Annual SLAMS/BARS Lunch 2024

We, the SLAMS group, have met at our favorite Chandler Hill Winery for the 8th annual lunch in a row. This is a traditional meeting that closes the year of our microwave activities, we use it to discuss the results and make plans for the next year. At least in theory. The weather wasn't really friendly today, so we only had a fewn participants. Evenn the winery was far less busy than usual

Kevin AD7OI with his wife Tammy KI7GVT, Ron KO0Z with his wife Debbie KC9ULA and myself (Herbert AF4JF) with my dog Darcey, soon to be licensed K9DOG. Darcey was too short to sit at the table, so she ate her lunch under it.

Chandler Hill Winery

KC9ULA, KO0Z, KI7GVT and AD7OI at the table

AF4JF taking selfie of himself

Darcey listening to the conversation

Some of our members expressed concerns about sitting outside in the cold .. this winery has indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is either open or covered. We usually sit in the covered section, with big heaters. The place certainly is not cold.

Covered outdoor seating

One of nearby heaters

Heater installed above our table

The food was tasty as usual. We had lots of fun discussing the usual ham radio topics. In addition to that, Kevin just received his private pilot license, we discussed that in length. Two hours flew by and we took leave. Hope to meet there again in bigger numbers next year!

Microwave Activity (MAD) Day on November 2, 2024

Once again did the SLAMS guys try to spread some radio-activity in the Saint Louis area. It was a nice, warm day with temperature in upper 60's, blue skies .. perfect for family activities. Which turned out to be a problem, at least in the Pere Marquette park where Herbert, AF4JF went with his furry companion Darcey.

The plan was to try all our microwave bands between Eagles Roost (in the Pere Marquette park) in EM48rx where Herbert AF4JF was going to set up, Ron KO0Z who picked our favorite parking lot at the Community College in Cottleville in EM48qs and Harry WA0CNS who went to his favorite High Ridge, EM48rl. The distance between Herbert and Harry was about 34 miles, distances between Herbert and Ron or Ron and Harry were about half that.

Herbert had to cross the two rivers that separate Saint Charles, MO from Grafton, IL on a ferry. That was not exactly problematic, despite the fact that Herbert's car did not fit on a ferry (too many cars) and had to wait one extra round trip of that floating vehicle. Where are all these cars going?

.... of course, they all went to the Pere Marquette park. The parking at the park visitor center was completely full. So was the usual parking lot at the first viewing point at Eagles Roost where we usually park and operate from. Second parking at the Flagpole was crowded as well, so Herbert went to the next spot that we never used before because it was blocked by heavy foliage with no open view.

Surprise! The park people finally decided that "viewing point" has something to do with "seeing" and cut all the bushes that blocked the view. See following pictures. Even better, nobody from the other visitors expected this, so this parking was EMPTY.

This is South

Darcey supervising station setup

Herbert set up all his bands from 902MHz to 122GHz. Space in the back of the SUV is somewhat limited, so the higher bands (on tripods) were tested first and the lower bands with a logatithmic beam had to wait after the tripods were moved aside.

10GHz station in front

The topic of this MAD day was to test if we can make QSOs betweens us and Harry WA0CNS who was using his home made SDR transceiver PLUTO with Raspberry Pi front end, running only about 250mW. Not too surprising result - yes, QSOs with the PLUTO were made on 902MHz, 1296MHz, 2304MHz and 3400MHz. In addition to that also on 10368MHz using our "big" stations with 3W of power.

We were quite tired when we started the journey back home. All of us made it safely and added another chapter to the book of successful microwave activities in our area.

AF4JF waiting for the ferry to get back to Missouri and home

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

More Radio-Activity

Warmer weather that accompanies the onset of Summer in Missouri always brings, besides the air temperatures and sunshine, also some VHF+ and general ham radio activity. 

Spring SPRINT 50MHz contest took place on May 11. Herbert AF4JF and Tony KT0AA went to Winfield area to test antennas - Tony used a nice loop and Herbert tested his dual-hamstick dipole. Both antennas were horizontally polarized. Comparing by asking several stations about our signal strengths gave us the expected answer - the loop antenna was a little better than the dipole.

AF4JF and KT0AA in Foley, MO (EM49oa)

The June ARRL VHF Contest kept us busy for two days in June, Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th. Ron KO0Z, Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF spent Saturday making VHF contacts from EM48 and EM49 grids in the Winfield area. As always, we combined the Sunday VHF activity with one of the local hamfests on the Illinois side of the river (the Egyptian Hamfest in Granite City), lunch at the famous Uncle Linny's restaurant and VHF operation from Edwardsville EM58.

AF4JF in Foley EM49oa

AF4JF and WA0CNS in Granite City EM48wq

AF4JF in Edwardsville EM58as

WA0CNS setting up in Edwardsville EM58as

SPRINT Microwave

The SLAMS group was planning on combining the Microwave SPRINT contest with MAD Day (Microwave Activity Day) and with Pere Marquette park activation (POTA). Our plans have changed last minute and we ended up just testing our microwave equipment after months of winter storage.

Herbert AF4JF set up at the Community College near Cottleville, Missouri. Ron KO0Z on Kisker Road behind the close SSM medical facility and Harry WA0CNS went to his favorite place on High Ridge, MO. Ron worked me (Herbert) from Kisker Road and then moved to my location to work Harry. We used 1296MHz and 10GHz, QSOs were made on both bands. Harry WA0CNS used his multi-band SDR transceiver he built from SDR ADALM PLUTO and Raspberry Pi with a touch screen with about 200mW output power on 23cm. That was enough to work both of us on SSB although we were both running > 10W. Distance between us and Harry was 33 km (21 miles, EM48qs to EM48rl) and there is NO line of sight between these locations but we always make the 10GHz contact anyway.

AF4JF in EM48qs

Elevation profile between EM48qs and EM48rl (right side)

Annual SLAMS/BARS Lunch again

Another year flew by and our little group met at the Chandler Hill Winery on Saturday November 11, 2023 once again. Meeting for lunch at this nice location (that is also friendly to dogs) has become our tradition. This was our 7th lunch meeting there.

Chandler Hill Winery

Kevin AD7OI with his wife Tammy KI7GVT came from Hannibal to dine with us. Ron KO0Z with his wife Debbie KC9ULA, Mike N0OBI, Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF with his companion Darcey met to discuss this year's activities and make some plans for the next year. Kevin and Tammy finally moved to their new house and should have more time for our hobbies now. There were many things to discuss.

Sitting around the table under a gas heater

The weather was nice but November is November and Missouri is Missouri, so we selected a table that was neither outdoor nor indoor. There was a big gas heater just next to the table making our stay very convenient.

Our entire group at the table, except Darcey ...

Darcey was too short to sit at the table, 
so she enjoyed her lunch under it.

Mike discussing optical communications with Kevin

The food was tasty as usual at this location. It is even high enough to make contacts from here, maybe there is some truth on the joke people share about the SLAMS saying that all our rover routes either begin or end at some local winery! We actually have not made any microwave QSOs this time, but Herbert and Harry arrived an hour earlier and calibrated Harry's new SDR transceiver on 3.4GHz band, so that RX and TX frequencies matched each other and the display on the touch screen of the Raspberry Pi that controls Harry's SDR Pluto in so called "Project Langstone". Harry can work on any HAM radio band between 144MHz and 5.7GHz with that.

Hope to meet here again next year!

More SLAMS activities in 2023

Looking at this blog might make you think that the SLAMS group is only about contesting. No no, that would be very far off the truth! We do many other ham-radio related things and there even are contests that we attend but not inform everybody about it by posting it here! For example (limited to a part of this year):

• SLAMS visited meetings of 4 local radio clubs and provided presentations about microwaves
• SLAMS attended the Washington Hamfest (at the time of CQ WW VHF Contest)
• SLAMS attended the 3-day CSVHF Conference in Arkansas
• SLAMS attended the Macoupin Hamfest (at the time of the ARRL UHF Contest)
• SLAMS attended the St. Charles Hamfest
• SLAMS attended several MAD Days (Microwave Activity Days, 1st Saturday of the month)

Several pictures from these activities can be found below. Note that we did not take the pictures for publishing on this blog, so they often do not show much detail:

Radio offered at the Washington Hamfest (07/16)

AF4JF operating in CQWW VHF contest (07/15)

AF4JF parked at the Washington Hamfest (07/16)

Antenna Field for microwave antennas being set up at CSVHFC 2023 in Little Rock 07/28

Rover stations displayed at the CSVHFC 2023

One of the halls at Macoupin Hamfest 08/05

Outdoor setup at Macoupin Hamfest 08/05
(we have operated from that shelter in the ARRL UHF contest after the hamfest)

AF4JF set up i n ARRL UHF Contest day after Macoupin Hamfest (08/06)
(of course, the antennas were raised 6ft up after the picture was taken)

Saint Charles Hamfest (08/13)

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

SPRINT Microwave Contest - May 6, 2023

Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF went to Hannibal, MO in EM49hq to participate on the SPRINT Microwave contest today. They met with a local HAM and SLAMS member Kevin AD7OI at Lovers Leap on the cliff above the Mississippi river in Hannibal. Weather was not so good at the begin, but turned to be better towards the end of the contest.

View in NW direction
(approximately towards Cedar Rapids)

View to North
(approximately towards Chicago)

View to NE
(approximately towards Fort Wayne, IN)

This location repeatedly proved itself to be good for 10GHz, especially with Rain Scatter or Trop propagation enhancement. Listen to the Saint Louis SLAMS beacon on 10GHz:

WB9PNU/B over Rain Scatter aiming 90 deg. away from the beacon

We have brought 902-1296-2304MHz equipment and especially 10GHz. Some pictures with the 10GHz stations:

Kevin AD7OI
(picture by WA0CNS)

Herbert AF4JF with Darcey
(picture by WA0CNS)

Harry WA0CNS

Weather forced us to hide in our cars for a while today. We like thunderstorms during our outdoor activities, but not necessarily right above us. Following picture shows Herbert's rack with lower band transverters inside the car in the middle of moving the equipment to safety:

Herbert AF4JF packing everything 
to plastic boxes or to the back of his car

Despite the weather challenges, we have had a good time and lots of fun trying to work (and working) all the stations available. We certainly will return to this location in the future!

ARRL UHF Distance Scoring Contest

Some members of the SLAMS group participated on the ARRL UHF Distance Scoring Contest on 6th and 7th of August, 2022, mostly to test our equipment before the upcoming ARRL 10GHz And Up contests.

Saturday the 6th was a very hot day, temperatures in 3 digits. We decided to start a little later in order to survive and even be able to get out the next day. We decided to operate from Saint Louis area (EM48) on Saturday, but go closer to the Kansas border (EM38) on Sunday.

I started at the Community College in Cottleville on Saturday. There is a nice county park in EM48qs (same grid as my house). I have set up at 4:00pm to try with Pete K9PW on 432MHz and 10GHz. However .. I forgot my antenna cable for 432MHz. Pete was located in EN51xr about 395km away. Although the location has a clear shot in the direction of 33deg. and I have worked stations from that area before, we did not make it on 10GHz.

My next try was with Harry WA0CNS who set up at High Ridge in EM48rl. We were able to make SSB QSOs on 10GHz and 23cm (the second one with just 2W of power on my side although I have had my 40W set up). Distance 33km.

AF4JF pointing towards WA0CNS from EM48qs

The day was crowned by a nice RS QSO with Gedas W8BYA on 10GHz. He was in EN70jt as usual and the distance was 515km. Ron KO0Z arrived at the park and we made plans for the next day.

My Sunday started a little inconveniently - by getting out of bed at 4:00am. I wanted to drive to EM38xw and be there when the sun comes out to utilize the morning tropo propagation. We (me and my dog Darcey) arrived right on time and started setting up at 6:30am.

Darcey making sure that I set up everything correctly

We got on 10GHz first and tried with Pete N0OY before the scheduled 7:00am .. but it didn't work. No tropo enhancement between us. We tried several times, then took a break to set up the other bands. And started noticing problems.

Brand new LMR400, factory made but not working

My 23cm did neither receive nor transmit. I spent some time troubleshooting to find out why no receive - the new cable that I replaced since yesterday not working. That was an easy fix (replaced it), but my PA was not transmitting. It was working fine just the day before .. I discovered a blown electrolytic capacitor when I checked it later at home. I have that PA for more than 10 years and I got it as old, used equipment, so that capacitor had full right to fail. It would just be nicer it if would do so at some other time, not in the contest far away from home ... long story short, I was only running 2W on 23cm.

Trying with N0OY from EM38xw

I didn't work Pete N0OY that day. No signal on 10GHz, not even on 432MHz. I have copied his 80W on 1296MHz but he didn't hear my 2W across 498km ...

I have worked Greg WQ0P on 23cm from there. He was able to copy my 2W on 1296MHz across the distance of 354km. Same with Harry WA0CNS who tried to find a location in his area to work me. He finally found a spot in EM48pq and worked me on 1296MHz across 119km. Not bad.

Ron KO0Z arrived with his 24GHz station and we tried to make a QSO on that band. I am running 100mW on 24GHz band, but Ron's station is in the range of microwatts. We have finally made a contact across 1.1km, but it wasn't easy. I will leave the details to Ron.

Working KO0Z on 24GHz using SDR Pluto and a laptop as my IF 

Everything considered, it was a successful contest, even with just 6 QSOs made during its 24 hour span. After packing everything, we went to explore the area and found an acceptable location for RS in the new grid EM39xx. We will test that next time.