Don't forget that this Wednesday, 1 May (Mayday) from 7:00 to 11:00 pm is the UHF Spring Sprints.  Hope to hear SLAMers on the air!

73,

Ron, KO0Z

Tripod Mounted at last!

I now have my 10 GHz dish mounted on its tripod!  I tested it out at MO Hwy 94 and I-70 and I copied the WB9PNU beacon S-20!  I also copied another beacon about 20 KHz lower in frequency, but the telemetry was gibberish for me.  For example, I copied TEEN06, thinking that I had a broken call in EN06!  However, it always repeated the same message.  I had with me Russ, KD0IGN along with me as well as his wife, Margarete, and Debbie, KC9ULA.  We did this on Saturday evening 21 April around 7:30 pm local time.  Anyone else copy this beacon telemetry?

I am ready for MAD on Saturday 5 May.  I will be set up in EM59bc.  I am looking forward to the day! I hope to activate this grid for all the deserving!
73,
Ron, KO0Z

EM59bc

Today, Sunday 15 April, on the way back to St. Peters I checked out some potential sites to activate EM59 from. The best one is just off exit 41 on I-55, but I need to secure permission for this site. Today I checked out Coop's mound in Macoupin County which doesn't look to favorable in terms of trees towards St. Louis or Urbana. The second site, Brushy Mound was obstructed by a coal mine and a forest. However, an old microwave site just west of Gillespie, IL is on flat and relatively unobstructed land which may turn out to be a good site. It is located at EM59bc. The top picture is the microwave site, the second picture is looking southwest towards St. Louis, the third picture is Coop's Mound in Macoupin County, IL (not the best towards St. Louis, and the fourth shot is the view northeast.

View from EM59ck

This is the location where I've been hearing the beacon, but only during rain. I tried early this morning right at sunrise, but there was a strong breeze which isn't too good for tropo to set up. Consequently, I didn't hear the beacon this morning, but last night during the rain it was S-2! The first picture is my dish in the upstairs window. The second photo is the view towards St. Louis. There are a lot of RF absorbers outside that window!

WB9PNU/B QSN on 14 April

Yep, I do believe I can hear the beacon from EM48ss to EM59ck due to rain scatter. Last night, after the rain stopped, I listened for the beacon before going to bed and I didn't hear a peep. This morning around 9:00 am and with light to moderate rain falling along with the rumble of distant thunder I listened again and there it was around S-2! Telemetry indicated 2.69 watts out, 12.9 volts, internal temp of 58.8 degrees and a PA temp of 68.6 degrees.

73,

Ron, KO0Z

WB9PNU/B QSN EM59ck

I brought my 10 GHz transverter up with me to KC9ULA's QTH in Girard, IL, EM59ck and I set it up in Debbie's upstair room which has a window facing the southwest (218 degrees) back to the beacon. So far I haven't had any luck hearing the beacon, but I was hoping with the advancing rain shield I may just luck out and get some rain scatter. Around 1:00 pm 18:00Z I thought I heard some faint cw, but it could have just as well been my hopeful fancy. As an experiment I opened up the window and the signal jumped up from out of the noise to an S1 to S2. I had taken off the window screen earlier, but the window does attenuate the beacon. I raised and lowered it a few times just to make sure. The window does not have any tinting. The beacon was staying in there rather well with just a hint of QSB. At the time Girard was experiencing light, but steady showers. Around 18:15Z I copied the beacon telemetry and I decoded the output as 2.77 watts, 12.94 volts, internal temp 51 (not sure about my copy on this one) degrees and the PA temp ast 62 degrees.

Yea, I've heard the beacon from 58.3 miles away with rain scatter propagation!

73,

Ron, KO0Z

Spring Sprints 144 MHz

All day I was looking forward to working the CSVHFS sponsored Spring Sprints for 144 MHz on Monday April 9. I downloaded VHFLOG and finally got it to work with Windows Vista. I was ready to operate! At seven pm local time I called CQ and worked Dave, KB0PE at the Dow site. Later I worked N9SS near Peoria and then an hour later a station near Memphis, TN which was my longest distance Q of the night at 185 miles. About 10 minutes before the 11:00 pm I worked Zack W9SZ. In four hours of operating I made 4 Qs with a rate of one per hour...

I was disappointed in the band conditions and lack of participants, but at least Dave and I were on and I had fun. Retirement has its benefits in terms of affording time in which to operate! Next week it is 220 MHz time. I plan to be on the air with my HT and a 5 element yagi operating on 223.500. My granddaughter Maya is due to be born on the 16th, but I plan to be QRV for the 18th.

A week later is the 440 sprint and I am looking forward to that one as well!

73,

Ron, KO0Z

MAD Day on April 7, 2012

Finally new microwave season! First SLAMS outdoor activity this year!

Zack W9SZ went to his hilltop in EN50rl.

Herbert AF4JF, Ron KO0Z and Jim N5MU met in the YMCA parking lot in Westport, EM48sq and tried to work Zack.

We have heard each other on CW, but signals were deep in the noise around 7:30am, so we decided to try 45 minutes later. Unfortunately, signals were even weaker, so no QSO with Zack today. It would be fair distance - about 160 miles! Maybe later in the season with some help from Mr. Hepburn ...

N5MU (left) and AF4JF (right) stations

Ron KO0Z (sitting) with his station

After second test with Zack, Herbert AF4JF went to nearby location on Dorsett Rd., EM48tq (672ft. a.s.l.) to make first QSO with Ron on 10GHz.

AF4JF set up in EM48tq

View from EM48tq towards YMCA in Westport

Despite the bush in our way close to AF4JF and a building on Westport Plaza close to KO0Z, we have made first 10GHz between us on CW. Good!

We have had lots of fun AND we have another 10GHz station in St. Louis. Let's hope for that QSO with Zack in EN50rl next time!

73 de AF4JF

SLAMERS, remember MAD is this Saturday and CSVHF 2 meter sprint is this upcoming Monday, 9 April. C U on the air, de Ron, KO0Z

My first 10 GHz QSO! No fooling!

Wahoo! Tnx to Harry, WA0CNS for being my first 10 GHz QSO! After the SLAMS breakfast, Harry and I went to Creve Coeur Park and visiting the old site where other SLAMS members made their first 10 GHz QSOs. Of course die hard SLAM members would tell me that the low 80s sure beat the low 40's from a year ago and they'd be right, but better late than never I say!