In partial preparation for June Microwave Activity Day, Debbie, KC9ULA, Roman and myself camped out at Lake Gillespie Friday night so that I would be less than 3 miles away from my microwave site just west of Gillespie on IL Route 16. Saturday dawned with somewhat cool temperatures, but I still made it out to the site, warmed up the 10 MHz oscillator and I was ready to operate by 7:00 am! Herbert and I tried around 7:30 am but no luck between EM59bc and EM48sq. H, told me that Zack would arrive at EN50rl in about 45 minutes so I read while I waited. Before too long it started to drizzle at my site, so I turned the dish back towards St. Louis and I was no able to hear WB9PNU's beacon at S-9! I called up Mel, K0PFX and told them to turn their beams towards me for the path just may be open! Soon, Mel, K0PFX was in the log as was Jim, N0OBG, Jim, N5MU, and Herbert, AF4JF! These ops were roaring in on CW! I next tried Mel on USB and he told me that it sounded like I was overdriving my signal a bit, but we worked as did both Jims on SSB. This was a 42.5 mile path today! Unfortunately I wasn't able to put Zack W9SZ in the log today. We tried but no luck. Zack told me over the phone that earlier in the morning it may have been possible for he was hearing the 1.2 and 2.4 Chicago beacons, but around 10:00 am there were gone. Next time Zack!
All in all this was a very rewarding and fun third MAD for me! The first picture is where KC9ULA and I camped near Lake Gillespie in EM59. The next picture is of the old AT&T microwave relay site at EM49bc, the third picture is of my van and 10 GHz rig. Zack's heading to EN50rl is just to left of the tower. The final picture is the path towards EM48sq!
Your signal went up from zero in the morning to S9 during our QSOs. It was right after the weather cleared up in St. Louis. Tempetature was rising in full sunshine, which probably created the tropo situation that helped us so nicely.
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