ARRL 10GHz And Up Contest 2024

As Ron KO0Z mentioned in his posting last month, we were planning on publishing two narratives about our biggest microwave contest of the year. I apologize for being a little late with my addition, there is not much left to say what Ron did not cover in his posting anyway.

Let's start at the begin. First half of the contest, Saturday August 17 (2024). Ron KO0Z with Debbie KC9ULA went to Frenchman's Bluff while I was packing my station in the morning (I have returned from a business trip just the night before). Harry WA0CNS joined me with his 10GHz station for the day. Since we shared my car, we did not have space for higher bands this time. Ron went somewhere West along I-70 while Harry and myself tried to find the Frenchman's Bluff. Surprisingly, we succeeded and even found shorter way than last time. Nice, warm (well, hot) weather, blue skies and no rain clouds in the direction towards West where the location is open to.

Ron KO0Z arrived at Moberly airport in EM39sl while we were in EM49ma It's just 85 miles or so, but we did not hear each other - neither on mine or on Harry's station. Ron just worked NA0Y on 10GHz so we assumed that his station was working and decided to take a look at the terrain profile later at home ... and Yes, the terrain seems to be the problem. We were at the very bottom on the right hand side:

Moberly - Frenchamn's Bluff path

From here, we went to Hannibal to our favorite Lover's Leap in EM49hq to join Kevin AD7OI. Ron covered that part nicely in his narrative, so I will only add that I was not able to hear the WB0LJC group in Minnesota although Kevin worked them SSB .. well, not only his 60W station makes its own path through the atmosphere, but it also receives very good. Subject to look at during the coming winter (I intend to replace mu LNA with new one from Kuhne). I worked K9JK across reasonable distance that day.

AF4JF and WA0CNS set up in EM49hq

Lover's Leap has a new "decoration"

Kevin AD7OI explaining ham radio to bystanders

Second half of the contest was more exciting. We only went out on Sunday September 22 (2024) and only to Louisiana in EM49lk. There were no rain clouds to use and generally nobody to work. Except Bruce W9FZ and Janice KA9VVQ who came close enough to us to make a QSO. It was hard, but we made 385km contacts! This was also the first outing where Jim KK0U joined us with 10GHz station.

Aiming towards EN42px from EM49lk

Jim KK0U operating 10GHz

Ron KO0Z on his truck

KO0Z and KC9ULA's August 2024 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest Adventure

 Saturday, 17 August 2024, 9:00 am, Debbie KC9ULA and Ron KO0Z loaded up the pickup and headed to Frenchmen's Bluff at Cuivre River State Park in EM49ma which has a spectacular view to SW, W and NW.

                           Debbie KC9ULA and Toula with Ron KO0Z at EM49ma Frenchmen's Bluff
 

By 10:25 am Ron heard Greg WQ0P in EM19wf (Kansas) on CW with a 529 signal and QSB.  Greg could see KO0Z on his waterfall, but wasn't able to hear his signal.  Briefly, Greg heard Ron's signal for about 5 seconds.  Perhaps it was airplane scatter.  This was SLAMS first attempt at activating Frenchmen's bluff.   Both of them were unable to hear each other.  KO0Z also tried to work Pete NO0Y in EM18ct about 90 miles further west from Greg. On the up side, a young couple asked us if they could get in front of the dish which put them closer to the ledge.  From there, the young man proposed to the young lady and she accepted!

The weather was nice with temperatures in the upper 80s and partly cloudy skies.  No high pressure, heat dome for this leg of the contest.

From there, Ron and Debbie made their way just west of Kingdom City, EM38wf along the south service road of Interstate 70.

                              EM38xw looking west along I-70 towards WQ0P and NO0Y

                                          EM38xw looking east toward Gedas W8BYA

 After grabbing lunch at Arby's, Debbie and Ron arrived at Kingdom City EM38xw around 12:45pm.  Ron KO0Z EM38xw and Greg WQ0P EM19wf made a two-way CW QSO around 1:00 pm for a distance of 354 km (220 mile) 3 cm contact! Ron tried Pete NO0Y in EM18ct.  Still no luck.  Next Ron tried to put Gedas W8BYA, EN70, a 622 km attempt in the logbook.  No luck.  We even tried rain scatter with a T-storm over Louisville, KY.

At least EM38 provided us with a two-way contact.  From there we decided to head north via MO Route 63.  Herbert AF4JF and Harry WA0CNS were heading to Frenchmen's Bluff and planned to be QRV by 3:00 pm.  Debbie and Ron needed to find a suitable site.  They found it at Moberly airport, EM39sl.  It has a good view both east and west.

                                                         Moberly, MO airport EM39sl

Around 3:24 pm, Ron and Debbie attempted to put Herbert and Harry in their logbook.  It's only 136 km to Frenchmen's bluff, but neither party were able to hear or see one another.  Curious...  Darn the luck.  Oh well, time was beginning to run short.  We all had agreed to rendezvous at Lover's Leap EM49hq just south of Hannibal with Kevin AD7OI by 6 pm.  Consequently, Ron and Debbie packed up and left.  Regrettably, they didn't try to see if Greg was available.  They still needed to reach Macon and then take US Route 36 east to Hannibal.  About 90 minutes away.

Ron and Debbie made good time.  They arrived in Hannibal by 5:15.  They picked up a Casey's Taco Pizza and headed up to EM49hq.  By 6:00 pm they were set up.  Kevin and his wife Tammy KI7GVT Herbert and Harry were waiting for them.  

                      Ron KO0Z ready to make some Qs from EM49hq, Lover's Leap, Hannibal, MO 

     Kevin AD7OI with his 60 watt, 10 GHz dish, along with Tammy, Herbert, Harry and Debbie

 

                  Herbert AF4JF at EM49hq making an adjustment overlooking the Mississippi River

 

                                     Harry WA0CNS pointing his dish to work John K9JK

 Kevin AD7OI was able to work John K9JK from EM49hq in Illinois on SSB.  Herbert AF4JF worked John K9JK from there on CW with his 5 watts but Harry wasn't able to hear John.  Ron KO0Z's rig blew a fuse and his spare so it was his turn to be "dead in the water." from this location.  Drats.  Kevin was able to work the Minnesota rover crew WB0LJC, WA9TT, N0UK & K0HC while they were in central Iowa, but neither AF4JF or WA0CNS heard their signals.

Propagation just wasn't as favorable this leg of the contest as it was the summer before.  This year a cold front passed through the area which provided much more conducive outdoor temperatures with lower humidity but poorer microwave propagation.

As Ron KO0Z was trying to figure out his rig failure, a bystander who is into astronomy wandered by and asked him what everyone was doing.  Before long, Ron discovered his name is Bernard and he is from France.  This gave Ron an opportunity to try out his very rusty French and they had a delightful conversation in French!

                                          Bernard from Paris inquiring about our contest activities.

All in all, not a bad day.  It was fun.  Ron and Debbie put on 300 miles and make several radio attempts, but managed only 1 contact for the day. Now to troubleshoot KO0Z's rig.  Would we do it again.  Yes, in a heartbeat!

Frenchman's Bluff EM49ma, Cuivre River State Park

 Today, Cuivere River State Park was open to the public.  Last weekend, managed deer hunting closed the park to the public.  Debbie KC9ULA and myself KO0Z made it to Frenchman's Bluff to take azimuth readings.  At an approximate altitude over 700 feet, this promises to be a good uW site.

               Google Earth view from Frenchman's Bluff.  Red lines 225 to 325 degrees

 

                                     Frenchman's Bluff looking west near Troy, MO

                                            Looking southwest 225 degrees                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                              Looking northwest 325 degrees

 

                                                                            

                                                      Convenient parking near the bluff                                       

NOVEMBER MAD

 Saturday 4 November 2023, Microwave Activity Day (MAD).  The weather was conducive to outdoor activities.  Temperatures in the mid sixties, mostly cloudy skies and dry conditions.  Not bad for a microwave outing.  Especially a few days earlier, morning temps were below freezing. Over the past few months, SLAMS members have presented at three different clubs promoting our activity.  Today, we had two hams accompany us, Richard KF0JEJ and Aaron AE0LZ.  

Our plan for the day was to activate Frenchman's Bluff EM49ma at the western edge of Cuivre River State Park near Troy, MO.  Notice the word, "was."  When we arrived at the park, it was closed for deer hunting. Drats, darn the luck.  We had hoped our visitors using a "loaner rig" courtesy of John WB9PNU with the guidance of Herbert AF4JF and Harry WA0CNS would have been able to work four grids from that location:  EM49, EM48, EM38 and EM39.  Hawk Point, 9 miles to the southwest would be in EM48.  Kingdom City is near EM38 and approximately 15 miles north is EM39.  This promises to be a great microwave location.  We also wanted to work Greg, WQ0P in EM19, about 300 miles west in Kansas, but we knew conditions wouldn't be optimum.  Once established and QRV at EM49ma, plans were for Ron KO0Z to head west and to activate the various grids.

                                               VIEW FROM FRENCHMAN'S BLUFF EM49MA

Not to be totally thwarted by the hunting, we regrouped and went to Hawk Point.  A good view back to Frenchman's Bluff but not too good in Greg's direction.  We headed south to Warrenton, MO and we found a McDonald's parking lot, EM48kt to be suitable for shooting west to EM19wf.

                      KO0Z's dish EM48kt pointing 278 degrees towards WQ0P EM19wf.

    McDonald's parking lot, Warrenton, MO EM48kt:  Ron's dish, Herbert AF4JF, Harry WA0CNS sitting, Richard KF0JEJ and Aaron AE0LZ.

Herbert was first to solidly hear Greg's signals on CW.  AF4JF's IC 705 panadapter is a very big help. AF4JF didn't work Greg.  Turns out a PTT connector wasn't fully pushed in.  Ron was able to hear WQOP's signal around 11:10 am. Greg was able to see his signal's waterfall, but not good enough for a two-way copy.

After fixing his PTT problem, Herbert AF4JF went digital with Q65 and he was able to decode Greg, but Greg wasn't able to make a successful two-way with Herbert.  Not bad for no propagation and a 300 mile path.  Progress!

    Herbert AF4JF's screen capture of his Q65 attempt with Greg WQ0P in EM19wf from EM48kt.

Later, Herbert attempted a 1.2 GHz Q with Greg with no success.

All in all, not a bad day.  We didn't anticipate an entire state park being shut down, but we made the most of it.  As the adage goes, "The best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray."  Next time for Frenchman's Bluff!