Today's Panama Canal transit was problem free with the exception of a short but intense thunderstorm with such short delay between the flashes and booms that some of the Roadrunner cartoons came to mind. Some passes were missed because of rain, but otherwise going through the Canal was a great experience. And to think I get paid for it!

On air grids today were FJ09 and FJ08. Tomorrow we turn west and head for the western Pacific with Saipan (KHØ) / QK25 scheduled as the destination. We'll be going by "great circle" which is the shortest route although it looks like it's curved when viewed on a common "Mercator" map. Our route tomorrow should take us through EJ96, EJ97, and later into EJ87. The midday AO-91 pass at about 19/1639Z is a possibility when we might still be in EJ96, but I'm not sure I can make it. Late afternoon and early evening XW-2A/D/F and RS-44/CW passes should find me on from EJ97 and EJ87. Op freqs on the linear sats should be around 5 kHz from their center freqs. 73/Jim, ND9M