Annual SLAMS/BARS Lunch 2024

We, the SLAMS group, have met at our favorite Chandler Hill Winery for the 8th annual lunch in a row. This is a traditional meeting that closes the year of our microwave activities, we use it to discuss the results and make plans for the next year. At least in theory. The weather wasn't really friendly today, so we only had a fewn participants. Evenn the winery was far less busy than usual

Kevin AD7OI with his wife Tammy KI7GVT, Ron KO0Z with his wife Debbie KC9ULA and myself (Herbert AF4JF) with my dog Darcey, soon to be licensed K9DOG. Darcey was too short to sit at the table, so she ate her lunch under it.

Chandler Hill Winery

KC9ULA, KO0Z, KI7GVT and AD7OI at the table

AF4JF taking selfie of himself

Darcey listening to the conversation

Some of our members expressed concerns about sitting outside in the cold .. this winery has indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is either open or covered. We usually sit in the covered section, with big heaters. The place certainly is not cold.

Covered outdoor seating

One of nearby heaters

Heater installed above our table

The food was tasty as usual. We had lots of fun discussing the usual ham radio topics. In addition to that, Kevin just received his private pilot license, we discussed that in length. Two hours flew by and we took leave. Hope to meet there again in bigger numbers next year!

Microwave Activity (MAD) Day on November 2, 2024

Once again did the SLAMS guys try to spread some radio-activity in the Saint Louis area. It was a nice, warm day with temperature in upper 60's, blue skies .. perfect for family activities. Which turned out to be a problem, at least in the Pere Marquette park where Herbert, AF4JF went with his furry companion Darcey.

The plan was to try all our microwave bands between Eagles Roost (in the Pere Marquette park) in EM48rx where Herbert AF4JF was going to set up, Ron KO0Z who picked our favorite parking lot at the Community College in Cottleville in EM48qs and Harry WA0CNS who went to his favorite High Ridge, EM48rl. The distance between Herbert and Harry was about 34 miles, distances between Herbert and Ron or Ron and Harry were about half that.

Herbert had to cross the two rivers that separate Saint Charles, MO from Grafton, IL on a ferry. That was not exactly problematic, despite the fact that Herbert's car did not fit on a ferry (too many cars) and had to wait one extra round trip of that floating vehicle. Where are all these cars going?

.... of course, they all went to the Pere Marquette park. The parking at the park visitor center was completely full. So was the usual parking lot at the first viewing point at Eagles Roost where we usually park and operate from. Second parking at the Flagpole was crowded as well, so Herbert went to the next spot that we never used before because it was blocked by heavy foliage with no open view.

Surprise! The park people finally decided that "viewing point" has something to do with "seeing" and cut all the bushes that blocked the view. See following pictures. Even better, nobody from the other visitors expected this, so this parking was EMPTY.

This is South

Darcey supervising station setup

Herbert set up all his bands from 902MHz to 122GHz. Space in the back of the SUV is somewhat limited, so the higher bands (on tripods) were tested first and the lower bands with a logatithmic beam had to wait after the tripods were moved aside.

10GHz station in front

The topic of this MAD day was to test if we can make QSOs betweens us and Harry WA0CNS who was using his home made SDR transceiver PLUTO with Raspberry Pi front end, running only about 250mW. Not too surprising result - yes, QSOs with the PLUTO were made on 902MHz, 1296MHz, 2304MHz and 3400MHz. In addition to that also on 10368MHz using our "big" stations with 3W of power.

We were quite tired when we started the journey back home. All of us made it safely and added another chapter to the book of successful microwave activities in our area.

AF4JF waiting for the ferry to get back to Missouri and home

How the SLAMS tried to combine SPRINT Microwave with an expedition to Knob Lick in EM47tp

It was Saturday October 5 (2024), the day of both, MAD Day (stands for Microwave Activity Day) and SPRINT Microwave contest. The SLAMS group from Saint Louis decided to look for a new contest location in different than our own grid (EM48) and closer to other VHF+ stations. We have done similar explorer trip to that area 3 years ago (see our posting here) but did not find anything remarkably good at that time. Friends from the Saint Louis QRP Society (SLQS) told us about a hill they use for POTA activations and we decided to try that.

Herbert AF4JF, Harry WA0CNS, Ron KO0Z and Jim KK0U went to Knob Lick in EM47tp in the morning. We intended to try 1296MHz and 10GHz with our friends in EM64, EM65 and EM13. That's Tennessee, Alabama and Texas. The location is truly on the hill, one of the tallest in Missouri and it really looks good. Jim KK0U told us that this is an excellent place for HF activity, such as SOTA/POTA. First impression upon arrival was magnificient!

Nice find on the hilltop!

There is Texas somewhere in that direction

Fire tower on premises

There is a platform in the middle of the stairway

Jim KK0U climbed the stairs and shot this video from the accessible platform

As you can see in the video, there is 360 degrees open view above the tree level from that platform. The fence has holes big enough not to bother 10GHz signals, but probably not too good for lower bands, such as 23cm or even VHF, so we did not even try to carry the equipment (and batteries) up that high and set up on the ground instead.

Jim KK0U listening on 10GHz

Team setting up on the ground

On the other side were several guys. Next two pictures are from Blevins Gap in EM64rp

Left to right:
Jay/K4NKT (3cm)
Bob/KV4PC (23cm, 33cm)
Bob/KV4PC (3cm)
Stephen/KY4G (23cm)

Chris NV4B

We were communicating with the other groups using phones, SLACK and GroupMe chats, SMS messages ... one guy spoke for the group, so we do not even have all their names or callsigns. I have tried to work NV4B, WG8S, KV4PC, KY4G, W4RXR, K4NKT and AA5C. There were probably more and I apologize for not capturing all the callsigns.

To make this long story short - we did not make any QSOs. Not a single one. This was a microwave contest and distances were simply too long for the meager propagation that day. However, we are HAPPY with this location! We definitely will come back, probably for one of the VHF contests, with full set of bands 50MHz to 122GHz. Also, we will probably employ Q65 for microwave digi modes from there.

ARRL 10GHz And Up Contest 2024

As Ron KO0Z mentioned in his posting last month, we were planning on publishing two narratives about our biggest microwave contest of the year. I apologize for being a little late with my addition, there is not much left to say what Ron did not cover in his posting anyway.

Let's start at the begin. First half of the contest, Saturday August 17 (2024). Ron KO0Z with Debbie KC9ULA went to Frenchman's Bluff while I was packing my station in the morning (I have returned from a business trip just the night before). Harry WA0CNS joined me with his 10GHz station for the day. Since we shared my car, we did not have space for higher bands this time. Ron went somewhere West along I-70 while Harry and myself tried to find the Frenchman's Bluff. Surprisingly, we succeeded and even found shorter way than last time. Nice, warm (well, hot) weather, blue skies and no rain clouds in the direction towards West where the location is open to.

Ron KO0Z arrived at Moberly airport in EM39sl while we were in EM49ma It's just 85 miles or so, but we did not hear each other - neither on mine or on Harry's station. Ron just worked NA0Y on 10GHz so we assumed that his station was working and decided to take a look at the terrain profile later at home ... and Yes, the terrain seems to be the problem. We were at the very bottom on the right hand side:

Moberly - Frenchamn's Bluff path

From here, we went to Hannibal to our favorite Lover's Leap in EM49hq to join Kevin AD7OI. Ron covered that part nicely in his narrative, so I will only add that I was not able to hear the WB0LJC group in Minnesota although Kevin worked them SSB .. well, not only his 60W station makes its own path through the atmosphere, but it also receives very good. Subject to look at during the coming winter (I intend to replace mu LNA with new one from Kuhne). I worked K9JK across reasonable distance that day.

AF4JF and WA0CNS set up in EM49hq

Lover's Leap has a new "decoration"

Kevin AD7OI explaining ham radio to bystanders

Second half of the contest was more exciting. We only went out on Sunday September 22 (2024) and only to Louisiana in EM49lk. There were no rain clouds to use and generally nobody to work. Except Bruce W9FZ and Janice KA9VVQ who came close enough to us to make a QSO. It was hard, but we made 385km contacts! This was also the first outing where Jim KK0U joined us with 10GHz station.

Aiming towards EN42px from EM49lk

Jim KK0U operating 10GHz

Ron KO0Z on his truck

More Radio-Activity

Warmer weather that accompanies the onset of Summer in Missouri always brings, besides the air temperatures and sunshine, also some VHF+ and general ham radio activity. 

Spring SPRINT 50MHz contest took place on May 11. Herbert AF4JF and Tony KT0AA went to Winfield area to test antennas - Tony used a nice loop and Herbert tested his dual-hamstick dipole. Both antennas were horizontally polarized. Comparing by asking several stations about our signal strengths gave us the expected answer - the loop antenna was a little better than the dipole.

AF4JF and KT0AA in Foley, MO (EM49oa)

The June ARRL VHF Contest kept us busy for two days in June, Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th. Ron KO0Z, Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF spent Saturday making VHF contacts from EM48 and EM49 grids in the Winfield area. As always, we combined the Sunday VHF activity with one of the local hamfests on the Illinois side of the river (the Egyptian Hamfest in Granite City), lunch at the famous Uncle Linny's restaurant and VHF operation from Edwardsville EM58.

AF4JF in Foley EM49oa

AF4JF and WA0CNS in Granite City EM48wq

AF4JF in Edwardsville EM58as

WA0CNS setting up in Edwardsville EM58as

SPRINT Microwave

The SLAMS group was planning on combining the Microwave SPRINT contest with MAD Day (Microwave Activity Day) and with Pere Marquette park activation (POTA). Our plans have changed last minute and we ended up just testing our microwave equipment after months of winter storage.

Herbert AF4JF set up at the Community College near Cottleville, Missouri. Ron KO0Z on Kisker Road behind the close SSM medical facility and Harry WA0CNS went to his favorite place on High Ridge, MO. Ron worked me (Herbert) from Kisker Road and then moved to my location to work Harry. We used 1296MHz and 10GHz, QSOs were made on both bands. Harry WA0CNS used his multi-band SDR transceiver he built from SDR ADALM PLUTO and Raspberry Pi with a touch screen with about 200mW output power on 23cm. That was enough to work both of us on SSB although we were both running > 10W. Distance between us and Harry was 33 km (21 miles, EM48qs to EM48rl) and there is NO line of sight between these locations but we always make the 10GHz contact anyway.

AF4JF in EM48qs

Elevation profile between EM48qs and EM48rl (right side)

SPRINT 432 again

VHF+ SPRINT contests return twice every year in 5 sections - 50, 144. 222. 432 and microwave. We of the local SLAMS group around Saint Louis only participated from our homes in the 144 and 222MHz sections this year, mostly due to bad weather (you do not want to be on the hilltop during severe thunderstorm). However, the weather last night was perfect for VHF+ activity, so we went outdoors again.

When I said "we", I meant a combination of SLAMS and SLQS (Saint Louis QRP Society) members. Also, the participating stations were members of either one or both of these groups. There was no other band activity in our area - a problem we see in every contest now.

Tony KT0AA and Herbert AF4JF went to Winfield (North of St. Charles, Missouri) to the EM48-EM49 grid line. There is a nice hill with a huge railroad communications tower where we usually go for this kind of activity. Worked couple of stations, Including Harry WA0CNS and Tom W0MFQ. Tom was testing his 144MHz Yagi antenna, which was the reason why we took the 2m KLM beam on AF4JF's car to 70cm contest. Everything worked exceptionally fine and we made QSOs on both band, 144 and 432MHz, even with antennas for opposite polarization.

Several pictures to document the rover setups:

WA0CNS in EM48

AF4JF in EM49

Missouri QSO Party and Solar Eclipse QSO Party

Both QSO parties were mostly HF events, but since we made several VHF/UHF contacts, they belong on this blog too. 

MOQP took place on Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7, 2024. The SEQP followed just one day later, on April 8, the day of the 2024 solar eclipse (click on the links to see rules). Some SLAMS members attended these events together with members of the Saint Louis QRP Society (SLQS). Definitely very interesting events!

Herbert AF4JF attended the MOQP as a Rover (mobile station per MOQP rules) from Saint Charles County in EM48 on Saturday and Lincoln County in EM49 on Sunday. Used a mobile Tarheel antenna 80-6m, 18ft. vertical and horizontal loops for VHF/UHF.

AF4JF in Saint Charles, 1st day MOQP

My dog Darcey in Saint Charles, 1st day MOQP

Darcey in Lincoln County, 2nd day MOQP

AF4JF in Lincoln County, 2nd day MOQP
(the big tower belongs to Railroad, not to me)

SEQP from a public park in EM48

Another view of the AF4JF station in EM48 during SEQP

Everything considered, these were great events! We will include more VHF+ activities next time.

Dose of January Radio-Activity

Once again, the Winterfest. Our biggest hamfest of the season. Lots of banquets, forums, commercial vendors and above all, the huge indoor flea market. Collinsville, IL on Saturday, January 27. Surprisingly, quite balmy weather this year compared to the freezing cold many years before.

Winterfest is always interesting. It would take pages of pictures to show the atmosphere and cover all the activities, so I will just add two that got my attention:

Display of Radio Scouting with some APRS equipment

Revolutionary portable ground system

Unfortunately, this was also the last day of a DX-pedition to Clipperton Island, TX5S. Many of us were trying to score last QSOs in the morning of the Winterfest:

TX5S Live Stream

To make it even more interesting, this was also the weekend of a major HF contest, the CQ 160m CW. Enough? Oh no .. this was also the weekend of the Winter Field Day. Quite a busy weekend! I have worked TX5S, made some CW QSOs on 160m, attended the Winterfest and even visited the portable location of the STL QRP Society in the Babler Park:

Cochran Shelter in the Babler Park

STL QRP Club guys during the WFD

I was very impressed by the outdoor activity the STL QRP guys set up in the Babler park. There was a fire place in the shelter, but the shelter itself is open, so the operation was far from convenient or "home-like". I have only visited for a short time, but I have seen enough challenging things to last me a year or two - nice QRP radios, portable antennas and above all very friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Too bad that I spent the previous night operating in the 160m contest.

To my knowledge, there was at least one other group from our area, the Missouri Outdoor Club, W0MOC attending the Winter Field Day. They operated in about one hour driving distance West from Saint Louis close to I-70, but I was not able to visit them due to lack of sleep on my side. Fantastic activity, beating the elements while generating some waves!

To make things even more complex, the SLAMS club had the regular breakfast meeting at Denny's just the next Sunday morning. It was one of the nice meetings where everybody was having fun on top of eating the traditionally good food. Everything considered, one of the most active weekends we have ever had.

ARRL VHF January 2024 Contest

It's that time of the year again - time to freeze while trying to be radio-active. At least in theory. Practically, some of us decided not to get exposed to the elements and the rest just minimized the exposure. We decided to avoid the predicted cold on Saturday and scheduled a limited activity for Sunday, January 21st. Well, it wasn't much warmer and the stay outdoors on the open spots where we usually go to for VHF+ contacts was far from pleasant.

Herbert AF4JF set up his SUV for the usual roving activity, just limited the number of bands to 3 and only worked on two of them - 144 and 432MHz. Harry WA0CNS set up his minivan in similar fashion and operated on 144MHz. Our new member Tony KB9LLD operated on 144 and 432 using a "drive-on" stand with a pole that carried very nice dual band beam. Ron KO0Z supported us from his home station.

We probably did not break any records and I am afraid that we won't win this contest either, but the activity was way higher than couple of last years combined. We have even worked some FM stations only using their handhelds! Hope this trend will spread, we need more activity!

Several pictures from today's outing:

Herbert AF4JF in EM48qs

Herbert AF4JF in EM49oa

Tony KB9LLD in EM48qs

Tony has a nice "drive-on" stand

Herbert worked Marshall WD9EXD in EM57
(142 miles) on the small 70cm loop