2019 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest August 17, Round 1

Saturday morning, 17 August awoke Harry WA0CNS, Herbert AF4JF and Ron KO0Z with deafening thunder claps and torrential rainfall.  Looking at the NWS radar, we surmised that the heaviest rainfall would pass the gob site, just east of Farmersville, IL by 9:00 am.  All three of us converged on EM59ek around 9:15 am and made our way up to the gob's summit.  EM59ek offers unobstructed 360 degree views in all directions.  It is an awesome VHF-uW site!  A big shout-out of thanks to RECC for giving us repeated permission to use their site!

                           Entrance to the gob know, EM59ek just east of Farmersville, IL

                      Gravel roadway up to the gob summit.  Note the RECC wind turbine.

Although the weather forecast called for overcast skies, it turned out to be partly cloudy as attested to by Herbert and Harry's sun burnt faces. 

                                                Herbert AF4JF set-up on top of the gob.

                              Harry WA0CNS listening for 10 GHz signals from Ron KO0Z.

"Shoot and scoot" map.  The yellow ring has a 20 mile diameter and the red one is 40 miles from the gob site.  Yellow pins are prospective rover sites.  Ron started at Pin 1 and worked counterclockwise.

    This shot of KO0Z is at Pin 5 just outside of Taylorville, IL EM59io about 21 miles from the gob site.  

All in all, it was a great microwave dxpedition.  The shoot and scoot idea works.  It would work even better if we can get a couple of teams to rove.  One going clockwise and the other counterclockwise.  We made great two-way Qs from every location except for Pin 6 (New City, IL) just north of the gob.  We were getting tired, sun burnt and ready to call it a day so we skipped activating Pin 6.  We did work Pins 7 and 8 before we finished up around 6 pm.

For a more detailed description of the August 17 microwave  dxpedition please check out the BARS BlogSpot at http://bi-state-amateur-radio-society.blogspot.com/

73, Ron KO0Z EM59ck

Transmitting from the Gob

It's still dark at 6:30 am on Saturday, October 20th.  Winds were brisk and temps in the forties.  KO0Z made a coffee run and by the time he and AF4JF made it to the gob pile entrance, there was enough light to unlock the chained gate and make their way up the gob to the wind turbine (EM59ek) and aim their antennas towards Zack W9SZ 97 miles away on his hilltop location (EN50rl).

Ten GHz wasn't productive, but Ron's rig appears to be more frequency stable with his GPS 10 MHz oscillator and new batter booster.  Herbert did make a two-way QSO with Zack on 1.2 GHz.  All-in-all, not a bad way to spend a Saturday morning.

                           
                                            Sunrise on the gob, EM59ek

                              Herbert AF4JF setup for 1.2 GHz and 10 GHz

                                          Wind turbine at Farmersville, IL EM59ek

                                                       AF4JF's 1.2 GHz yagi.

                                Looking towards Zack's W9SZ hilltop location EN50 rl 97 miles away.

MUD 2018

"Attending a seminar has numerous benefits, including improving communication skills, gaining expert knowledge, networking with others and renewing motivation and confidence."  This quote is taken from a higher education, but it applies quite nicely to MUD 2018 which was held in Fairborn, OH nearby to Dayton.  The organizers did an outstanding job putting on this year's MUD.

In attendance to this year's MUD from the St. Louis group was Bob N0IS, Mel K0PFX, Ron KO0Z, Herbert AF4JF and Zack W9SZ.  Ron, Zack and Herbert carpooled to the Dayton/Fairborn MUD conference on Thursday, October 11.  

10 GHz EME contacts were made and a group even tried 131 GHz!

Here are some photos from the conference.