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Hi Everyone,

The Birminghamfest 2024 is almost here, and I hope you can attend.

This event will be held at the Trussville Civic Center on Friday March 15 from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM and Saturday, March 16 from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

The address is:

5381 Trussville-Clay Road
Trussville, AL 35173

There will be forums, vendors, ham radio testing and a flea market with parts and equipment needing a new home.

Among the various forums are:

ALERT/NWS – 9 AM – 10 AM in the Fireside 2 Room
ARRL/ARES – 10 AM – 11 AM in the Fireside 2 Room
ARRL AL Section – 11 AM – to Noon in the Fireside 2 Room
Alabama WX Preparation (Fox 6) – 11 AM – Noon in the Fireside 3 Room
Jefferson County ARES – Noon – 1 PM in the Fireside 1 Room

Admission is $10, which includes 1 prize ticket. Children under 12 will be admitted for free.

For more information go to http://birminghamfest.org/


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Alabama Traffic Net Mike Update

The Alabama Traffic Net Mike, which meets nightly on 3.965 MHz at 5:30 PM, will be changing its meeting time to 6:00 PM Central Time. This will be a permanent change unless band conditions present a problem.

If you have HF capability, I encourage you to support this net, as it is Alabama’s phone traffic net in the National Traffic System. During emergencies this frequency is the home of the Alabama Emergency Net Mike.

3.965 MHz LSB is Alabama’s HF frequency and it’s ham voice to the outside world.


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Birmingham NWS Spring 2024 Storm Spotter Courses


The Birmingham NWS office is presenting several online and one in person Basic Spotter Courses and an online Advanced Spotter Course this spring. These online classes allow individuals to complete the courses in the comfort of their own home or office using GoToWebinar.

By attending any course, which are free and runs about 2 hours, individuals or a group of individuals will become SKYWARN Storm Spotters.

Unless you are in need of or just want to attend a refresher Course, you do not need to attend more than one Basic SKYWARN Course, as the material covered is the same; however it is required you to attend at least one Basic SKYWARN Course before taking the Advanced SKYWARN Course.

These courses are two-way, meaning you will be able to interact with the meteorologist leading the training. You will be muted while training is in-progress, and unmuted when applicable (e.g., for questions); or, you can use the built-in chat feature.

How do you Attend an Online SKYWARN Spotter Class?

To avoid being hurried, give yourself at least 15 minutes prior to
the start of the class to complete the following steps:

1. Via the schedule below, register by clicking the link
corresponding to the class you’d like to attend.

2. Select the ‘join webinar’ button on the registration page or
in your confirmation email and follow the prompts.

3. Enjoy the class and ask questions.

The current schedule is as follows:

Basic Class Online Thursday, February 29 at 6:30PM
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6300674854341889882

Basic Class Online Wednesday, March 6 at 6:30 PM
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5155626952501655645

Basic Class In Person Thursday, March 7 at 6:00PM to 8PM
Northport Police Department
3721 26th Avenue
Northport, AL 35473

Basic Class Online Thursday, March 14 at 6:30PM
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2247228481522559579

Basic Class Online Thursday, March 20 at 1:00 PM
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8713725744822051926

Advanced Online Thursday, March 26 at 6:30 PM
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3265170640177956951

These classes will help you provide the NWS the vital “ground truth” information they need to verify radar indications, target their attention and help you relay reports in a clear manner to the NWS

If you are within NWS Birmingham’s 39 county coverage area and when you can do so safely, send the NWS a report. Include photos if you are able to. Remember, be concise and accurate with your report — who, what, when, and where. Please do not relay reports based on what you are seeing/hearing on television or on your app.

Send a report via:

Submit a Storm Report (weather.gov)

https://www.facebook.com/NWSBirmingham

On Twitter, tag The NWS in a Tweet or send a direct message. Include #alwx on your social media report and include a photo if possible

Call the NWS directly at 205-664-3010, option 2

Amateur Radio
Report:

Hail (any size):
Measure the largest hail stone or compare it to a common item.

0.25″ or less – pea
0.50″ – mothball
0.75″ – dime/penny
0.88″ – nickel
1.00″ – quarter (severe threshold)
1.25″ – half dollar
1.50″ – walnut/ping pong ball
1.75″ – golf ball
2.00″ – hen egg
2.50″ – tennis ball
2.75″ – baseball
3.00″ – tea cup
4.00″ – grapefruit
4.50″ – softball
Strong or damaging winds
What was damaged and to what extent?

Healthy trees snapped or uprooted
Large tree branches blown down
Power poles downed
Structures damaged (businesses, homes, outbuildings, etc.)
Rotating wall cloud, funnel cloud, or tornado
Be sure to confirm rotation and include the direction and distance of these features from your location.

 


Flooding:

Focus on water 6″ or more in depth that is rapidly flowing or standing water that is 3′ or more deep. Is the flood water threatening life or property? Are waterways/streams and creeks rapidly rising?

Severe Thunderstorm criteria (any combination of the following):

Winds of 58+ mph
Hail of 1″ in diameter or larger
A tornado

The knowledge gained by participating in these classes helps SKYWARN Net Control stations filter reports, by giving them knowledge of what reporting stations are trying to describe. This way they can tell if the report is a valid report, an invalid report by an overly excited operator or a valid, but poorly described report, which without this knowledge would be mistakenly dismissed.

For further information on these classes visit: http://www.weather.gov/bmx/skywarnschedule


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Mark’s Almanac

Originally called Martius, March is the third month & first month of the Roman calendar. March is named for Mars, the god of war, and was the start of the military campaign season.

The beginning of “Meteorological Spring”, which is based on changes in temperature and precipitation, not the solar angle, is March 1

March is a wet month. Most floods occur in March and rainfall averages around 6 inches.
Tornadic activity sharply increases in March with there being an increase of 2.2 times the number of tornadoes over the February amount. The focal point for this tornadic activity is the Gulf States.

March is the hail maximum for the Deep South. This is due both to the number of thunderstorms & due to the freezing level still being near the surface. This allows hail to form at lower altitudes and reach the ground intact, as opposed to summer months, when the freezing level is higher and near surface level temperatures are higher melting the hail into liquid before impact.

North Atlantic Tropical activity remains at a minimum. From 1851 to 2023 there has been only one Hurricane to occur. A 100 MPH unnamed Hurricane which affected the Lesser Antilles in March 6- 9, 1908. Some sources also cite a pre-Civil War Tropical Storm also occurring, but others do not.

South Atlantic Tropical activity doesn’t have a sharp peak as the North Atlantic season does in September, however currently March has a thin lead in activity, as from 1957 – 2024 there have been 88 identified Tropical or Subtopical Storms, including the only known South Atlantic Hurricane – Hurricane Catarina which struck Brazil March 28, 2004.

Brazilian authorities at first were unwilling to admit that Catarina was a hurricane, for up until that time is was considered impossible for the South Atlantic to generate a tropical system, due to wind shear, cold sea surface temperatures and the lack of storm systems from which a storm could develop. With extensive damage from an impossible storm looking at them, they finally reluctantly agreed that maybe NOAA’s opinion was right.

As I write this Tropical Storm Akara, which formed February 20 off the coast of Brazil, has just dissipated.

Meanwhile, back in Alabama…

Killing frosts are gone and the last average frost is on March 16.

March is a snow month for Alabama & there is a 45% chance of snow up to one inch, and an 8% chance of one inch or more.

The good news is that there is hope on the horizon as Spring will arrive at Vernal Equinox on March 19 at 10:06 PM CDT or 03:06 UTC March 20.

The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of fall, or Autumnal Equinox, in the Southern Hemisphere.

Remember to get the eggs out, as it is said that you can stand eggs on their ends at the hour of equinox.

You might also think about the Aurora, for Auroras love equinoxes. At this time of year, the interplanetary magnetic field or IMF can link up with Earth’s magnetic field, prying open cracks. Solar wind then pours in to fuel displays of the aurora borealis with no geomagnetic storm required. Researchers call this the Russell-McPherron Effect, named after the physicists who first described it in the 1970s

If you do see them be cautioned though, for among some northern Native American tribes it is said that as you are looking at the northern lights do not wave sing or whistle at them. Alerted to your presence the spirits of the lights will come down and take you away.

This month sees the return of Ruby Throated Humming Birds and the Giant Yellow Sulfur Butterflies that migrated south during the Fall and the clouds of pollen that we love so well.

Days grow longer as the Sun’s angle above the noonday horizon rapidly increases from 49.0 degrees at the beginning of the month to 60.7 degrees at the end. Daylight increases from 11 hours 28 minutes on March 1 to 12 hours 30 minutes on March 31.

Sunrise and sunset times for Birmingham are:

March 1 Sunrise 6:16 AM Sunset 5:44 PM
March 15 Sunrise 6:58 AM Sunset 6:55 PM
March 31 Sunrise 6:36 AM Sunset 7:07 PM *Daylight Savings Time

Why the sunrise is later midmonth as opposed to the first and the last of the month is due to a combination of the quirks in the Earth’s orbit, it’s axial tilt and it being near equinox affecting the length of day based on sunlight as opposed to the measurement of time based on the Earth’s rotation.

Daylight Savings Time begins at 2 AM on March 10. So, remember to “spring forward” one hour. This, of course means I will lose one hour of “beauty sleep”, which is something I desperately need.

I don’t particularly care for Daylight Savings Time. I share the same opinion I found on the “Republic Of Lakotah” website:

When told the reason for daylight saving time the old Native American said…“Only a white man would believe that you could cut a foot off the top of a blanket and sew it to the bottom of a blanket and have a longer blanket.”

Saint Patrick’s Day is Thursday March 17, and you might better participate by wearing a Touch O’ The Green or you will be plagued by leprechauns and gnomes. Not a pleasant experience, I can assure you.

Looking skyward, the Sun, magnitude -26.8 is in Aquarius, The Water Bearer.

Mercury, magnitude -1.4, in Aquarius The Water Bearer, is lost in the glow of the Sun until midmonth when he reemerges into the evening sky.

On the 15th he will rise at 7:10 PM CST, at an altitude of 9° above the western horizon setting 1 hour and 3 minutes after the Sun at 7:57 PM.

Mercury’s 88 day orbit around the Sun will carry him to his closest point to the Sun or “Perihelion”, 28,816,300 miles from the Sun on March 17.

He will reach his greatest altitude above the horizon and greatest separation from the Sun, or “Greatest Eastern Elongation” on March 24, when he reaches 12° above the western horizon.

His evening visit will be brief though, as he will lower back into the glare of the Sun, disappearing from view on the 28th.

Venus, magnitude –3.9, in Capricornus, The Sea Goat, is very low in the predawn morning sky as she is lowering ever closer toward the horizon and the glow of the Sun.

At the first of the month, she rises at 5:06 AM CST, 1 hour and 6 minutes before the Sun, and reaches an altitude of 9° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at 5:57 AM CST.

She will disappear into the Sun’s glow on March 7.

She will reach “Aphelion” or her furthest distance from the Sun, 67,857,739 miles from the Sun on March 19.
Earth and her Moon, magnitude -4.0, as viewed from the Sun, is in Virgo, The Virgin.

Dwarf Planet Ceres, magnitude +9.0, is in Sagittarius, The Archer.

Mars, with his moons Phobos and Deimos, magnitude +1.3, in Capricornus, The Sea Goat, is lost in the glow of the Sun.

Jupiter, and his 95 moons and (invisible from Earth) ring, magnitude -2.2, is in Aries, The Ram, is an early evening object and is receding into the evening twilight.

At the beginning of the month, he will become visible around 5:59 PM CST, 53° above the south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will continue to be observable until around 10:23 PM, when he sinks below 7° above the horizon.

By midmonth he becomes accessible around 7:10 PM CDT, 42° above the western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will continue to be observable until around 10:40 PM CDT, when he sinks below 7° above the horizon.

By the end of the month, he will become accessible around 7:22 PM CDT, 30° above the western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness and will continue to be observable until around 9:53 PM, when he sinks below 7° above the horizon.

Saturn, magnitude +1.0, and his 146 moons and extensive debris ring system, is in Aquarius, The Water Bearer, is lost in the glow of the Sun.

Uranus, magnitude +5.8, and his 27 moons and ring, in Aries, The Ram, is an early evening object, becoming visible around 6:42 PM CST, 52° above the western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will continue to be observable until around 11:04 PM, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.

By midmonth he will become visible around 7:53 PM CDT, at an altitude of 39° above the western horizon, as dusk fades into darkness. He will continue to be observable until 11:11 PM CDT, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.

At month’s end he becomes visible around 8:06 PM CDT, at an altitude of 24° above the western horizon. He will continue to be observable until around 11:12 PM CDT, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.

Neptune, magnitude +7.8, and his 14 moons and ring, in Pisces, The Fish, is lost in the glow of the Sun.

He will pass close to the Sun or be in Conjunction on March 17,

Dwarf Planet Pluto, with his five moons shines at a dim +14.5 in Capricorn, The Sea Goat.

Dwarf Planet 136108 Haumea, her ring and moons Hiʻiaka and Namaka, shines at a faint magnitude of +17.4 in Bootes, The Herdsman.

Dwarf Planet 136472 Makemake with his moon S/2015 (136472) 1, nicknamed MK1 by the discovery team, shines faintly at magnitude +17.1 in Coma Berenices.

Dwarf Planet 136199 Eris and her moon Dysnomia, originally referred to as Xena and Gabrielle, is barely visible in the most powerful telescopes at magnitude +18.7 in Cetus the Sea Monster.

At least six additional bodies with the preliminary criteria for identifying dwarf planets, and though not “officially” declared as such, are generally called dwarf planets by astronomers as well.

90482 Orcus, and his moon Vanth shines at magnitude 19.1 between Hydra and Sextans, The Sextant.

50000 Quaoar, and his moon Waywot shines at magnitude +18.6 in Scutum, The Shield.

90377 Sedna, the coldest, and at one time, the most distant known place in the Solar System, glows faintly at magnitude +20.9 in Taurus, The Bull.

225088 Gonggong, originally nicknamed Snow White by the discovery team, and his moon Xiangli glows dimly at +21.5 magnitude in Aquarius, The Water Bearer.

2014 UZ224 nicknamed “DeeDee” for “Distant Dwarf” is 8.5 billion miles from the Sun, at magnitude +23.1 in Eridanus, The River.

120347 Salacia, and her moon Actaea glows at magnitude 20.7 in Andromeda, The Chained Woman. Salacia is considered a “borderline” Dwarf Planet. Some astronomers saying she “most certainly is a Dwarf Planet”, while others disagreeing based on her size, saying she is too small to have compressed into a fully solid body, to have been resurfaced, or to have collapsed into “hydrostatic equilibrium”, that is to assume spherical shape like a planet.

This dark world lies beyond the orbit of Neptune, orbiting 4,164,420,166 miles from the Sun.

Currently the most distant observable known object in the Solar System, Asteroid 2018 AG37, nicknamed “FarFarOut”, which is 12,239,800,450 miles or 18 hours, 15 minutes and 6 seconds from Earth, , glows at a barely detectable +25.5 magnitude in Lynx.

The most distant man-made object, and the most distant known object in the Solar System Voyager 1, still operating after 46 years, 5 months and 19 days is 15,142,427,4210 miles, or in Light Time, 22 hours, 34 minutes and 47 Seconds from Earth as of 12:42 PM, February 24, 2024, sailing 38,027 miles per hour through Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer.

There are 1,308,871 known asteroids as of February 24, 2024, per NASA.

5587 planets beyond our solar system have now been confirmed as of February 24, 2024 per NASA’s Exoplanet Archive http://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/

Last Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Eastern side illuminated, will occur March 3, at 9:25 AM CST or 11:25 UTC.

During a Quarter Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -10.0.

New Moon will occur on March 10 at 4:02 AM CDT or 9:02 UTC. The Moon will be located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.

You have heard of a “Supermoon”, which occurs when a Full Moon occurs at her nearest point to the Earth. When a New Moon occurs near her closest point to Earth, it is known as a Super New Moon.

This month’s New Moon is a Super New Moon.

The Moon will be at Perigee or its closest approach to Earth on March 10, when she will be 221,764 miles from Earth.

First Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Western side illuminated, will occur March 16 at 11:11 PM CDT or 6:11 UTC.

During a Quarter Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -10.0.

Vernal Equinox occurs at 10:06 PM CDT or 03:06 UTC March 20. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of fall, autumnal equinox, in the Southern Hemisphere.

The name “Vernal” comes from the Latin vernālis, which means “of those things pertaining to the spring”.

The Moon will be at Apogee or its farthest distance from Earth on March 23 when she will be 252,458 miles from Earth.

March’s Full Moon will occur on March 25 at 2:01 AM CDT or 9:01 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as “Worm Moon”. So called because the rains disturb the earthworms & they are seen wiggling around after the rains.

This moon has also been known as the Full Crow Moon, the Full Crust Moon, the Full Sap Moon, and the Lenten Moon.

This month’s Full Moon is a Micromoon, as it is occurring as the Moon is at her farthest distance from the Earth.

During a Full Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -12.7.

There will be a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse March 25. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth’s partial shadow, or penumbra. During this type of eclipse, the Moon will slightly darken, but not completely. The eclipse will be visible throughout all North America, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

The eclipse will begin at 11:53 PM CDT or 4:53 UTC
Maximum eclipse will occur at 2:12 AM CDT or 7:12 UTC
The eclipse ends at 4:32 AM CDT or 9:32 UTC

Eclipses usually come in pairs. The second eclipse with be the Great North American Eclipse, a total eclipse which will cut through the central US on April 8, which in Alabama will be a partial solar eclipse.

Celestial carnivores are emerging from hibernation. After dinnertime at this time of year, five carnivore constellations are rising upright in a ragged row from the northeast to south. They’re all seen in profile with their noses pointed up and their feet (if any) to the right. These are The Great Bear, Ursa Major in the northeast, with the Big Dipper as its brightest part, Leo the Lion in the east, Hydra the Sea Serpent in the southeast, The Lesser Dog, Canis Minor higher in the south-southeast, and The Greater Dog, bright Canis Major in the south.

Sirius, shining at magnitude −1.46, the brightest nighttime star, blazes high in the south on the meridian, in Canis Major by about 8 or 9 p.m. Using binoculars, you will find a fuzzy spot 4 degrees south of Sirius, directly below it when the constellation is directly South. Four degrees is somewhat less than the width of a typical binocular’s field of view.

That dim little patch of gray haze is open star cluster Messier 41, a small gravitationally bound group of 100 stars about 2,200 light-years away and moving away from us at 869 miles per second. Sirius, by comparison, is only 8.6 light-years away.

Canopus, shining at magnitude -0.72, making it the second-brightest star after Sirius, lies 36° almost due south of Sirius. That’s far enough south that it never appears above the horizon if you are above latitude 37° N, such as southern Virginia, southern Missouri and central California. Luckily we lie south of that latitude, with our horizon lying, in the case of Central Alabama, around latitude 33°.

Canopus is located in the southern constellation Carina, The Keel, part of the defunct constellation Argo Navis, the ship of Jason and the Argonauts who searched for the Golden Fleece.

The constellation of Argo was introduced in ancient Greece. However, due to the massive size of Argo Navis and the sheer number of stars that required separate designation, Nicolas Louis de Lacaille divided Argo into three sections in 1763, including Carina, the Hull or Keel, Puppis, the Poop Deck, and Vela the Sails.

In the 19th century, these three became established as separate constellations, and were formally included in the list of 88 modern IAU constellations in 1930.

Canopus, 313 light years away, crosses low above the horizon, due south just 21 minutes before Sirius and is worthy of a peak.

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This month’s meeting will be on March 12 at 7PM.

The meeting will held at the National Weather Service Forecast Office at the Shelby County Airport in Calera.

I hope to see you there!

Mark Wells
WD4NYL
Editor
ALERT Newsletter

Hi Everyone,
 
Welcome to our 200th edition of the ALERT Newsletter!  
 
Our spring tornado season is just around the corner and now is the time to review your plans and procedures for the storms to come.
 
Take this time to brush up on your skills. Do not wait until the sirens sound.  For by then it may be too late.
 
In preparing, you should ask yourselves these questions:
 
Is my family shelter (and everyone should have one) ready?
Is my equipment, both antennae & radios working?
Are the batteries really charged? (don’t trust the battery symbol, they lie).
Are my communications channels still functional? Including RF, Internet & telephone resources.
Can I reliably receive weather watches and warnings by multiple methods?
If you are on NWS Slack Chat, is your password and information up to date?
Is your training and knowledge fresh, or do you need to do a quick review?
 
Are you prepared both at home and at work?
 
In preparing, remember that keeping yourself and your family alive and intact during and after the storms is your number one priority.
 
With a wary eye to the sky here’s hoping that your February will be peaceful and safe.
 
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Where Do I Go? – Part 1
 
One question which frequently occurs on social media forums is what frequencies to listen to during an emergency.
 
Usually, people attempt to answer this posting by frequency lists from random sources, never vetted, which are parroted on down the line.  These lists “look good”, but in fact most of the frequencies recommended are more wishful thinking, than based on actual “real life” experience.
 
For example, some lists recommend 146.420 MHz as a “prepper frequency”.  In reality, during emergencies the frequency you want to tune to is your local ARES / Skywarn repeater and possibly 146.520 MHz, as they will have all the “action” on them.  Listen to any other frequency and you will probably hear plenty of nothing, because no one is going to be transmitting on this or some other obscure frequency.  
 
Out of curiosity, I’ve listened to 146.420 MHz and after weeks of listening all I ever heard was two people driving through town discussing which exit to take. No callsigns were ever given, since in all probability they were bootlegging on Baofeng or similar radios from Amazon, thinking, as many do, that it is just another form of FRS radio, which is a growing problem.
 
So, where does one tune during an emergency?
 
You want to go where the people are!  The frequencies with the highest population and so the highest chance of hearing someone and of someone listening if you had an emergency.
 
This month we will focus on HF. On HF there is a joke that old, old timers will set their VFO to a frequency on 75 meters, solder the VFO shaft and break off the knob, never venturing off that frequency.
 
That frequency is usually the “state frequency” of an NTS or ARES net covering that state.  So, this is a good thing, because you basically know where to go to reach a certain state, if you are looking for information or to try to monitor emergency communications in that affected state.  For as with 2 meter repeaters, people tend to gather where other people are and that usually is on a frequency with an established net, VHF local examples being 146.880 MHz, 146. 980 MHz, 146.700 MHz and so on.
 
I’m starting this series with HF, as it has the greatest range. 
 
The following is a listing of HF Nets covering the eastern half of the United States. Most HF nets are on the 75 Meter band. I have limited the scope to major nets and the range to what can typically be received on average equipment during the evening hours from Birmingham, which is roughly 800 miles.  As with all things dealing with radio, the ionosphere, time of year, thunderstorms, etc., will affect your reception, Sometimes you will receive much further, sometimes much less.
 
In the daylight hours, the range is roughly 250 miles, or Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Florida and Tennessee.  I have included daylight nets within this range
 
All frequencies are given in MHz, times are given in Central time, and all are Lower Sideband, unless indicated otherwise,
 
 
HF Nets & State Frequencies
 
Alabama        3.965 MHz        Alabama Traffic Net Mike              Daily              5:30 PM
       Alabama Day Net Daily10:00 AM
       Alabama Emergency NetSunday4:00 PM
       7.243 MHZ        Alabama Traffic Net Mike (alternate frequency)
 
Arkansas        3.9875 MHz      Arkansas Razorback Net    Daily                 5:25 PM
                                                           Arkansas Section Net                     1st Monday       6:00 PM
       Arkansas Weather Net                    As Needed
 
Delaware                 3.905 MHz        Delaware Traffic Net Mon – Sat        5:30 PM Winter
6:30 PM Reg
       DelMarVa Phone Emergency Net   Sunday            6:30 PM
 
Florida – North       3.950 MHz         Northern Florida Phone Net            Daily                6:30 PM
       7.242 MHz         Northern Florida Phone Net (alternate frequency)          
       7.247 MHz         Northern Florida Phone Net (alternate frequency)
                                 7.198 MHz         Northern Florida ARES                    Mon – Sat       8:00 AM  
                                 7.242 MHz         Northern Florida ARES (alternate frequency)              
                                 7.265 MHz         Northern Florida ARES (alternate frequency)  
                            
 
Florida – South      3.940 MHz          South Florida Traffic Net                  Daily                9:30 PM
                                3.942 MHz          Tropical Florida Amateur SSB Net  Daily                6:00 PM
                                                                 
Georgia                  3.975 MHz           Georgia Single Sideband Net          Daily                6:00 PM
        Georgia Traffic Net                            Mon – Sat     12:00 PM
                                                            Georgia Cracker Net                         Mon – Sat       6:00 AM
                                                            Georgia Cracker Net                         Sun                 7:00 AM
                                                            Georgia ARES Net                             Sun                 5:00 PM
 
Illinois                    3.905 MHz           Illinois Sideband Net                         Daily               6:00 PM
 
Indiana                   3.912 MHz           Indiana Traffic Net                              Daily               6:00 PM 
                                3.900 MHz           Indiana Section ARES HF  Net          Sun                 5:00 PM    
 
Iowa       3.970 MHz           Iowa 75 Meter Net                              Mon – Sat      13:30 PM
                                  Iowa 75 Meter Net                               Mon – Sat       5:30 PM
                                                            Iowa Traffic And Emergency Net      Sun                  6:00 PM
 
Kansas                   3.920 MHz         Kansas Sideband Net                         Daily                6:30 PM
                                                            Kansas Evening Weather Net            Daily                6:00 PM    
 
Kentucky               3.816 MHz            Kentucky Phone Net                           Nightly            5:00 PM
                               3.9275 MHz          Kentucky Emergency Net                   Mon                 6:30 PM
 
Louisiana              3.910 MHz            Louisiana Traffic Net                           Daily                6:00 PM
                               3.873 MHz            Louisiana ARES Net                            Sunday           7:30 PM
 
Maryland/DC         3.820 MHz            Maryland Emergency Phone Net        Daily               5:00 PM
 
Massachusetts     3.978 MHz            Mass/Rhode Island Phone Net            Daily               4:00 PM
 
Michigan               3.935 MHz            Wolverine Single Sideband Net           Daily              4:00 PM
 
Minnesota             3.860 MHz            Minnesota ARES Phone Net                 Daily              5:30 PM
 
Mississippi            3.862 MHz            Mississippi Section Phone Net            Daily              6:00 PM
                               3.8625 MHz          Magnolia Section Net                            Mon – Fri       6:00 AM
                                                             Magnolia Section Net                           Sat & Sun       7:00 AM
 
Missouri                3.963  MHz            Missouri Traffic Net                              Daily               5:45 PM
                                                             Missouri Emergency Services Net      Sunday           6:30 PM
 
Nebraska               3.982 MHz            Cornhusker Net                                      Daily               5:30 PM
                                                             Nebraska Storm Net                              Daily               6:30PM
                                                             
                               7.282 MHz             Northeast 40 Meter Net                          Daily            11:00 AM
                                                                                                                              Daily               6:00 PM
 
New Jersey           3.950 MHz             New Jersey Phone Net                          Daily               5:00 PM
 
New York               3.925 MHz            New York State Phone & EM Net          Daily               5:00 PM
 
North Carolina      3.923 MHz            Tarheel Emergency Net                         Daily               6:30 PM
                                                             North Carolina Evening Net                  Daily               5;30 PM
     
 
Ohio                       3.9725 MHz          Ohio Single Sideband Net                     Daily               5:30 PM
 
Oklahoma              3.900 MHz            Oklahoma Traffic & Weather Net          Mon – Sat       5:00 PM
 
Ontario                   3.742 MHz           Ontario Phone Net                                   Daily               7:00 PM
                                
Pennsylvania         3.920 MHz           Pennsylvania Fone Net                          M, W & F         7:00 PM
                                3.918 MHz           Western Penn Phone Traffic Net           Daily               4:30 PM
                                3.983 MHz           Western Penn ARES Voice Net             Sat                   8:00 PM
 
Rhode Island       3.978 MHz           Mass/Rhode Island Phone Net              Daily                4:00 PM
 
South Carolina      3.915 MHz           South Carolina SSB Net           Daily               6:00 PM
                                3.995 MHz           South Carolina ARES/RACES Net        1 & 3 Mon        5:00 PM
                              
Tennessee             3.980 MHz           Tennessee Phone Net                             Mon – Fri        5:40 AM
        Tennessee Phone Net                             Mon – Fri        6:45 AM
                                                            Tennessee Phone Net                             Mon – Sat       6:30 PM
                                                            Tennessee Phone Net                             Sat & Sun       7:00 AM
                                                             
Texas                     3.873 MHz            Texas Traffic Net                                      Mon – Sat      6:30 PM
                               7.285 MHz            Texas Traffic Net                                      Mon – Sat      8:30 AM
 
Virginia                  3.947 MHz            Virgina Sideband Net                               Daily              5:00 PM
 
West Virginia         3.810 MHz           West Virgina Fone Net                              Daily              5:00 PM
                                
Wisconsin              3.9825                  Wisconsin Sideband Net                         Daily             5:15 PM
                                3.985 MHz            Badger Emergency Net                           Daily           12:00 PM
                                                             Wisconsin Sideband Net                         Daily             5:15 PM
 
 
Wide Area Nets
 
 
Central Gulf Coast Hurricane Net      3.935 MHz                                                 Daily             6:30 PM
 
Maritime Mobile Service Network    14.300 MHz USB                                        Daily            11:00 AM
 
Hurricane Watch Net                           7.268 MHz                                                                      Night
                                                            14.325 MHZ USB                                                              Daylight
 
 
Notes:
 
The Maritime Mobile Service Network operates from 11:00 AM until 9:00 PM.
The Hurricane Watch Net only activates when a tropical system is within 300 miles of a populated landmass.
 
All net frequencies may vary to as the net tries to escape interference.  Times may shift to compensate for seasonal propagation variations. 
 
Understand that this is not a comprehensive list.  There are other nets, some with a limited scope or specific purpose that will be found on the HF bands. This list covers nets that can reasonably be expected to be heard with a general coverage receiver or a shortwave receiver with a BFO or beat frequency oscillator enabling sideband reception.
For those with digital capability, please check out and support the following:
 
Alabama DMR Net on 3101
Alabama Emergency Digital Net        7.110 MHz                                       Sunday            3:30 PM   
Alabama D-Star ARES NET            145.410 MHz  Reflector058B                       Sunday            4:30 PM
Alabama D-Star Net *                      145.410 MHz  Reflector058B                       Tuesday          8:30 PM
 
*D-STAR repeaters in Alabama and other locations connect to REF058-B for this net every Tuesday evening. This net is also active during severe weather (and other) events. K4NWS monitors this net during activations.
 
Special thanks to Dennis Littleton, K4DL, for updating my information on the Alabama Nets.
 
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
 
 
2023 Tornado Statistics
 
2023 tied 2006 as the eighth the most active year for tornadoes on record, with 69 tornadoes.
 
The Top 15 years for Alabama  tornadoes are:
 
1.   2011 – 145 Tornadoes
2.   2022 –   98 Tornadoes
3.   2008 –   94 Tornadoes
4.   2019 –   82 Tornadoes
5.   2009 –   80 Tornadoes
6.   2005 –   77 Tornadoes
7.   2020 –   71 Tornadoes
8.   2006 –   69 Tornadoes
      2006 –    69 Tornadoes
9.   2021 –   67 Tornadoes
10. 2016 –   65 Tornadoes
11. 2017 –   57 Tornadoes
12. 2004 –    56 Tornadoes
13. 2001 –    55 Tornadoes
      2012 –    55 Tornadoes
14. 2014 –    54 Tornadoes
15. 1998 –    50 Tornadoes
 
It is interesting to note that in the 73 years covered, only one year in the 20th century, 1998 makes this list. 
 
One might ask why there has been such an increase in tornadoes in the 21st century?
 
Several factors might be at play including:
 
1. Improvements in NWS radar allowing detection of smaller tornadoes and refinement of detection techniques.
2. NWS & Broadcast media Storm Spotter training classes providing more trained “eyes on the sky”.
3. Social media basically increasing the number of spotters, whether they have received formal training or not.  Which is where filtering of reports becomes crucial, weeding out well meaning, but, inaccurate reports by overexcited spotters.
4. Broadcast media improvements, with reporters in the field, tower cams, etc.
5. An actual shift in Tornado Alley from the Midwest to the Mississippi & Alabama area, possibly due to climate change.
 
One thing to consider is that there may be more tornadoes occurring in the less densely populated areas of Alabama than we realize, as the area thinly spread with spotters.
 
Complicating things is that the western counties lie on the extreme range of the radar sites. Sumpter & Pickens County and for that matter Kemper & Noxubee County in Mississippi are covered by the Jackson  MS, Columbus AFB, Mobile & Birmingham NEXRAD sites, but all at long range. The curvature of the Earth prevents a near ground level view. We can see what may be happening in the mid-levels of thunderstorms, but what is happening at the lower levels is an educated guess.  
 
In 2023 there were 23 EF0, 31 EF1, 13 EF2 and 2 EF3 Tornadoes.
 
The Birmingham County Warning Area had 36 Tornadoes
The Huntsville County Warning Area had 17 Tornadoes
The Mobile County Warning Area had 10 Tornadoes
The Alabama portion of the Tallahassee Warning Area had 7 Tornadoes
 
Monthly tornado totals were:
 
29 in January
19 in March
7 in June
6 in April
4 in December
2 in July
1 in August & November
0 in February, May, September & October
 
There were over 29 injuries and 9 fatalities
 
The Top 10 Counties for Tornadoes from 1950 – 2022 are:
1.   Baldwin                       111
2.   Jefferson & Mobile     107
3.   Cullman                         95
4.   Tuscaloosa                   90
5.   Madison                        83
6.   Marshall                        72
7.   Dekalb                           69
8.   Limestone                     67
9.   Walker                           58
10. Blount & Montgomery 56
 
A large percentage of the Mobile and Baldwin County tornadoes were in association with landfalling tropical systems.
 
What will befall in 2024?  Only time will tell.
 
So stay prepared, refreshing your training, checking and rechecking your equipment and procedures and keep a jaundiced eye towards the sky, remembering that the question isn’t IF severe weather is coming, but WHEN.  
 
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Mark’s Almanac
 
February, or Februarius, as the Romans called it, is named after the Latin term februum, which means “purification”.  Ancient Rome celebrated the Februa purification ritual on February 15, which was Full Moon on the old lunar based Latin calendar.
 
February was not originally included in the Roman calendar, which began in March, but was added, along with January by Numa Pompilius around 713 BC, and until 450 BC was considered the last month of the year.
 
February was originally 29 days long, but one day was taken and added to August, so that Emperor Augustus’s month would be equal to Julius Caesar’s month of July.  Now only Leap Year, which will next occur in 2024, has 29 days. 
 
Ground Hog Day is on February 2 & believers will watch that flea bitten danged old Yankee Punxsutawney Phil and True Southern Gentleman Birmingham Bill, to see if they see their shadows.  If so, prepare for six more weeks of winter.
 
How did we come up with Groundhog Day anyway? 
 
It is said by one theory that the first day of Spring is about six weeks after Groundhog Day, on March 20 or 21.  1000 years ago when the world used the Julian calendar, Spring Equinox fell on March 16, which is exactly six weeks after February 2.  So, if the groundhog saw his shadow on Groundhog Day there would be six more weeks of winter. But, if he didn’t, there would be only 42 more days of winter left instead.   Get the calculator out and you will find that 42 days equals six weeks, so Groundhog Day may have started out as a practical joke.
 
The modern 21 Century version blurs this into saying that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow and fails to see its shadow, winter will soon end. If not, it will return into its burrow, and the winter will continue for 6 more weeks.
 
It is believed that the Germans in Pennsylvania brought Groundhog Day with them.
 
Morgantown, Pennsylvania storekeeper James Morris’ diary entry for Feb. 4, 1841 states “Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.”
 
So, how accurate is the little goomer?
 
Well, Groundhog Day believers claim a 75% to 90% accuracy rate. The National Climatic Data Center, on the other hand, says it’s more like 39%.
 
But you know how Heathens can be.
 
If the NCDC is right, maybe they can still use the critter anyway, by flipping the theory around, so if he predicts warmth, you go with winter & vice versa.
 
I think this is called “Inverse Forecasting”. Or it should be anyway.
 
Incidentally, PETA, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has offered to send the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club a giant gold coin to replace Punxsutawney Phil and give him a reputable sanctuary, saying “He is not a meteorologist, and he deserves better than to be exploited every year for tourism money.”
 
Phil had no comment. 
 
In the Southern Hemisphere February is the equivalent of August.  But, for us, February is a cold month with more snow falling in February than in any other month.
 
Statistically speaking, there is a 70% chance of snow flurries, and a 57% chance of snow up to one inch.  There is a 13% chance of over one inch, and a 3% chance of 4 inches or more.
 
There is hope on the horizon though, as the worst of winter weather is usually over by February 15.  
 
North Atlantic Tropical activity is at a minimum.  From 1851 to 2023 there has been only one Tropical Storm to occur, 70 MPH Tropical Storm #1, which affected Florida on February 2 & 3, 1952.
 
Days grow longer as the Sun’s angle above the noonday horizon rapidly increases from 39.5 degrees at the beginning of the month to 48.6 degrees at the end.  Daylight increases from 10 hours 35 minutes on February 1 to 11 hours 26 minutes on February 28.
 
Sunrise and sunset times for Birmingham are:
 
February 1  Sunrise  6:44 AM  Sunset 5:18 PM  
February 14 Sunrise  6:33 AM  Sunset 5:31 PM  
February 28 Sunrise  6:17 AM  Sunset 5:43 PM  
 
Looking skyward, the Sun, magnitude -26.8 is in Capricornus.  
 
Mercury, magnitude -0.3, in Sagittarius, The Archer, is lost in the glow of the Sun, and will pass behind the Sun, or reach “Superior Conjunction” at 2:00 AM, on February 28.
 
Venus, magnitude –4.1, in Sagittarius, The Archer, is a morning object, and lowering ever closer toward the horizon and the glow of the Sun.
 
At the first of the month, she rises at 4:47 AM CST, 1 hour and 54 minutes before the Sun, and reaches an altitude of 16° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at 6:25 AM CST.
 
By the 15th she will rise at 5:01 AM CST, 1 hour and 28 minutes before the Sun, reaching an altitude of 12° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 6:14 AM CST.
 
By months end, she will rise around 5:06 AM CST, 1 hour and 9 minutes before the Sun and reach an altitude of 9° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 5:58 AM CST.
 
Earth and her Moon, magnitude -4.0, as viewed from the Sun, is in Leo, The Lion.
 
Mars, with his moons Phobos and Deimos, magnitude +1.3, in Sagittarius, The Archer,
is lost in the glow of the Sun.
 
Dwarf Planet Ceres, magnitude +9.1, is in Sagittarius, The Archer.
 
Jupiter, and his 95 moons and (invisible from Earth) ring, magnitude -2.4, is in Aries, The Ram, is an early evening object and dominates the evening night sky.
 
At the beginning of the month, he will become visible around 5:33 PM CST, 69° above the southern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness, at his highest point in the sky . He will continue to be observable until around 11:58 PM, when he sinks below 7° above the horizon. 
 
By midmonth he becomes accessible around 5:46 PM CST, 63° above the south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will continue to be observable until around 11:11 PM CST, when he sinks below 7° above the horizon.
 
By the end of the month, he will become accessible around 5:58 PM CST, 54° above the south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness and will continue to be observable until around 10:26 PM, when he sinks below 7° above the horizon.
 
Saturn, magnitude +1.0, and his 146 moons and extensive debris ring system, is in Aquarius, The Water Bearer, will soon disappear behind the Sun.
 
At the first of the month, he becomes accessible around 5:52 PM CST, 14° above the south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness, 1 hour and 52 minutes before Sunset. He will continue to be observable until around 7:09 PM, when he sinks below 11° above the south-western horizon.
 
He will disappear as he moves into the glow of the Sun on February 4th.
 
Saturn will pass directly behind the Sun, at Solar Conjunction, on February 28 at 9:15 AM CST.
 
Uranus, magnitude +5.7, and his 27 moons and ring, in Aries, The Ram, is an early evening object, becoming visible around 6:18 PM CST, near his highest altitude, 73° above the Southern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will continue to be observable until around 1 AM, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.
 
By midmonth he will become visible around 6:30 PM CST, at an altitude of 65° above the western horizon, as dusk fades into darkness. He will continue to be observable until around midnight CST, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.
 
At month’s end he becomes visible around 6:41 PM CST, at an altitude of 53° above the western horizon. He will continue to be observable until around 11:08 PM CST, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.
 
Neptune, magnitude +7.8, and his 14 moons and ring, in Pisces, The Fish, will soon pass behind the Sun at Solar Conjunction.  At the first of the month, he becomes accessible via binoculars and telescopes at 6:18 PM CST, at an altitude of 28° above the south-western horizon as dusk fades into darkness. He will fade from view, setting 3 hours and 24 minutes after the Sun at 8:41 PM.
 
He will become lost in the glow of the Sun on February 8.
 
Dwarf Planet Pluto, with his five moons shines at a dim +14.5 in Capricorn, The Sea Goat.
 
Dwarf Planet 136108 Haumea, her ring and moons Hiʻiaka and Namaka, shines at a faint magnitude of +17.4 in Bootes, The Herdsman.
 
Dwarf Planet 136472 Makemake with his moon S/2015 (136472) 1, nicknamed MK1 by the discovery team, shines faintly at magnitude +17.2 in Coma Berenices.
 
Dwarf Planet 136199 Eris and her moon Dysnomia, originally referred to as Xena and Gabrielle, is barely visible in the most powerful telescopes at magnitude +18.7 in Cetus the Sea Monster.
 
At least six additional bodies with the preliminary criteria for identifying dwarf planets, and though not “officially” declared as such, are generally called dwarf planets by astronomers as well.
 
90482 Orcus, and his moon Vanth shines at magnitude 19.1 between Hydra and Sextans, The Sextant.
 
50000 Quaoar, and his moon Waywot shines at magnitude +18.6 in Scutum, The Shield.
 
90377 Sedna, the coldest, and at one time, the most distant known place in the Solar System, glows faintly at magnitude +20.9 in Taurus, The Bull.
 
225088 Gonggong, originally nicknamed Snow White by the discovery team, and his moon Xiangli glows dimly at +21.5 magnitude in Aquarius, The Water Bearer.
 
2014 UZ224 nicknamed “DeeDee” for “Distant Dwarf” is 8.5 billion miles from the Sun, at magnitude +23.1 in Eridanus, The River.
 
120347 Salacia, and her moon Actaea glows at magnitude 20.7 in Andromeda, The Chained Woman. Salacia is considered a “borderline” Dwarf Planet. Some astronomers saying she “most certainly is a Dwarf Planet”, while others disagreeing based on her size, saying she is too small to have compressed into a fully solid body, to have been resurfaced, or to have collapsed into “hydrostatic equilibrium”, that is to assume spherical shape like a planet.
 
This dark world lies beyond the orbit of Neptune, orbiting 4,164,420,166 miles from the Sun. 
 
Currently the most distant observable known object in the Solar System, Asteroid 2018 AG37, nicknamed “FarFarOut”, which is 12.2 billion miles or 18 hours, 13 minutes and 52 seconds from Earth, , glows at a barely detectable +25.5 magnitude in Lynx. 
 
The most distant man-made object, and the most distant known object in the Solar System Voyager 1, still operating after 46 years, 4 months and 25 days is 15,149,439,438 miles, or in Light Time, 22 hours, 35 minutes and 24 Seconds from Earth as of 1:33 PM, January 30, 2024, sailing 38,027 miles per hour through Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer.
 
There are 1,308,871 known asteroids as of January 30, 2024, per NASA.  
 
5572 planets beyond our solar system have now been confirmed as of January 23, 2024per NASA’s Exoplanet Archive http://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/
 
Last Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Eastern side illuminated, will occur February 2, at 5:20 PM CST or 23:20 UTC.
 
During a Quarter Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -10.0.
New Moon occurs February 9 at 5:00 PM CST or 23:00 UTC. The Moon will on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 
You have heard of a “Supermoon”, which occurs when a Full Moon occurs at her nearest point to the Earth.  When a New Moon occurs near her closest point to Earth, it is known as a Super New Moon. 
 
This month’s New Moon is a Super New Moon. 
 
The Moon will be at Perigee or its closest approach to Earth on January 13, when she will be 222,506 miles from Earth.
First Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Western side illuminated, will occur January 16 at 9:02 AM CST or 15:02 UTC.
 
During a Quarter Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -10.0.
 
Full Moon will occur February 24 at 6:31 AM CST or 12:31 UTC. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated.  February’s Full Moon is “Full Snow Moon” in Native American folklore as the heaviest snows usually fall at this time of year.  Since the harsh weather made hunting difficult, some tribes called it “Full Hunger Moon”.
 
During a Full Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -12.7.
 
The Moon will be at Apogee or its farthest distance from Earth on February 25, when she will be 252,473 miles from Earth.
 
This month’s Full Moon is a Micromoon, as it is occurring as the Moon is at her farthest distance from the Earth.
 
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
 
 
One event to mark on the calendar is the BirmingHAMfest, Friday and Saturday March 14  & 15 at the Trussville Civic Center .
 
Doors open at 4:00 p.m. on Friday and close at 7:00 p.m. The hamfest will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and close at 4:00 p.m. with the grand prize drawing.
 
BARC :: BirmingHAMfest :: March 15-16, 2024
 
This month’s ALERT meeting will be on 7 PM February 13 at the NWS Forecast Office at the Shelby County Airport.
 
Finally, we are in need for weather, radio & emergency communications related articles for this newsletter.  Any help at all will be appreciated.
 
Mark Wells
WD4NYL 
ALERT Newsletter
Hi everyone & Happy New Year!
 
I hope you had a safe and happy holiday season, and that Santa was good to you and that Father Time will be kind to you also.
 
As we unwind from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, make sure to mark January 9 on your calendar, as that is our next ALERT meeting.
 
Other important dates to remember and hopefully attend are:
 
The Blount County Freezefest 2024, Saturday January 6, from 8 to 12 Noon, at the Locust Fork High School, in Locust Fork.  
 
For more information got to:  W4BLT.org – FreezeFest 2024
 
Winter Field Day will he held January 27 & 28.
 
For more information go to Home – WFDA (winterfieldday.org)
 
Winter Field Day and it’s spring counterpart Field Day are to me one of the most valuable events that ham radio operators can participate in, for it helps give actual experience in a “grid down” situation, where hams have to erect their antennas and power their equipment as in an actual post-disaster scenario.  Whether it’s a club or group, providing their own generator and food, or an individual setting up and using his own equipment using alternate power sources, whether that be battery power or battery and solar power, this can provide valuable hands own experience and operating experience that someday could prove vital in during an actual emergency.
 
Oh, and did I mention that it’s a fun event?  It is.
 
The Birmingham Hamfest is only a few weeks away, March 14 & 14, at the Trussville Civic Center.
 
This event, will as with last year’s event, will be a Friday & Saturday affair.  There will be vendors, a flea market, forums, including one by ALERT and ARES, and Amateur Radio Examinations.
 
For more information go to: http://birminghamfest.org/
 
Hope to see you there!
 
 
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Ham Radio Contests For 2024
 
December 27, 1977 was a sunny day, with high clouds and a southerly breeze.  I went to the mailbox, with anticipation and a little fear hoping to see a letter from the FCC.  I had taken my Novice 5 WPM code and written exams on November 27. Though my Elmer, Jim K4UMD said “I think you passed”, only the FCC could say ”yea or nay” and everything in those days was done via the US Mail.
 
That day I found an oblong envelope and inside was a yellow slip of paper that said “WD4NYL”.
It seemed like a miracle.  Which perhaps is why I never changed to a fancier callsign. For 46 years I have, or my station has been WD4NYL.
 
The first contact came two days later on 40 meters at a slooooow 3 WPM.  A couple of months later a ham event occurred which has always brought fond memories.  The 1978 Novice Roundup.  From February 4th through 12th I worked dozens of stations all over the country.  No struggle making contacts, they just poured in like rain.  Ham radio Nirvana.  And that’s when I decided I liked ham radio contests.
 
Ham radio contests are a divisive issue.  
 
On the one hand there are those who, like me, due to life and its 10,000 responsibilities, rarely  have time to get on the air, and getting on the air and finding every frequency occupied by “CQ Contest, CQ Contest” can be totally annoying if you are just wanting to “chew the rag”.
 
Contesters counter that not every weekend has a contest and that 60, 30, 17 & 12 meters are intentionally contest free.  And, that those are very good bands, which is true.
 
Though, I know, that due to my time and antenna situation, being treeless, and using whatever will get me on the air, I will never be a “contender” in ham contests.  But, I do enjoy contests & see the usefulness of them.  
 
For one thing, they amuse me.  They confirm what I have seen in 46 years of hamming.  Many times, you can tune above and below a ham band and hear those frequencies literally crawling with “utility” and Shortwave broadcasters, but the ham band in between is “dead”.  A black hole in the middle of the RF spectrum. 
 
The contest time comes around, and some switch is flipped in the ionosphere and that black hole that was sucking up all the RF from, say 14.000 – 14.350 MHz suddenly disappears, and an anthill of operators is stirred up.  The contest’s time ends and just as suddenly crickets rule the world of 20 meters again.
 
The band was open the entire time, but everyone hearing static just assumed it was dead and stayed off the air, preferring to argue on Facebook instead.
 
The same is true for 10 meters. 
 
The 11 meter CB band will be booming, as are the illegal “free band” frequencies between the CB and 10 meter band, but 10 is as dead as a stegosaurus.  Or is it?
 
If 11 meters is open, 12 meters is also open and 10 meters is probably open also. 
 
With contests you get to hear states and rare DX stations that you might never hear otherwise, or hear so rarely that it is a miracle, and you have to claw through 1000 stations in a pileup the size of Mt. Everest to reach them.
 
With contests DX stations who might ordinarily pass you by because your signal is putrid & puny, like mine, WANT to work you and so you can rack up contacts for the DXCC and other various awards, or just the joy of the accomplishment.
 
I like contests because even if you have to repeat your callsign nine times before they get it right your signal report is always “59”, which for our non-ham readers means “a perfect readable strong signal”.  Even if I know the report is a total illusion, it stokes my ego, making me and my station feel like a Big Dawg, even if it is a chihuahua.
 
Contests help give you an idea of the effectiveness and quirks of your station. For instance, I know that 15 meters is my best bet to reach Europe, 10 meters for western stations and South America, 20 meters is for the Midwest and so on.  It gives me an idea of the actual antenna pattern I am encountering, as opposed to the theoretical pattern I would have if I had a “by the book” antenna setup, which I do not have.
 
Contests give life to lesser used bands such as 160 & 6 meters and the VHF & UHF bands, which usually are thought of in terms of repeaters not distant contacts.
 
So, if you find a contest in progress, you might check online for the rules or exchange requirements, or just listen a while and you generally will get the gist of what is going on and just hop in.  
 
The following lists are my Target List of contests that particularly interest me, usually due to DX opportunities, as in “non-Continental US stations” and various states contests,
 
In case you didn’t know, there is a debate as to what the definition of “DX” is or should be.
 
Some feel that the term “DX” should not include Canada, for instance, since supposedly Canadians don’t consider the United States as DX.  Just as Europeans do not consider other Europeans countries as DX, even though they may be different countries with different languages.
 
On the other hand, you have a thing called the “ARRL DXCC” list. Which DOES consider Mexico, Canada, and Central American stations as DX.  My definition of “DX” is “if I can’t see the other stations antenna, it’s “DX’”, therefore Arizona is DX to me, as is Alabaster.
 
It doesn’t really matter to me, as I don’t chase awards and can’t tell you how many “DX” stations I have actually worked.  Someday I will dig out 46 years’ worth of logbooks and find out.  They are paper logs and should be ok.  If I had computerized them way back when, as folk said I should, the oxide from the floppy disks would have corroded into powder long ago, even if I found a computer still compatible with the operating system used in those days.  This is why I recommend that if you use a logging program, use a paper log also as a backup.  Operating systems change, storage systems become obsolete and eventually they are no longer supported.  But paper and pen last decades and, with notes about tests taken, thoughts about ham experiences and just life in general, it doubles as a journal of your ham radio journey and life. As you thumb through them vivid memories come flooding back to you, which is something you will value in years to come.  This is something electronic logs can never do.  They are just letters and numbers on a spreadsheet.  Cold and emotionless.
 
The following list is by no means a complete list.  For an in-depth list of the various contests and the homepages of the contests I will be listing, go to the WA7BNM Contest Calendar WA7BNM Contest Calendar: Home and Contest Calendar (arrl.org) 
 
Some are marked as “tentative” as the 2024 dates had not been updated on the contests websites when I wrote this article.  Also, some dates which were confirmed looked a little funky.
 
Note that the dates are for the beginning of the contest, not the duration.  Check the above websites for times, dates, and contests exchanges, which vary with each contest. Some simple, such as the standard fake signal report and location and other wanting so much goop that it might as well be a novel.
 
That said, give it a try!  You never know what rarity will fire up on contest days and never be heard anytime else.  It’s FUN!
 
 
Mark’s 2024 Contest Calendar
 
 
January 1         Straight Key Night
January 6         ARRL Kids Day
January 13 North American QSO Party – CW
                          ARRL VHF Contest
January 24       Australia Day
January 26       CQ 160 Meter Contest – CW
January 27       ARRL Winter Field Day
February 3       10-10 International – Winter – USB
                          British Columbia QSO Party 
Minnesota QSO Party
Vermont QSO Party
February 4        North American Sprint – CW
February 10      Asia-Pacific Sprint – CW
February 17      ARRL International DX – CW
February 23      CQ 160 Meter Contest – LSB
February 24 South Carolina QSO Party
February 25 North Carolina QSO Party
March 2             ARRL International DX
March 3 Nova Scotia NSARA QSO Party (tentative)
March 9             Idaho QSO Party
Oklahoma QSO Party  
March 10 Wisconsin QSO Party
March 16 Virgina QSO Party
March 30 CQ Worldwide WPX Contest – SSB
April 6 Louisiana QSO Party
Nebraska QSO Party
April 7 Mississippi QSO Party
Missouri QSO Party (tentative)
April 13 New Mexico QSO Party
North Dakota QSO Party (tentative)
Georgia QSO Party  
Michigan QSO Party (tentative)
April 20 Ontario QSO Party
April 21 ARRL Rookie Roundup – SSB
Quebec QSO Party (tentative)
April 27 Florida QSO Party  
May 4 10-10 International – Spring – CW
7th Call Area QSO Party
New England QSO Party
Indiana QSO Party
May 11 Canadian Prairies QSO Party
May 18 Arkansas QSO Party (tentative)
May 25 CQ Worldwide WPX Contest – CW
June 1 Kentucky QSO Party
June 8  Asia-Pacific Sprint – SSB
ARRL June VHF Contest
June 15            SMIRK Contest (6 Meters)
ALL Asia DX Contest – CW
ARRL Kids Day
West Virgina QSO Party
June 22 ARRL Field Day
July 1 RAC Canada Day
July 13 International Amateur Radio Union HF Worldwide
July 20 CQ Worldwide VHF
August 3 10-10 International – Summer – USB
European HF Contest
ARRL 220 & Up Contest
  North American QSO Party – CW
August 10 Maryland-DC QSO Party
August 17 North American QSO Party – SSB
August 24 Hawaii Contest Party
W/VE Island QSO Party
Kansas QSO Party
Ohio QSO Party
August 31        Colorado QSO Party
September 1 Tennessee QSO Party
September 7 All Asia DX Contest – SSB
September 9    North American Sprint – CW
September 14 ARRL September VHF Contest
Alabama QSO Party (tentative)
September 21  Washington State Salmon Run
New Hampshire QSO Party
New Jersey QSO Party
Texas QSO Party
Iowa QSO Party
September 22 144 MHz Fall Sprint
September 28 Maine QSO Party
October 5 California QSO Party
October 10 10-10 International 10-10 Sprint
October 12 Oceania DX – Phone
Arizona QSO Party
South Dakota QSO Party
Nevada QSO Party
  Oceania DX – CW
Pennsylvania QSO Party
October 19 10-10 International – CW
New York QSO Party
October 20Asia Pacific Sprin
Illinois QSO Party
October 26 CQ Worldwide – SSB
November 2 ARRL Sweepstakes – CW
November 16 ARRL Sweepstakes – SSB
November 23 CQ Worldwide – CW
December 6 ARRL 160 Meter Contest
Skywarn Appreciation Day
December 14 ARRL 10 Meter Contest
December 22 ARRL Rookie Roundup – CW
 
 
 
2024 State & Province QSO Parties
 
 
Alabama                  Alabama QSO Party              Sep 14 (tentative)
Alaska                     (None – just pray a lot)                         X
Alberta                     Canadian Prairies QSO Party May 11
Arizona                    7th Call Area QSO Party              May 4 
                      Arizona QSO Party              Oct 12
Arkansas        Arkansas QSO Party              May 18 (tentative)
British Columbia    British Columbia QSO Party Feb 3 
California        California QSO Party              Oct 5
Colorado        Colorado QSO Party              Aug 31 
Connecticut        New England QSO Party              May 4
Delaware        Delaware QSO Party              May 4 (tentative)
Florida                     Florida QSO Party                           Apr 27 
Georgia        Georgia QSO Party              Apr 13
Hawaii                     Hawaii QSO Party                           Aug 24
Idaho                     Idaho QSO Party                           Mar 9
                      7th Call Area QSO Party              May 4
Illinois                      Illinois QSO Party                           Oct 20
Indiana                     Indiana QSO Party              May 4 
Iowa                     Iowa QSO Party                           Sep 21
Kansas                     Kansas QSO Party                           Aug 24
Kentucky        Kentucky QSO Party                      Jun 1
Louisiana        Louisiana QSO Party              Apr 6 
Maine                     New England QSO Party              May 4
         Maine QSO Party                           Sep 28 
Manitoba        Canadian Prairies QSO Party May 11
Maryland        Maryland-DC QSO Party              Aug 10
Massachusetts        New England QSO Party              May 4
Michigan        Michigan QSO Party              Apr 13 (tentative)
Minnesota        Minnesota QSO Party              Feb 3
Mississippi             Mississippi QSO Party              Apr 7 
Missouri                  Missouri QSO Party              Apr 7 (tentative)
Montana       7th Call Area QSO Party              May 4
Nebraska       Nebraska QSO Party              Apr 6 (tentative)
Nevada                    Nevada QSO Party                           Oct 12
                     7th Call Area QSO Party              May 4
New Hampshire     New England QSO Party              May 4
                     New Hampshire QSO Party Sep 21 
New Jersey       New Jersey QSO Party              Sep 21
New Mexico       New Mexico QSO Party              Apr 13
Nevada                   Nevada QSO Party                           Oct 12
New York       New York QSO Party              Oct 19
North Carolina       North Carolina QSO Party              Feb 25 
North Dakota       North Dakota QSO Party              Apr 13
Nova Scotia       NSARA Contest                           Mar 3 (tentative)
Ohio                    Ohio QSO Party                           Aug 24
Oklahoma       Oklahoma QSO Party              Mar 9
Ontario                    Ontario QSO Party                           Apr 20
Oregon                    7th Call Area QSO Party                  May 4
Pennsylvania       Pennsylvania QSO Party              Oct 12 
Quebec       Quebec QSO Party                           Apr 21 (tentative)
Rhode Island       New England QSO Party              May 4 
Saskatchewan       Canadian Prairies QSO Party May 11
South Carolina       South Carolina QSO Party              Feb 24
South Dakota       South Dakota QSO Party              Oct 12
Tennessee       Tennessee QSO Party              Sep 1 
Texas                    Texas QSO Party                           Sep 21
Utah                    7th Call Area QSO Party              May 4
Vermont       New England QSO Party              May 4
                     Vermont QSO Party              Feb 3 
Virginia       Virginia QSO Party                           Mar 16 
Washington       Washington State Salmon Run Sep 21
                     7th Call Area QSO Party              May 4 
West Virginia         West Virginia QSO Party              Jun 15
Wisconsin              Wisconsin QSO Party              Mar 10
Wyoming       7th Call Area QSO Party              May 4
 
 
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
 
 
Mark’s Almanac
 
January is named for the Roman god Janus, the god of gates and doors, and so openings and beginnings.
 
January receives more sunlight than December, but the equilibrium between incoming solar heat and the heat radiated into space by the northern snowfields does not peak until late January and early February, six weeks after winter solstice.  So, the weather continues to cool, with January 8 – 20 being the coldest part of the year.
 
Typically, in January there is a 53% chance of up to one inch of snow and a 25% chance of over one inch of snow.
 
There is has been less snowfall this year than normal, as usually we see except for the southern tip of Nova Scotia, all of Canada and roughly one half of the Continental US, or “CONUS”, are usually covered with snow.  Canada’s Hudson’s Bay is frozen, as is the ocean water between Baffin Island and Greenland.
 
Current Snow Depth (usda.gov)
 
Barometric pressure is highest in January.
 
Though the Atlantic Hurricane Season officially ended November 30, every now and then Mother Nature will give us a surprise as there have been 5 tropical storms and 3 Category 1 hurricanes from 1851 to 2023. This includes an unnamed hurricane in 1938 in the Eastern Atlantic & Hurricane Alex which in 2016 effected Bermuda and the Azores and a subtropical storm that briefly spun up on January 16, 2023
 
Birmingham January climatology per Intellicast is monthly rainfall 5.45” inches and snowfall 0.7”. Average high temperature is 53 degrees and the average low 32 degrees.  Record high of 81 degrees occurred in 1941 and a record low of -6 degrees in 1985.
Barometric pressure is highest in January.
 
Days grow longer as the Sun’s angle above the noonday horizon steadily increases from 33.5 degrees at the beginning of the month to 39.2 degrees at the month’s end.  Daylight increases from 9 hours 59 minutes on January 1 to 10 hours 33 minutes on January 31.
 
Sunrise and sunset times for Birmingham are:
 
January 1 Sunrise 6:52 AM   Sunset 4:50 PM
January 15 Sunrise 6:51 AM   Sunset 5:02 PM 
January 31 Sunrise 6:44 AM   Sunset 5:17 PM
 
Looking skyward, at the beginning of the month, the Sun, magnitude -26.8 is in Sagittarius, the Archer
 
Mercury, magnitude 1.5, in Ophiuchus, The Serpent Bearer, is lost in the glow at the start of the month, but emerges in the morning sky on January 3, rising at 5:15 AM, 1 hour 34 minutes before the Sun and reaches an altitude of 11° before fading from view as dawn breaks at 6:20 AM.
 
Look for him about three fists at arm’s length lower left of Venus.
 
On January 7 he will reach “dichotomy” or be half lit.
 
He will reach highest altitude in the sky of 17° on January 8 and his greatest separation from the Sun, or “Greatest Western Elongation” on January 12.  This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
 
By midmonth he will rise at 5:12 AM, 1 hour 37 minutes before the Sun and reaches an altitude of 12° before fading from view as dawn breaks at 6:25 AM.
 
He will disappear from view, being lost in the glow of the Sun on January 23.
 
Venus, magnitude –4.1, in Libra, The Scales, the brilliant “Morning Star”, is moving receding towards the Sunrise.
 
At the first of the month, she rises at 3:56 AM CST, 2 hours and 53 minutes before the Sun, and reaches an altitude of 25° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at 6:32 AM CST.
 
By the 15th she will rise at 4:22 AM CST, 2 hours and 27 minutes before the Sun, reaching an altitude of 21° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 6:32 AM CST.
 
By months end, she will rise around 4:46 AM CST, 1 hours and 56 minutes before the Sun and reach an altitude of 16° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 6:26 AM CST.
 
Earth and her Moon, magnitude -4.0, as viewed from the Sun, is in Canis Minor, The Lesser Dog.
 
Earth will reach her closest distance to the Sun on January 2, at 6:38 PM CST, when the planet will be 0.98329 Astronomical Units or 91,403,000 miles from the Sun
 
Mars, with his moons Phobos and Deimos, magnitude +1.4, in Ophiuchus, The Serpent Bearer
is lost in the glow of the Sun.
 
The Autumnal Equinox for Mars Northern hemisphere will occur January 12.
 
Dwarf Planet Ceres, magnitude +8.9, is in Ophiuchus, The Serpent Bearer.
 
Jupiter, and his 95 moons and (invisible from Earth) ring, magnitude -2.5, is in Aries, The Ram, 
Is an early evening object.
 
At the beginning of the month, he will become visible around 5:06 PM CST, 53° above the eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will reach his highest point in the sky at 7:15 PM, 68° above the southern horizon and will continue to be observable until around 1:09 AM, when he sinks below 7° above the western horizon. 
 
By midmonth he becomes accessible around 5:17 PM CST, 64° above the eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will reach his highest point in the sky at 6:22 PM CST, 68° above the southern horizon. He will continue to be observable until around 12:16 AM CST, when he sinks below 7° above the western horizon.
 
By the end of the month, he will become accessible around 5:32 PM CST, 69° above the south-eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness and will continue to be observable until around 12:01 AM, when he sinks below 7° above the western horizon.
 
Saturn, magnitude +1.0, and his 146 moons and extensive debris ring system, is in Aquarius, The Water Bearer, will soon disappear behind the Sun.
 
At the first of the month, he becomes accessible around 5:24 PM CST, 36° above the south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will continue to be observable until around 8:55 PM, when he sinks below 11° above the south-western horizon.
 
By midmonth he will become accessible around 5:36 PM CST, 27° above the south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then sink towards the south-western horizon, setting at 8:07 PM.
 
At months end he becomes visible around 5:51 PM, CST, at his highest point in the sky, 17° above the southern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness.  He will continue to be observable until around  7:12 PM CST, when he sinks below 11° above the south-western horizon.
 
Uranus, magnitude +5.7, and his 27 moons and ring, in Aries, The Ram, is currently visible as an evening object, becoming visible around 5:53 PM CST, 55° above the eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then reach its highest point in the sky at 8:09 PM, 73° above the southern horizon. He will continue to be observable until around 1:10 AM, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.
 
By midmonth he will become visible around 6:03 PM CST, at an altitude of 67° above the eastern horizon, as dusk fades into darkness. He will reach his highest point in the sky at 7:13 PM CST, 73° above the southern horizon.  He will continue to be observable until around 12:14 AM CST, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.
 
At month’s end he becomes visible around 6:17 PM CST, at an altitude of 73° above the eastern horizon at his highest point in the sky at. He will continue to be observable until around 12:59 AM CST, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.
 
Neptune, magnitude 7.8, and his 14 moons and ring, in Pisces, The Fish, is currently visible in the evening sky.  At the first of the month, he becomes accessible via binoculars and telescopes at 5:53 PM CST, at an altitude of 49° above the south-western horizon as dusk fades into darkness. He will fade from view around 10:39 PM  when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.
 
At midmonth he will become accessible around 6:03 PM CST, 41° above the south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will continue to be observable until around 9:45 PM, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.  
 
At the end of the month, he becomes accessible around 6:17 CST PM, 28° above the south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will continue to be observable until around 8:44 PM CST, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.
 
Dwarf Planet Pluto, with his five moons shines at a dim 14.5 in Sagittarius, The Archer.
 
Dwarf Planet 136108 Haumea, her ring and moons Hiʻiaka and Namaka, shines at a faint magnitude of 17.4 in Bootes, The Herdsman.
 
Dwarf Planet 136472 Makemake with his moon S/2015 (136472) 1, nicknamed MK1 by the discovery team, shines faintly at magnitude +17.2 in Coma Berenices.
 
Dwarf Planet 136199 Eris and her moon Dysnomia, originally referred to as Xena and Gabrielle, is barely visible in the most powerful telescopes at magnitude +18.7 in Cetus the Sea Monster.
 
At least six additional bodies with the preliminary criteria for identifying dwarf planets, and though not “officially” declared as such, are generally called dwarf planets by astronomers as well.
 
90482 Orcus, and his moon Vanth shines at magnitude 19.1 between Hydra and Sextans, The Sextant.
 
50000 Quaoar, and his moon Waywot shines at magnitude +18.6 in Scutum, The Shield.
 
90377 Sedna, the coldest, and at one time, the most distant known place in the Solar System, glows faintly at magnitude +20.8 in Taurus, The Bull.
 
225088 Gonggong, originally nicknamed Snow White by the discovery team, and his moon Xiangli glows dimly at +21.5 magnitude in Aquarius, The Water Bearer.
 
2014 UZ224 nicknamed “DeeDee” for “Distant Dwarf” is 8.5 billion miles from the Sun, at magnitude +23.0 in Eridanus, The River.
 
120347 Salacia, and her moon Actaea glows at magnitude 20.7 in Andromeda, The Chained Woman. Salacia is considered a “borderline” Dwarf Planet. Some astronomers saying she “most certainly is a Dwarf Planet”, while others disagreeing based on her size, saying she is too small to have compressed into a fully solid body, to have been resurfaced, or to have collapsed into “hydrostatic equilibrium”, that is to assume spherical shape like a planet.
 
This dark world lies beyond the orbit of Neptune, orbiting 4,164,420,166 miles from the Sun. 
 
Currently the most distant observable known object in the Solar System, Asteroid 2018 AG37, nicknamed “FarFarOut”, which is 12.2 billion miles or 18 hours, 14 minutes and 33 seconds from Earth, , glows at a barely detectable +25.5 magnitude in Lynx. 
 
The most distant man-made object, and the most distant known object in the Solar System Voyager 1, still operating after 46 years, 3 months and 23 days is 15,144,718,855 miles, or in Light Time, 22 hours, 34 minutes and 59 Seconds from Earth as of 10:27 AM, December 28, 2023, sailing 38,027 miles per hour through Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer.
 
There are 1,308,871 known asteroids as of December 28, 2023, per NASA.  
 
5566 planets beyond our solar system have now been confirmed as of December 18, 2023 per NASA’s Exoplanet Archive http://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/
 
The Moon will be at Apogee or its farthest distance from Earth on January 1, when she will be 251.600 miles from Earth.
 
Last Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Eastern side illuminated, will occur January 3, at 9:32 PM CST or 03:32 UTC, January 4.
 
During a Quarter Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -10.0.
The Quadrantids Meteor Shower will occur Tuesday & Wednesday, January 3 & 4.  This is an above average shower producing between 40 to 100 meteors per hour radiating from the constellation Bootes, in the area near the end of the handle of the Big Dipper and the head of Draco the Dragon.
 
The shower runs annually from January 1-5. It peaks this year on the night of the 3rd and morning of the 4th. The waning gibbous moon will block out some of the fainter meteors, but if you are patient this could still be a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Bootes, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
 
This shower favors the Northern Hemisphere because its radiant point, or the point where the meteors appear to originate in the sky, is so far north on the sky’s dome.
 
This shower is believed to be produced by dust grains from burnt out comet 2003 EH1, which may also be the remainder of comet c/1490 Y1, which was lost to history after a prominent meteor shower was observed in 1490, possibly due to the breakup of the comet.
 
New Moon occurs January 11 at 5:59 AM CST or 11:59 UTC. The Moon will on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 
The Moon will be at Perigee or its closest approach to Earth on January 13, when she will be 225,100 miles from Earth.
 
First Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Western side illuminated, will occur January 17 at 9:53 PM CST or 03:53UTC on January 18.
 
During a Quarter Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -10.0.
 
Full Moon will occur January 25, at 11:55 AM CST or 17:55 UTC. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated.
 
January’s Full Moon is “Wolf Moon” in Native American folklore.  This was also called “Wulf-Monath” or “Wolf Month” by the Saxons, because at this full Moon, packs of wolves howled in hunger outside of the villages. 
 
It has also been called “Old Moon” and “Moon After Yule”.
 
During a Full Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -12.7.
 
The Moon will be at Apogee or its farthest distance from Earth on January 29, when she will be 252,141 miles from Earth.
 
The biggest astronomical event of 2024 will be the Great North American Eclipse, which is a total solar eclipse that will occur April 8, 2024.
 
The total eclipse will be visible inside strip of land approximately 118 miles wide, starting from the western coast of Mexico, passing through central Texas, Arkansas, southeast Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, the northwestern tip of Pennsylvania, New York, northern Vermont and New Hampshire and ending in Maine, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Island.
 
Alabama will have a deep partial eclipse.
 
More information will come as the event draws near.
 
 
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This month’s meeting will be on January 9 at 7 PM at the National Weather Service Forecast Office at the Shelby County Airport.
 
I hope to see you there!
 
Mark Wells
Editor / ALERT Newsletter
Hi Everyone,
 
I hope this finds everyone well as we look forward to the Christmas Season.
 
Do you know where you stand on the Naughty and Nice List?
 
I find it’s getting harder to trick Old Saint Nick, especially with Alexa and Siri snitching on me, for you do know they are listening, don’t you?  I heard them talking about me just the other day.
 
Will I get a nice new antenna, good gooey chocolate or that large sack of coal, as the mechanical sounding heifers were saying just yesterday?
 
Only time will tell.
 
But, I trust you are all on the Nice list and are safe from unpleasant surprises.
 
So, I from the House of Mark and Teresa, we wish you all a very safe and Merry Christmas!
 
 
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Skywarn Appreciation Day 2023
 
Skywarn Recognition Day will occur on December 2!
 
Skywarn Recognition Day is a special event developed in 1999 by the National Weather Service and the ARRL to honor the contributions that Skywarn volunteers make to the NWS mission – the protection of life and property during threatening weather. 
 
During the Skywarn special event, hams operate from ham equipped NWS offices nationwide. The object of the event is for all participating Amateur Radio stations to exchange contact information with as many NWS stations as possible on 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, 2 meters, 220 MHz and 70 centimeters. Contacts via repeaters are permitted.  
 
This 24 hour event begins Friday, December 1st at 6PM Central Time or 00:00 UTC December 2.
 
While we will not be activating K4NWS at the NWS Forecast Office, ALERT, will be active during Skywarn Appreciation Day.  Offsite participation is greatly encouraged! 
 
Our President, Johnnie, KJ4OPX is coordinating this event, so if you are available to help with the SRD, please coordinate with Johnnie in advance at wxjohnnie@gmail.com and let him know what modes and frequencies you plan to work and if you registered, any assigned numbers.
 
 
 
 
SKYWARN Recognition Day Operating Instructions
 
1. Object: For all amateur stations to exchange QSO information with as many Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters and National Weather Service Stations as possible on the 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, and 2-meter and 70-centimeter bands. Contacts via repeaters are permitted. SKYWARN Recognition Day serves to celebrate the contributions to public safety made by amateur radio operators during severe weather events of the past year.
2. Date: NWS stations will operate December 2, 2023, from 0000 – 2400 UTC.
3. Exchange: Call sign, name, location, signal report, a one- or two-word description of the weather occurring at your site (“sunny,” “partly cloudy,” “windy,” etc.), temperature reading if available and SRD Number if the station has one.
4. Modes: NWS stations will work various modes including SSB, FM, AM, RTTY, Winlink, CW, FT8, FT4, and PSK31. While working digital modes, special event stations will append “/NWS” to their call sign (e.g., N0A/NWS).
5. Station Control Operator: It is suggested that during SRD operations for NWS offices a non-NWS volunteer should serve as a control operator for your station.
6. Event and QSL Information: The National Weather Service will provide event information via the SRD website. Event certificates will once again be electronic and printable from the main website after the conclusion of SRD.
7. Log Submission: To submit your log summary for SRD, you can use the online submission form that will be made available on the NWS SRD Recognition main page when the event is completed. Deadline for log submission is January 31, 2024.
 
More information about the event, including Operating Procedures for the contest, Participating Offices, Echolink Info/IRLP info, and Registration can be found at https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition
 
K4NWS can be contacted via Amateur Radio using the following routes:
 
HF: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10 and 6, Meter Bands (via offsite volunteers with HF and  6 Meter capability)
VHF: 2 Meter FM on the 146.880 MHz (BARC), 147.320 MHz and 146.980 MHz (SCARC) repeaters
VHF: 1 ¼ Meters aka 220 MHz FM on the 224.500 MHz repeater
UHF: 70 Centimeters aka 440 Mhz on the FM 444.700 MHz repeater
D-Star: REF058B or REF090C/XRF334C
DMR Talk Group 31013 which is available on all DMR repeaters in the Birmingham area but is also available on various repeaters in the BMX county warning area.
AllStar: 48168
EchoLink: K4NWS-L (155003)
IRLP Experimental Reflector: 0091
 
In 2020 and in response to COVID, SRD was expanded outside of Amateur Radio to include all Skywarn Storm spotters.
 
Here are some ways to contact our station that are not limited to Amateur Radio:
Zello: https://zello.com/channels/k/duTMd
Telegram: http://t.me/K4NWS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/K4NWS/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/K4NWS
MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/alert
 
Our participation in SRD in previous years can be found here:
http://alert-alabama.org/SRD/index.htm
 
This is a fun event and I hope you give it a try!
 
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ALERT Christmas Party!
 
The 2023 ALERT Christmas Party will occur Tuesday December 12th at 7PM during our regular meeting time.
 
There will be food, non-alcoholic drinks, desserts, and other goodies.  Come have Christmas dinner with your ALERT family!
 
If you plan to bring a dish, please let Johnnie know at wxjohnnie@gmail.com and tell him who you are, what you will bring (so we don’t end up with 18 fruitcakes and no beans) and how many will attend.
 
Hope to see you there!
 
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KBMX Radar Upgrades
 
 
The KBMX WSR-88D radar located in Calera, AL, is currently offline for important upgrades and will be down from down approximately two weeks.
 
Technicians will refurbish and replace the pedestal, one of the most critical components of the radar, which is necessary for antenna rotation and positioning to capture data in all directions. The components are extremely heavy and will require the radome to be removed by crane and replaced when the work is completed.
 
The radar and pedestal were designed to last 25 years, and this radar has exceeded its life-span.
This activity is necessary to keep the radar functioning for another 20 years or more.
 
The pedestal refurbishment is the third major project of the NEXRAD Service Life Extension
Program, a series of upgrades that will keep our nation’s radars viable into the 2030s. NOAA’s
National Weather Service, the United States Air Force, and the Federal Aviation Administration
are investing $135 million in the eight-year program. The first project was the installation of the
new signal processor and the second project was the refurbishment of the transmitter. The fourth
project will be the refurbishment of the equipment shelters. The Service Life Extension Program
will be complete in 2023.
 
During the downtime, adjacent radars including KMXX (Maxwell AFB, AL), KGWX (Columbus
AFB, MS), KHTX (Huntsville-Hytop, AL), KMOB (Mobile, AL), KDGX (Jackson, MS), and
KFFC (Peachtree City, GA) will provide radar coverage for Central Alabama.
 
For direct access to any of these surrounding radar sites, go to radar.weather.gov. A single radar site can be viewed by going to the “Select View” menu option then clicking on “Local Radar” to select a single radar site.
 
Additionally, you can access these sites from the College Of Dupage site COD NEXRAD: BMX, go to the Radar Selection icon at the top side of the radar display (looks like a talking head) and select any of the aforementioned NEXRAD sites.
 
Radar coverage for the Birmingham area is also available via WVTM Channel 13’s Live Doppler Radar  Central Alabama Interactive Weather Radar – WVTM 13 located in Vance, in Tuscaloosa County.
 
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Mark’s Almanac
 
December was the tenth Roman Month, from whence it gets its name, “decem” meaning “ten”.  Among many Native American tribes it was called “the Moon of Clacking Rocks”, as it was the time when they prepared and manufactured stone tools, implements and weapons, since the growing season was over, and bad weather prevented them from hunting.
 
December is the cloudiest month of the year, with only 40 to 60% of possible sunshine poking through the clouds.  It is also the stormiest month of the year for the Continental US & the Gulf of Mexico.  By “stormy” meaning large-scale storms, not necessarily the tornadic storms that they bring, even though we are still in our Second Tornado Season.
 
A region of heavy rainfall usually forms from Texas to Northwest Florida to Tennessee and Arkansas.  Cold waves bringing rain, snow, ice and occasionally tornadoes, sweep across the region. 
 
Average precipitation in Birmingham is 4.47” of rainfall and 0.1” of snowfall.
 
December can be cloudy and cold, and, then it can swing into spring like warmth, luring plants to bloom early, only to have the frosts and freezes return and the plants are “nipped in the bud”.
 
Hurricane season is now “officially” over, however Mother Nature sometimes throws a surprise in to make life interesting.  
 
From 1851 – 2020 there have been 19 Tropical Storms and from 1822 to 2022 there have been 8 Category 1 hurricanes, but none have ever struck the United States.  
 
Two notable December hurricanes are:
 
Hurricane Alice of 1954, which is the only known Atlantic hurricane to span two calendar years and one of only two named Atlantic tropical cyclones, along with Tropical Storm Zeta of 2005, to do so. 
 
Alice developed on December 30, 1954 from a trough of low pressure in the central Atlantic Ocean in an area of unusually favorable conditions. The storm moved southwestward and gradually strengthened to reach hurricane status. After passing through the Leeward Islands on January 2, 1955, Alice reached peak winds of 90 mph before encountering cold air and turning to the southeast. It dissipated on January 6 over the southeastern Caribbean Sea.
 
The last December hurricane to occur was Hurricane Epsilon during the 2005 season, the year in which we ran out of hurricane names.  The year also featured Tropical Storm Zeta, the latest forming Tropical Storm which formed on December 30, 2005 and lasted until January 7, 2006.
 
Days continue to grow shorter as the Sun’s angle above the noonday horizon steadily decreases from 34.6 degrees at the beginning of the month to 33.0 degrees at Winter Solstice on December 21 and then the angle begins to lift reaching 33.4 degrees on New Year’s Eve,
 
Daylight decreases from 10 hours 6 minutes on December 1 to 9 hours 56 minutes at Winter Solstice and then increases to 9 hours 58 minutes on December 31
 
Sunrise and Sunset times for Birmingham are:
 
December 1 Sunrise 6:33 AM   Sunset 4:39 PM
December 15 Sunrise 6:43 AM   Sunset 4:40 PM 
December 21 Sunrise 6:47 AM   Sunset 4:43 PM
December 31 Sunrise 6:51 AM   Sunset 4:49 PM
Looking skyward, at the beginning of the month, the Sun, magnitude -26.8 is in Scorpius, The Scorpion.
 
Mercury, magnitude -0.4, in in Sagittarius The Archer, is lost in the glow of the Sun this December.  He will reach his highest point above the western horizon or “Greatest Eastern Elongation” on December 4, and his highest altitude in the sky on December 8.  However due to the severe viewing angle from Earth, he will only reach only 12 degrees above the horizon, making any observation difficult to impossible and then sink towards the Sun as the month progresses.
 
Mercury’s 88 day orbit around the Sun will carry him to his closest point to the Sun or “Perihelion”, 28,816,300 miles from the Sun on December 20.
 
Mercury will pass between the Sun and the Earth or be in “Inferior Conjunction” on December 22.
 
Venus, magnitude –4.2, in Virgo The Virgin, dominates the predawn morning sky as the brilliant “Morning Star”.  
 
At the first of the month, she rises at 3:02 AM CST, 3 hours and 28 minutes before the Sun, and reaches an altitude of 35° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at 6:13 AM CST.
 
By the 15th she will rise at 3:25 AM CST, 3 hours and 16 minutes before the Sun, reaching an altitude of 31° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 6:24 AM CST.
 
By months end, she will rise around 3:54 AM CST, 2 hours and 54 minutes before the Sun and reach an altitude of 26° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 6:31 AM CST.
 
Earth and her Moon, magnitude -4.0, as viewed from the Sun, is in Orion, The Hunter.
 
Mars, with his moons Phobos and Deimos, magnitude +1.5, in Libra, The Scales, is lost in the glow of the Sun.
 
Dwarf Planet Ceres, magnitude +8.6, is in Libra The Scales.
 
Jupiter, and his 95 moons and (invisible from Earth) ring, magnitude -2.8, is in Aries, The Ram, rules the evening skies.
 
At the beginning of the month, he will become visible around 4:55 PM CST, 25° above the eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will reach his highest point in the sky at 9:23 PM, 69° above the southern horizon and will continue to be observable until around 03:18 AM, when he sinks below 7° above the western horizon. 
 
By midmonth he becomes accessible around 4:57 PM CST, 38° above the eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will reach his highest point in the sky at 8:24 PM CST, 68° above the southern horizon. He will continue to be observable until around 02:18 AM CST, when he sinks below 7° above the western horizon.
 
By the end of the month, he will become accessible around 5:05 PM CST, 52° above the south-eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness and will reach its highest point in the sky at 7:19 PM, 68° above the southern horizon. He will continue to be observable until around 01:13 AM, when he sinks below 7° above the western horizon.
 
Saturn, magnitude +0.9, and his 146 moons and extensive debris ring system, is in Aquarius, The Water Bearer, as an early evening object retreating into the evening twilight.
At the first of the month, he becomes accessible around 5:12 PM CST, 43° above the southern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. Six minutes later he will reach his highest point in the sky at 5:18 PM, 43° above the southern horizon and will continue to be observable until around 9:47 PM, when he sinks below 11° above the south-western horizon.
 
By midmonth he will become accessible around 5:17 PM CST, 42° above the southern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then sink towards the south-western horizon, setting at 9:56 PM.
 
At months end he becomes visible around 5:24 PM, CST, at his highest point in the sky, 36° above the southern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness.  He will continue to be observable until around  8:59 PM CST, when he sinks below 11° above the south-western horizon.
 
Uranus, magnitude +5.7, and his 27 moons and ring, in Aries, The Ram, is currently visible as an evening object, becoming visible around 5:41 PM CST, 27° above the eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then reach its highest point in the sky at 10:14 PM, 73° above the southern horizon. He will continue to be observable until around 03:17 AM, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.
 
By midmonth he will become visible around 5:44 PM CST, at an altitude of 39° above the eastern horizon, as dusk fades into darkness. He will reach his highest point in the sky at 9:17 PM CST, 73° above the southern horizon.  He will continue to be observable until around 2:19 AM CST, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.
 
At month’s end he becomes visible around 5:52 PM CST, at an altitude of 54° above the eastern horizon as dusk fades into darkness. He reaches his highest point in the sky at 8:13 PM CST, 73° above the southern horizon. He will continue to be observable until around 1:14 AM CST, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.
 
Neptune, magnitude 7.7, and his 14 moons and ring, in Aquarius The Water Bearer, is currently visible in the evening sky.  At the first of the month, he becomes accessible via binoculars and telescopes at 5:41 PM CST, at an altitude of 50° above the eastern horizon as dusk fades into darkness. He will reach his highest point in the sky at 6:46 PM CST, 53° above the southern horizon. He will fade from view around 10:49 PM  when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.
 
At midmonth he will become accessible around 5:44 PM CST, 53° above the south-eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then reach his highest point in the sky at 5:51 PM, 53° above the southern horizon. He will continue to be observable until around 10:45 PM, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.  
 
At the end of the month, he becomes accessible around 5:52 CST PM, 50° above the south-eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will be at his highest point in the sky 50° above the southern horizon. He will continue to be observable until around 10:43 PM CST, when he sinks below 21° above the western horizon.
 
Dwarf Planet Pluto, with his five moons shines at a dim 14.5 in Sagittarius, The Archer.
 
Dwarf Planet 136108 Haumea, her ring and moons Hiʻiaka and Namaka, shines at a faint magnitude of 17.4 in Bootes, The Herdsman.
 
Dwarf Planet 136472 Makemake with his moon S/2015 (136472) 1, nicknamed MK1 by the discovery team, shines faintly at magnitude +17.2 in Coma Berenices.
 
Dwarf Planet 136199 Eris and her moon Dysnomia, originally referred to as Xena and Gabrielle, is barely visible in the most powerful telescopes at magnitude +18.7 in Cetus the Sea Monster.
 
At least six additional bodies with the preliminary criteria for identifying dwarf planets, and though not “officially” declared as such, are generally called dwarf planets by astronomers as well.
 
90482 Orcus, and his moon Vanth shines at magnitude 19.1 between Hydra and Sextans, The Sextant.
 
50000 Quaoar, and his moon Waywot shines at magnitude +18.6 in Scutum, The Shield.
 
90377 Sedna, the coldest, and at one time, the most distant known place in the Solar System, glows faintly at magnitude +20.8 in Taurus, The Bull.
 
225088 Gonggong, originally nicknamed Snow White by the discovery team, and his moon Xiangli glows dimly at +21.5 magnitude in Aquarius, The Water Bearer.
 
2014 UZ224 nicknamed “DeeDee” for “Distant Dwarf” is 8.5 billion miles from the Sun, at magnitude +23.0 in Eridanus, The River.
 
120347 Salacia, and her moon Actaea glows at magnitude 20.7 in Andromeda, The Chained Woman. Salacia is considered a “borderline” Dwarf Planet. Some astronomers saying she “most certainly is a Dwarf Planet”, while others disagreeing based on her size, saying she is too small to have compressed into a fully solid body, to have been resurfaced, or to have collapsed into “hydrostatic equilibrium”, that is to assume spherical shape like a planet.
 
This dark world lies beyond the orbit of Neptune, orbiting 4,164,420,166 miles from the Sun. 
 
Currently the most distant observable known object in the Solar System, Asteroid 2018 AG37, nicknamed “FarFarOut”, which is 11.8 billion miles or 18 hours, 17 minutes and 12 seconds from Earth, , glows at a barely detectable +25.5 magnitude in Lynx. 
 
The most distant man-made object, and the most distant known object in the Solar System Voyager 1, still operating after 46 years, 2 months and 23 days is 15,120,836,297 miles, or in Light Time, 22 hours, 32 minutes and 51 Seconds from Earth as of 7:32 PM, November 28, 2023, sailing 38,027 miles per hour through Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer.
 
There are 1,308,871 known asteroids as of November 29, 2023, per NASA.  
 
5539 planets beyond our solar system have now been confirmed as of November 7, 2023 per NASA’s Exoplanet Archive http://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/
 
The Moon will be at Apogee or its farthest distance from Earth on December 4, when she will be 251,251 miles from Earth.
 
Last Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Eastern side illuminated, will occur December 4 at 11:39 PM CST or 05:39 UTC.
 
During a Quarter Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -10.0.
 
New Moon occurs December 12 at 5:33 PM CST or 23:33 UTC. The Moon will on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 
The Geminid Meteor Shower peaks on December 13-14. Geminids are one of the year’s best meteor showers. It is my favorite meteor shower and considered by many to be the best shower in the heavens. It’s a consistent and prolific shower, and usually the most satisfying of all the annual showers, even surpassing the more widely recognized Perseids of August.  This shower typically produces 50 or more multicolored meteors an hour, or about one every minute, and at the peak 120 meteors per hour.
 
As a general rule, the dazzling Geminid meteor shower starts around mid-evening and tends to pick up steam as evening deepens into late night. No matter where you live worldwide, the greatest number of meteors usually fall in the wee hours after midnight, or for a few hours centered around 2 a.m. local time, as the Earth plows headlong into the stream. If you’re game, you can watch the Geminid shower all the way from mid-evening until dawn. 
 
The Geminids are produced by debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, which was discovered in 1982. The shower runs annually from December 7-17. It peaks this year on the night of the 13th and morning of the 14th. The morning of the 15th could also be nearly as active this year.
 
The nearly new moon means dark skies for what should be an excellent show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Gemini, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
 
The Moon will be at Perigee or its closest approach to Earth on December 16, when she will be 228.602  miles from Earth. 
 
First Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Western side illuminated, will occur December 19 at 12:39 PM CST or 06:39 UTC.
 
During a Quarter Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -10.0.
 
The Ursid meteor shower, a minor meteor shower, which runs annually from December 17-25 will peak on the night and morning of December 21 – 22 producing about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tuttle, which was first discovered in 1790. 
 
The waxing gibbous moon will block out most of the faintest meteors this year. But if you are patient, you should still be able to catch a few good ones. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Ursa Minor, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
 
Winter Solstice will occur on December 21 at 9:27 PM CST or 03:27 UTC December 22. The South Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its southernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.44 degrees south latitude. This is the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
 
Full Moon occurs at 6:33 PM CST on December 26 or 00:34 UTC on December 27 when the Moon, being on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun will be fully illuminated.  This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Cold Moon because this is the time of year when the cold winter air settles in and the nights become long and dark. This moon has also been known as the Moon Before Yule and the Full Long Nights Moon.
 
During a Full Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -12.7.
 
 
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Christmas
 
Christmas is my favorite time of the year.  
 
Christmastime is a time of wonder & mystery.  A time of bright lights, shining trees and the time of hide and seek, as presents are hidden from inquiring minds and fingers.
 
It is a time when one’s mind and memories drift back to days of childhood, and Christmases now long gone by. Remembering friends and family, some here, some now gone & longing that they were near once again, as it was once upon a time not so long ago.  
And it is a time when, if we allow ourselves and don’t choose to “Grinch out” and be sour pusses, we can become kids once again.   
 
Most importantly though, it’s a time to remember that the true “reason for the season” occurred in a manger, long ago on that first cold and chilly “Silent Night.”
 
So, as you go about your Christmas preparations remember the magic that was there when you were a child & don’t let that magic die.  Make it magic once again
 
For Christmas truly is “the most wonderful time of the year”.
 
 
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This month’s meeting will feature the ALERT Christmas Party on December 12 at 7:00 PM at the National Weather Service Forecast office at the Shelby County Airport.
 
Hope to see you there!
 
Mark / WD4NYL
Editor
ALERT Newsletter

ALERT / National Weather Service Birmingham Coverage Area

  • ALERT covers the BMX county warning area. Presently, this includes: Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Lamar, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Marion, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Randolph, Russell, Shelby, St Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Winston