November Slams Breakfast

I am in total admiration with SLAMS.  It would be hard to find a more caring, dedicated, fun-loving group of hams.  Our organization prides itself on being loosely structured and welcoming of all.  I appreciate that the group makes it a point to have our monthly breakfasts in Illinois a few times a year so the ops out here don't have so far to drive.  Here's a photo of our breakfast held on Sunday, November 1.  We made it in spite of the time change to standard time!

SLAMS 24 GHz Breakfast -2015

Saturday, April 18, 2015, Troy, IL SLAMS met at the Country Pride restaurant for their annual 24 GHz breakfast.  The weather was very nice and welcome change from the rain.  At breakfast, Herbert AF4JF showed the group some great bargains on an RF noise source, a spectrum analyzer board with sweep generator that goes from 138 MHz to 4.4 GHz and a dongle that receives VLF frequencies all the way to 1.2 GHz!

After the breakfast, we went to a nearby park and Harry, WA0CNS set up the SLAMS 24 GHz beacon as well as his 24 GHz transverter.  Zack, W9SZ set up his 24 GHz transverter and Qs were exchanged in EM58br!

Dave, KB0PE is working on a second 24 GHz rig and Ron, KO0Z is very close to getting his station on the air.  Mike, N0OBI had a horn and a diode and he was able to detect the 24 GHz RF.

                          138 MHz-4.4 GHz Spectrum Analyzer board with tracking generator.

                                         
                                                           RF Noise Source

                                                   VLF to UHF Dongle!

                                             Zack, W9SZ and Dave, KB0PE

 
                                           Herbert, AF4JF, Harry, WA0CNS and Zack, W9SZ

                                                         24 GHz 1/2 watt amp.

                                                     Zack, W9SZ's 24 GHz rig.

                                                       Dave, KB0PE's 24 GHz transverter.

                                                        Dave, KB0PE and Zack, W9SZ

                                                      Harry, WA0CNS 24 GHz Beacon.

                                                       Inner workings of the 24 GHz beacon.

                                                       Harry, WA0CNS with his 24 GHz rig.

                                          Cassegrain feed for 24 GHz also known as a penny or splash feed.

                                                       Zack, W9SZ's 24 GHz rig

                                                        W9SZ's 24 GHz dish antenna

                        SLAM members :  W9SZ, AF4JF, KO0Z, WA0CNS, N0OBI and KB0PE

                                          Zack, W9SZ looking for 24 GHz signals with his SDR radio

                   Zack, W9SZ to the left and Harry, WA0CNS to the right working each other on 24 GHz.

                                    Mike, N0OBI with his horn feed and diode detector.
       
                                    Below, Zack picking up some 24 GHz signals.

November SLAMS meeting in Troy, IL

It was good seeing most of the SLAMS members at our monthly meeting.  This month it was held at the TA Truck Stop in Troy, IL just off of I-55.  We chatted about inexpensive modules to get on 10 GHz, 24 GHz activity and our plans to activate the grid corner of EM49, EM59, EN40 and EN50 this upcoming Saturday, November 8 at 8:00 am.  Zack, W9SZ drove down from Champaign, IL to my Girard, IL QTH and we carpooled the rest of the way to Troy.  Good company and good food!

 

More pictures from SLAMS Breakfast near Troy, IL

Couple of pictures made by my wife Alice:

73 Herbert

AF4JF

October Illinois SLAMS Breakfast

Sunday, October 6, 2013.  I'd like to thank SLAMS members for making the trek from Denny's in Missouri to the wild and wooly countryside of Troy, IL.  We gathered at The Country Pride Restaurant at the TA Truck Stop in Troy.  Harold and Dallas were there and it was great seeing everyone!  After breakfast we went to a beautiful park just east of the restaurant to demonstrate 10 GHz.  I set up at the southeast corner of the park about 100 or so yards from everyone else and we demonstrated microwave.  It was great hearing Mel, K0PFX, Jim, N5MU, Herbert, AF4JF and Mike, N0OBI!  Congratulations Mike on getting on 3 cm!  Well done!    We were able to activate EM58br.  Mel was able to hear the WB9PNU/b, but I wasn't able to hear it at my park location.  Mel warned that it was coming in well, but aiming the dish was very tight.  I think I had too many obstructions in my path for I moved my dish in very small increments.  After the demo, Debbie and I found a couple of geocaches in the park and then we went to Ohlman cemetery to see if I could hear the beacon from there in EM59ji some 78 miles away from the beacon.  When I was there a month ago the beacon was 599 plus.  Today, however, I didn't hear it.  It was a blustery day and possibly the steady, strong winds may have blown any paths away.  Nonetheless, it was fun to try and it sure was great seeing everyone!                                                                                                                                        

                                                     (Debbie, KC9ULA outside the Country Pride)

                                                 (The October SLAMS Breakfast meeting)

                                             
                                                (Harold, Reba and Debbie ordering breakfast)