ALERT NEWSLETTER – February 2024

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.

 

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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.  

 

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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.

 

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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