2018 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest

Part deux of the ARRL's 10 GHz and Up Contest, September 15 and 16, doesn't always offer the best contest conditions.  Many of the uW ops up north contest along the Great Lakes, which leaves few of us in the "black hole" a lot of options.  This year, Herbert AF4JF and I decided to leapfrog each other, which meant a lot of traveling in a "shoot and scoot" strategy.  We made elaborate plans.  Debbie KC9ULA and I, KO0Z even scouted out a potential location near Mason City, IL for the contest.

Since Herbert wasn't available until after 3:00 pm on Saturday, we decided that he'd start off in St. Charles County in EM48rt near Red Lobster along I-70.  KO0Z went to the Aerie's winery in Grafton up on the bluffs and worked Herbert on cw with 599 signals for a path 20 km at 3:35 pm.  We even did SSB.  Next, Ron went to the Dow site, EM59ua and Herbert went to the YMCA in EM48sq.  We worked each other on cw for path of 40 km at 4:19 pm.  Ron packed up and proceeded to Edwardsville, EM58as and worked Herbert at 5:44 pm with 599 cw signals for a 44 km path.  Ron drove close to 200 miles round trip.

Sunday was to be the big travel day.  But the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray came into play.  KO0Z's daughter-in-law's mother passed away and the visitation was scheduled for Sunday from 11 to 2.  Ron wanted to contest but he also wanted to be there, but that meant cutting the contest day short.  It's about a 90 minute drive from Girard, IL to St. Peters, MO.   Ron would have to leave for St. Peters no later than 11:30 am to be in St. Peters by 2 pm with some time to spare. Originally, Herbert and Ron planned to end up at Zack, W9SZ's EN50rl hilltop location, but that will have to wait for another day.  Instead, Ron and Herbert decided to start their contest Sunday off by meeting for breakfast  at the Litchfield, IL Denny's at 5:30 am!  Ron actually made it!

A hearty breakfast and many cups of coffee later, Ron and Herbert were tooling down IL Route 16 by 6:30 am to Ohlman cemetery, EM59ji.  We were set up on the hill by 7:10 am.  We were unable to hear the St. Louis beacon, 125 km, 78 miles away, and we didn't have any luck hearing Ron W9ZIH's powerhouse signal from Malta, IL EN51nv, 176 miles (283 km) away.  Not to be skunked, KO0Z drove 5 km away and worked AF4JF.

Our next stop was the one we were most looking forward to visiting.  Ron secured permission to go on top of the gob nob from the old Crown 1 mine just east of the Farmersville and I-55 exit (exit 72) near Farmersville, IL, EM59ek.  Jim N9LQF had the key to open the gate and we drove to the top of the gob just below Ameren UE's huge wind turbine.  The view is awesome!  It is high and clear of any obstructions.  There was no detectable interference to our 10 GHz rigs.

We tried to work Ron W9ZIH and we could hear his signal, but it wasn't much above the noise and there was QSB a distance of 174 miles (280 km).  He was unable to hear us.  We were unable to hear the WB9PNU beacon from that location, 64 miles (102 km) to the southwest.

                         
                       Saturday afternoon   AF4JF set up in EM48 rt ready to work KO0Z in EM48sx

                         Herbert looking towards EM48sx (Grafton, IL) from EM48 rt (St. Peters, MO)

       AF4JF setup at the YMCA EM48sq (Bridgeton, MO ready to work KO0Z in EM49ua (Dow, IL)

                                                     Herbert's EM48sq location

                AF4JF's dish at Ohlman cemetery, EM58ji aiming towards KO0Z 5 km away in EM59jj

                                        AF4JF setup in Ohlman cemetery EM58ji

                                   KO0Z's view across the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers from EM48sx

                              KO0Z aiming from EM48sx (Grafton, IL) to St. Peters in EM48rt

                                               EM48sx above Grafton, IL on the bluffs

                                                            Dow, IL EM49ua

                    Ron KO0Z's view from Edwardsville, IL EM58sa west to EM48sq

The wind turbine at EM59ek just east of Farmersville, IL

                       
                            Herbert AF4JF getting ready at EM59ek on top of the gob.

                                                     View from EM59ek

                                         Looking north from the gob at EM59ek.

                                           
                                         AF4JF loves this uW site on the EM59ek gob.

                              KO0Z's view, 2 km westward towards the EM59ek wind turbine

Entrance to the EM59ek gob site near Farmersville, IL

Unfortunately, KO0Z needed to call it quits for the day.  Ron, Debbie KC9ULA and Roman KD9COA needed to leave in time for the visitation.  A big shout out to Herbert for his understanding and to Jim N9LQF for securing permission and the key to the gob site!