ALERT NEWSLETTER – March 2025

Hi Everyone,

The 2025 Birminghamfest is almost here, and I hope you can attend!

This event will be held at the Trussville Civic Center on Friday February 28 from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM and Saturday, March 1 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.

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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ALERT Election Committee

In accordance with ARTICLE V, Section 1 of the ALERT Constitution and Bylaws, this month’s meeting will feature the selection of the two person Nominating Committee for the upcoming elections in May.

President will appoint a Nominating Committee of 2 voting members. That Committee will contact members about serving as officers. Since there are no term limits for current officers, if the Committee can hornswoggle them into serving another term, or rather, continue in the fine job they have been doing, that’s copacetic.

The Nominating Committee will present its report at the April meeting for all the voting members to review. Nominations from the floor will be accepted at the meeting of the elections in May.

Originally the elected Officers of ALERT were:

President
Vice-President / Membership
Treasurer
Secretary
NWS Liaison
Operations
Training
Public Information

Over the years, as circumstances dictated, the process has evolved or perhaps devolved, out of necessity, both due to the chaos wreaked by Covid 19, and a shortage of willing volunteers so that the elected positions have become:

President
Vice President
Treasurer & Membership
Secretary

NWS Liaison has been faithfully performed for decades by Russell KV4S. If no one ever says thank you for this, Russell, know that what you are doing is much appreciated. You are the backbone of the callout process. Thank you so very much!

Operations, Training and Public Relations duties have been met informally by other members or Officers, even though there might not have been an “official” Official in place.

As to the Board of Directors, it is composed of the President, immediate past President, Trustee of the station and 2 operational “At Large” members appointed by the President.

I have served as the 2 year “At Large” member for some time now, and I have done an abysmal job of doing so, as job duties and other circumstances have kept me absent from meetings, either live or via Teams, which I can’t seem to remember how to work. For this I sincerely apologize.

Both “At Large” positions are open for appointment by the President in 2025. They are not elected positions; the President chooses them.

Please plan on attending the March meeting & don’t be shy about volunteering to serve on the Committee or to make yourself available for a leadership role. All it takes is a willing heart and once elected a commitment to faithfully fulfill your duties of office to the best of your abilities.

We need you to be actively involved in ALERT’s leadership and to help us build a strong ALERT organization for the future.

Your time has arrived.

Your ALERT needs you.

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A Hitch Hiker’s Guide To The Radio Frequency Spectrum – Part 1

Amateur Radio is one of the most enjoyable, “coolest” hobbies around. Whether you enjoy contesting, looooooooooong draaaaawn out rag chews, public service or just lurking and listening, there is something out there waiting for you.

There are so many options and modes out there, from FT8 and other digital forms, voice and CW, and so many bands to choose from. Each with its own unique characteristics and range. Whether you want to talk locally or across the world, if the Sun cooperates, and depending on the time of day, there is a place for you.

The following are the band plans for the ham radio world, with a few other realms thrown in.

By learning these you can know where to effectively transmit and how to know when something special is occurring. For instance, band openings bringing in stations you usually don’t hear on a regular basis. By learning, listening and using these bands you can tell the usual from the unusual. You can be the “expert” on your favorite band in a very short time.

As the line from the old song Limbo Rock says “how low can you go?”

And the answer for us is waaaaay down low. Or as Elvis sang “way on dooooown.”

The lowest Amateur Radio Band is the 2,200 Meter Band, which is the only Low Frequency / Long Wave Amateur Radio band.

2,200 Meters, which stretches from 135.7 – 137.8 kHz, is available for General, Advanced and Extra licensees for CW, phone and data operations with 1 Watt EIRP.

This band is heavily affected by natural and manmade interference and distance is limited by signal absorption by the D layer of the ionosphere during the daytime, not unlike the AM Broadcast Band, similarly after sunset longer distances can be achieved.

The equipment used is usually homebrew and very slow speed CW or QRSS seems to be the preferred mode.

Most modern HF ham radios can receive this frequency range, as usually they cover from 30 – 100 kHz to 30.000 MHz. There is a problem though, in that many of these receivers, for example the Yaesu FT-450 & Kenwood TS-570, automatically activate a 20 dB attenuator below 1.8 MHz, which effective kills weak signal reception below 1.8 MHz, including the AM Broadcast Band. Much to the chagrin of AM DXer’s like me. The tiny Yaesu FT-817 does not do this, however, so my hope is not lost.

The best receiver I have used for this realm is an ancient Radio Shack DX-300 receiver and a homemade loop antenna. With that and 1,000 feet or so of random wire going along a fence line. I could receive the Russian Alpha Navigation Beacons on 10.9 kHz.

If one wishes to use this band they are required to first register with the Utilities Technology Council online at https://utc.org/plc-database-amateur-notification-process, giving their intent to operate by submitting their call signs, the intended bands of operation, and the coordinates of their antenna’s fixed location.

Amateur stations are permitted to commence operations after a 30 day period unless UTC notifies the station that its fixed location is within one kilometer or 0.621 miles of Power Line Carrier (PLC) systems operating on the same or overlapping frequencies. This is intended to ensure that amateur stations are located beyond a minimum separation distance from PLC transmission lines, which helps promote shared use of the bands.

Though the US currently has no detailed band plan, the IARU Region 1 (Africa, Europe, Middle East, and northern Asia) band plan may serve as a guide

135.7–136.0 kHz – Station Tests and transatlantic reception window
136.0–137.4 kHz – Telegraphy
137.4–137.6 kHz – Digital modes
137.6–137.8 kHz – Very slow telegraphy centered on 137.7 kHz

Just above this band lies a sparsely used AM broadcast band stretching from 148.5 and 283.5 kHz used in Europe, Africa, and large parts of Asia.

Nestled in this band is a real of critters known as a “LowFERs”.

LowFERs or “Low Frequency Experimental Radio”, are unlicensed experimental stations that operate below the AM Broadcast Band from 160 – 190 kHz, with up to 1 Watt using a 3 meter (9.84 feet) antenna.

Most LowFER activity is in the form of CW beacons, though actual CW QSO’s do occur, and with good band conditions and a lot of luck, 100 – 300 miles or more range is possible during winter nights.

LowFER activity is hindered by interference from power line control carriers, utility stations and if the conditions are VERY good, the broadcasters from Europe and Africa.

From 190 – 525 kHz lie the realm of Aviation Non Directional Beacons. Though there are still some that cheerfully send their CW ID’s, such as “BH” from Birmingham’s Mcden NDB on 224 kHz, many have shut down, opting for satellite options instead. In the 1970’s & 80’s the band was a jingle jangle of CE ID’s from all over the Southeast. It was fun using an aeronautical chart trying to figure out where the signals that we’re drifting in and out we’re located.

Crossing 300 kHz we enter the Medium Frequency / Medium Wave bands

Within this spread we find the first Medium Frequency ham band – the 630 Meter Band.

From 405 to 525 kHz lies the low Medium Wave Maritime Band. Nestled within that band is the 630 Meter Amateur Band

630 Meters, which stretches from 473 – 479 kHz, is available for General, Advanced and Extra licensees for CW, phone and data operations with 5 Watt EIRP, except in Alaska within 496 from Russia, where hams are limited to 1 Watt EIRP.

This band has the same propagation characteristics as the lower AM Broadcast Band – for example during the day I can receive country music from WSM in Nashville on 650 kHz, 180 miles away and at night elevator music from “Radio Enciclopedia” – CMBR in Havana on 530 kHz, 766 miles away.

One informal band plan is:

472.0 – 479.0 kHz – Telegraphy
474.2 kHz CW Calling Frequency
474.5 – 479.0 kHz – Digital Modes
476.0 – 479.0 kHz – SSB

As with 2,200 Meters, users must first register with the Utilities Technology Council online at https://utc.org/plc-database-amateur-notification-process/.

You need to only register once for each band

From 530 to 1700 kHz lies the AM Broadcast Band, which in the Americas are divided into 10 kHz spaced channels. In the rest of the world the channels use 9 kHz spacing. In fact, during exceptional conditions, stations from Europe may appear between the 10 kHz US, Canadian and Mexican stations.

From Birmingham I hear signals out to 180 miles and at night the entire eastern United States and Canada, as well as Cuba and Mexico. The Farthest west I have received from Birmingham is KSL 1160 kHz in Salt Lake City and PJB3 800 kHz from Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles, very late at night when youth allowed me to stay up all night listening to static and left no ill effect. Unfortunately, the Bluebird of Youth flew south for the winter one day and decided to stay.

One asset of the AM Broadcast band that may prove crucial are Primary Entry Point Radio Stations

Primary Entry Point, or “PEP” stations, officially known as the National Public Warning System, are a network of 77 privately owned commercial and non-commercial radio broadcast stations, usually in the medium wave AM broadcast band, that cooperatively participate with FEMA to provide emergency alert and warning information to the public before, during, and after a national or local emergency.

PEP stations are located throughout the country and have a direct link to FEMA and serve as the primary broadcast source for Presidential National Emergency Alert System (EAS) messages. PEP stations network to other broadcast stations to disseminate messages throughout the country.

In a widespread disaster they would be vital information sources if the local infrastructure is down.

During more localized emergencies State and local public safety officials can utilize EAS and FEMA PEP stations when they are not in use for National EAS warning messages.

PEP stations are “hardened” with additional broadcasting equipment, backup communications equipment, power generators, fuel systems, emergency provisions, a rest area, and an air filtration system. The stations have been enhanced into shelters with increased survivability from chemical, biological, radiological air protection and protection from an electromagnetic pulse or EMP.

They are designed to enable them to continue broadcasting information to the public during and after a catastrophic national event.

North Alabama’s PEP station is WJOX 690 kHz in Birmingham, which normally broadcasts at 50,000 watts during the day and only 500 watts during nighttime hours. But, as they say “I bet they can crank that puppy up to full power if they needed to.”

If there was a national emergency FEMA’s PEP National Operating Center would signal the state’s Point Entry Station, in our case WJOX, which in turn will signal state relay, the Alabama Public Television Network which in turn signal State Public Radio Network and Global Security System Satellite Net, composed of broadcast stations, such as in Birmingham, WJOX AM 690 kHz, WJOX FM 94.5 MHz, WZZK FM 104.7 MHz, WUAL FM 91.5 MHz in Tuscaloosa and so forth. From there the notification is spread on down the emergency notification and outlet line.

Other PEP stations of note would be WSM 650 kHz in Nashville, TN, which I can receive day or night, WWL 870 kHz in New Orleans and KMOX 1120 kHz in St. Louis, Mo. All of which are standard features of the nighttime AM radio band.

For a full map of PEP Radio Stations go to Primary Entry Point (PEP) AM Radio Stations – Miscellaneous – Fort Worth Forum

For more information on Alabama’s plan see 2017-ALABAMA-EAS-PLAN-072717.pdf

In the early days of radio, hams we’re considered a nuisance and so we were relegated to the “useless” frequencies above 200 Meters or above 1500 kHz. Then the “useless frequencies” proved to be capable of long distance communications and so the government said “gimme those frequencies back”, reserving certain bands for Amateur use.

The oldest ham band is the 160 Meter Band.

160 Meters, stretching from 1.800 – 2.000 MHz is sometimes referred to as the “Top Band” as it had the longest wavelength or the “Gentleman’s Band”, as it is known for long casual contacts. .

Some Contests which are held on 160 Meters are:

CQ 160 Meter Contest – CW – January
CQ 160 Meter Contest – SSB – February
ARRL 160 Meter Contest – December
Stew Perry Top Band Challenge – March, June, October and December

For specific dates go to WA7BNM Contest Calendar: Perpetual Calendar
The ARRL band plan is as follows:

1.800 – 2.000 MHz – CW
1.800 – 1.810 MHz – Digital Modes
1.810 MHz CW QRP
1.840 MHz FT8
1.843 – 2.000 MHz LSB, SSTV, and other wideband modes
1.910 MHz LSB QRP
1.995 – 2.000 MHz Experimental
1.999 – 2.000 MHz Beacons

Propagation is similar to that of the upper AM Broadcast Band.

The following is a list of tips, slanted toward the DX aspect of operation on 160 Meters, to help you enjoy your experience on 160.

Put out as much wire as possible for your transmit antenna. This is the biggest drawback to operating on 160 Meters – antenna length. A simple 160 meter dipole antenna is 250 long. My dinky yard is nowhere close to that size. A full sized antennat wouldn’t even fit my next two neighbors yards, though there is a temptation to sneak one in. “Burglar protection”. They might believe it. I’m going to figure something out sooner than later.

Some say, “work with the utility company and/or neighbors to fix noise sources”. Right, good luck with that.

“Listen, listen, listen”. That’s a good idea, on any band, especially if you are calling CQ. Listen for a couple of seconds before droning on. Many call CQ, few seem to listen.

Know when the desired path is in or very near darkness. Pay particular attention to sunrise and sunset times. Check paths to the southwest at your sunrise and southeast at your sunset.

In between the ham and medium and shortwave bands are marine, aeronautical, military and fixed bands and rogue shortwave stations – licensed but not located in a normal band. These transmissions, except for broadcast, are USB, RTTY and occasional CW.

Though some believe everything has switched to satellite, the world’s militaries still use MF and HF frequencies. Usually unencrypted and usually using USB. They also use the area from 30 to 35 MHz FM. That’s why you see Humvees with CB like whip antennas. They are using Low VHF frequencies. Again, usually unencrypted. If 10 meters is open and you have a scanner, scan those VHF Low frequencies. You never know what you may hear.

Here’s another operating hint – if a ham band seems dead, tune above and below them. The area between the ham bands may be crawling with signals, which lets you know that the ham band isn’t dead at all, just no one is talking. So, go back to that band and start calling CQ – someone may be just waiting for your signal.

Moving up the dial, you will find activity on the 2.000 – 2.300 MHz – Marine Band

The 120 Meter Mediumwave Broadcast Ban, is from 2.300 – 2.495 MHz and don’t forget WWV in Ft. Collins, Co and WWVH in Kekaha, HI which broadcast time and frequency standard signals on 2.500 MHz.

Another Marine Band lies from 2.450 – 2.850 MHz and an Aeronautical Band lies at 2.850 – 3.155 MHz.

Who knows what you may find.

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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 2024 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 92 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.

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 9. 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 -1.3, in Aquarius The Water Bearer, is an early evening object.

At the beginning of the month, he will become visible around 5:58 PM CST, 10° above the south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will continue to be observable until he sets around 6:53 PM CST.

Mercury will reach his greatest separation from the Sun, or Greatest Eastern Elongation, February 7, and will reach his highest point in the sky in his February – March 2025 evening apparition on February 8, when he will be shining brightly at magnitude -0.4, 16° above the horizon.

By midmonth he will become invisible, having receded into the glow of the Sun on February 12.

Mercury’s 88 day orbit around the Sun will carry it to its closest point to the Sun – its perihelion on March 4.

Mercury will pass between the Sun and the Earth, or be in Inferior Conjunction on March 24.

Venus, magnitude –4.9, in Piscis, The Fish, shines brightly in evening sky.

At the first of the month, she becomes visible at around 5:58 PM CST, 25° above the western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. She will then sink towards the horizon, setting 2 hours and 23 minutes after the Sun at 8:06 PM CST.

As the month progresses she will rapidly recede towards the Sun.

By midmonth he becomes visible at 8:09 PM CDT, 8° above the western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. She will then sink towards the horizon, setting 1 hour and 1 minute after the Sun at 8:55 PM CDT.

She will disappear from the night sky on March 16 and will pass between the Sun and the Earth, or be in Inferior Conjunction on March 24.

She will emerge in the predawn skies on March 30, rising at 6:35 AM CDT, 1 hour and 0 minutes before the Sun, reaching an altitude of 8° above the eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 7:19 AM CDT.

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 Aquarius, The Water Bearer.

Mars, with his moons Phobos and Deimos, magnitude +0.5, in Gemini, The Twins, is an evening object.

At the beginning of the month, he will become visible around 6:05 PM CST, 59° above the eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then reach its highest point in the sky at 8:21, 82° above the southern horizon. He will continue to be observable until around 2:45 AM CST, when he sinks below 9° above the north-western horizon.

The Moon will pass 1.7° north of Mars on March 8.

By midmonth he becomes accessible around 8:20 PM CDT, 71° above the eastern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then reach its highest point in the sky at 9:34 PM CDT, 81° above the southern horizon. He will continue to be observable until around 3:52 AM CDT, when he sinks below 9° above the north-western horizon.

By the end of the month, he will become accessible around 8:35 PM CDT, 80° above the southern horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then reach his highest point in the sky at 8:49 PM CDT, 80° above the southern horizon. He will continue to be observable until around 3:01 AM CDT, when he sinks below 10° above the western horizon.

Jupiter, and his 95 moons and (invisible from Earth) ring, magnitude -2.4, is in Taurus, The Bull, is an early evening object and is receding into the evening twilight.

At the beginning of the month, he will become visible around 5:58 PM CST, 78° above the southern horizon, as dusk fades into darkness. He will then sink towards the horizon, setting at 12:53 AM CST.

By midmonth he becomes accessible around 8:09 PM CDT, 70° above the south-western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then sink towards the horizon, setting at 2:05 AM CDT.

By the end of the month, he will become visible at around 8:21PM CDT, 58° above the western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then sink towards the horizon, setting at 1:12 AM CDT.

Saturn, magnitude +1.1, and his 146 moons and extensive debris ring system, is in Aquarius, The Water Bearer, is lost in the glow of the Sun.

Saturn will pass behind the Sun, or be in Solar Conjunction on March 12.
Earth will cross Saturn’s ring plane on March 23 and his rings will disappear from view.

Saturn, like the Earth, is tilted on its axis. Saturn’s axial tilt is 26.7°, and as the planet’s 29.4 year orbit progresses, the rings angle changes with time as viewed from the Earth. Every 13 to 15 years, or about every half Saturn year, the rings will appear edge on when viewed from Earth.

This provides scientists with opportunities to study the rings structure and thickness.

Unfortunately, this year, the planet will be masked by the Sun.

Uranus, magnitude +5.8, and his 27 moons and ring, in Aries, The Ram, early evening object, now receding into evening twilight.

At the first of the month he becomes visible at around 6:42 PM CST, 57° above the western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then sink towards the horizon, setting at 11:24 PM CST.

By midmonth he will become visible around 8:53 PM CDT, 43° above the western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then sink towards the horizon, setting at 12:31 AM CDT.

At month’s end he visible at around 9:06 PM CDT, 28° above the western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then sink towards the horizon, setting 3 hours and 26 minutes after the Sun at 11:32 PM CDT.

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 19,

Dwarf Planet Pluto, the largest Dwarf Planet, with his five moons shines at a dim 14.6 in Capricornus, The Sea Goat.

Dwarf Planet 136108 Haumea, her ring and moons Hiʻiaka and Namaka, shines at a faint magnitude of 17.3 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, the second largest Dwarf Planet, 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 in Ophiuchus, The Serpent Bearer.
.
50000 Quaoar, and his moon Waywot shines at magnitude +18.6 in Pisces, The Fish.

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, the third largest Dwarf Planet, originally nicknamed Snow White by the discovery team, and his moon Xiangli glows dimly at +21.5 magnitude in Pisces, The Fish.

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 Gemini, The Twins. 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.

Currently the most distant observable known object in the Solar System, an asteroid unofficially called Asteroid 2018 AG37, and nicknamed FarFarOut, glows at a barely detectable +25.5 magnitude in Lynx.

FarFarOut is currently 12,235,630,414 miles or in Light Time, 18 hours, 14 minutes and 43 seconds from Earth.

The most distant man-made object, Voyager 1, still operating after 47 years, 5 month and 16 days is 15,566,282,017 miles, or in Light Time, 23 hours, 12 minutes 42 Seconds from Earth as of 1:19 PM, February 21, 2025, sailing 38,027 miles per hour through Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer.
Voyager – Mission Status (nasa.gov) & Voyager 1 | TheSkyLive

There are 1,438,652 known asteroids and 3,994 comets as of February 21, 2025 per NASA/JPL Solar Dynamics Website JPL Solar System Dynamics (nasa.gov).

Near Earth Object, asteroid 99942 Apophis, is expected to pass within 19,794 miles of the Earth on Friday, April 13, 2029.

Apophis, magnitude +20.1, in Aquarius The Waterbearer, is 160,717,505 miles or 1511 days from the Earth as of 1:33 PM, , February 21, 2025.

A newcomer to our world of worries is an Apollo Type (Earth Crossing) Near Earth Object, asteroid 2024 YR4.

Discovered by the Chilean station of the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) at Río Hurtado on 27 December 2024, this 131 – 295 foot rock had a 3.1% chance of striking the Earth on Wednesday, December 22, 2032. Now it has been reduced to 0.001% to according to the European Space Agency or 0.0027% according to NASA.

If this object we’re to strike the Earth, it would NOT be an extinction level event, but would be large enough to destroy a city. The current risk corridor is a band near the equator stretching from just west of Central America, crossing northern South America, crossing the Atlantic, central Africa and southern Saudi Arabia, the Arabian Sea and Central India.

2024 YR4 has visited us before. It passed 515,000 miles from the Earth on December 25, 2024, two days before it’s discovery, and will pass 4,965,000 miles ± 122,000 miles on December 17, 2028.

With NASA’s estimated diameter, mass, and density for 2024 YR4, if it were to impact Earth at its predicted velocity at atmospheric entry of 10.76 miles per second, the asteroid would release energy equivalent to 7.8 megatons of TNT, causing damage as far as 50 miles from the impact site.

Due to its stony composition, this would more likely produce a meteor air burst rather than an impact crater if it strikes a continent or a tsunami if it struck an ocean.

There is also a 1% chance that 2024 Yr4 will hit the Moon, with a potential impact zone extending from just south of Mare Crisium, a solidified lava plain, to Tycho, an ancient crater, all located on the visible side of the waning gibbous Moon.

The 2028 encounter will allow astronomers to tweak the forecast, which I wouldn’t be surprised (or disappointed) if it turns out to be a non-event.

2024 YR4, magnitude +24.7, in Cancer, The Crab, is 54,089,35 Miles or 2861 days from the Earth as of 2:25 PM February 21, 2025

5,834 planets beyond our solar system have now been confirmed as of February 12, 2025, per NASA’s Exoplanet Archive http://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/.

The Moon will be at Perigee or its closest approach to Earth on March , when she will be 224,916 miles from Earth.

First Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Western side illuminated, will occur March 6 at 10:33 AM CST or 16:33 UTC.

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

March’s Full Moon will occur on March 14 at 1:56 AM CDT or 6:56 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 near her farthest distance from the Earth, 249,398 miles

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

There will be a Total Lunar Eclipse on March 14. The eclipse, which some style as a Blood Moon will be visible throughout all North America, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

The eclipse will begin at 10:57 PM CDT
Partial Eclipse begins at 12:09 AM CDT
Total Eclipse begins at 1:26 AM CDT
Maximum eclipse will occur at 1:58 AM CDT
Total Eclipse ends at 2:31 AM CDT
Partial eclipse ends at 3:47 AM CDT
The eclipse ends at 5:00 AM CDT

The Moon will be at Apogee or its farthest distance from Earth on March 23 when she will be 252,124 miles from Earth.

Vernal Equinox occurs at 4:01 AM CDT or 09:01 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”.

Last Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Eastern side illuminated, will occur March 22, at 6:32 AM CST or 11:32 UTC.

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

New Moon will occur on March 29 at 6:02 AM CDT or 11:00 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, in this case 222,902 miles, it is known as a Super New Moon.

Eclipses usually come in pairs. The second eclipse with be a Partial Solar Eclipse on March 29.

A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon covers only a part of the Sun, sometimes resembling a bite taken out of a cookie.

This partial eclipse will be visible throughout Greenland and most of northern Europe and northern Russia. It will be best seen from Canada with 93% coverage, but alas, it will still be dark in Birmingham.

The Moon will be at Perigee or its closest distance from Earth on March 29 when she will be 222,530 miles from Earth.

The 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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The ARRL International DX Contest, Sideband version is March 1
WA7BNM Contest Calendar: Contest Details & ARRL DX

The CQ Worldwide WPX Contest – Sideband version is March 29 WA7BNM Contest Calendar: Contest Details & CQ WPX – Rules

This month’s ALERT meeting will be on March 11 at 7PM.

The meeting will be 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