From frank at mountcalvarygreenville.org  Wed Dec 12 20:23:40 2007
From: frank at mountcalvarygreenville.org (FSK)
Date: Wed Dec 12 20:38:14 2007
Subject: [MIham] Geminid Meteor  Shower--Full Coverage
Message-ID: <001101c83d26$ce8ae5c0$66010f97@labn02xl6ms9ts>

Space Weather News for Dec. 12, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

Earth has entered a stream of dusty debris from asteroid 3200 Phaethon and,
as a result, the annual Geminid meteor shower is underway.  Sky watchers
around the world are reporting a slow drizzle of late-night meteors at least
as bright as the stars of the Big Dipper. The best is yet to come:
Forecasters expect the shower to peak on Friday, Dec. 14th.  No matter where
you live, watch the sky between local midnight and dawn; people outdoors
before sunrise on Friday could see dozens to hundreds of shooting stars.
Depending on the details of Earth's encounter with Phaethon's debris stream,
the shower could continue into the weekend as well.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for updates and full coverage including sky
maps, photos and eye-witness reports.

            --... ...--  ..-. .-. .- -. -.-   -. ---.. ..- ...- ..


       Proper, Pre-Planning, Prevents, Pathetically, Poor, Performance.









       Checkout My Place on the Web @ http://www.qsl.net/n8uvi

From dfischer at usol.com  Sun Dec 16 16:28:38 2007
From: dfischer at usol.com (Duane Fischer, W8DBF)
Date: Sun Dec 16 16:38:23 2007
Subject: [MIham] Re QSL From SK K8UZJ
Message-ID: <002301c8402a$a14d4920$feea1240@hpdc5100mt>



Hi All,

Mark R. Decker, K8UZJ, now SK, was a high school friend and classmate of 
mine. I visited his Ham Shack back in 1962. My first time ever on the air 
was by means of his Heathkit Twoer.

I lost contact with Mark after graduation. In fact, nobody in our class knew 
what became of him.

I got my Ham license in August of 1998, and happened to think of Mark. Then 
I remembered I could have somebody find his call sign in the ARRL Call Book! 
He was there, sure enough, in TX.

I called his home, got his youngest son, and learned that Mark had died in 
1996 at age fifty. I was shocked and horribly disappointed. Mark would have 
been so proud to learn that I had 'finally' gotten my Ham ticket, especially 
since his role was very instrumental in that happening.

I really really want one of my late friends QSL cards. Mark worked all over 
the world for decades, so I know there must be thousands of his QSL cards 
out there. If any of you worked K8UZJ and have Mark's QSL card, I would 
really appreciate it if you would make a high resolution scanned copy of it, 
both sides, print it on card stock (if possible) and mail it to me. I will 
gladly pay any related costs, of course.

Please ask all the middle age Hams you know, as somebody surely worked Mark 
and has his card.

Thank you very much! This means more to me than you can understand, as I was 
shot by a careless stranger who was illegally hunting Pheasants on my 
parent's property on the eve of my eighteenth birthday. Having one of 
K8UZJ's cards would make memories of that time period much brighter.

Duane Fischer, W8DBF
Genesee County, Flint, MI
dfischer@usol.com


Duane Fischer, W8DBF/WPE8CXO
dfischer@usol.com
HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
http://www.w9wze.net
HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
hhrp.w9wze.net

From frank at mountcalvarygreenville.org  Mon Dec 17 22:12:05 2007
From: frank at mountcalvarygreenville.org (FSK)
Date: Mon Dec 17 22:27:26 2007
Subject: [MIham] Close Encounter with Mars
Message-ID: <000801c84123$c7c55bc0$66010f97@labn02xl6ms9ts>

Space Weather News for Dec. 17. 2007
http://spaceweather.com

CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH MARS: Have you noticed an intense red star rising in
the east in recent evenings?  That's no star, that's Mars.  The red planet
is having a close encounter with Earth this week.  At closest approach on
Tuesday evening, Dec. 18th, the two worlds will lie only 55 million miles
apart.  Mars won't be this nearby again until the year 2016.  To the naked
eye, Mars now outshines every star in the night sky (it is slightly brighter
than Sirius) and it looks great through a backyard telescope.  Visit
http://spaceweather.com for photos, observing tips and sky maps.

NOTE: While, technically speaking, Mars is at its best and brightest only on
Dec. 18th, the red planet will remain unusually close and beautiful for
weeks to come.  This makes it a Merry Martian Christmas for anyone who finds
a telescope under their tree on Dec. 25th:
http://spaceweather.com/ccount.php?linkURL=http://meade.com

GREAT GEMINIDS:  The Geminid meteor shower peaked on Dec. 14th and 15th; as
predicted, it was a great show.  Some observers counted more than a hundred
meteors per hour including fireballs that cast shadows like a full moon and
gave off  ghostly-sounding radio echoes.  It's all chronicled in our Geminid
Gallery:
http://spaceweather.com/meteors/gallery_14dec07_page4.htm


            --... ...--  ..-. .-. .- -. -.-   -. ---.. ..- ...- ..


       Proper, Pre-Planning, Prevents, Pathetically, Poor, Performance.









       Checkout My Place on the Web @ http://www.qsl.net/n8uvi

From frank at mountcalvarygreenville.org  Fri Dec 21 06:43:32 2007
From: frank at mountcalvarygreenville.org (FSK)
Date: Fri Dec 21 06:47:08 2007
Subject: [MIham] Ursid Meteors, possible outburst this weekend
Message-ID: <006601c843c6$bab663c0$66010f97@labn02xl6ms9ts>

Space Weather News for Dec. 20, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

URSID METEORS:  Earth is heading for a stream of comet dust that could
produce a pleasing outburst of "shooting stars" this weekend.  Forecasters
say dozens of meteors per hour could emerge from a spot in the sky near the
North Star (Polaris) when Earth encounters the dust on Saturday evening,
Dec. 22nd. These meteors are called "Ursids" after Ursa Minor, the
constellation where the North Star is located.  If forecasting models are
correct, the shower's peak will occur between 2100 and 2200 UT (4-5 pm EST)
with meteors visible as much as four hours before and after that time.

The source of the dust is Comet 8P/Tuttle, which is traveling through the
inner solar system this month and next. The comet itself can be seen through
binoculars not far from the radiant of the shower.  This gives sky watchers
a rare opportunity to see a comet and its meteors in the same observing
session.

Ursid meteors, which appear in small numbers annually, have a reputation for
faintness and delicacy.  Dark skies are usually required to see them; bright
moonlight on Dec. 22nd will only exacerbate the problem of visibility.
However, say forecasters, during an outburst of Ursids there may be a fair
number of bright meteors.  No one knows what will happen--all the more
reason to look!

Visit http://spaceweather.com for sky maps and more information.
            --... ...--  ..-. .-. .- -. -.-   -. ---.. ..- ...- ..


       Proper, Pre-Planning, Prevents, Pathetically, Poor, Performance.









       Checkout My Place on the Web @ http://www.qsl.net/n8uvi

From frank at mountcalvarygreenville.org  Sat Dec 29 22:12:00 2007
From: frank at mountcalvarygreenville.org (FSK)
Date: Sat Dec 29 22:16:38 2007
Subject: [MIham] New Year's Comet
Message-ID: <000e01c84a91$c027b440$66010f97@labn02xl6ms9ts>

Space Weather News for Dec. 29, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

After a 13.6 year absence, Comet 8P/Tuttle is once again traveling through
the inner solar system. On Jan. 1 and 2, 2008, it makes its closest approach
to Earth--only 24 million miles away. The emerald-colored comet will
brighten to a predicted magnitude of 5.8, visible to the unaided eye from
dark-sky sites and a fine target for backyard telescopes anywhere.

Two nights before closest approach, on Dec. 30th and 31st, something
extraordinary will happen: Comet 8P/Tuttle has a beautiful close encounter
with spiral galaxy M33. The comet and the galaxy may even overlap!  This is
a can't-miss opportunity for astrophotographers around the world.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for sky maps, photos and more information.

            --... ...--  ..-. .-. .- -. -.-   -. ---.. ..- ...- ..


       Proper, Pre-Planning, Prevents, Pathetically, Poor, Performance.









       Checkout My Place on the Web @ http://www.qsl.net/n8uvi

From frank at mountcalvarygreenville.org  Mon Dec 31 13:39:22 2007
From: frank at mountcalvarygreenville.org (FSK)
Date: Mon Dec 31 14:13:44 2007
Subject: [MIham] Solar Activity Alert
Message-ID: <003a01c84be0$a90f0330$66010f97@labn02xl6ms9ts>

Space Weather News for Dec. 31, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR ACTIVITY: The New Year could begin with a bang--or rather a solar
flare.  A sunspot hidden just behind the sun's eastern limb has unleashed
two X-ray flares and a bright CME (coronal mass ejection) in the past 24
hours.  This activity could signal the return of large sunspot 978, which
has spent the last two weeks transiting the far side of the sun.  Today or
tomorrow, the sun's rotation should carry the active region over the limb
and into view from Earth; then we can evaluate its potential for more flares
and CMEs.  Visit http://spaceweather.com for images and updates.

HEAVENLY MEETING: Last night, emerald Comet 8P/Tuttle glided by spiral
galaxy M33 producing a heavenly scene for astrophotographers around the
world.  Dozens of photos may be found in Spaceweather's Comet Tuttle
gallery: http://spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_tuttle_page4.htm

            --... ...--  ..-. .-. .- -. -.-   -. ---.. ..- ...- ..


       Proper, Pre-Planning, Prevents, Pathetically, Poor, Performance.









       Checkout My Place on the Web @ http://www.qsl.net/n8uvi

