Last SLAMS Breakfast in 2012

Our next SLAMS Breakfast will be Sunday December 2 at 8:00am.
Location will again be at Denny’s.
Who can make it ?

73, John WB9PNU

SLAMS Breakfast Meeting on October 7th

Our next SLAMS Breakfast will be Sunday October 7 at 8:00 am.

Location will again be at Denny’s, I-270 and Dorsett Road.

Who can make it ?

73, John
WB9PNU

SPRINT Microwave Contest

This coming Saturday, September 29th, is the day of SPRINT 902 MHz And Up Contest. Contest starts at 7:00am and ends at 01:00pm local (!) time.

   http://www.svhfs.org/sprints.html

Rules can be found here:

   http://www.svhfs.org/2012fallsprintrules.pdf

73 Herbert
AF4JF

More DX on 10GHz

Jim N5MU and Herbert AF4JF worked Garth W0GR across 185 miles long path between EM48rq and EM38ax on 10GHz at 12:24 and 12:27 UTC today.

Garth has a 2ft. dish in 1017ft. a.s.l. and 8W into long waveguide, he thinks that only 4W make it to the antenna.

Jim has approx. 2ft. offset dish with DEMI transverter, 2W at the feed:

Herbert has the same 2ft. offset dish with 10mW DEMI transverter and external PA, only approx. 1.4W at the feed:

We have operated from EM48rq, using a parking lot of St. Luke's Rehabilitation Medical Facility just above the "Butterfly House" near Chesterfield. This place is in 700ft. a.s.l. and has nice open view towards West:

I believe that these QSOs were made through "wapor duct" that gets created by evaporation around sunrise. First, we didn't copy Garth until sunrise and second, we were aiming our dishes 5.5 deg. up (I have a digital gauge for that). There were no signals audible when aiming at the horizon, but I have copied Garth S8 after raising the antenna! 

Tropo conditions were promising today, so it might also have been tropospheric propagation:

Garth did NOT copy the WB9PNU/B beacon today.

73 Herbert

AF4JF

ARRL "10GHz And Up" contest by AF4JF

I have set up in EM49pa near Winfield, MO for the first day of the contest (Saturday 08/18). The intention was to find new location in EM49 closer to my house than the AT&T tower near Dow in Illinois where we usually go.

I have worked N5MU from EM48sq (27 miles) and WA0CNS from EM48rl (38 miles). Didn't work anybody East of me, probably thanks to the higher ground on the Illinois side of the Mississippi river.

--

I have set up at YMCA in West St. Louis County (in EM48sq) on Sunday 08/19. It was raining a little when I arrived at the hill, so I have "installed" an "all-weather-option" on top of my 10GHz station:

I have encountered Mr. Murphy today - found a damaged transfer relay at my dish antenna. The relay was switching (means clicking), but the "TX" path didn't connect. I have to check my sequencer before replacing that relay.

More details here and here.

73 Herbert

AF4JF

ARRL 10GHz And Up

SLAMS will participate in the upcoming  "ARRL 10GHz And Up" contest:

   http://www.arrl.org/10-ghz-up

From the ARRL web site:

Third full weekend of August and September. The dates are August 18-19, 2012 and September 15-16, 2012. Operations may take place for 24 hours total on each contest weekend. Each weekend begins at 6:00 AM local Saturday though 12:00 midnight local Sunday.

We will attend on both days. Currently, our intention is to form several groups and drive around our area to activate nearby grids.

73 Herbert
AF4JF

CSVHFC 2012 add.

Couple of pictures from the CSVHF Conference in Cedar Rapids:

Ron KO0Z introduced new member of his family .. this is K9DOG

73 Herbert
AF4JF

MAD Activity on July 7, 2012 on Hot 100F Day

Couple of us have had a "crazy" idea to participate on MAD activity at hottest time of the year. Temperature on the parking lot at YMCA in St. Louis West  County reached 100F around 8:00am today ...

Jim N5MU and Herbert AF4JF met at YMCA in EM48sq to work John WB9PNU from his home in EM48tm, Zack W9SZ on his favorite hilltop in EN50rl and our new member Danny NG9R on a hilltop in EN40na.

No QSO on 10GHz from YMCA today. However, we have tested an "Eggbeater" for 144MHz and 30W PA for 23cm (both AF4JF). Signal strength was good enough for SSB QSOs on 144 and 1296MHz.

Following pictures document view in various directions from the YMCA parking lot:

North (towards NG9R)

North-East (towards W9SZ, KO0Z)

South (towards WB9PNU)

South-West (towards WA0CNS, N0IS)

West (towards AF4JF, N5MU homes)

We have had a good time, although the temperature really was a little bit "too high". Even our radios were not exactly on frequency as usual and the 10GHz beacon was 10kHz higher than normally thanks to temperature in the beacon enclosure exceeding the Xtal cutoff frequency. Let's hope for little nicer weather with some thunderstorms to allow RainScatter QSOs with W9SZ on 10GHz next time!

73 Herbert

AF4JF

SLAMS Breakfast Meeting in July

Next SLAMS "breakfast meeting" will be downgraded to a "meeting" in O'Fallon. We will meet on Sunday 08/12/2012 at 9:00am at the local hamfest in O'Fallon (click at the link below):

   WB0HSI HAMFEST

The reason why SLAMS will not meet on the usual first Sunday of the month is the "ARRL UHF Contest" (details here). We agreed not to have SLAMS breakfasts at days of major VHF+ contests long time ago.

73 de AF4JF

SLAMS Breakfast and MAD Activity in July

Next SLAMS breakfast takes place on Sunday 07/01. If you are member of THE_SLAMS email group, you have already received an invitation.

Next MAD will be held one week later, on Saturday 07/07, because that is the first Saturday onf the month.

You always find next SLAMS breakfast and next MAD Day schedule at the very bottom of the main SLAMS blog page: http://slams-stlouis.blogspot.com/.

---

Time to start making plans for next MAD. I intend to be at YMCA (EM48sq) with my 10GHz. I intend to bring a laptop and try to monitor the 10GHz band on its screen. This should detect even weaker signals that can't be heard by human ears. I also intend to test a portable PA for 23cm (approx. 20W). Furthermore, I will also bring an omnidirectional antenna for 144MHz ("eggbeater") for liaison frequency of 144.260MHz.

Hope to see you there or work you from there!

  

Herbert, AF4JF

MAD (2), June 2, 2012

Mel K0PFX, Jim N0OBG, Jim N5MU, Rich N0PQU and Herbert AF4JF met at the YMCA in Westport (EM48sq) for MAD activity today. Ron KO0Z was in EM59bc and Zack W9SZ in EN50rl and everybody was hoping to work everybody on all bands. Well ...

First of all, Herbert has forgotten his 2m antenna, so we didn't have liaison frequency. Sure enough, Ron KO0Z was calling us on 144.260 for a while before switching to cellular. Sorry .. will try to remember next time.

We set up 3 stations for 10GHz and 2 for 1296MHz:

Jim N0OBG tested his 10GHz transverter:

Jim N5MU brought 10GHz and 1296MHz:

Note Jim's "high-tech" solution for 23cm antenna stand. It actually worked better than Herbert's solution - his antenna kept turning around during transmit period:

We have worked Zack on 23cm. Have heard a few beeps from Zack several times on 10GHz and he heard us at the first attempt, but the propagation was deteriorating later in the morning. Not enough for a QSO. After all, > 160 miles (250km) is quite a DX on any microwave band! We will keep trying.

Situation with Ron was quite different today. We didn't hear each other at the begin, but later when cloudy weather was replaced with sunshine, Ron's signal strength went up and we finally worked each other SSB on all 3 stations with full scale signals! Distance was 42.6 mile (68.5km), not bad either. This was nice example how propagation can enhance the signal.

 

 

73 de AF4JF

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.

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

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

SLAMS Breakfast

Our next SLAMS Breakfast will be Sunday April 1 at 8:00am.

Location will again be at Denny's -- Dorsett and I270

Let me know who can make it.

73, John WB9PNU

Main Contests in 2012

First Saturday of every month	Microwave Activity Day (MAD) Not a contest but a time to just get on and generate some RF!
January 21-23 2012	2012 ARRL Jan. VHF Sweepstakes Rules here ... link for 2013 has changed, new link here.
April - May 2012	SPRINT VHF+ Contests Rules here ... link for 2013 has changed, new link here
May 5-6  2012	SBMS Contest(San Bernardino Microwave Society) SBMS web site
June 9-11  2012	2012 ARRL Jun. VHF QSO Party Rules here ... link for 2013 has changed, new link here
August 4-5 2012	2012 ARRL UHF Contest (220MHz and Up) Rules here
August 18-19 2012	2012 ARRL 10GHz+ Contest 1/2 Rules here
September 8-10 2012	2012 ARRL Sept. VHF QSO Party Rules here
September 15-16 2012	2012 ARRL 10GHz+ Contest 2/2 Rules here
Sept - Oct 2012	SPRINT VHF+ Contests Rules here

2012 Spring VHF/UHF and Microwave Contests

It's almost that time of the year again. See SPRINT Contest schedule for this Spring:

2.1. - 144 MHz
The 144 MHz Sprint will be from 7 PM until 11 PM local time on Monday, April 9, 2012.

2.2. - 222 MHz
The 222 MHz Sprint will be from 7 PM until 11 PM local time on Tuesday, April 17, 2012.

2.3. - 432 MHz
The 432 MHz Sprint will be from 7 PM until 11 PM local time on Wednesday, April 25, 2012.

2.4. - Microwave (902+)
The Microwave Sprint will be on Saturday, May 5, 2012, from 6 AM until 1 PM local time. This includes all Amateur frequencies above 902 MHz. Please include band data in summaries and logs. NOTE: use of Liaison Frequency is encouraged.

2.5. - 50 MHz The 50 MHz Sprint will be from 2300Z Saturday, May 12, until 0300Z Sunday, May 13, 2012.

Rules and more details here

73 Herbert
-AF4JF

Success so far!

Hello fellow SLAMERS! I finished wiring up the data line from the FT-817 for ptt and ran DC to the DEMI transverter. It was now time for the smoke test. I hooked up the box with all the connectors and the fuse and powered it up without the FT-817 and DEMI hooked up. No fuses were blown! Next came the FT-817 on line with similar results and finally the DEMI and they all passed the smoke test. The FT-817 and DEMI came to life and the 10 MHz light indicates lock so it all looks good. I took the rig out to the back yard this afternoon and pointed it 215 degrees towards DePaul Hospital frp, from the QTH in Girard, IL, EM59, but I didn't hear the beacon. Darn, I was really hoping to hear it. Debbie has a 2 story house, so I will take it upstairs either tonight or tomorrow and try hearing the beacon through the bedroom window (it's not tinted as far as I can tell) and maybe I will hear a dit or two! Wish me luck!

73,

Ron, KO0Z

10 GHz for KO0Z

Hello fellow SLAMERS from central Illinois in Girard. I've been talking about it and now my words are a reality. I am almost ready to test my 10 GHz transverter and see if it will hear the beacon in EM59. I have just a few more jumpers to make and then the "smoke" test. I'd like to thank the entire SLAMS group for your encouragement, but I'd especially like to thank, Jim C, Jim R, John and Herbert for the additional help with various odds-n-ends.

73,

Ron, KO0Z

Solar Weather

The Sun seems to be waking up .. several massive CMEs (Coronal Mass Eruption) during couple of days. Look for more details and wonderful pictures here

You cand find some basic info about geomagnetic field activity and solar eruptions in the Propagation section of this Blog site.

73 Herbert
AF4JF