The microwave season is back. I will attend several ham radio contests as usual. Also try to make some microwave contacts outside of contests. Note that for ham radio purposes, "microwaves" are all legal ham radio bands from 900 MHz up in frequency.
We have tried for TROPO propagation on 10 GHz between St. Peters (MO) EM48qs and Ft. Wayne (IN) EM70jt this morning at 7:00am CDT. Me (Herbert) AF4JF on one site and Gedas W8BYA on the other. About 335 miles (539 km). We didn't make a radio contact. It was too late in the day, the Sun was too high. It was also too early in the season. We will keep trying as long as needed.
I am set up for all ham radio microwave bands except 76 and 240 GHz now. Currently obtained new 2.4 GHz station from SG Lab in Bulgaria (click for details). Most of my activities this year will be carried out from the location I used today. It's a St. Charles County Park called College Meadows (click for details). This park opens at 7:00am and closes 30 min after sunset, but the gate stays open. The rangers and police from nearby college campus tolerate visitors when it's not dark. I have been walking my dog there as soon as 5:30 am. However, we do not want to wear out our welcome there, so activities in the dark without permission are out of question.
Several pictures attached:
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| View in direction of 60 deg. (NE) |
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| My dog Darcey watching the equipment |
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| My 10 GHz station set up |
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| My car in the parking lot (empty this early in the day) |
