The next club meeting on September 3rd, 2019, will be the annual show and tell night! Bring something cool to talk about. It doesn’t have to be unique, and you don’t have to talk for long—you just need to enjoy what you’re sharing. I’ve got a new project in the works…but you can bring something old or new, as long as it’s something you enjoy.

Also, we’ll have a special visitor: John Robert Stratton, N5AUS, the current West Gulf Division Director, will be visiting our meeting. He was appointed to fill out an unexpired term, and now he’s running for his own full term on the ARRL board. He’ll be visiting the meeting to speak to us and answer any questions that we have.

Remember, if you’re available, you should sign up to help at Lifewalk on Oct. 6th, 2019. This is an easy event to get started at, or a fun chance to see your friends and keep up your public service skills.

The contest calendar has several exciting entries this week, including the Hiram Percy Maxim 150th birthday celebration and the WW Digi DX, the first contest dedicated to FT-8 and FT-4. There are also QSO parties in Colorado and Tennessee.

In news from the world of ham radio:

Bob, KF5HGU, brought me this story of an amateur stuck out in the Big Bend using an amateur satellite to call for help. It’s always good to have ways to get your message through—and we should all be ready to stop playing and help another amateur out when they need us.

The Hurricane Watch Net might be active by the time you read this. Keep your eye on their website for news.

The French proposal to share the 2-meter amateur band with aircraft has been officially withdrawn! Do not propose this again, or else we will taunt you a second time.

In news from the world of science:

For most of our history, humans and our relatives have been pretty rare animals. There are hardly any fossils of us, and most of them are just a few teeth. Scientists have found most of a skull for a hominid known as Australopithecus anamensis, and it’s confusing and fascinating.

The “telescope that ate astronomy,” the James Webb Space Telescope, has finally been assembled into one piece. Of course, the electronics aren’t hooked up and who knows if it will ever fly…but maybe, just maybe, we’re a step closer.

NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, a cost-effective and amazingly effective instrument, has turned 16, and NASA has released a collection of its best photos in celebration. Because of increasing communication and power difficulties, the telescope is scheduled to be shut down in January of 2020. Let’s enjoy all that its accomplished.

Oh, and if you’ve seen this Twitter video going around, it’s a raven. Rabbits don’t have nicitating membranes.