Couple of us have had a "crazy" idea to participate on MAD activity at hottest time of the year. Temperature on the parking lot at YMCA in St. Louis West County reached 100F around 8:00am today ...
Jim N5MU and Herbert AF4JF met at YMCA in EM48sq to work John WB9PNU from his home in EM48tm, Zack W9SZ on his favorite hilltop in EN50rl and our new member Danny NG9R on a hilltop in EN40na.
No QSO on 10GHz from YMCA today. However, we have tested an "Eggbeater" for 144MHz and 30W PA for 23cm (both AF4JF). Signal strength was good enough for SSB QSOs on 144 and 1296MHz.
Following pictures document view in various directions from the YMCA parking lot:
North (towards NG9R)
North-East (towards W9SZ, KO0Z)
South (towards WB9PNU)
South-West (towards WA0CNS, N0IS)
West (towards AF4JF, N5MU homes)
We have had a good time, although the temperature really was a little bit "too high". Even our radios were not exactly on frequency as usual and the 10GHz beacon was 10kHz higher than normally thanks to temperature in the beacon enclosure exceeding the Xtal cutoff frequency. Let's hope for little nicer weather with some thunderstorms to allow RainScatter QSOs with W9SZ on 10GHz next time!
73 Herbert
AF4JF
Great job you guys! I thought about joining you this morning, but I opted out because of some eye issues and the heat. Kudos to all of you tried and true UHF/Microwavers to brave this heat. Well done, well done indeed! Tnx for the photos and the post Herbert!
ReplyDeleteRon I also had an eye problem this morning.
ReplyDeleteI could not SEE myself getting out in 100 degree + heat.
Jim N0OBG
Well, I wasn't all that sure about doing anything outdoors myself this morning .. It felt like exceptionally bad idea even at 6:00am while I was loading all that gear into my minivan. However, I can be really stubborn sometimes, so I managed to go :-)
ReplyDelete