF ALASKA FROM AMCHITKA PASS ALASKA/125 MILES
W OF ADAK/ TO ATTU ALASKA...

...THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE COASTAL
AREAS OF CALIFORNIA FROM THE CALIFORNIA-MEXICO BORDER TO
POINT CONCEPCION CALIFORNIA...

...THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE COASTAL
AREAS OF WASHINGTON - BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA FROM THE
OREGON-WASHINGTON BORDER TO CHIGNIK BAY ALASKA...

...THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL
AREAS OF ALASKA FROM CHIGNIK BAY ALASKA TO AMCHITKA PASS
ALASKA/125 MILES W OF ADAK/...

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED WHICH IS EXPECTED TO CAUSE DAMAGE
TO THE WARNING AND/OR ADVISORY REGIONS LISTED IN THE HEADLINE.
PERSONS IN LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS SHOULD BE ALERT TO
INSTRUCTIONS FROM THEIR LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS. EVACUATIONS
ARE ONLY ORDERED BY EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES.
- PERSONS IN TSUNAMI WARNING COASTAL AREAS SHOULD MOVE INLAND TO
HIGHER GROUND.

- PERSONS IN TSUNAMI ADVISORY COASTAL AREAS SHOULD MOVE OUT OF
THE WATER... OFF THE BEACH AND OUT OF HARBORS AND MARINAS.

MEASUREMENTS OR REPORTS OF TSUNAMI ACTIVITY

LOCATION LAT LON TIME AMPL
------------------------ ----- ------ ------- -----------
TOSASHIMIZU JAPAN 32.8N 132.9E 0747UTC 00.9FT/00.27M
TOKAI JAPAN 33.8N 137.6E 0645UTC 00.8FT/00.25M
OFUNATO JAPAN 39.0N 141.8E 0605UTC 10.8FT/03.29M
HANASAKI JAPAN 43.3N 145.6E 0643UTC 09.3FT/02.82M
BOSO JAPAN 34.8N 140.8E 0609UTC 02.6FT/00.78M

TIME - TIME OF MEASUREMENT
AMPL - TSUNAMI AMPLITUDES ARE MEASURED RELATIVE TO NORMAL SEA LEVEL.
IT IS ...NOT... CREST-TO-TROUGH WAVE HEIGHT.
VALUES ARE GIVEN IN BOTH METERS(M) AND FEET(FT).

DEEP OCEAN SENSORS INDICATE A LARGE TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED.

PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
MAGNITUDE - 8.9
TIME - 2046 AKST MAR 10 2011
2146 PST MAR 10 2011
0546 UTC MAR 11 2011
LOCATION - 38.3 NORTH 142.4 EAST
- NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU JAPAN
DEPTH - 12 MILES/20 KM

TSUNAMI WARNINGS MEAN THAT A TSUNAMI WITH SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD
INUNDATION IS IMMINENT OR EXPECTED. WARNINGS INDICATE THAT
WIDESPREAD DANGEROUS COASTAL FLOODING ACCOMPANIED BY POWERFUL
CURRENTS IS POSSIBLE AND MAY CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THE
INITIAL WAVE ARRIVAL.

TSUNAMI ADVISORIES MEAN THAT A TSUNAMI CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
STRONG CURRENTS OR WAVES DANGEROUS TO PERSONS IN OR VERY NEAR THE
WATER IS EXPECTED. SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION
IS NOT EXPECTED FOR AREAS UNDER AN ADVISORY. CURRENTS MAY BE
HAZARDOUS TO SWIMMERS... BOATS... AND COASTAL STRUCTURES AND MAY
CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THE INITIAL WAVE ARRIVAL.

PACIFIC COASTAL REGIONS OUTSIDE CALIFORNIA/ OREGON/ WASHINGTON/
BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA SHOULD REFER TO THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI
WARNING CENTER MESSAGES FOR INFORMATION ON THIS EVENT AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PTWC.

THIS MESSAGE WILL BE UPDATED IN 60 MINUTES OR SOONER IF
THE SITUATION WARRANTS. THE TSUNAMI MESSAGE WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. REFER TO THE INTERNET SITE
WCATWC.ARH.NOAA.GOV FOR MORE INFORMATION.

PZZ530-CAZ034-035-529-530-006-505>509-002-001-ORZ021-022-002-
001-111014-
/O.CAN.PAAQ.TS.A.0006.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
/O.NEW.PAAQ.TS.W.0006.110311T0844Z-000000T0000Z/
COASTAL AREAS BETWEEN AND INCLUDING POINT CONCEPCION
CALIFORNIA TO THE OREGON-WASHINGTON BORDER
1244 AM PST FRI MAR 11 2011

...A TSUNAMI WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT WHICH INCLUDES THE
COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA AND OREGON FROM POINT
CONCEPCION CALIFORNIA TO THE OREGON-WASHINGTON BORDER...

PERSONS IN TSUNAMI WARNING COASTAL AREAS SHOULD MOVE INLAND TO
HIGHER GROUND.

TSUNAMI WARNINGS MEAN THAT A TSUNAMI WITH SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD
INUNDATION IS IMMINENT OR EXPECTED. TSUNAMIS ARE A SERIES OF
WAVES POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERAL HOURS AFTER INITIAL ARRIVAL
TIME. ESTIMATED TIMES OF INITIAL WAVE ARRIVAL FOR SELECTED
SITES IN THE WARNING ARE PROVIDED BELOW.

CHARLESTON-OR 0715 PST MAR 11 SEASIDE-OR 0724 PST MAR 11
CRESCENT CITY-CA 0723 PST MAR 11 SAN FRANCISCO-CA 0808 PST MAR 11

FOR ARRIVAL TIMES AT ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS SEE
WCATWC.ARH.NOAA.GOV

$$

Most of Pacific Ocean is Tsunami Warned

000
WEPA40 PHEB 110730
TSUPAC
TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 003
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS
ISSUED AT 0730Z 11 MAR 2011
THIS BULLETIN APPLIES TO AREAS WITHIN AND BORDERING THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND ADJACENT SEAS...EXCEPT ALASKA...BRITISH COLUMBIA... WASHINGTON...OREGON AND CALIFORNIA.
... A WIDESPREAD TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT ...
A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR
JAPAN / RUSSIA / MARCUS IS. / N. MARIANAS / GUAM / WAKE IS. /
TAIWAN / YAP / PHILIPPINES / MARSHALL IS. / BELAU / MIDWAY IS. / POHNPEI / CHUUK / KOSRAE / INDONESIA / PAPUA NEW GUINEA / NAURU / JOHNSTON IS. / SOLOMON IS. / KIRIBATI / HOWLAND-BAKER / HAWAII / TUVALU / PALMYRA IS. / VANUATU / TOKELAU / JARVIS IS. / WALLIS-FUTUNA / SAMOA / AMERICAN SAMOA / COOK ISLANDS / NIUE / AUSTRALIA / FIJI / NEW CALEDONIA / TONGA / MEXICO / KERMADEC IS / FR. POLYNESIA / NEW ZEALAND / PITCAIRN / GUATEMALA / EL SALVADOR / COSTA RICA / NICARAGUA / ANTARCTICA / PANAMA / HONDURAS / CHILE / ECUADOR / COLOMBIA / PERU

THIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. ONLY NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATE OF ALERT IN THEIR AREA AND ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE.
AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS
ORIGIN TIME - 0546Z 11 MAR 2011
COORDINATES - 38.2 NORTH 142.5 EAST
DEPTH - 10 KM
LOCATION - NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU JAPAN
MAGNITUDE - 8.8
MEASUREMENTS OR REPORTS OF TSUNAMI WAVE ACTIVITY
GAUGE LOCATION LAT LON TIME AMPL PER
DART 21413 30.5N 152.1E 0659Z 0.76M / 2.5FT 32MIN
HANASAKI HOKKAIDO J 43.3N 145.6E 0657Z 2.79M / 9.2FT 76MIN
DART 21401 42.6N 152.6E 0643Z 0.67M / 2.2FT 40MIN
DART 21418 38.7N 148.7E 0619Z 1.08M / 3.5FT 06MIN
LAT - LATITUDE (N-NORTH, S-SOUTH)
LON - LONGITUDE (E-EAST, W-WEST)
TIME - TIME OF THE MEASUREMENT (Z IS UTC IS GREENWICH TIME)
AMPL - TSUNAMI AMPLITUDE MEASURED RELATIVE TO NORMAL SEA LEVEL. IT IS ...NOT... CREST-TO-TROUGH WAVE HEIGHT. VALUES ARE GIVEN IN BOTH METERS(M) AND FEET(FT). PER - PERIOD OF TIME IN MINUTES(MIN) FROM ONE WAVE TO THE NEXT. NOTE - DART MEASUREMENTS ARE FROM THE DEEP OCEAN AND THEY ARE GENERALLY MUCH SMALLER THAN WOULD BE COASTAL MEASUREMENTS AT SIMILAR LOCATIONS.

EVALUATION
SEA LEVEL READINGS CONFIRM THAT A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED
WHICH COULD CAUSE WIDESPREAD DAMAGE. AUTHORITIES SHOULD TAKE
APPROPRIATE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS THREAT. THIS CENTER WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR SEA LEVEL DATA TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT AND SEVERITY OF THE THREAT.
A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF WAVES AND THE FIRST WAVE MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST. TSUNAMI WAVE HEIGHTS CANNOT BE PREDICTED AND CAN VARY SIGNIFICANTLY ALONG A COAST DUE TO LOCAL EFFECTS. THE TIME FROM ONE TSUNAMI WAVE TO THE NEXT CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO AN HOUR, AND THE THREAT CAN CONTINUE FOR MANY HOURS AS MULTIPLE WAVES ARRIVE. FOR ALL AREAS - WHEN NO MAJOR WAVES ARE OBSERVED FOR TWO HOURS AFTER THE ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL OR DAMAGING WAVES HAVE NOT OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS THEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES CAN ASSUME THE THREAT IS PASSED. DANGER TO BOATS AND COASTAL STRUCTURES CAN CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS DUE TO RAPID CURRENTS. AS LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A WIDE VARIATION IN TSUNAMI WAVE ACTION THE ALL CLEAR DETERMINATION MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
ESTIMATED INITIAL TSUNAMI WAVE ARRIVAL TIMES AT FORECAST POINTS WITHIN THE WARNING AND WATCH AREAS ARE GIVEN BELOW. ACTUAL ARRIVAL TIMES MAY DIFFER AND THE INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST. A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF WAVES AND THE TIME BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO ONE HOUR.
LOCATION FORECAST POINT COORDINATES ARRIVAL TIME
JAPAN KATSUURA 35.1N 140.3E 0635Z 11 MAR
KUSHIRO 42.9N 144.3E 0642Z 11 MAR
HACHINOHE 40.5N 141.5E 0700Z 11 MAR
SHIMIZU 32.8N 133.0E 0756Z 11 MAR
OKINAWA 26.2N 127.8E 0912Z 11 MAR
RUSSIA URUP_IS 46.1N 150.5E 0714Z 11 MAR
SEVERO_KURILSK 50.8N 156.1E 0834Z 11 MAR
PETROPAVLOVSK_K 53.2N 159.6E 0836Z 11 MAR
UST_KAMCHATSK 56.1N 162.6E 0840Z 11 MAR
MEDNNY_IS 54.7N 167.4E 0903Z 11 MAR
MARCUS IS. MARCUS_IS. 24.3N 154.0E 0757Z 11 MAR
N. MARIANAS SAIPAN 15.3N 145.8E 0853Z 11 MAR
GUAM GUAM 13.4N 144.7E 0909Z 11 MAR
WAKE IS. WAKE_IS. 19.3N 166.6E 0925Z 11 MAR
TAIWAN HUALIEN 24.0N 121.7E 0932Z 11 MAR
HUALIEN 24.0N 121.6E 0933Z 11 MAR
TAITUNG 22.7N 121.2E 0936Z 11 MAR
CHILUNG 25.2N 121.8E 1004Z 11 MAR
YAP YAP_IS. 9.5N 138.1E 0944Z 11 MAR
PHILIPPINES PALANAN 17.1N 122.6E 0955Z 11 MAR
LEGASPI 13.2N 123.8E 1026Z 11 MAR
DAVAO 6.8N 125.7E 1053Z 11 MAR
MARSHALL IS. ENIWETOK 11.4N 162.3E 1013Z 11 MAR
KWAJALEIN 8.7N 167.7E 1044Z 11 MAR
MAJURO 7.1N 171.4E 1124Z 11 MAR
BELAU MALAKAL 7.3N 134.5E 1025Z 11 MAR
MIDWAY IS. MIDWAY_IS. 28.2N 182.6E 1026Z 11 MAR
POHNPEI POHNPEI_IS. 7.0N 158.2E 1027Z 11 MAR
CHUUK CHUUK_IS. 7.4N 151.8E 1034Z 11 MAR
KOSRAE KOSRAE_IS. 5.5N 163.0E 1043Z 11 MAR
INDONESIA GEME 4.6N 126.8E 1049Z 11 MAR
BEREBERE 2.5N 128.7E 1058Z 11 MAR
WARSA 0.6S 135.8E 1110Z 11 MAR
MANOKWARI 0.8S 134.2E 1118Z 11 MAR
PATANI 0.4N 128.8E 1124Z 11 MAR
JAYAPURA 2.4S 140.8E 1135Z 11 MAR
SORONG 0.8S 131.1E 1135Z 11 MAR
PAPUA NEW GUINE MANUS_IS. 2.0S 147.5E 1124Z 11 MAR
KAVIENG 2.5S 150.7E 1124Z 11 MAR
VANIMO 2.6S 141.3E 1134Z 11 MAR
WEWAK 3.5S 143.6E 1146Z 11 MAR
RABAUL 4.2S 152.3E 1154Z 11 MAR
KIETA 6.1S 155.6E 1205Z 11 MAR
AMUN 6.0S 154.7E 1211Z 11 MAR
MADANG 5.2S 145.8E 1215Z 11 MAR
LAE 6.8S 147.0E 1254Z 11 MAR
PORT_MORESBY 9.3S 146.9E 1429Z 11 MAR
NAURU NAURU 0.5S 166.9E 1149Z 11 MAR
JOHNSTON IS. JOHNSTON_IS. 16.7N 190.5E 1202Z 11 MAR
SOLOMON IS. PANGGOE 6.9S 157.2E 1221Z 11 MAR
FALAMAE 7.4S 155.6E 1222Z 11 MAR
MUNDA 8.4S 157.2E 1239Z 11 MAR
GHATERE 7.8S 159.2E 1248Z 11 MAR
AUKI 8.8S 160.6E 1309Z 11 MAR
HONIARA 9.3S 160.0E 1314Z 11 MAR
KIRAKIRA 10.4S 161.9E 1318Z 11 MAR
KIRIBATI TARAWA_IS. 1.5N 173.0E 1228Z 11 MAR
KANTON_IS. 2.8S 188.3E 1329Z 11 MAR
CHRISTMAS_IS. 2.0N 202.5E 1443Z 11 MAR
MALDEN_IS. 3.9S 205.1E 1518Z 11 MAR
FLINT_IS. 11.4S 208.2E 1613Z 11 MAR
HOWLAND-BAKER HOWLAND_IS. 0.6N 183.4E 1243Z 11 MAR
HAWAII NAWILIWILI 22.0N 200.6E 1259Z 11 MAR
HONOLULU 21.3N 202.1E 1313Z 11 MAR
KAHULUI 20.9N 203.5E 1320Z 11 MAR
HILO 19.7N 204.9E 1339Z 11 MAR
TUVALU FUNAFUTI_IS. 7.9S 178.5E 1330Z 11 MAR
PALMYRA IS. PALMYRA_IS. 6.3N 197.6E 1346Z 11 MAR
VANUATU ESPERITU_SANTO 15.1S 167.3E 1407Z 11 MAR
ANATOM_IS. 20.2S 169.9E 1502Z 11 MAR
TOKELAU NUKUNONU_IS. 9.2S 188.2E 1409Z 11 MAR
JARVIS IS. JARVIS_IS. 0.4S 199.9E 1427Z 11 MAR
WALLIS-FUTUNA WALLIS_IS. 13.3S 183.8E 1427Z 11 MAR
FUTUNA_I. 14.3S 181.8E 1440Z 11 MAR
SAMOA APIA 13.8S 188.2E 1445Z 11 MAR
AMERICAN SAMOA PAGO_PAGO 14.3S 189.3E 1452Z 11 MAR
COOK ISLANDS PUKAPUKA_IS. 10.8S 194.1E 1452Z 11 MAR
PENRYN_IS. 8.9S 202.2E 1525Z 11 MAR
RAROTONGA 21.2S 200.2E 1626Z 11 MAR
NIUE NIUE_IS. 19.0S 190.0E 1526Z 11 MAR
AUSTRALIA CAIRNS 16.7S 145.8E 1528Z 11 MAR
BRISBANE 27.2S 153.3E 1620Z 11 MAR
SYDNEY 33.9S 151.4E 1651Z 11 MAR
GLADSTONE 23.8S 151.4E 1730Z 11 MAR
MACKAY 21.1S 149.3E 1811Z 11 MAR
HOBART 43.3S 147.6E 1826Z 11 MAR
FIJI SUVA 18.1S 178.4E 1528Z 11 MAR
NEW CALEDONIA NOUMEA 22.3S 166.5E 1531Z 11 MAR
TONGA NUKUALOFA 21.0S 184.8E 1557Z 11 MAR
MEXICO ENSENADA 31.8N 243.2E 1644Z 11 MAR
PUNTA_ABREOJOS 26.7N 246.4E 1732Z 11 MAR
CABO_SAN_LUCAS 22.8N 250.0E 1809Z 11 MAR
SOCORRO 18.8N 249.0E 1819Z 11 MAR
MAZATLAN 23.2N 253.6E 1858Z 11 MAR
MANZANILLO 19.1N 255.7E 1924Z 11 MAR
ACAPULCO 16.9N 260.1E 1959Z 11 MAR
PUERTO_MADERO 14.8N 267.5E 2134Z 11 MAR
KERMADEC IS RAOUL_IS. 29.2S 182.1E 1648Z 11 MAR
FR. POLYNESIA PAPEETE 17.5S 210.4E 1706Z 11 MAR
HIVA_OA 10.0S 221.0E 1744Z 11 MAR
RIKITEA 23.1S 225.0E 1913Z 11 MAR
NEW ZEALAND NORTH_CAPE 34.4S 173.3E 1714Z 11 MAR
EAST_CAPE 37.7S 178.5E 1814Z 11 MAR
AUCKLAND(W) 37.1S 174.2E 1814Z 11 MAR
GISBORNE 38.7S 178.0E 1821Z 11 MAR
MILFORD_SOUND 44.6S 167.9E 1839Z 11 MAR
WELLINGTON 41.3S 174.8E 1845Z 11 MAR
AUCKLAND(E) 36.7S 175.0E 1856Z 11 MAR
NEW_PLYMOUTH 39.1S 174.1E 1900Z 11 MAR
NAPIER 39.5S 176.9E 1908Z 11 MAR
WESTPORT 41.8S 171.6E 1929Z 11 MAR
DUNEDIN 45.9S 170.5E 2021Z 11 MAR
LYTTELTON 43.6S 172.7E 2055Z 11 MAR
BLUFF 46.6S 168.3E 2113Z 11 MAR
NELSON 41.3S 173.3E 2206Z 11 MAR
PITCAIRN PITCAIRN_IS. 25.1S 229.9E 2000Z 11 MAR
GUATEMALA SIPICATE 13.9N 268.8E 2150Z 11 MAR
EL SALVADOR ACAJUTLA 13.6N 270.2E 2156Z 11 MAR
COSTA RICA CABO_SAN_ELENA 10.9N 274.0E 2209Z 11 MAR
PUERTO_QUEPOS 9.4N 275.8E 2235Z 11 MAR
CABO_MATAPALO 8.4N 276.7E 2237Z 11 MAR
NICARAGUA CORINTO 12.5N 272.8E 2217Z 11 MAR
PUERTO_SANDINO 12.2N 273.2E 2223Z 11 MAR
SAN_JUAN_DL_SUR 11.2N 274.1E 2233Z 11 MAR
ANTARCTICA CAPE_ADARE 71.0S 170.0E 2222Z 11 MAR
THURSTON_IS. 72.0S 260.0E 0121Z 12 MAR
PANAMA PUNTA_BURICA 8.0N 277.1E 2248Z 11 MAR
PUNTA_MALA 7.5N 280.0E 2334Z 11 MAR
PUERTO_PINA 7.4N 282.0E 2344Z 11 MAR
BALBOA_HTS. 9.0N 280.4E 0155Z 12 MAR
HONDURAS AMAPALA 13.2N 272.4E 2253Z 11 MAR
CHILE EASTER_IS. 27.1S 250.6E 2255Z 11 MAR
ARICA 18.5S 289.7E 0244Z 12 MAR
IQUIQUE 20.2S 289.9E 0249Z 12 MAR
ANTOFAGASTA 23.3S 289.6E 0254Z 12 MAR
CALDERA 27.1S 289.2E 0314Z 12 MAR
GOLFO_DE_PENAS 47.1S 285.1E 0315Z 12 MAR
COQUIMBO 29.9S 288.6E 0323Z 12 MAR
VALPARAISO 33.0S 288.4E 0338Z 12 MAR
CORRAL 39.8S 286.5E 0352Z 12 MAR
TALCAHUANO 36.7S 286.9E 0359Z 12 MAR
PUERTO_MONTT 41.5S 287.0E 0552Z 12 MAR
PUERTO_WILLIAMS 54.8S 291.8E 0855Z 12 MAR
PUNTA_ARENAS 53.2S 289.1E 1700Z 12 MAR
ECUADOR BALTRA_IS. 0.5S 269.7E 2331Z 11 MAR
ESMERELDAS 1.2N 280.2E 0003Z 12 MAR
LA_LIBERTAD 2.2S 278.8E 0024Z 12 MAR
COLOMBIA BAHIA_SOLANO 6.3N 282.6E 2347Z 11 MAR
TUMACO 1.8N 281.1E 0012Z 12 MAR
BUENAVENTURA 3.8N 282.8E 0030Z 12 MAR
PERU TALARA 4.6S 278.5E 0033Z 12 MAR
PIMENTAL 6.9S 280.0E 0138Z 12 MAR
LA_PUNTA 12.1S 282.8E 0139Z 12 MAR
CHIMBOTE 9.0S 281.2E 0144Z 12 MAR
SAN_JUAN 15.3S 284.8E 0153Z 12 MAR
MOLLENDO 17.1S 288.0E 0226Z 12 MAR
BULLETINS WILL BE ISSUED HOURLY OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.
THE TSUNAMI WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
THE JAPAN METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY MAY ALSO ISSUE TSUNAMI MESSAGES
FOR THIS EVENT TO COUNTRIES IN THE NORTHWEST PACIFIC AND SOUTH
CHINA SEA REGION. IN CASE OF CONFLICTING INFORMATION... THE
MORE CONSERVATIVE INFORMATION SHOULD BE USED FOR SAFETY.
THE WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER WILL ISSUE PRODUCTS
FOR ALASKA...BRITISH COLUMBIA...WASHINGTON...OREGON...CALIFORNIA.

Solar Flux Hits 143, SSN is 118!

hfradio.org via NW7US

Cycle 24 has done its predicted fast vertical rise. In maybe two months, it's gone from peaks around 88 to today's levels which are respectable by any standards. The daily WWV (Penticton) uncorrected solar flux for March 6 is 143, highest since January of 2005! The Smoothed Sunspot Number is 118, highest since July of that year.

Band conditions have improved dramatically just in the past few days. For example, the band around 17 MHz did not close from California to Japan until 0400 UTC, or two hours later than it did Friday. The 9-10 MHz SWBC band is wide open from California to the Middle East at 0440, and shows no sign of changing any time soon. This afternoon, some MUFs probably went clear out of HF, with good, steady 10 meter signals from the Eastern US all day.

This is obviously game on for Cycle 24. It's late, but it's here, and now it's hard to turn off the radio.

NASA's Glory Satellite Fails

March 4, 2011

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
george.h.diller@nasa.gov

Steve Cole
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0918
stephen.e.cole@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 11-065

NASA CREATES GLORY SATELLITE MISHAP INVESTIGATION BOARD

WASHINGTON -- NASA's Glory mission ended Friday after the spacecraft failed to reach orbit following its launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

NASA has begun the process of creating a Mishap Investigation Board to evaluate the cause of the failure. Telemetry indicated the fairing, a protective shell atop the satellite's Taurus XL rocket, did not separate as expected.

The launch proceeded as planned from its liftoff at 5:09 a.m. EST through the ignition of the Taurus XL's second stage. However, the fairing failure occurred during the second stage engine burn. It is likely the spacecraft fell into the South Pacific, although the exact location is not yet known.

NASA's previous launch attempt of an Earth science spacecraft, the Orbiting Carbon Observatory onboard a Taurus XL on Feb. 24, 2009, also failed to reach orbit when the fairing did not separate.

NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory Mishap Investigation Board reviewed launch data and the fairing separation system design, and developed a corrective action plan. The plan was implemented by Taurus XL manufacturer Orbital Sciences Corporation. In October 2010, NASA's Flight Planning Board confirmed the successful closure of the corrective actions.

The Glory Earth-observing satellite was intended to improve our understanding of how the sun and tiny atmospheric particles called aerosols affect Earth's climate.


-end-

STS-133 Still On Schedule

BRD is still on 9132 kHz USB. An issue with slight damage to a tile near the hatch has been resolved by repairing the tile. An issue with a power bus has been worked around and cleared. Another issue appears to have been caused by sunlight, and is not a factor.

Weather remains go.

STS-133 Booster Vessels Heard on 9132 kHz USB

Both Booster Recovery Vessels, the Liberty Star and the Freedom Star, were just heard on 9132 kHz USB in radio checks with the Booster Recovery Director at Cape Canaveral.

Various listeners in the eastern US have also heard comm on 10780 kHz USB from Cape Radio. The 9132 shore side is a remote transmitter at "Andrews."

Astronauts are currently entering the vehicle.

Weather is now 90% go.

The launch is being blogged here.

STS-133 Counting for 2150 UTC Launch

The STS-133 count remains on schedule at this time.

Fueling of Discovery's external tank is expected to begin at approximately 1225 UTC. NASA TV coverage begins at 1215 UTC.

This flight delivers a storage module and a robot ("R2") to the ISS.

The STS-133 crew members are Commander Steven Lindsey, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Alvin Drew, Michael Barratt, Steve Bowen and Nicole Stott. Bowen replaced astronaut Tim Kopra, who was injured in a bicycle accident in January.

Discovery will deliver and install the Permanent Multipurpose Module, the Express Logistics Carrier 4 and provide critical spare components to the International Space Station. This will be the 35th shuttle mission to the station. It is also Discovery's final flight.

The Eastern Test Range uses many frequencies for booster recovery and safety, but some recent ones are 5711, 6751, 9043, 9132, 10780, 11104, 11548, 13212, and 14837 kHz USB.

Weather forecast shows only a 20% possibility of preventing launch.

Aero Frequencies for North African Trouble Spots

Major World Air Route Areas (MWARA):

AFI-2
3419 5652 8894 13273 17961

AFI-3
3467 5517 6574 11300 13288 17961


Regional and Domestic Air Route Areas (RDARA):

2562 (Egypt)
2815 (Libya)
2854-3488
3175 (Egypt)
4651-4696
5481-5526
5547-5640
5790 (Egypt)
5830 (Egypt)
5859 (Egypt)
6526-6701
6930 (Egypt)
8816-8960
10006-10096
10947 (Egypt)
11276-11396
13270 13276 13291 17913 17943 17955

STS-133 Launch Set For 2150 UTC on 24 Feb

Old news, but:

Feb. 18, 2011

Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov

Joshua Buck
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
jbuck@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 11-047

NASA SETS LAUNCH DATE FOR SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY MISSION

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to begin an 11-day mission to the International Space Station with a launch at 4:50 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 24, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The STS-133 mission is Discovery's final scheduled flight.

Discovery's launch date was announced Friday at the conclusion of a flight readiness review at Kennedy. During the meeting, senior NASA and contractor managers assessed the risks associated with the mission and determined the shuttle and station's equipment, support systems and personnel are ready.

The six astronauts for the mission will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) to the station. The PMM was converted from the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo and will provide additional storage for the station crew. Experiments in such fields as fluid physics, materials science, biology and biotechnology may be conducted inside the module.

The PMM also carries Robonaut 2, the first human-like robot in space, which will become a permanent resident of the station. In addition, the flight will deliver critical spare parts and the Express Logistics Carrier 4, an external platform that holds large equipment.

STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey and his crew are scheduled to arrive at Kennedy on Sunday, Feb. 20, for final launch preparations. Joining Lindsey are Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Alvin Drew, Steve Bowen, Michael Barratt and Nicole Stott. Bowen and Drew will conduct two spacewalks to install new components and perform maintenance.

Discovery's launch will occur six hours after the planned docking of the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle-2 "Johannes Kepler" to the space station.

STS-133 is the first mission planned for 2011. It is Discovery's 39th flight and 35th shuttle mission to the station. There are two other flights planned before the shuttle retires this year. For the schedule of upcoming missions to the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/stationflights

For more information about the space station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station

Stott will send mission updates to her Twitter account:
http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Nicole

For more information about the STS-133 mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

-end-

Egyptian Government Changes Hands

At approximately 1600 UTC, the VP of Egypt came on air for about 20 seconds to say the president had resigned, and a military council had taken power. This came a few hours after President Mubarak left the palace, and the military tanks guarding the perimeter turned their turrets so that the cannon faced inward at the facility, not outward at the crowd.

That probably says it all.

Egyptian MFA is probably the best catch right now. There might be some opchat in amid the encrypted messages. Keep in mind that often their ARQ teleprinting uses ATU80, an Arabic alphabet, instead of the standard ITA2.

Aero freqs might be good as well.

Along with the Middle East in general, Egypt will be a good country to keep tabs on until things shake out. This process could last well after the promised September elections.