Saturday, September 16, the first day of the ARRL 10 GHz and up Contest 2017 Round 2 was spent by Herbert, AF4JF and I attending the TAPR DCC in Earth City. It was a day well spent and very informative. AF4JF and I made final plans for Sunday's contest outing.
Our major goal was to try out new microwave locations in EM49 and EM59. Google Earth is a wonderful tool for checking potential sites, but it's not until actually going there to check for foliage, ground depressions, tall weeds, etc., does the true nature of a potential site truly reveal itself. We've found that Google Earth is a good place from which to start.
Herbert, AF4JF remembered some good, potential spots along Powerline Road near Pere Marguette State Park, IL that were worth checking in EM49sa. I found a new hill in EM59fh with soy beans on it. The farmer gave me permission to operate from there. I also have permission to operate from the hill just to its east, so I should have a hill available to me depending on crop rotation.
Hill EM59fh southeast of Raymond, IL. The hill with the trees is also available.
Closer view of the EM59fh hill with soybeans this year.
My Cobalt made it up this road, it's much steeper than what the picture reveals.
Set up on top of EM59fh hillside looking towards Herbert, AF4JF southwest in EM49sa.
I was up and running by 9 AM. I could hear the WB9PNU beacon, but QSB made copy too difficult. AF4JF and I tried to make a 2 way QSO at 10:43 am, but tall trees with plenty of RF absorbing leaves at Herbert's EM49sa location ( 53 miles) stymied our efforts. Earlier I tried working Ron, W9ZIH in EM51nv, about 181 miles away, but we couldn't hear each other. Unfortunately, Ron has a tall hill towards my direction in EM59fh which makes copy difficult for Ron, W9ZIH
AF4JF photo: Notice Herbert's rig set up beneath the water tower. Over 800 foot elevation, but trees are in the way.
After trying both locations, our plans called for usto move closer to each other so I went to Gillespie about 28 miles away from EM59fh and Herbert moved to Jerseyville, IL EM49uc about 11 miles away from his previous spot.
I made it to Gillespie, but trees or corn blocked my view towards Herbert, AF4JF, 23 miles west of me. So what's a ham to do? Move west, young ham, move west. I drove down IL Hwy 16 to Shipman, where I found a good spot. A farmer had just harvested his corn field, which now gave me a good shot west.
Shipman, IL EM49xc looking northwest towards Jerseville, IL EM49uc (13.4 miles).
KO0Z's 10 GHz rig looking west from Shipman EM49xc.
Herbert, AF4JF's view from Jerseyville, IL EM49uc towards me in EM49xc (AF4JF photo).
The town of Shipman, IL EM49xc just to my north.
Fortunately, this freight trail arrived after I made the QSO with AF4JF in EM49xc!
At 12:12 pm AF4JF and I made our first 10 GHz QSO of the day 21 km or 13.4 miles away.
Our plans now called for lunch, so I drove west to Jerseyville and we had a splendid lunch at Fran and Marilyn's restaurant on Main Street, also US Hwy 67.
The lunch selection is awesome and reasonably priced at Fran and Marilyn's
This picture and the one's below depict some of Jerseyville's beautiful architecture
Herbert, AF4JF makes a friend at EM49uc, Jerseyville, IL
This is another view from EM49uc looking east towards EM49xc. I was behind the direction of the tower in the center of the picture. The owner of the mowed property, at first, wasn't too pleased with me being there, but after explaining our purpose he was more amiable. .
After lunch, Herbert and I went back to the original EM49ua location and we decided to try to work Ron, W9ZIH in EN51nv. However, the northward view wasn't too good. Both Herbert and I looked for a clear spot to the north and about 100 yards east, we found a closed business with a view to the north. I set up and while trying to work Ron, the owner showed up in his pickup truck and after explaining what we were up to, he allowed us to stay since we weren't going to be there long. I was able to hear Ron with S5 signals, but he couldn't hear me at a distance of 206.6 miles (332.5 km). It was now 2:35 pm and Herbert needed to head back to St. Peters.
I decided to press on northward towards White Hall, IL to find a clear spot looking north towards Ron, W9ZIH.
A pretty, red barn somewhere along Hwy 67 between Jerseyville and Jacksonville, IL
At this point, I'm not even sure which town I am in when I took this picture. I believe it is Carrolton, IL
Along Hwy 67, all I found looking north were trees, more trees and cornfields. It was looking bleak. I thought about calling it a day. By this time I was about ten miles away from Jacksonville, IL and I remember seeing on a map a place called tower hill. I went to the west side of Jacksonville in Morgan County (about 30 miles west of Springfield, IL) and I saw a number of commercial towers.
I was now in EM49ur which is 43 miles north of Jerseyville. I finally found a site I could use!
Old, microwave tower, west of Jacksonville, IL EM49ur. Workable view to north finally!
Looking northeast towards Ron, W9ZIH in EN51nv 167 miles (268 km). Greg, KA9VDU in WI is dead center between the trees. Bruce, Janice and Glen, also in WI, are just left of the trees at the edge of the farm towards the left, down the road. Note the grain bin beyond the fence line. That is where I set up next.
I set up my dish near the microwave tower, but I had a lot of road noise on the highway. The picture above makes the heavily traveled road into Jacksonville look almost level with me, but I am actually about ten feet above the road. AT 4:45 pm, Greg, KA9VDU in EN53kt (288.2 miles, 463.8 km) tried to work me, but we had no luck whatsoever. Next, I called Ron, W9ZIH in EN51nv (167 miles, 268 km) and we finally worked each other. Ron had a terrible time finding my signal. I was drifting badly. Sometimes 5 to 7 KHz. I later discovered my coax connector from the 10 MHz OCXO is intermittent even though the transverter showed a locked signal.
After working Ron, W9ZIH, Bruce, W9FZ, his wife Janice, KA9VVQ and Glen, KC0IYT in EN42 px gave me phone call. I told them about my technical issue, but we all decided it was still worth a try since I'd be there most distant Q, 225 miles 362 km, if we made it. Darn well worth a try!
I wasn't too hopeful at this point; especially since their azimuth heading was just to the left of the tree in front of me. Well, what the heck, let's roll! I beaconed and they could hear my 10 GHz signal. They beaconed to me and I could hear them, but there was deep QSB. At one point, Bruce told me I was loud enough to copy CW, but then we had the problem of chasing my signal. Drats. Bruce commented, "If only we could one or two more dB!" It was sometime around 6:10 pm.
In the meantime, a nice homeowner just west of my location came by to check things out and he knew the farmer that owned the grain bin down the road and felt he wouldn't mind if I set up there as long as I wasn't in the way.
At this point, I decided to drive down the road about 300 yards with a clearer view towards EN42px, but I'd lose about 50 feet or more of elevation. Ten minutes later I was set-up and running, but with similar results. In fact the QSB was getting worse.
So close! We could hear each other! I can't help, but think that if my signal was frequency stable we may just of had the 2 way QSO! I'd like to thank Greg, Bruce, Janice and Glenn for trying!
I reset up about 50 feet lower from my prior EM49ur location about 300 yards behind me. I am looking towards EN42px.
Looking back up the hill in EM49ur, about a 50 foot drop in elevation, but clearer view northward.
Looking back up the hill (southeast) towards the microwave tower where I first started in EM439ur
This home is just west of the microwave tower and looking south west! The owners are friendly!
View of the microwave antennas on the EM49ur tower.
A tall, commercial TV tower near Franklin, IL on my way home to Girard with a beautiful sunset to end the day.
By 6:35 pm, I was packed up and ready to go home to EM59ck...about a 45 minute drive. I was tired, but not exhausted. It was a good day of microwave experimentation and a very fun way to spend a Sunday with radio buddies.
73 de Ron, KO0Z
