222 MHz and UP 2020 Weekend

Sunday, August 2, 2020; COVID-19 Virus is once again on an exponential rise, plaguing the nation.  Social distancing is the order of the day.  Still, Herbert AF4JF, Ron KO0Z, Debbie KC9ULA and Harry WA0CNS ventured out this morning to practice some "radio activity" while still maintaing social distancing.

Herbert, Ron and Debbie went to Eagle Roost at Pere Marquette State Park near Grafton, IL EM48rx and Harry went to High Ridge, MO in EM48rl, a distance of almost 35 miles.  Herbert, Ron and Debbie were on the road by 7:00 am and crossed over the Mississippi River into IL via the Grafton Ferry boat.  By 8:40 am we were QRV.  At 9:16 am, Ron made a two-way CW 10 GHz QSO with Harry.  Right after that we made a two-way SSB 10 GHz QSO.  S-9 signals both ways, both times! 

Next on the agenda, Herbert using a BBQ dish antenna and his PLUTO SDR transceiver made could hear Harry's 2.3 GHz SSB signal!  After a little tuning, Harry was able to copy Herbert's 2.3 SSB 10 milliwatt signal with his downconverter and IF rig!  AF4JF then put in a 1-2 watt amp and both stations copied each other's SSB signals with 5 X 7 reports.

AF4JF then made a 1.2 GHz two-way QSO with WA0CNS with 10 milliwatts and a WA5VJB PC log periodic antenna!

By 10:30 am we finished packing up and we were on our way back to St. Charles.  Herbert went back via the ferry boat and Ron and Debbie continued southward on the Great River Road, enjoying the scenic view, towards Alton before taking Hwy 367 back to I 270.

Not a bad way at all to get some exercise, some radio and still social distance during the pandemic. It was great "seeing" (hearing) everyone today!                  

           

Herbert AF4JF making a 2.3 and 1.2 GHz Q with Harry WA0CNS 35 miles away.

    The white box near the tripod is Herbert's 1 to 2 watt multiband amplifier.

          Ron KO0Z's 10 GHz dish aimed south towards High Ridge and Harry WA0CNS 35 miles away.

                              Darcy is used to microwaving with Herbert!

               Herbert AF4JF tuning in Harry WA0CNS with his PLUTO SDR

                     

                             Herbert's PLUTO SDR

          Debbie KC9ULA and Toula waiting patiently.

             Herbert's 2.3 and 1.2 GHz set-up.  Ron's 10 GHz rig is pointed towards EM48rl.

                    Crossing the Mississippi River with a toe boat and barge in the channel.

                          Ferry boat landing in Missouri.

                                           Herbert waiting to board the Grafton Ferry

Harry WA0CNS in EM48rl, High Ridge, MO.  We made 10, 2.3 and 1.2 GHz two-way Qs, 35 miles!

                                                   EM48rl hitch hiker

                    This chap is attracted to KO0Z or he's an Illini fan, orange and blue colors!

Herbert summed up today's outing with this email:

Ron and Harry,

Thanks for coming out with me on such short notice! I wasn't sure until Friday evening if I will find the time .. I am glad that I did.

What I wanted to test today was:

- if Harry will copy me and if I copy him on the PCB antenna on 2.3/3.4 GHz .. negative, this didn't work on 2.3GHz so we didn't even try on 3.4GHz

- if Harry will copy me and if I copy him on the BBQ dish antenna without PA .. positive, this worked both ways

- if Harry will copy me using the LUXUL PA/preamp unit ... positive, this worked. RX preamp was fine, but TX needs adjustment of driving power

- if Harry will copy me and if I copy him on lower microwave bands (903/1296MHz) using the PCB antenna ... positive, we made 2-way QSO on 1296. Wow!

These results gave me an idea what I need to put in the box with SDR PLUTO to make it multi-band rover transceiver with as simple band switching as possible. 

73 Herbert

June MAD 2020

Saturday, June 6, 2020, I awoke 20 minutes before my alarm was set to go off.  Our annoying, resourceful cat, Jac spent the night "catting around" and with the sunrise, he was demanding to be let inside.  His pitiful meows fell upon sleeping ears, so he jumped five feet up to the screened, shut, bedroom window and tried scratching his way inside which did awaken me.

Ole Sol was bright and already the morning air was thick with dew and warm.  It promised to be a hot, sticky day.  My first uW outing of the year!  Zack W9SZ left his Champaign home at 6 am to meet me in Litchfield at 8am.  Litchfield is about a ninety minute drive from St. Peters, MO.  It took me a little longer to than expected to pack up the truck, get a sufficient quantity of Starbucks coffee, breakfast and get on the road.  I met Zack around 8:25 am and we made our way to Pere Marquette State Park near Grafton, IL to operate 2.3, 3.4, 10 and 24 GHz from Eagle Roost EM48rx.

Meanwhile, Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF wanted to try out a hilltop site at a park near St. Charles Community College in EM48qs.  A distance of nearly 16 miles.

By 10:30 am we had arrived at the roost, set up and Zack was putting Harry and Herbert in the log on 2.3 GHz USB.  Zack was using a dish with a transverter.  Herbert was using the Pluto SDR to generate a signal.  Later both Harry and Herbert were able to hear Zack's commanding 3.4 GHz transmissions, but Harry's signal seemed to be on the wrong sideband.  It was difficult trying to copy him no matter what sideband we were on.  Although we could copy one another, I don't believe a fully, successful 2-way QSO was made.  10 GHz provided great copy on both CW and SSB.  No joy, today on 24 GHz.  Perhaps it was propagation or equipment issues.  The path should work.  Perhaps next time we could try the town of Brussels which is about 4 miles away from Eagle Roost and definitely line of sight on 24 GHz.

By noon, we were shutting down and packing up.  Both Zack and I had shade, but the temperature was already in the lower 90s.  Harry and Herbert were in the direct sun on the hilltop and by this time over baked!  Originally our plans included operating, going to Aerie's winery in nearby Grafton and planning our next outing.  It was way too hot and humid and the Corona virus is still present, so we decided discretion is the better part of hunger.  Instead, we decided to grab drive thru fast food, get out the heat and get home into the air-conditioning.

We met several of our goals.  First, we participated in Microwave Activity Day while limiting our public exposure.  We tested Eagle Roost on other microwave bands.  Zack has another uW site to operate from.  Herbert was able to test his PLUTO SDR radio and we made successful two-way uW QSOs!  Not bad for our first outing of the season!

On the way back home, I stopped off for a Starbucks venti, pike and programmed my  DMR Zumspot frequency.  After programming a new frequency into it to operate with my DMR HT, on the way back to St. Charles, from my mobile, I had a pleasant QSO with Mr. Kim in South Korea and with Steve in the UK!  It was Sunday morning for Mr. Kim and almost midnight for Steve in the UK!

All in all, a great way to spend a hot, humid, Saturday with friends and ham radio.

                                    Herbert AF4JF set up on top of the hill near SCCC EM 48qs

                              Harry WA0CNS uW mobile across from AF4JF near SCCC

                    Pointing towards Pere Marquette State Park in IL, 16 miles away

                      Zack W9SZ setting up at Eagle Roost, Pere Marquette State Park EM48rx

                               EM48rx pointing towards SCCC EM48qs, sixteen miles away

                                                Zack getting his 10 GHz station QRV

                                           Ron's 10 GHz setup from EM48rx

                                     Starbuck's in Edwardsville rounded off the day's activities.

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