222 MHz and UP Sunday

Sunday, August 2, 2020; COVID-19 Virus is once again on an exponential rise, plaguing the nation.  Social distancing is the order of the day.  Still, Herbert AF4JF, Ron KO0Z, Debbie KC9ULA and Harry WA0CNS ventured out this morning to practice some "radio activity" while still maintaing social distancing.

Herbert, Ron and Debbie went to Eagle Roost at Pere Marquette State Park near Grafton, IL EM48rx and Harry went to High Ridge, MO in EM48rl, a distance of almost 35 miles.  Herbert, Ron and Debbie were on the road by 7:00 am and crossed over the Mississippi River into IL via the Grafton Ferry boat.  By 8:40 am we were QRV.  At 9:16 am, Ron made a two-way CW 10 GHz QSO with Harry.  Right after that we made a two-way SSB 10 GHz QSO.  S-9 signals both ways, both times! 

Next on the agenda, Herbert using a BBQ dish antenna and his PLUTO SDR transceiver made could hear Harry's 2.3 GHz SSB signal!  After a little tuning, Harry was able to copy Herbert's 2.3 SSB 10 milliwatt signal with his downconverter and IF rig!  AF4JF then put in a 1-2 watt amp and both stations copied each other's SSB signals with 5 X 7 reports.

AF4JF then made a 1.2 GHz two-way QSO with WA0CNS with 10 milliwatts and a WA5VJB PC log periodic antenna!

By 10:30 am we finished packing up and we were on our way back to St. Charles.  Herbert went back via the ferry boat and Ron and Debbie continued southward on the Great River Road, enjoying the scenic view, towards Alton before taking Hwy 367 back to I 270.

Not a bad way at all to get some exercise, some radio and still social distance during the pandemic. It was great "seeing" (hearing) everyone today!   

                Herbert waiting to board the Grafton Ferry to Illinois and EM48rx

    Crossing the mighty Mississippi to Illinois

                    AF4JF's 1.2 and 2.3 GHz set-up using a PLUTO SDR

     K00Z's 10 GHz dish at Eagle Roost EM48rx pointing south towards WA0CNS near High Ridge, MO EM48rl about 35 miles away.

          AF4JF's PLUTO SDR computer screen.

Herbert summed up today's outing with this email:

Ron and Harry,

Thanks for coming out with me on such short notice! I wasn't sure until Friday evening if I will find the time .. I am glad that I did.

What I wanted to test today was:

- if Harry will copy me and if I copy him on the PCB antenna on 2.3/3.4 GHz .. negative, this didn't work on 2.3GHz so we didn't even try on 3.4GHz

- if Harry will copy me and if I copy him on the BBQ dish antenna without PA .. positive, this worked both ways

- if Harry will copy me using the LUXUL PA/preamp unit ... positive, this worked. RX preamp was fine, but TX needs adjustment of driving power

- if Harry will copy me and if I copy him on lower microwave bands (903/1296MHz) using the PCB antenna ... positive, we made 2-way QSO on 1296. Wow!

These results gave me an idea what I need to put in the box with SDR PLUTO to make it multi-band rover transceiver with as simple band switching as possible. 

73 Herbert

Harry WA0CNS in EM48rl, High Ridge, MO working EM48rl, Pere Marquette State Park, IL 35 miles

      

                                  Darcy is a relaxed microwave companion

                       This chap likes KO0Z or he's an Illini fan, orange and blue colors!

                                      EM48rx hitchhiker

Debbie KC9ULA and Toula along for the ride.

                                     AF4JF's multiband power amp.

CSVHF 2019, Lincoln, NE as Seen by KO0Z

It was great seeing Bob N0IS, Herbert AF4JF, Harry WA0CNS and everyone else who attended this year's CSVHFS conference at Lincoln, NE.  Bob, Harry and Herbert carpooled to Lincoln.  Ron carpooled with Mark WD9HBF rover along with Mark's friend Dave KF8QL from Michigan.

Bob's entourage left around 6:30 am and arrived around 2 pm; whereas, Ron left around 1 pm and arrived around 7:30 pm on Thursday.  The entrance to the Country Suites hotel was graced with a 4 meter dish for EME work later on in the morning.

There were not as many antenna entries this year.  I don't believe any 6 meter antennas were measured.  Herbert had two 3456 MHz patch antennas measured.

The forums were excellent and I made a few new friends.  Herbert, Harry and I started to make plans for the upcoming ARRL 10 GHz and up contest.

The banquet and prize table had a new twist this year.  Steve N2CEI was the MC and he called ticket numbers randomly to enact jeopardy, the wedding game and other TV shows as a means to give away top prizes and to entertain.  It was a great idea, and I found it very funny, but it did run a bit long.  We didn't leave the banquet until 11:30.  I love the idea and I vote the society consider doing it again, but trim it back a bit.    Rod's recounting of looking for Amelia Earhart's plane was very interesting.

I had so much fun, that I'm already marking next year's calendar for CSVHFS in La Crosse, WI in late July.

BARS September 30, 2017 Lunch

Litchfield, IL, I-55 exit 52, Maverick Steak House and Spirits restaurant, Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 10 am.  Herbert, AF4JF, Zack, W9SZ and Ron, KO0Z met at the restaurant parking lot and moved a quarter-mile north to parking lot overlooking a field and Zack drove northward to a parking lot at the opposite end of the field, approximately 1 km to test out Herbert's 24 GHz transverter with a 432 MHz IF.

Zack and Herbert were able to hear each other quite well!  A successful test for AF4JF!  Ron, KO0Z is still working on his 24 GHz rig.  He needs to get a 12 GHz doubler to proceed further.

It was a beautiful, fall Saturday with temps in the 70s and low humidity.  A good day to microwave.  After the test, we ate a big lunch at Maverick's and made plans for the upcoming microwave sprint/MAD on Saturday October 7th. Both Zack and Ron were able to copy the WB9PNU beacon in Bridgeton, MO with S-1 signals.  Not very strong, but detectable.  We had the I-55 off ramp ridge between us about a half-mile away which could have been blocking signals.

                   Herbert, AF4JF setting up 24 GHz to work Zack, W9SZ across the field

Zack, W9SZ looking south, across the field, towards Herbert, AF4JF

 
                                      Initial contact between AF4JF and W9SZ on 24 GHz

 

 

                                         24 GHz QSO between AF4JF and W9SZ EM59de

                               Zack, W9SZ and Herbert AF4JF chatting in Maverick's parking lot

                                                 AF4JF's 24 GHz dish with splash feed point

                   Herbert, AF4JF setting up while Zack, W9SZ is doing likewise across the field.

                                           Close up of  the 24 GHz splash feed 

                                                      AF4JF's 24 GHz transverter 

                                             Herbert ready to make a 24 QSO test with Zack!
 

               
                                                      Herbert's 1.2 GHz transverter 

                          Zack, W9SZ set up at the north end of field with his 24 GHz rig. 

                    A successful 24 GHz QSO, now time for lunch at Maverick's in Litchfield.

2017 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest, Round 2 or Trees, More Trees and Corn...

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