MAD, June 2, 2012

In partial preparation for June Microwave Activity Day, Debbie, KC9ULA, Roman and myself camped out at Lake Gillespie Friday night so that I would be less than 3 miles away from my microwave site just west of Gillespie on IL Route 16.  Saturday dawned with somewhat cool temperatures, but I still made it out to the site, warmed up the 10 MHz oscillator and I was ready to operate by 7:00 am!  Herbert and I tried around 7:30 am but no luck between EM59bc and EM48sq.  H, told me that Zack would arrive at EN50rl in about 45 minutes so I read while I waited.  Before too long it started to drizzle at my site, so I turned the dish back towards St. Louis and I was no able to hear WB9PNU's beacon at S-9!  I called up Mel, K0PFX and told them to turn their beams towards me for the path just may be open!  Soon, Mel, K0PFX was in the log as was Jim, N0OBG, Jim, N5MU, and Herbert, AF4JF!  These ops were roaring in on CW!  I next tried Mel on USB and he told me that it sounded like I was overdriving my signal a bit, but we worked as did both Jims on SSB.  This was a 42.5 mile path today! Unfortunately I wasn't able to put Zack W9SZ in the log today.  We tried but no luck.  Zack told me over the phone that earlier in the morning it may have been possible for he was hearing the 1.2 and 2.4 Chicago beacons, but around 10:00 am there were gone.  Next time Zack!

All in all this was a very rewarding and fun third MAD for me!   The first picture is where KC9ULA and I camped near Lake Gillespie in EM59.  The next picture is of the old AT&T microwave relay site at EM49bc, the third picture is of my van and 10 GHz rig.  Zack's heading to EN50rl is just to left of the tower.  The final picture is the path towards EM48sq!

Saturday 5 May 2012.  Cinco de Mayo Microwave style.  Nearing thunder woke me up this morning around 4:00 am and I looked at the radar to see if it was still a go for setting up in EM59bc near Gillespie, IL.  It didn't look too bad so after showering I made finally made it to an old AT&T microwave relay site just to the west of Gillespie.  By 7:30 am I was up and running and I tried to work Harry, WA0CNS (EM48rl, 56.2 miles) but no luck for either one of us.  I next tried Herbert, AF4JF(EM48sq, 42.6 miles) with similar results.  I was really wondering if my rig was good for anything more than 4 miles, but I went ahead and tried John, WB9PNU, EM48tm, 48.4 miles) expecting to hear nothing but static and lo and behold there he was at 12:54Z!  559 on cw and he said I was roaring in at his end!  We exchanged grids and then went to USB and we made the two way without any problems!  In fact John's SSB signal was stronger at my end for some reason.  We were both "pumped" after that Q!  I then tried Zack, W9SV (EN50rl, 118.5 miles) but no luck.  We tried again later on that morning around 16:00Z but still no luck.  At the time Zack told me over the phone that the only 10 GHz Q he made was with Ron W9ZIH and the band just wasn't good this morning.  We were hoping the band would build up as the morning progressed so as I was waiting for Debbie, KC9ULA to join me for lunch I pointed the dish towards the beacon and I never did hear it from my location in EM59bc. 

I sure wish I was able to work H, Mel, Harry and Zack today. Next time!  The first picture is of my set-up in EM59bc.  Gosh that Plymouth Voyager has lived up to its name!  The second picture from the top is looking towards EM48.  Third picture from the top is looking towards Zack in EN50rl and the last picture is of the old AT&T microwave relay site.

73,

Ron, KO0Z

EM59bc

Today, Sunday 15 April, on the way back to St. Peters I checked out some potential sites to activate EM59 from. The best one is just off exit 41 on I-55, but I need to secure permission for this site. Today I checked out Coop's mound in Macoupin County which doesn't look to favorable in terms of trees towards St. Louis or Urbana. The second site, Brushy Mound was obstructed by a coal mine and a forest. However, an old microwave site just west of Gillespie, IL is on flat and relatively unobstructed land which may turn out to be a good site. It is located at EM59bc. The top picture is the microwave site, the second picture is looking southwest towards St. Louis, the third picture is Coop's Mound in Macoupin County, IL (not the best towards St. Louis, and the fourth shot is the view northeast.