New VHF antenna to be marketed

 Digital ATV

 Allan, KA8JJN, Dave, WS0Z and Gordon, AH6DA

 Mel, K0PFX at the TAPR booth.

 M squared antenna booth.

M

 AMSAT cube sats.

Had a great time at the Hamvention!  I picked up a printed circuit board from Far Circuits that will generate RF Noise up to 2.4 GHz.   Unfortunately, DEMI wasn't there.  I was hoping to pick up an Apollo board to use as a microwave marker generator.  The weak signal banquet was well attended and a good one.  Allan, KA8JJN, Eric, NF0Q's (sk) brother won the Yaesu FT-857!

It was good seeing everyone in attendance at the SLAMS breakfast at Denny's on Dorsett and I-270.  Topics included yesterday's microwave activity, antennas, the Yemen 7O6T DXpedition and the upcoming Central States VHF Society Conference in Cedar Rapids, IA in July

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SPRINT Microwave Contest on May 5, 2012 (2)

Herbert AF4JF, Mel K0PFX and Jim KK0JIM met at YMCA in EM48sq shortly after 6:00am this morning. Temperature was around 80F and quite humid, my glasses were "foggy" through station setup.

Mel was testing another DEMI transverter for 10GHz, nicely installed on a tripod with all the usual accessories. Herbert brought his 23cm transverter and 16el. antenna along with his usual 10GHz setup.

Saturday 5 May 2012.  Cinco de Mayo Microwave style.  Nearing thunder woke me up this morning around 4:00 am and I looked at the radar to see if it was still a go for setting up in EM59bc near Gillespie, IL.  It didn't look too bad so after showering I made finally made it to an old AT&T microwave relay site just to the west of Gillespie.  By 7:30 am I was up and running and I tried to work Harry, WA0CNS (EM48rl, 56.2 miles) but no luck for either one of us.  I next tried Herbert, AF4JF(EM48sq, 42.6 miles) with similar results.  I was really wondering if my rig was good for anything more than 4 miles, but I went ahead and tried John, WB9PNU, EM48tm, 48.4 miles) expecting to hear nothing but static and lo and behold there he was at 12:54Z!  559 on cw and he said I was roaring in at his end!  We exchanged grids and then went to USB and we made the two way without any problems!  In fact John's SSB signal was stronger at my end for some reason.  We were both "pumped" after that Q!  I then tried Zack, W9SV (EN50rl, 118.5 miles) but no luck.  We tried again later on that morning around 16:00Z but still no luck.  At the time Zack told me over the phone that the only 10 GHz Q he made was with Ron W9ZIH and the band just wasn't good this morning.  We were hoping the band would build up as the morning progressed so as I was waiting for Debbie, KC9ULA to join me for lunch I pointed the dish towards the beacon and I never did hear it from my location in EM59bc. 

I sure wish I was able to work H, Mel, Harry and Zack today. Next time!  The first picture is of my set-up in EM59bc.  Gosh that Plymouth Voyager has lived up to its name!  The second picture from the top is looking towards EM48.  Third picture from the top is looking towards Zack in EN50rl and the last picture is of the old AT&T microwave relay site.

73,

Ron, KO0Z

SPRINT/SBMS Microwave Contests on May 5, 2012

SLAMS members announced to be QRV from following locations:

Jim N5MU - EM49ua
Harry WA0CNS - EM48rl
Herbert AF4JF - EM48sq
John WB9PNU - EM48tm
Ron KO0Z - EM59bc
Zack W9SZ - EN50rl
Mel K0PFX - EM48sr

73 de AF4JF