Category - Blog

Jupiter’s moon Io is the most volcanically active world in the Solar System. It has hundreds of volcanoes and volcanic activity 25 times that of Earth. However, according to NASA and European Space Agency researchers, the concentrations of volcanic activity are significantly displaced from where they are expected to be based on models that predict how the moon’s interior is heated.

Observations made by NASA’s New Horizon project in 2007 had the vantage point of capturing the giant plume from Io’s Tvashtar volcano. The debris were ejected to 330 km (250 miles) above the surface of the moon.

Masubi and Zal erupted alongside Tvashtar, ejecting three plumes high above. Loki, a virtual lake of lava and Boosaule Mons, which at 18 km (11 miles) is the highest mountain on Io and one of the highest mountains in the solar system can all be seen together in the five images captured by LORRI (Long Range Reconnaissance Imager) on the New Horizons spacecraft.

Click here to see You Tube clips of eruption.

Spoke with Dindo DX8DX (DV1UD) this morning after a successful trip to OC-174 and OC-225.

Logs are now received and Qsl requests being processed. Log check requests here please http://www.m0oxo.com/contact-m0oxo.html

Photographs were also received this morning so design of Qsl cards now taking place and I hope to have them withing 3-4 weeks of hitting the print process. Some images can be seen here

http://www.m0oxo.com/dx8dx/oc-174.html

http://www.m0oxo.com/dx8dx/oc-225.html

Dindo thanks all of the stations who called him, whether in the log or not. It was an amazing experience and the pile ups enormous. Well done Dindo on your first DX pile ups, incredible job!

Qsl via M0OXO OQRS click here

This month communication between Mars and Earth may be disrupted due to a planetary arrangement called Mars solar conjunction, where Mars will be passing almost directly behind the sun from Earth’s perspective. Mars solar conjunction happens once about every 26 months, and not every conjunction is the same. They vary because of the changing sun’s activity and also in terms of how close to directly behind the sun Mars gets.

In period from April 9 to 26th April, 2013 transmissions from Earth to the orbiters will be suspended while Mars and the sun are two degrees or less apart in the sky. This year the sun is in its more active period and the apparent angle between Mars and sun will slim to 0.4 degree on 17th April, 2013.

This is the sixth conjunction for NASA’s Mars Odyssey, so mission managers have plenty of useful experience dealing with them, though each conjunction is a little different. This time, Curiosity is also at Mars surface. Torsten Zorn of JPL, conjunction planning leader for Curiosity’s engineering operations team, said that they plan to maintain visibility of rover status – Curiosity will be sending daily beeps directly to Earth, and their second line of visibility is in the Odyssey relays.

Dindo DX8DX began tx’in from Taganak Island (Turtle Island Group) IOTA OC-225 yesterday afternoon (12th).

There were some postings suggesting a Pirate operation at one point but as we have no contact with Dindo, we cannot confirm this until logs are received. I will post on the below web page when the logs is received.

This is the rarest of the two groups and demand high. I expect activity 12th & 13th, after that we are not sure.

http://www.m0oxo.com/dx8dx.html

Good luck to all !!

Images show an updated image of a pair of Sunspots forming in the southeast quadrant.

The magnetic image confirms that they are two independent regions.

These spots are forming near the remnants of old Sunspot 1703 from the previous rotation (tnx Solardata.com)

“We made it to Baker Island on at 0600z and promptly went to sleep. We were awfully worn from the travel!” said a relaxed and tanned Menton. “Upon waking, we began setup of the operating tent and vertical bases. I was finalizing the setup of the Elecraft K3 in the third operating position when O’mally came in from the sweltering sun. He’d been pounding in the bases for the 20m four square vertical array with a huge mallet and was simply drenched in sweat!” recalls Menton.

“I was worried O’mally was going to pass out from heat stoke. He’s such a prideful man and I couldn’t get him to take a break,” said Menton with concern on his face.

“Menton was all worked up, telling me I was gonna die out there in that sun!” said a chuckling O’mally. “He kept pleading and begging me to take a break!”

Finally Menton coerced O’malley into taking a short rest. “I’ll tell ya what,” said Menton. “Why don’t we both sit down and have a beer together. I don’t think you’ve ever turned down a beer!”

Menton and O’malley both laughed heartily as they looked at each when telling the story of their island adventure. “After that first beer, things started to get blurry,” said a hesitant Menton. “The one beer turned into a couple dozen. And that couple dozen beers brought about a few liters of rum and, well… by the time we knew it, we were scheduled to depart the island! We just got so caught up in the gorgeous weather, sandy beaches and good times that we kinda forgot about the whole radio thing.”

The Boxley Valley DX Club admits they have some regrets about not ever setting up a complete ham station or making a single QSO, but noted that they all had a “really great time” and “thoroughly appreciate all the sponsors who helped make it happen.” They said they were already planning their next DXpedition, but would “probably bring less beer… though not much less.”

Thanks to Andy K5PO for the story.

A moderate solar flare measuring M2.2 erupted on 5th April. The event peaked at 17:48 UTC. 

The source of this solar flare appears to be old Region 1695 located near the northeast limb. This region is just coming into Earth view. Earth side of the Sun was relatively calm for the last couple of days. The largest solar event yesterday was a C1 flare observed at 09:57 UTC from Region 1713.

NOAA SWPC forecasters estimated 10% chance for M-class event and 01% chance for an X-class event today.

(Image shows Solar Loop).

How many of you know about the DX Code of Conduct?

Have a look at the topics below click to read more on the selected topic and look at this link too http://www.m0oxo.com/dxcode-of-conduct.html, its definately worth a read. After all, its about your hobby!