Usually I haven't been available to work the ARRL UHF contest in August. The West Central Illinois Hamfest near Carlinville, IL used to occupy the first Saturday in August. This year the hamfest was moved to the second Saturday in August.This year I can participate, but I'm still in the process of setting up my shack, and I am inching ever closer to getting back into contest mode. I did make it by to see Herbert AF4JF at the nearby community college and we made plans to operate from EM38 on Sunday, August 7th.
Herbert woke up earlier on Sunday to attempt working tropo on 10 GHz. Not being as ambitious as Herbert, I sacked in a little later. I only brought 24 GHz, 25 microwatts of power that Harry WA0CNS kindly lent me. I left my St. Peters QTH around 7:50 am and I was on site, EM38 shortly after 9:00 am. I parked nearby Herbert and set up, just to check our equipment. My microphone wasn't keying up the rig for some reason. Herbert's microphone worked, but he needed it to work Harry WA0CNS in High Ridge.
We decided I would send CW and Herbert would reply with USB. I drove west along the service road about 8 tenths of a mile and found a nice, gravel, pull out to set up, well out of traffic's way. It took some time to aim the dishes and to optimize. Herbert's USB signal was very distorted, but I was able to copy. AF4JF's location is EM38xw28 and mine was EM38xw18. We made the two-way 24 GHz Q at 10:13 am CDT. Our 15 mile, 24 GHz Q in July proved to be much easier! Go figure!
All in all, it was a fun trip and I thank Herbert and Harry for the opportunity to participate.
Ron KO0Z set up 24 GHz at a gravel pull out in EM38xw18. 8 tenths of a mile west of Herbert AF4JF.
Herbert AF4JF 10 GHz, 24 GHz, 1.2 GHz set up in EM38xw28
Screen shot of EM38 xw
Screen shot of EM38xw28 on the grid map.
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