My Microwave Activity

I wasn't very active since my last posting on this blog ... in fact, I wasn't active at all. Only made several dozens of QSOs on 160m during winter months. My job keeps me busy and often out of town for weeks without end.

Looks like this is about to change soon. I should be able to return to my hobby and work on all my delayed ham radio projects (along with house maintenance, of course). Here are some of them:

• 24GHz transverter
• New 10GHz station with 3ft antenna and TWT amplifier
• Beacon for 23cm

I have obtained two TWT amplifiers. One for my home QTH, another for my portable station. Pictures will be here on my blog site soon.

73 Herbert

MAD (Microwave Activity Day) on 7/6/2013

The SLAMS group participated on another Microwave Activity Day (MAD) on Saturday July 6th, 2013. I went to my usual location, YMCA parking lot in EM48sq, together with Mel K0PFX and Armand, KD0PXF:

I was set up for 10GHz (dish on the left side), 23cm and 70cm - mostly because this was a first test on few 15el. Comet antenna. It worked well and, even better, this antenna is easy to assemble/disassemble in field. I am going to replace my 12el. Cushcraft with this one and use the Cushcraft at my house for Packet Radio 9600Bd.

Detail of my 23cm gear laid out on a table:

I have experienced the same problem with my transverter - it was overheated even when taken out of the car! Direct sunshine  is able to heat the box to high enough temperature to trip the PA thermal protection. I will have to do something about that before next contest ...

73!

2013 ARRL JUNE VHF QSO PARTY

Once again did some of the SLAMS members participate on a VHF+ contest. I have set up equipment for 144/432/1296/10368GHz in my usual location at YMCA in Westport, EM48sq.

The location actually is identified by following Maidenhead grid designator (according to my GPS): 

EM48SQ58AX

It was one of the hot days, so common in St. Louis. Temperature only 85F, but direct sunshine. I was quite dehydrated in the evening. Even my 23cm transverter didn't like the sunshine and started tripping the temperature protection on me. Covering the box with newspaper fixed the problem, but it gives everybody an idea how hot the day was.

Best achievement for me today was ~200 miles QSO on 432MHz with Zack W9SZ using my 11el. portable Yagi and <5W of RF output from my FT817. I have also worked Zack on 144 and 1296MHz today, but not on 10368MHz.

my usual setup

antennas "from behind"

another view of my setup

That "eggbeater" worked fine

even on my 200 miles QSO

with W9SZ on 144MHz.

This contest always "opens the season". I will post some more pictures from future contests here as usual.

73 Herbert

AF4JF

ARRL VHF Contest

I have spent several hours making QSOs in the ARRL VHF Contest today. Chosen location for this was Winfield, MO in EM49 once again. I went there to test this new location on 23cm and for another attempt on 10GHz with Garth W0GR. There were several attempts made during last two weeks, see my other posting here. There even was a successful attempt earlier this week, described in my posting here.

EM49pa

I have heard Garth on 10368.1 MHz about S2-3 in the morning, right at the sunrise in my location. My dish antenna was pointing 5deg. up. Generally, Garth's signal was much weaker than during our last successful attempt earlier this week. Neither Garth nor myself have copied the WB9PNU/B beacon on 10GHz this morning. We didn't make full 2-way QSO today.

Pointing 270deg. towards W0GR

Garth didn't copy my signal on 10GHz this morning. However, we managed to work each other on 144MHz, 432MHz and 1296MHz with solid copy on each band. 

Eggbeater for 144 and Yagi for 1296 and 432MHz

I have also worked John WB9PNU from his home in EM48tm on 144, 432 and 1296MHz and Jim N5MU who was testing another promising portable location in St. Peters area, EM48qr on 144 and 1296MHz.

Pointing  432/1296MHz at John/Jim in EM48

Overall, a successful test, even without complete 10GHz QSO with W0GR. It's nearly 200 miles to his location and we managed full 2-way contact on 1296MHz, after all.

Included below are pictures from the nearby River Dam and Lock in Winfield.

I will certainly return to this beautiful location, either for more HAM QSOs or just to enjoy the view of the huge Mississippi River!

73 Herbert

AF4JF

ARRL VHF and SPRINT Microwave Contests

I will be QRV on 144-432-1296 and 10368 from EM49pa in the ARRL VHF Contest this coming Sunday 09/09 between 6:30am - approx. 10:00am.

Going to a series of business trips after that. However, I should be in St. Louis for last weekend of September.

I expect to attend SPRINT Microwave contest on Saturday 09/29 from EM48 and EM49 as a ROVER, using 1296 and 10368 only. My intention is to MOVE around EM49 in order to find good new location and also make at least one QSO from EM48 to qualify for the ROVER category.

That will be the end of my microwave activities this year. Not even a MAD activity until February. Might be able to attend SLAMS breakfast on Sunday, 12/02.

Looking forward for QSOs with you!

73 Herbert

AF4JF

MAD Activity on September 1st and 2nd

Update: Report from this MAD Activity (09/01 and 02)  here, more here.
--------

Next MAD Activity is planned for Saturday, September 1st.

I will be at YMCA in EM48sq. Planning to be ready for 10GHz at 6:00am. I might set up 1296MHz later in the morning, assuming there will be stations to work.

Will try to have 144.260MHz with me. Calls on my cellphone will be OK.

73 Herbert

ARRL UHF Contest

I have decided to attend the ARRL UHF Contest on August 4-5, 2012. However, my own body didn't accept my own mind's decision and went on agenda of its own - I have developed a bad case of virus-based summer illness. Thanks to that, my Saturday plans went to the range of SCI-FI (I have planned to install my 55el. 23cm looper on my house) and I have spent the day mostly in bed.

Sunday didn't start bad. I was able to wake up pretty early and get to my usual hilltop at YMCA in EM48sq. I have packed everything up, checked Rain Scatter conditions, read last email from Zack W9SZ who agreed to continue in our usual game of trying for 10GHz QSO between EN50rl and EM48sq and went to the hilltop.

This was the first time for my new 70cm Cushcraft antenna and new cable for my 23cm Comet. The "LMR400" cable with "N" connectors replaced my old "RG213" with "UHF" connectors which is used to feed my new 70cm antenna now. See following pictures:

Everything actually looked pretty good, except of the mess on the little folding table. This is mostly for my 35W PA for 1296MHz which needs 24V. I didn't have time to make new wiring for second 12V battery, so the only option for today was a power inverter and switched power supply for the PA. I promise to finish all that until next contest.

I have flipped the switch and immediately got hit with a booming sound - N2BJ from EN61 was "full scale" (that's a gross understatement) along with several other stations on 432MHz SSB/CW. I have worked some when Jim N5MU arrived. He worked some of them too. I have originally intended to use the 70cm radio only to contact Zack W9SZ before trying for 10GHz, so I didn't bother to bring a PA. I have only run 432MHz with 5W from my FT817 IF radio today.

W9ZIH was skeptic about trying for 23cm, so I didn't ask for it. However, his 70cm signal kept growing and when he agreed to try 1296MHz with WB9PNU, I have "cut in" and called him first. Perfect QSO, my first with W9ZIH on 23cm CW! We kept listening to Ron and I have asked to try on 10GHz when other stations stopped calling him.

I have copied W9ZIH on 10368.101 MHz immediately, but weak. Discovered quickly that his signal is coming from "above", but aiming my dish 15degrees up fixed that. I also discovered that it is coming right through a nearby tree:

It took about 20 minutes to complete the 10GHz QSO, but it is done. My grid #5 for VUCC on 10GHz from this location!

Ron played the 10GHz WB9PNU/B beacon back to us on 70cm, full S9 at his place, 237 miles away! We have called other SLAMS members to try, but when Ron KO0Z tried 23cm with Ron W9ZIH, the good propagation was gone, so they never got to trying 10GHz.

I haven't heard from Zack, W9SZ before I left the hill. Called Ron KO0Z from home once more and learned that Zack was on the air with him, but I was at home already. Well, we will make our 10GHz contact next time, some other day ...

I have also worked Ron KO0Z on 220MHz from home, but that's another story.

73 Herbert

23 cm Beacon for St. Louis

I have returned to my delayed project of a 23cm beacon for St. Louis. It will be running 10W to 4x "wheel" antenna (by WA5VJB) on 1296.350 MHz and will be located in EM48ss next to the WB9PNU beacon for 3cm.

Here is a picture of the oscillator unit in a small box. The circuit board (by W6PQL) has an oscillator on one side and temperature-controlled oven on the other. This small box will be enclosed in Styrofoam inside bigger box:

Some pictures of the antenna:

I will update this posting with more details and pictures as soon as I have something new to share. It might take some time, but the goal here is to have the beacon operational by the end of this year (2012).

MAD activity on a Hot 100F Day 07/07

We have tried to participate on MAD (stands for "Microwave Activity Day") activity today.
I have met with Jim N5MU at the YMCA parking lot in EM48sq again. Today's goals were:

• work W9SZ on 10GHz in EN50rl ... didn't happen
• work NG9R on 144/1296MHz in EN40na .. achieved
• test "Eggbeater" antenna on 144MHz liaison frequency SSB ... worked well
• test my "new" 30W/1296MHz amplifier ... worked very well

Would you believe that it takes almost half an hour to set up all this equipment?

AF4JF equipment for 144/1296/10368MHz used today

I have obtained a 23cm PA from KM5PO (on eBay) long time ago. It works very well, but requires 24V for the power FET and 16V for transfer relay. I have used a power inverter to generate these voltages from my 12V battery.

The 23cm PA, SBMS concept with Infineon PTF10021 FET, is the box with huge heatsink in the middle. The gray diecast box on its left is my 23cm DEMI transverter. Power inverter is on its right. You can also see two power supplies (24V and 16V) in the front of the picture, next the the Diamond SWR meter:

AF4JF gear

Detail on the 23cm PA and the MFJ Power Booster

12V Deep Cycle Marine Battery

(see Power Poles for the Booster and Clamps for Power Inverter)

Overall, a successful day. I will try to consolidate all that 23cm gear into one nice compact box with one power connector. Well, maybe two, but not 4 ... Some day.

73 de AF4JF

EM48sq

MAD activity on July 7

Next MAD will be held on Saturday 07/07.

Time to start making plans. I intend to be at YMCA (EM48sq) with my 10GHz as usual. I intend to bring a laptop and try to monitor the 10GHz band on its screen. This should detect even weaker signals that can't be heard by human ears.

I also intend to test a portable PA for 23cm (approx. 20W). Furthermore, I will also bring an omnidirectional antenna for 144MHz ("eggbeater") for liaison frequency of 144.260MHz.

MAD on June 2nd again

We have achieved some progress with 10GHz transverters, worked KO0Z (EM59bc) over 42.6 miles (68.5km) CW and SSB with full scale signals on all 3 stations. We have also worked W9SZ (EN50rl) on 1296MHz CW over 160.5 miles (258.2km). See pictures below. I have identified couple of issues to be improved before next contest, but overall this MAD was very successful.

MAD activity on June 2nd, 2012

Once again, several members of the SLAMS group from St. Louis will show some "radio-activity" and try to make contacts on microwave frequencies. I will be at the YMCA parking lot in Westport, EM48sq as usual. QRV on 1296MHz and 10368MHz CW/SSB.

Liaison frequency 144.260 SSB. This is not a contest, so cellular phone calls will be accepted.

SPRINT Microwave Contest May 5, 2012

Once again have SLAMS members participated on a microwave contest from the YMCA parking lot in the St. Louis West County, EM48sq with 1296MHz and 10368MHz equipment. Weather was very hot even early in the morning, got myself a sunburn as usual. Mel K0PFX and Jim KK0JIM shared the heat with me. I installed my 10GHz and 1296MHz stations, Mel has brought a 10GHz station too.

Jim and Mel aiming antennas

Mel and Herbert (sitting) listening to 10GHz

Nice view towards NW