Explorer Trip to Taum Sauk Mountain in EM47

Herbert AF4JF, Ron KO0Z and Harry WA0CNS took a trip to the highest mountain in Missouri, Taum Sauk 1772ft (540m) South of Saint Louis. Herbert's dog Darcey came along to make sure everything was done safely. The main idea behind this trip was looking for suitable microwave locations in the EM47 grid. We didn't do this alone, several guys living South of Missouri were waiting for us on other hilltops, ready for QSO on 1296MHz and 10GHz (KV4PC, K4QF, KD4APP, AB4DX, NV4B, W4RXR, KD4GRD, AG4V and WG8S).

Our first stop was the Taum Sauk mountain top (the national park) itself. We have been there before, so this was easy. As expected, found a nice viewing platform open towards Saint Louis and little East of it:

This is approx. azimuth 60 deg.

We should be able to work Zack W9SZ or Gedas W8BYA from this location on 10GHz too, but some propagation enhancement will be needed for that.

Darcey was very patient today

However, we didn't find any location open towards South to try with our friends from the "4" land. Next stop was the MDC fire tower just outside of the national park:

Unfortunately, the upper platform was locked by a solid lock. It was very windy up there, so we gave up the idea of setting up on the stairway and continued to our next destination, the Taum Sauk water power plant. We have seen several pictures of the upper reservoir others published on the Internet just weeks ago, so we didn't expect any problem there. We were wrong ...

Ameren badge is required to get past that gate

The lower reservoir is easily accessible, but the upper one is not. All the street signs that pointed us to the "Ameren Upper Reservoir" got us just to a visitor center. Looks like visitors can register for a guided tour, but not drive anywhere up the hill and play radio ... The guy working at the visitor center suggested a back road across the nearest hill to try - we were still trying to find a spot open towards South and the guys waiting for us. Unfortunately, we didn't find any open spots. Just hills and trees and bushes and more hills and ... you got the idea.

We tried to explore some of the hills around (they were all called "mountain" for some reason), but no luck. Other local guy whom we stopped told us that there are some open spots on their tops, but these are only accessible through hiking trails, not by a car. After another hour of trying and trying, we gave up, called the waiting guys on a phone and decided to find something to eat.

Waiting for lunch at Mexican restaurant in Potosi

Finally something worked! We have found a Mexican restaurant with good food. Ate that and got started on our way back towards Saint Louis. Big surprise just minutes from the restaurant - we found a good open microwave location, still in EM47! There are two nearby parking lots that offer nearly full 360 degrees open view. Attached pictures show the direction towards Southeast:

Direction towards SE

EM47OW, 321m a.s.l.

This location isn't the highest and is little bit closer to Saint Louis, but the distance is still almost 100km. Besides, it is in EM47 which is different grid (St. Louis area is in EM48). We definitely will come back to this location next time and try again.

So, the trip wasn't a total failure after all, despite the fact that we didn't even set up any station today. Herbert's microwave equipment just made a round trip in the back of the car. We returned back home before 5:00pm, about 10 hours after leaving this morning. Big thanks to all the guys waiting for us in the "4" land!

Annual SLAMS / BARS lunch at Chandler Hill

We have held our 4th annual lunch at Chandler Hill today. The Winery was open for business, both indoor and outdoor seating with live music. Several pictures attached. Unfortunately, we still fell the COVID restrictions. Only 4 of us met at the winery today: Ron KO0Z, Debbie KC9ULA, Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF. Plus my usual companion, K9 microwave enthusiast Darcey. Note that the winery is "dog friendly", dogs are welcome even indoors.

We ate our lunch while discussion the usual things, from weather to Rain Scatter propagation, Herbert's new 76cm dish antenna etc. Nice event that certainly will be repeated next year!

73 Herbert

AF4JF

Darcey waiting for her food

Indoor seating at the winery

Busy outdoor seating at the winery

Outdoor seating has gas heaters installed

Participants enjoying the nice day

The winery entrance

Side view - you can see additional seating on the grass

ARRL September VHF and ARRL 10GHz And Up Part 2 Contests

Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF participated in the ARRL September VHF Contest as Rovers activating EM48 and EM49 grids. We didn't go far from Saint Louis area, just Winfield and Lakeside 370 Park. We have worked each other on bands between 144 and 5760 MHz plus 122 GHz, but didn't bring out 10 or 24 GHz this time. Several pictures attached:

Herbert AF4JF set up in Lakeside 370 park

Harry WA0CNS setting up across the lake from Herbert

WA0CNS in Winfield EM49pa

Herbert AF4JF working Harry on SDR Pluto

Recording of a QSO on SDR Pluto

There was the second leg of the ARRL 10GHz And Up contest. Herbert AF4JF went to Hannibal, MO while Harry WA0CNS set up at the High Ridge, southwest of St. Louis. Herbert tried to work some stations in the North from Lover's Leap above Hannibal, then turned back and made several stops to work Harry. Looks like there are several good spots near Hannibal to work stations from St. Louis area!

Lover's Leap

Herbert set up in EM49hq

Aiming to work Gary WB0LJC

Aiming to work John K9JK

Herbert at Bowling Green aiming to work WA0CNS (109km)

This is how loud the WB9PNU/B beacon is at Bowling Green, over 80km away

Herbert set up and working Harry from EM49jh

(forgot to bring traffic cones)

Herbert working Harry from EM49md

Everything considered, both contests were fun. Just little too hot. It would be nice to have more stations to share this with.

Louisana, MO EM49lk to Ossian, IN EN70jt 2-way Q

 Saturday, 28 August, 5:45 AM, the temperature is already in the 70s and the heat warning continues.  Undaunted, Herbert AF4JF and Ron KO0Z make the trek up Missouri Route 79 to Louisana, MO to activate EM49lk for Gedas W8BYA in Ossian, IN EN70jt on 10 GHz.  The 321 mile (517km) path would not be an easy tropo path.  We calculated our best chances would be in the morning.  By 7:00 AM, we were QRV overlooking the Mississippi River. 

For about an hour Herbert and Gedas tried to work each other to no avail.  They even tried aircraft scatter.  AF4JF actually heard W8BYA's 10 GHz signal briefly.  But not long enough to make a two-way QSO.  As luck would have it.  Two rain cells popped up west of Chicago and north of Peoria.  They were able to work each other via each rain cell!  

From our location in Louisana there was not a cloud in the sky.  We couldn't even see the storm clouds north of us!  Fortunately, the storms were over 30K in height allowing us to complete the two-way 10 GHz Q.

Congratulations to both Herbert and Gedas.  W8BYA now has grid square EM49 confirmed in his impressively growing list of 10 GHz grid totals!

 

                                                      Darcey is a great uW travel companion!

                                          Herbert AF4JF setting up his 10 GHz rig

                                                        Sun rising over the Mississippi River

                                                           Herbert AF4JF in Louisana, MO             

 

  Not a cloud in the sky, but to the north was a rain cell allowing AF4JF and W8BYA to confirm EM49lk and EN70jt.

                                                  Note the rain storm west of Chicago.  The blue dot is our location in Louisana, MO EM49lk and Gedas W8BYA is near Ft. Wayne, IN. EN70jt. The 10 GHz Q was made using rain scatter with that storm.
 

2021 August ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest

 Saturday, 21 August.  Hot, humid, hot and humid.  Nonetheless and somewhat daunted, Herbert AF4JF, Harry WA0CNS and Ron KO0Z participated in the ARRL 2021 10 GHz and up contest.  Ron went along for morale.  His DEMI transverter is QRT from his last rain scatter excursion.  He met up with Herbert at EM48qt (St. Charles County Community College) park to work Harry near High Ridge, MO.  AF4JF has the details in his account on this blog site.  Around noon, we decided to call it a day and get ready for our big outing to Louisiana, MO EM49lk on Sunday.

Sunday, 22 August turned out to be a cooler and less humid day.  Harry, Herbert and Ron met at the local QT (EM48qt, tee-hee) to make the trek up Hwy 61 to Hannibal.  Along the way, some wayward deer almost became hood ornaments on Herbert's Chevy Traverse.  Fortunately, no mishaps to report.  We were set up and QRV at Lover's Leap, just south of Hannibal, EM49hq.  Herbert worked W0ZQ and WB0LJC in EN42bm.  Herbert and Harry made a 5 km 2 way QSO on 122 GHz but 24 GHz eluded them. 

From Hannibal, our next stop also overlooking the Mississippi River was Louisiana, MO EM49lk.  We worked Zack  W9SZ and John K9JK in EM59ji from there on 10 GHz.  From there Zack and John went to Dow, IL EM49ua.  Herbert, Harry and Ron went back to St. Charles Community College EM48qt to finish out the day by working Zack and John in Dow before they moved to Eagle Roost at Pere Marquette State Park, EM48rx.

It was a fun, long day.

                                           Harry WA0CNS setting up at 370 Park EM48rt

                                           Herbert setting up at 370 Park EM48rt

                                        Harry taking a break on the levy in EM48qt

                                                  EM48qs looking northeast

                  Herbert AF4JF and Harry WA0CNS QRV from Lover's Leap near Hannibal, EM49hq

                                               Hannibal, MO Lover's Leap EM49hq

                                       WA0CNS setting up 10, 24 and 122 GHz, 5km north of Lover's Leap.