Blackburn Park, Pacific, MO EM48pl

 Sunday, April 19, 2026...a beautiful spring day to take a drive to check-out a potential microwave site, relatively close to our STL QTH with a reported good view to the south.  Today Debbie KC9ULA and I KO0Z made the trek to Blackburn Park overlooking the Missouri town of Pacific EM48pl.  The overlook is approximately 600 feet in altitude.  It is a small park with benches and a BBQ grill and view to the east through west.  The Ozark foothills present an obstacle towards the east south east to almost south. From our vantage point we'd be aiming into the hillside about 2 miles or so away.  Perhaps knife edge propagation may work. South to west looks very promising.  Northwest to northeast is wooded and not favorable for uW.

 

                                      Southest view...Ozark foothills may provide knife edge propagation...

                                                          Looking south towards Dallas, TX

                                                                         Looking southeasterly

                                                                         Southeast to south

                                                                          Looking south to southwest

                                                       Southeast to south south east

                                                      Approaching southerly view

                                                                          Southeast to south

                                                      View to the north...not so good for uW.

                                                                                    East

                                                             Town of Pacific, MO

 

                                                                 Picnic benches and BBQ pit

                                                                     East 

                                                    Debbie KC9ULA, Toula looking west

                                                                          Westerly

 

April 2026 Delayed MAD

 SLAMS activity is still alive and well.  We weren't able to participate on the "official" MAD earlier this month, but we did make it this Sunday, April 12, 2026 at Glencoe Park near Wildwood, MO.  It's a nice park and today was a beautiful spring morning.  Herbert AF4JF, Harry WA0CNS along with Debbie KC9ULA and myself, Ron KO0Z made it to the park by 9:30 am. Our canine companions, Darcy and Toula also joined us for the morning.

 Harry brought along his Q5 Signal synthesizer for 5.7 GHz, so Herbert could test his new transverter connected to his Yaesu 817. 

                                                           Harry's Q5 synthesizer on 5.7 GHZ

 

                                                  Herbert in his rover mobile operating 5.7 GHz

                                                Harry WA0CNS giving us the thumbs up after placing the 5.7 GHz beacon

Looking back towards Herbert's red car rover.

                                                       Ron KO0Z moving the beacon at the park.

                                                     One of the log periodic antennas used by Herbert

                                              Ron KO0Z acting as an antenna tripod for Harry WA0CNS as he uses his PLUTO SDR to make a 5.7 GHz QSO with Herbert AF4JF.

 

After completing our 5.7 GHz experiments, Ron was anxious to test his 3 cm rig to see if his relay and semi-rigid coax were working.  Herbert brought his rig and I'm very happy to report my 3 cm rig is putting out full power! 

August 2022 ARRL 10 GHz and Up

 Saturday, 20 August, 5:00am, my alarm woke both me Ron KO0Z, and Debbie KC9ULA up.  After quickly showering, Debbie, Toula (our Aussie) and I met up with Herbert AF4JF and Harry WA0CNS in St. Peters by 6:00 am and formed a caravan up to Hannibal, MO EM49hq for the first leg of the ARRL August 2022 10 GHz and Up contest.  We were looking forward to meeting two, new SLAMS members Kevin AD7OI and his wife Tammy KI7GVT who recently moved from Arizona.  Kevin and Tammy are originally from Hannibal and both are experienced microwavers. 

 AD7OI has a very strong signal with his 10 GHz 60 watt signal!  We all met up just south of Hannibal at Lovers' Leap EM49hq.  This river ridge park is an excellent microwave location.  

Pictured left to right:  Debbie KC9ULA, Harry WA0CNS, Herbert AF4JF, Tammy KI7GVT and Kevin AD7OI at Lovers' Leap EM49hq, just south of Hannibal, MO.

 After our meet and greet, we set-up our rigs and began to make contacts.  One attempt was with some buddies near Cedar Rapids, but band conditions were not with us even with Kevin's 60 watt flame thrower.  However our group had much better luck working Gedas W8BYA, 337 miles (537 km) away near Ft. Wayne, IN!  We also succeeded working Zack W9SZ north of Champaign, IL in EN50rl 159 miles (256 km) to our east.  Zack went to another hill in EN50 for a successful 10 GHz Q.  

Ron KO0Z and Debbie KC9ULA crossed over the mighty Mississippi River to John Hays Recreation Area in EM49hr72. It is clearly visible a mile away as a gravel area from Lovers' Leap.

      The yellow arrow points to the Hays Recreational Area in East Hannibal about 1 mile away.
 

 Unfortunately Ron, Herbert and Harry were not able to make a successful two-way 24 GHz Q.  Herbert and Harry could hear me, but I was only able to copy one of them just for a short time, but not long enough to make a valid Q.  Drats.  But the weather was nice and the breeze across the river was welcome.

24 GHz dish pointing back across the Mississippi River towards Lovers' Leap EM49hq, 1 mile away from Hays Recreation Area EM49hr72.

 

Debbie KC9ULA is enjoying a good novel while her hubby Ron plays with 24 GHz.

 

                      

                                 Toula, our Aussie is taking in the sights and smells of EM49hr72.

 

              Larry KA9GWM spotted our uW activity and stopped by for a nice "eyeball" QSO.

 

 

Once we completed our EM49hq Qs, our next stop further down MO Hwy 79 is Lousiana, MO.  Zack W9SZ was making tracks for Ohlman Cemetery EM59ji and we needed a clear shot.  This was our first attempt to work Ohlman from this location.  We arrived on site after 2:00 pm and set-up. Although, we had partly cloudy skies, rain clouds were forming to our east which gave us rain scatter opportunities.

We worked Gedas W8BYA (322 miles, 518 km) and Zack W9SZ  ( 98 miles, 157 km) from that location.  Lousiana is another good uW location towards the northeast through southeast along the Mississippi River.

              Kevin AD7OI's dish aimed  towards Zack W9SZ in EM59ji from Louisana EM49lk.

 

 Kevin, Harry and Herbert made two-way 10 GHz Qs with Zack from Louisana to Ohoman cemetery!

Our next Saturday stop would be the park and Cottleville, MO  EM48qs and Dow, IL EM49ua.  Zack left Ohlman and headed towards Dow.  In the meantime, we parted company with Kevin.  He headed back home to Hannibal.  It was great meeting him and Tammy for the first time.  We made plans to continue with the contest on Sunday.

   Tired, but not exhausted 12 hours later Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF made a successful 10 GHz two-way Q with Zack 25 miles away at Dow, IL.  EM48qs to EM49ua.

 Twelve hours later Harry and Herbert made a ten gig contact with Zack W9SZ in Dow.  As luck would have it with microwaving, the shortest distance contact proved to be the most challenging.  It took a few tries, but the effort was worth it!  A huge rainbow complimented everyone's efforts.  Fortunately for us we had a few miles to go before home.  Poor Zack had at least a 3 hour drive for him back to Champaign, IL.  

Sunday, 21 August 2021  

 On Saturday we all agreed to not get up so early on Sunday.  Herbert called me around 9:40 am and asked if I'd like to accompany him to Kingdom City EM38xw to work Kevin planning to set up somewhere Macon, MO.  Sure!  A tall coffee cup later from Flying J Truck Stop and armed with a banana and two apples I was ready!  We arrived at our location along I-70 about 3 miles west of Kingdom City EM38xw to work Kevin AD7OI.

Successful 10 GHz Q with Kevin AD7OI Sunday afternoon from EM39xw and EM39uf.  About 25 miles.

 

Herbert AF4JF tried to work Harry WA0CNS in EM48pq, near High Ridge, MO but no luck on this attempt.

                            A close up screenshot of our uW site outside of Kingdom City EM38xw

 

                                       Darcy checking out the sights and smells of EM38xw
 
 EM38xw, about 3 miles west of Kingdom City alongside the I-70 south service road.  It's a good spot in almost all directions.  Noisy with all the interstate traffic, but not a bad contest location.  AD7OI and KI7GVT joined us for another meet and greet and to check out this location for future reference.  Afterwards we headed east towards St. Peters and Kevin and Tammy went into town for lunch.

All in all, a great contest and 10 GHz outing.  As luck would prevail, we got our 24 GHz rigs working towards the end of the contest.  Next month!

More contest photos