Snowscatter Attempt

 Wednesday, 27 December 2023, St. Louis saw it's first "significant" snowfall.  Some areas had big flakes, others not so much.  The snowfall didn't accumulate due to ground temperatures well above freezing.  However, it did afford me the opportunity to set my 10 GHz rig up in the family room, open our French doors to the backyard and to listen for the WB9PNU/B.  

The beacon is about seven miles away to my northeast, but my suburban setting blocks my view.  However, I have heard the beacon pointing north with rain scatter with good results.  Let's see how snow scatter works from the same location.

There wasn't a dense amount of snow falling when I attempted the experiment.  I listened around 3:15 pm and I could just make out the beacon.  There was QSB and the signal was not strong enough to get a good copy, but I could make it out. 

I varied my elevation and azimuth heading a bit with varying results.  I do have a limited view, but it fun trying nonetheless.  I consider my first experiment with snow scatter a limited success.

     I just turned off my rig when I took this picture, but I did copy the WB9PNU beacon with snow scatter from a very limited suburban view.

 

Annual SLAMS/BARS lunch 2023

We have met with the SLAMS group for our traditional lunch at the famous Chandler Hill winery on Saturday November 11, 2023 once again. 

Chandler Hill Winery

Some pictures and more info was published on the SLAMS blog site here (click to open). Nice location, tasty food and good company. Hope to meet here again next year!

Annual SLAMS/BARS meeting at Chandler Hill 2022

There was another annual meeting at the winery. We have discussed some technical topics and our activity schedule for 2023. You will find it in the column to the right of this text. This schedule is coordinated with SLAMS schedule on the SLAMS blog site.

More info about the meeting can be found here.

Annual SLAMS / BARS lunch at Chandler Hill again

Another year passed away and we have met at the Chandler Hill winery for our annual lunch again. This was actually the 4th lunch of both groups (SLAMS and BARS) together. There already is a posting on the SLAMS blog site (click here to display).

The Chandler Hill winery is very nice, dog-friendly place with plenty of indoor-outdoor seating, good wine and more than edible food. The only problem is that the place is very popular - you have to arrive before Noon if you want to park in front of the entrance. Late comers have to leave the car at their remote parking lot and use their shuttle service (which is fast and convenient).

Several pictures from the event:

Annual SLAMS / BARS lunch at Chandler Hill

We have held the annual lunch at the Chandler Hill Winery today. Please look at the posting on the SLAMS blog site (click here) for some pictures.

73 Herbert

AF4JF

Higher And Higher, past radio waves and visible light

I still remember my first 23cm transverter and my fear from frequencies above 1 GHz. What am I going to do? How am I supposed to measure, even how to tune anything on these high frequencies? It's not that long ago, about 15 years. Of course we managed that frequency. We also managed 10 GHz, later even 24 GHz. I have bought my 47GHz transverter from DB6NT. Now, these wonderful units from VK put us on 122 GHz ...

Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF made several short QSOs on 122GHz before making our 5.25 km contact on November 7th. See the posting here (click).

We have been playing with optical communications in the early days of the SLAMS group, see pictures here (click). The BARS group was also planning on some optical communications here (click), but we have never made a full bi-directional QSO until today (click here). Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF used the opportunity and tested their old equipment while waiting for other participants of the team meeting that we started holding in the Creve Coeur Memorial Park again. Witnessed by Ron KO0Z, our first QSO using red light took place. Harry used his station with two Fresnel lenses, TX with red LED diode wavelength 635 nm and RX with photo diode BPW34. Herbert used his old 5 mW red laser module wavelength 650 nm and a solar panel (!!) from old garden light as RX. No additional lenses used on Herbert's side. First QSO was difficult, especially aiming the stations at each other. We clearly have some work to do here, similar to our experience with 122GHz mentioned above. Using rifle scopes on these frequencies is a MUST!

Harry was actually using voice audio on transmit. That was surprisingly clear and easy to understand on Herbert's side. Herbert responded with 30% AM modulated CW (using shunt modulator).

Harry also built an optical beacon with infrared diodes (the little box on a smaller tripod on the right picture above). These diodes have lenses built in and the beam width is about 5 degrees. Built-in processor transmits beacon patterns and some text with Harry's callsign. I will try to record it and post the recording here next time.

So, what is next? Definitely attempt on longer distances on both, 122 GHz and 462 THz. We will keep working on mechanical stability, improving precise aiming and get more ready for next year.

73 Herbert

AF4JF

Many things happened in September

The SLAMS/BARS group was unusually active in September. Here are the events that took place and links to postings on the SLAMS page (click on the links for more details):

SLAMS September 2020 Breakfast

Sunday, September 6th, Mel K0PFX, Harry WA0CNS, Herbert AF4JF, Armand KD0PFX, Ron KO0Z, Debbie KC9ULA convened at Creve Coeur Park at 9:00 am to test out some gear.  Mike N0OBI came by, but somehow we missed each other.  COVID-19 is still among us, so we met outdoors, wore masks and kept socially distant.

WB9PNU Beacon back on the air

After several months of being off the air, the WB9PNU 10 GHz beacon is once again up and operating from DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton, MO EM48ss thanks to the hard work and dedication of Mel K0PFX and John WB9PNU.  The beacon was thoroughly checked out by Mel and the slot antenna mount was replaced with a stronger mount and the assembly put into a water proof container. 

The beacon operates at 10.368.900 with an AFSK CW telemetry.  The telemetry data is no longer accurate because of control voltage issues.  That will be a future project to re-calibrate the telemetry.

September 2020 Tropo Opening

Tuesday evening, September 15 around 7:25 pm (September 16,00:25 Z), we set up our 10 GHz stations to attempt a 10 GHz QSO with Gedas W8BYA in northern Indiana EN70jt and with Russ KB8U in EN71sw. We didn't make any QSO, but we heard each other with Gedas. Click on the link to know more.

ARRL 10 GHz And Up Contest - September 2020

COVID-19, busy work schedules, grandchildren, moving QTH locations all combined took its toll on this year's SLAMS efforts to be radio active for the ARRL 10 GHz and Up contest.  Still, it's hard to keep uW hams away from a contest and Harry WA0CNS, Herbert AF4JF and Ron KO0Z put in a day's worth of activity on Sunday, September 20, 2020.  We weren't trying to break any records.  Instead, we wanted to try 122 GHz and get some activity on the air.  Herbert and Harry tried to work Gedas W8BYA in Indiana, but the path just wasn't there.  KO0Z didn't even try.  His path to Gedas would involve shooting into a thick forest.

ARRL 10 GHz And Up 2020 as seen by AF4JF

The short contest attempt as seen by AF4JF.