Saturday 4 November 2023, Microwave Activity Day (MAD). The weather was conducive to outdoor activities. Temperatures in the mid sixties, mostly cloudy skies and dry conditions. Not bad for a microwave outing. Especially a few days earlier, morning temps were below freezing. Over the past few months, SLAMS members have presented at three different clubs promoting our activity. Today, we had two hams accompany us, Richard KF0JEJ and Aaron AE0LZ.
Our plan for the day was to activate Frenchman's Bluff EM49ma at the western edge of Cuivre River State Park near Troy, MO. Notice the word, "was." When we arrived at the park, it was closed for deer hunting. Drats, darn the luck. We had hoped our visitors using a "loaner rig" courtesy of John WB9PNU with the guidance of Herbert AF4JF and Harry WA0CNS would have been able to work four grids from that location: EM49, EM48, EM38 and EM39. Hawk Point, 9 miles to the southwest would be in EM48. Kingdom City is
near EM38 and approximately 15 miles north is EM39. This promises to be
a great microwave location. We also wanted to work Greg,
WQ0P in EM19, about 300 miles west in Kansas, but we knew conditions
wouldn't be optimum. Once established and QRV at EM49ma, plans were for Ron KO0Z to head west and to activate the various grids.
VIEW FROM FRENCHMAN'S BLUFF EM49MA
Not to be totally thwarted by the hunting, we regrouped and went to Hawk Point. A good view back to Frenchman's Bluff but not too good in Greg's direction. We headed south to Warrenton, MO and we found a McDonald's parking lot, EM48kt to be suitable for shooting west to EM19wf.
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KO0Z's dish EM48kt pointing 278 degrees towards WQ0P EM19wf.
McDonald's parking lot, Warrenton, MO EM48kt: Ron's dish, Herbert AF4JF, Harry WA0CNS sitting, Richard KF0JEJ and Aaron AE0LZ.
Herbert was first to solidly hear Greg's signals on CW. AF4JF's IC 705 panadapter is a very big help. AF4JF didn't work Greg. Turns out a PTT connector wasn't fully pushed in. Ron was able to hear WQOP's signal around 11:10 am. Greg was able to see his signal's waterfall, but not good enough for a two-way copy.
After fixing his PTT problem, Herbert AF4JF went digital with Q65 and he was able to decode Greg, but Greg wasn't able to make a successful two-way with Herbert. Not bad for no propagation and a 300 mile path. Progress!
Herbert AF4JF's screen capture of his Q65 attempt with Greg WQ0P in EM19wf from EM48kt.
Later, Herbert attempted a 1.2 GHz Q with Greg with no success.
All in all, not a bad day. We didn't anticipate an entire state park being shut down, but we made the most of it. As the adage goes, "The best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray." Next time for Frenchman's Bluff!
