The final countdown is at hand for the 2019 Irving Hamfest—click here for the latest, updated flyer. Sign up to help by using the “contact us” form here on the site. The hamfest will be taking place one week from today—March 2nd, 2019—from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Betcha Bingo hall in Irving. Help with set-up, take-down, and security will be needed.

There are also a few contests this weekend. There are QSO parties in both North and South Carolina, as well as the CQ WW 160-meter SSB Contest, for folks with big ambitions on the top band.

If you have time to get on the air and catch a rare one, Antarctic Activity Week runs through Sunday. I missed out on hearing about this event when it started, but I’ll be doing my best this weekend.

Our next club meeting, on Tuesday, March 5th, will focus on the most popular of all radio antennas, the dipole. Jim Eatman, KG5WAW, will discuss the electrical characteristics of dipoles and how to use them effectively.

In news from the world of ham radio:

The ARRL reports that Steven Lott Smith, KG5VK, will be our next section manager for North Texas.

They ARRL has also updated its strategic plan for ARES to focus on additional, updated training requirements and continue support for the National Traffic System.

In news from the world of science:

A giant bee, feared extinct since 1981, has been found again. Not only can it sting you…but it also has pretty fearsome jaws. Very little is known about the bee, Megachile pluto, so far.

It turns out that it’s not just human students who cheat on tests. Grasses have recently been shown to steal stretches of DNA from their neighbors.

A complete DNA sequence, and accompanying analysis, has been completed for the great white shark. To a geneticist, sharks are more than just teeth; they’re uniquely cancer-resistant animals. Comparison of the genetic structure of the great white with other species such as whale sharks and humans may lead to new prevention techniques for cancer and other illnesses.

And don’t forget, data from New Horizons, including sharper images of Ultima Thule, continues to trickle in.