Monday, September 23, 2019

Round Two, 2019 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest; Our I-70 uW Odyssey

Once again, rainy weather threatened to dampen our plans for the second weekend of the 2019 ARRL 10 GHz and up contest.  By daybreak on Saturday, September 21, Herbert AF4JF, Harry WA0CNS and Ron KO0Z decided to "risk the elements" and to go for broke.

By 9:30 am, KO0Z was QRV from Eagle Roost scenic lookout at Pere Marquette State Park, EM48rx near Grafton, IL and Herbert AF4JF and Harry WA0CNS were QRV from western St. Louis county EM48sr.  This scenic overlook offers of a 120 degree, unobstructed, panorama which covers western St. Louis county, MO, half of Calhoun county, IL, all of St. Charles county, MO and most of the adjoining western, Missouri counties.

Our contest strategy involves one station to be stationary in a high location and the other ops to employ a "shoot and scoot" by ten miles from the last location.  Hence, the I-70 uW Odyssey as part of this blog's title.

We made contacts from every spot.  Eagle Roost is an excellent location.  Rainscatter played a significant role in the contest by extending our range.  From Eagles Roost, my unobstructed view extended to 265 degrees.  However, Harry and Herbert were able to go to sites 270 degrees and still work me due to passing T-storms and rainscatter!

We are including a few photos from our odyssey here, but for a more detailed description and photos please visit the BARS Blog site:   http://bi-state-amateur-radio-society.blogspot.com/  Herbert has an excellent narrative on the site:  http://bi-state-amateur-radio-society.blogspot.com/2019/09/arrl-10ghz-and-up-part-2-by-herbert.html

73, Ron KO0Z, Herbert AF4JF and Harry WA0CNS

                               
                       KO0Z QRV on 3 cm at Eagles Roost, EM48rx, Pere Marquette State Park, IL


     
                                                               KO0Z's 3 cm rig


                   


         The T-storm to my west threatened rain, but it did provide good rainscatter propagation.


                            Harry WA0CNS & Herbert AF4JF at one of the I-70 sites.


RadarScope screenshot of some of Saturday's T-storms.  The park is north of St. Charles, MO and west of Godfrey, IL



The WB9PNU 3 cm beacon as heard at Eagles Roost on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019

No comments:

Post a Comment