ARRL 10GHz And Up Contest in September 2023 as seen by AF4JF - part 2

We have written several postings about this year ARRL 10GHz And Up contests non this blog site. I have published a video recording in my previous posting here (click to open) with a request for you to estimate how big a distance was covered by that nice FM QSO. I have received several email guesses, nobody posted a Comment here on the blog, so I am going to say it here. This video shows a 10GHz Rain Scatter QSO that spanned 299km between Greg WQ0P in EM19wf and Ron KO0Z in EM38pw. Once again:

This was not the first video that I have recorded that day (September 16, 2023). I have worked Harry WA0CNS from EM48qs while he was at his usual location in EM48rl. The distance is just 33km, but the signal usually is not strong enough for SSB for there are hills between us. We made it on SSB this time, but the next video recording shows just the lining up phase of the QSO (I did not have enough hands to operate my station and record it):

I have one more recording from that day (September 16, 2023). It demonstrates how strong our 10GHz beacon (WB9PNU/B) located in EM48ss was at my location in EM48qs that morning, about 15km away. We usually do not hear the beacon there at all, for there is a ridge between the locations:

Last recording is from the first leg of the SPRINT Microwave contest on Saturday May 6, 2023 in Hannibal. Location is Lovers Leap in EM49hq, the beacon in EM48ss is 129km away. As you can see on the recording, I am pointing to a tree and our beacon comes through Rain Scatter:

Let me finish this posting with a picture - one that shows how beautiful the place above Hannibal where we usually go in EM49hq really is. This is from August 19, 2023, first leg of the ARRL 10GHz And Up contest:

Lovers Leap, EM49hq

ARRL VHF Contest June 2023

One year had passed, and the SLAMS team was once again gearing up for another ARRL VHF Contest. The calendar read "June 2023" and the thermometer soared past 90F ....

But no, we can't start the story like this, even though it is true. In reality, the preparations began months in advance, and we even conducted a testing event just one week before the VHF contest. Harry WA0NCS built a new station based on the famous SDR Pluto. The design is called "Project Langstone" and Harry used a Raspberry Pi instead of a laptop with Windows to control the unit. Herbert AF4JF got a new set of transverters from a Bulgarian company SG Labs with decent PA units for 902, 1296 and 2304 MHz. Herbert and Harry tested these new units on Saturday, June 3. AF4JF went to Cottleville Community College in EM48qs while Harry was at High Ridge in EM48rl. The distance between these was about 20 miles.

AF4JF with tested antennas for 902, 1296 and 2304 MHz

AF4JF station on a test rack in the back of his car
(looked even worse in real contest one week later 
with more bands added)

Details of AF4JF antennas .. the dish is actually fed
by wideband LPR feed covering 2-11GHz

Everything worked fine, so we made big plans and went to our contest locations. Harry WA0CNS to his usual High Ridge while Herbert AF4JF and Ron KO0Z went to Foley in EM49oa on Saturday June 10 for the first day of the contest.

WA0CNS setting up his station. Note the 50MHz loop.
This is High Ridge EM48rl

Ron KO0Z working on his 1296MHz setup

Herbert AF4JF operated his rover station 
(50-144-222-432-902-1296-2304-3400-5760 and 10368MHz,
dish antennas still in the car)

We have made several QSOs with Harry and some other stations from EM49oa. This is the location of a railroad communications tower on a hilltop, but most of it was covered by foliage. We returned home in the late afternoon, with a plan to continue tomorrow from the "Egyptian Hamfest" that took place in Granite City in EM48wr.

Unfortunately the weather changes. We went from tropical Saturday to cold and wet Sunday. This hamfest typically includes a flea market running in the parking lot, but the weather stopped any attempts at that.

Egyptian Hamfest rainout

After the hamfest, we all headed to our usual lunch spot - Uncle Linny's restaurant in Pontoon Beach. They serve fantastic burgers in sizes of 1lb, 2lbs or 3.75lbs. 

1 lb burger at Uncle Linny's

From here, Ron KO0Z went back to EM48 while Herbert and Harry took a little detour to EM58as (Edwardsville). We did not take any pictures there, just made several QSOs with each other and couple of stations that we found on the bands. Harry remained there to work more stations on 50MHz while Herbert returned to his favorite Community College park in EM48qs to work Ron KO0Z on 10GHz.

AF4JF in EM48qs

Ron set up in nearby grid EM48qr and received a surprise visit by W0MFQ and KB9LLD who live in the area. That was the end of a nice, long event where we activated 5 locations in 3 big grids, got a sunburn and free shower, ate huge burger and had a lot of fun with ham radio.

Halloween Hamfest 2023 No Longer Postponed

 

SPRINT 50MHz Contest 2023

Once again, last time this Spring, did we set up outdoors for a short SPRINT Contest organized by the CSVHFS society (click here for details). The 50MHz contest took place last Saturday evening. From the SLAMS group in Saint Louis, Herbert AF4JF/R operated as a Rover from Winfield EM49pa, Foley EM49oa and Cottleville EM48qs. Harry WA0CNS went to High Ridge EM48rl and Ron KO0Z operated from his home in EM48qs. Several other Saint Louis stations were on the band - KC0PP, KB9LLD, N0MII and others. Unfortunately, there was no propagation enhancement, the "magic band" once again behaved like VHF band and we made local QSOs only. Plenty of fun with that!

AF4JF/R in EM48qs at the Cottleville
Community College

Detail of AF4JF/R mobile antenna
(Tarheel 40-6m on magnetic mount)

Harry WA0CNS with one of his 50MHz loops

Second loop WA0CNS tested

M2 loop for 50MHz used by KO0Z on his house

Huge barge at the Winfield Dam and Lock in EM49pa
as seen by Herbert AF4JF/R on Mississippi River
just before the contest

Everything considered, this was a nice day. Let's hope for more participants in the contest next time!

SPRINT Contest 144MHz - Spring 2023

Herbert AF4JF and Ron KO0Z went to the usual location in Winfield, MO (EM49). Since we both live relatively close in EM48, it was easy for us to activate two grids during the short time this contest gives the participants to do so. AF4JF has started in EM49 while KO0Z started in EM48, so we both worked each other from - to all combinations you can make of the two grids.

The longest QSO (ODX) we made was between AF4JF and Pete K9PW who was in EN52, about 370km away. Note that this was 144MHz.

The SPRINT contest continues with its 222MHz section next week. You can find details here (click).

AF4JF/R at the gas station in Winfield

KO0Z/R arriving at the same gas station

Halloween Hamfest Back On Schedule (no longer Postponed till 2024)

Halloween Hamfest No Longer Postponed

 

ARRL VHF Contest January 2023

Our first VHF contest in 2023, the "January ARRL VHF", just took place today. Weather was nice, almost 50F with plenty of sunshine, so Herbert AF4JF, Harry WA0CNS and Ron KO0Z decided to attend the contest as Rovers while Marshall WD9EXD attended from his contest QTH. We only operated for couple of hours on a few bands, but it was a nice start of the season.

Herbert AF4JF (myself) made 15 QSOs on 144 and 432MHz bands during first 3 hours of the contest and activated 2 grids (EM48 and EM49) as a Rover. Tested new small Yagi antennas (3 el. for 144MHz and 10el. for 432MHz). Much better than the loops I have been using before! I will have them mounted on a rotor installed on the luggage rack of my SUV for the next contest.

Several pictures to illustrate:

AF4JF/R in EM48qs

AF4JF/R (and Darcey "K9DOG") in EM49pa

Winfield Lock and Dam in EM49pa