ARRL 10 GHz & Up Contest, Leg 2, September 2026

Typically, the middle of September in Missouri can either be hot or cooler.  The weekend of September 19-20 was hot, grueling hot and humid. Humidity percentage in the 70s and temperature in the mid to upper nineties.  Armed with copious amounts of ice and water, Herbert AF4JF and Ron KOØZ left the comforts of home in EM48qs (St. Peters) northwards towards one of our all time favorite uW spots, Lover's Leap, EM49hq overlooking the river town of Hannibal at O dark thirty...5:00 am. We encountered several deer along MO Hwy 61 on the road's shoulder. Fortunately, no mishaps. 

                                                              Getting up at O-dark-thirty

We needed to leave so early, to make the 120 minute drive to Hannibal and to be set-up and ready to work Gary WBØLJC in central Iowa working his way back to Minnesota. We arrived on site, quickly set up and greeted the morning's sunrise.

 

                                                         Sunrise at Hannibal, MO EM49hq

 

                                       

                                             Herbert AF4JF READY AND RARING to make some 10 G Qs!

     Ron KOØZ's rig pointing towards Kevin AD7OI & Tammy KI7GVT's  QTH in Hannibal EM49hp

                                                            Ron KOØZ tolerating the day's heat.

 At 12:21Z both of us worked Kevin in EM49hp only a few km away from EM49hq. At 13:13 Z, we put Gary WBØLJC in our log book from Iowa, EM 32fg, a distance of 340km!  

                                               Pointing towards Iowa and Gary WBØLJC.
 

Next we worked Gary in EN32GKJ for another 340km path about an hour later.  We listened for Greg WQØP in Kansas.  We heard him dashing but he wasn't able to log us.  Drats!  Our path to the west is not that good from Lover's Leap.  However, we did log Gary again at 16:12Z in EN32kj.

KOØZ decided to add a new dynamic to our trip by heading north toward Palmyra, MO EM49fv.  The hardest part about roving is trying to minimize travel time and to find a suitable site to operate.  I found a construction company with a gravel road to a farm field which proved suitable to work Herbert, Kevin and Tammy.

 

                                             

                                                EM49fv looking back towards Hannibal

 Where to next?  Tnx to Kevin, he suggested Villa Katherine in Quincy, IL EM49hu.  This architecturally  interesting building from the early 1900s has a commanding view of the Mississippi River. From there I worked Herbert, Kevin and Tammy. I found the Qs to be invigorating, but I was also looking forward to my car's air-conditioning.  I drove back to Lover's Leap, and Herbert and I made the short jaunt to see Kevin's shack.  His QTH is even higher in elevation than Lover's Leap.  Add to that a 75 foot tower with his 40 watt 10 GHz rig with dish on top of the tower and we have a new Midwestern "anchor station" that Kevin plans to also offer a omni, 10 GHz beacon! 

 

 

                                                 Villa Katherine in Quincy, IL EM49hu

 

 

          Kevin AD7OI's tower with 40 watt, 10 GHz dish, Kevin and Herbert outside his shack, Kevin inside his well equipped shack.

 After visiting with AD7OI and KI7GVT, we made our way back to St. Peters.

Sunday, the 20th found Jim KKØU, myself and Debbie KC9ULA heading towards Pere Marquette State Park near Godfrey, IL EM48rx. Thankfully, we didn't need to get there until 10:30 am.  Jim was up and ready by 10:15 am at EM48qt (MidRivers Mall in St. Peters, MO).  Around 1540Z we easily made a two-way Q with Jim.  I could easily copy the WB9PNU beacon 1Ø368.9ØØ telemetry 4 watts out, 12.5 VDC, 98 degrees outside and 102 degrees inside the box.

Next we worked Jim atr EM48OT then EM48mw, EM48kx and EM49ia near Hawks Point, MO, our most distant Sunday Q.  Jim discovered bouncing his signal off of city water towers works really well!

After working Jim, Debbie and I went to Dow, IL EM49ua, an old AT&T microwave site to work Kevin and Tammy back at EM49hp on phone.

                                                                       Dow, IL EM49ua

                                              Looking back to EM49hp from Dow EM49ua

Now it was time to pack it in and to head back home but not before working Kevin and Tammy from MidRivers Mall in EM48qt.  To save time, we took the Grafton, IL Ferry across the mighty Mississippi to St. Charles county.

 

I dropped off Debbie back home and I went to the mall parking lot.  Around 23:00 Z I was able to hear Kevin, but we didn't have a two-way path.  But wait, I saw a thunderstorm to my northeast centered over Ramsey, Il (approximately 80 miles away) and Kevin, Tammy and I were able to make another QSO!

 

 

                                           Looking northeast towards the Ramsey, IL T-storm.

 All-in-all, a rewarding, exhausting, exhilarating contest.  Propagation wasn't the best, but hey it was good to once again have my rig at full operating power of 3+ watts!  Thanks Kevin for the use of his workshop,  to Steve at DEMI for looking at my transverter, Herbert for giving me a new relay and to everyone who was on the air over these two contest weekends!

 

Oh before I forget, a personal joke among SLAMS (St. Louis Area Microwave Society) members is we should plan our activity around a winery.  Well, we finally did it.  Just south of Hannibal on MO Hwy 79 is a winery at Mark Twain Cave.  We finally did it!

 

 

73, de Ron KOØZ  

ARRL 10 G & Up Contest, Leg 1, August 2026

 Leg one, August 15, 2026, of the ARRL 10 G & Up contest started with thunderstorms overnight early Saturday morning just past dawn. Today, it looked like it would only be Kevin AD7OI and myself and whoever else I could hear to operate leg one of the contest.  I decided to go for distance points. I, KO0Z left St. Peters EM48 amidst rain heading towards Litchfield, IL EM59ee at 7:00 am.  Plans are to be QRV by 9:00 am to work Kevin AD7OI located on one of our favorite microwave sites, Lover's Leap, high above Hannibal, MO EM49hq 100 miles away to my northwest.  

                        KO0Z set up at Litchfield, IL EM59ee ready to work Kevin AD7OI in EM49hq

                                               Rain just north of Litchfield early Saturday morning 

 Around 9:00 am Kevin and I tried to work one another but without any luck.  Kevin discovered an issue with rig. In the meantime,  I was able to hear the St. Louis 10 G beacon WB9PNU very well. Kevin's workshop is close by to EM49hq so while I waited for Kevin's return, I called CQ towards Chicago but with no response.  A very short while later, Kevin was back and both he and I tried again.  I could hear Kevin, but he could neither hear or see me on his Icom 705's display  We were 100 miles apart. Drats.  We attributed it to poor propagation.

I packed up and headed east 25 miles towards Ohlman Cemetery EM59ji.  It felt good to arrive at another one of my favorite microwave locations for it had been four years or more since I was there last.

           The sun was beginning to pop out between the rain clouds at Ohlman Cemetery EM59ji

 

             Pointing towards St. Louis and the WB9PNU/b from Ohlman Cemetery EM59ji

 While at the cemetery, I could easily copy the WB9PNU beacon 73 miles to my southwest.  I then tried to work Kevin from this location, now 118 miles away.  I could hear him but once again, he couldn't hear me.  I suspected my transverter or its relay were malfunctioning.  Since propagation wasn't too good for either of us. Kevin kindly made available his excellent workbench in Hannibal to test my rig. Darn, so much for working distance points plans. Now I needed to drive a distance.  Ah, the best laid plans of mice and a frustrated microwaver...

                                                 Kevin AD7OI testing my Xverter output 

 

                              AD7OI outside his Hannibal shack next to his VHF-SHF tower.

 I'm glad I made the trek over to Kevin's.  We measured my output at approximately 80 milliwatts.  No where near my normal 3 watts output. I'll be sending my Xverter back to Steve at DEMI for his expert repair.  Oh well, I can now claim I'm working 3 cm QRPp!  Tnx Kevin for making you and your bench available to test my 3 cm rig.

Sunday, August  16,2026

Armed with the knowledge I am now operating 3 cm QRPp, my strategy changed.  I planned to operate closer in to our Sunday location - the Farmersville, IL gob EM59ek.I again left St. Peters EM48 at 7:00 am amidst light to moderate rain heading towards a rendezvous with Jim N9LQF, the keeper of the gate, at the Farmersville, IL  gob wind turbine just east of I-55 exit 72. We were up on  the gob by 8:30 am.

                              Driving up towards the wind turbine atop the Farmersville gob EM59ek.

 

                                         Me set up next to  the wind turbine on the gob.

 Soon Herbert AF4JF arrived on site and together we were set up ready to work our fellow microwave enthusiast and SLAMS member,  Jim KK0U who was setting up at Litchfield, IL to our south by 22 miles, which we both did.  We were also ready to work Kevin AD7OI and his wife Tammy KI7GV at Hannibal EM49hq.

     IDOT left their mowing tractors on top of the gob and Herbert used the trailer's additional height.

Herbert was able to put Kevin and Tammy into his log, but my 80 milliwatts wasn't punching through the 118 mile path.  I was able to work Jim KK0U 22 miles away with my QRPp station! After that QSO, I decided to rove around the gob to give Herbert and Jim more points.  I went to Morrisonville, IL, Pawnee, IL and finally at Virden, IL. I was able to put Herbert and Jim in my log.

                                                      Me set up near Morrisonville, IL 

 

 

                                           Morrisonville looking west towards the gob's direction.

 

 

                                                        Storm clouds over Pawnee, IL.

 It was now around 2:30 pm and thunderstorms were rapidly approaching.  Herbert tried to work Mike KM0Tvia rainscatter but with no luck on two different occasions.  So we packed up, left the gob and headed west to Girard to try out a new Mexican restaurant El Campineo.

 

                                        Jim KK0U and Herbert AF4JF looking over the menu.

 

 After a late lunch, Herbert left and Jim and I decided to take the "scenic" route back to Missouri stopping every 10 miles to find a location and then one of us would travel another KM to make a two-way QSO. It was a lot of fun and quite an adventure!  We ended up arriving home in EM48 somewhere around 7:00 pm.

On Saturday, I managed to add 350 miles on my new Subaru Outback.  Sunday, I added over 200 miles. 

MAY MAD DAY 2026

 Saturday, May 2nd, 2026.  A partly sunny day with temperature in the mid 50s.  Herbert AF4JF, Harry WA0CNS and Ron KO0Z arrived at Hwy 370 Lake Park only to find our preferred parking location for testing microwave gear overtaken by a Farmers Market.  I've never seen the park so crowded.

 We managed to find a few spots near the RV camping area to test our gear.  Our primary purpose was to work out the transmit receive split in Harry's PLUTO. And to make some uW contacts for the CSVHF sprint.  A few hours of experimenting did not produce any tangible results.  Herbert discovered his FT 817's RIT was damaged after a fall a few years back.

Ron brought his 3.4 GHz rig, but he needed another PTT cable to key the transverter.  Darn. 

 In the meantime, Ron went to Iffrig Road, near the levy to make a 3 cm contact for the CSVHFS uW sprint today.  Unfortunately the cable to my PTT RCA came loose, requiring a home repair.  No QSO for Ron.

On the bright side, Herbert worked Harry on 3 cm and Ron was able to copy the WB9PNU/b at Iffrig Road.  It was a bit noisy with some QSB.

The telemetry indicates an output power of 4.8 watts (inaccurately high...it should be around 3 watts), 12.3 V, 64.7 F and 70.6 F.

    

 

Ron's thumb is partially blocking the photo of WA0CNS with his PLUTO and AF4JF scoping out the set-up at Hwy 370 Lakeside Park in St. Peters, MO.  

 

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! 

Congratulations Herbert!

 Congratulations to SLAMS member Herbert AF4JF for taking 3rd place in the CSVHFS Spring Sprints 432 Rover category.  Herbert's certificate was awarded on Saturday, July 26th at the society's conference banquet in Lincoln, NE.  Nicely done H!

 

 

 

ARRL 10 GHz and Up 2024 Contest SLAMS Style

 This year, we plan to include two ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest narratives.  One provided by me, Ron KO0Z and the other by my friend Herbert AF4JF.  For the first round of the contest, Saturday, August 17, 2024 we got a late start.  I wanted to activate for the first time (as far as I know) a microwave station from Frenchmen's Bluff  EM49ma at Cuivre River State Park near Troy, MO. Debbie KC9ULA and I arrived there and were on the air by 10:25 am.  I was able to hear Greg WQ0P (EM19wf) on CW and he was able to see me in his waterfall, but my signal was in his noise level.   At 10:35 Pete N0OY EM18ct tried to work me but both of us couldn't hear each other.  We gave it the "good old college try." This was approximately 278/368 mile path between us.  On a side note, KO0Z waited a few minutes to transmit to give a hiker time to propose to his fiancee.  She accepted!

             Debbie KC9ULA and Toula at Frenchmen's Bluff EM49ma with a good westerly view.

From EM49ma, Debbie and Ron traveled along I-70 to EM38xw just west of Kingdom City, MO.  Around 2:09 pm, I tried working Gedas W8BYA from this spot via rain scatter centered over Indiana but to no avail.  I was able to put Pete N0OY EM18ct in my log with a 529 signal at 1:10 pm!  A 497 km (308 miles) path!  The weather was in the 80s and humidity was nice, partly sunny skies.  

                                         My dish aimed at Pete N0OY from EM38xw along I-70
 

Our next stop was the Moberly, MO regional airport EM39sl along MO Route 63.  We attempted a Q with Herbert AF4JF and Harry WA0CNS who arrived at Frenchmen's Bluff at 3:24 pm a distance of 136 km.  This should have been a slam dunk, but we were unable to hear each other.  Go figure!

                                       The easterly view from Moberly Airport EM39sl

After this disappointing attempt, Debbie and I made tracks for Hannibal, MO EM49hq for a 6:00 pm sked with rovers Gary WB0LJC, Larry WA9TT, Chris N0UK and Holly K0HAC.  We arrived in time, however my rig developed a short and blew a few fuses.  I was dead in the water.

                                                My rig with a blown fuse.  DRATS!

                                                  Kevin AD7OI, et.al. and a EM49hq sunset

                                            Herbert AF4JF making contacts from EM49hq

                          

                       Harry WA0CNS adjusting his rig at EM49hq overlooking the mighty Mississippi River

                                                  Leg #2 Saturday, September 21, 2024

For me the second weekend of the contest wasn't shaping up too well.  Most of the uW ops were up north along Lake Michigan.  Herbert AF4JF just got back home from a week long business trip.  Harry WA0CNS wasn't available for the weekend.  Simply put there wasn't anyone to work.  Or so it seemed.  A brand new microwaver and experienced HF contester Jim Smith KK0U was willing to try out the contest with our SLAMS loaner 10 GHz rig.  I met with Jim on Friday evening at the Kisker Road SSM Medical building and I showed him how to tune in the WB9PNU beacon, how to  employ panning, elevation and building reflection. Jim took to this like a duck to water!  He wasn't available Saturday, but he was open for Sunday.

Weather forecast wise, Saturday was the pick day.  Rain was expected Sunday AM and all through the day and into Monday.  Saturday, September 21st, the skies were sunny with a few clouds but there was rain scatter to my east.  Gedas gave me a phone call and persuaded me to give it a try.  Although it was somewhat of a long shot, nothing ventured nothing gained, right?  I set up in three different spots in EM48:  A levy just north of MidRivers Mall EM48qs, St. Roberts church also EM48qs (the trees have grown since I was there last) and finally at Kisker Road SSM Medical building where Jim and I were the night earlier.  At 4:30 pm, Gedas EN70jt could see my signal on his panadapter and he was able to hear my weak signal just above his noise floor.  Me, on the other hand, could not hear him.  Darn, another one-way contact. It was worth the effort.  Maybe Sunday will prove to be better but I wasn't hopeful.  The forecast called for rain and lots of it.

Around 3:00 am Sunday, September 22 I awoke to thunder.  Sure enough, it was raining.  Herbert called me at 4:45 am and we decided it didn't make too much sense to drive to Hannibal to try to work Gary WB0LJC in the rain.  Gary was impacted as well and he changed his plans.  Bruce W9FZ and his wife Janice KA9VVQ in southern WI were also rain impacted. I suggested to Herbert we take a wait and see approach  

As luck would have it, a dry slot developed and Herbert, Jim and myself made our way to Louisiana, MO EM49lk.  We arrived in rain but the dry slot appeared and we tried to work Gedas W8BYA to no avail.  The T-storms that woke us up, now to our east between us and Gedas, weakened.  No joy this time.  In the meantime, both Herbert and I wanted Jim KK0U to make his very first 10 GHz QSO.  So, I scurried across the Mississippi River to Illinois and EM49ll and a marina just over a km away.

                                    EM49ll in Illinois looking west towards KK0U and AF4JF in EM49lk

                             AF4JF looking east from EM49lk towards the EM49ll marina

 At 1:55 pm, I made both a CW and SSB contact with Jim and Herbert.  This was Jim's first 10 GHz QSO and his first interstate MO-IL contact!  After the QSOs, I packed up my gear and headed back to the Missouri side of the Mississippi to our EM49lk location.

 Around 2:20 pm, from EN42sv, Bruce W9FZ and his wife Janice KA9VVQ made a 385 km (239 miles) QSO with Jim KK0U and Herbert AF4JF! I wasn't able to hear them with my rig.  Bruce and Janice moved to EN42px and again made a two-way with Herbert and Jim!  

  

                                           

                                                     My view from the Illinois marina in EM49ll.

                                          Jim KK0U ready for 10 GHz DX from EM49lk!

                                     Herbert AF4JF tapping out CW for a successful QSO from EM49lk

                                        

           Ron KO0Z looking across the Mississippi at the lowest altitude rainbow he's ever seen!

                      

                                           Ron KO0Z looking towards Bruce and Janice in WI EM42px

All in all, the second leg of the contest was salvaged and I had a very fun time.Welcome to Jim KK0U our newest SLAMS member!  A big shout-out to all the participating ops.  THANK YOU!