Friday, March 4, 2011

'Glory' Observatory Satellite Failed to Separate

Houston, VAFB had a problem........
Yes indeed, a Big problem this morning.

The launch of three Amateur Radio satellites on a Taurus XL rocket has ended in failure.

The satellites were launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 10:09:45 UT Friday, March 4 on an Orbital Sciences Taurus XL rocket.

The rocket's fairing, the part of the rocket which covers the satellite on top of the launcher, did not separate properly so the Taurus XL did not have enough velocity to enter orbit.

The rocket is believed to have crashed near the Antarctic; the Amateur Radio satellites Explorer-1, KySat-1 and Hermes were all lost.

Watch Glory Launched, but Separation Failed / Orbital Sciences Taurus Rocket

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Articles of Interest and Contest Opportunities.

Lots going on this week. Myself I have more things going on than I care for.
Let's hope next week is better.
Have a great weekend.

Articles of Interest
No HF Frequencies Being Used in New Zealand Earthquake Operations

Amateur MF Allocation Moves a Step Closer

Ham Radio Is More Than a Hobby For NMARES Club (Washington)

GOP Targets Public Radio, Amateur Radio, and PBS

The FCC hunts down a Los Angeles pirate

Oceanside adopts ham radio ordinance (California)

Propagation Reports
Solar Report 1415 04 Mar 2011

Forecast Space Weather 1415 04 Mar 2011

Sunspots 1415 04 Mar 2011

This Weekends Contest
QRP Fox HuntMar 4
NCCC SprintMar 4
ARRL Inter. DX Contest, SSBMar 5-6
Wake-Up! QRP SprintMar 5
Open Ukraine RTTY ChampionshipMar 5-6
DARC 10-Meter Digital ContestMar 6
RSGB 80m Club Championship, DataMar 7
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My Stamp Collecting Blog

My Stamp Collecting Blog

Counter Added January 1, 2011

free counters

HOW TO READ PROPAGATION NUMBERS

The A index [ LOW is GOOD ]

  • 1 to 6 is BEST
  • 7 to 9 is OK
  • 11 or more is BAD

Represents the overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Ap" if averaged from the Kp-Index) (an average of the eight 3-hour K-Indices) ('A' referring to amplitude) over a given 24 hour period, ranging (linearly) typically from 1-100 but theoretically up to 400.

A lower A-Index generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; a low & steady Ap-Index generally suggest good propagation on the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

SFI index [ HIGH is GOOD ]

  • 70 NOT GOOD
  • 80 GOOD
  • 90 BETTER
  • 100+ BEST

The measure of total radio emissions from the sun at 10.7cm (2800 MHz), on a scale of 60 (no sunspots) to 300, generally corresponding to the sunspot level, but being too low in energy to cause ionization, not related to the ionization level of the Ionosphere.

Higher Solar Flux generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; Solar Flux rarely affects the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

K index [ LOW is GOOD ]

  • 0 or 1 is BEST
  • 2 is OK
  • 3 or more is BAD
  • 5 is VERY VERY BAD

The overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Kp" if averaged over the planet) over the past 3 hours, measured by 13 magnetometers between 46 & 63 degrees of latitude, and ranging quasi-logarithmically from 0-9. Designed to detect solar particle radiation by its magnetic effect. A higher K-index generally means worse HF conditions.

A lower K-Index generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; a low & steady Kp-Index generally suggest good propagation on the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

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