23 July BARS Brunch Meeting 2017

Sunday, July 23, 10:30 am, Arnold, MO in EM48, BARS members gathered for our July brunch.  We met at Ponderosa Steakhouse in Arnold.  According to Google there are only three Ponderosa restaurants in the immediate area.  Vandalia, IL, Washington, MO and Arnold.  It was great seeing everyone and the breakfast fare was good.

We discussed general plans for the ARRL 222 and up contest, the 10 GHz and contest and the upcoming solar eclipse.  We plan to be QRV as time, work and family situations dictate.

Harry, WA0CNS brought some microwave yagis for us to inspect and Herbert, AF4JF brought by his latest project - an affordable and easily constructed 10 GHz beacon to augment the existing WB9PNU/B.  Without a PA, these beacons constructed by modifying an ELCOM synthesizer will produce about 10 mW out.  This is sufficient drive for a 3 watt PA.  Plans are to make three beacons.  One to be placed in St. Peters, EM48qs, another near Troy, IL, EM59 and the other near Girard, IL, EM59ck.

As for Sunday, Aug 20, Ron, KO0Z plans to be QRV from Centralia, MO for the contest and for the solar eclipse on Aug 21.  He and Debbie, KC9ULA will be in the path of totality.  Ron is participating in W9FZ's Eclipse-O-Mania.  Herbert may be active from either EM48, EM38 or EM49.

Our next brunch will be after the St. Charles ARC hamfest in O'Fallon, MO on Sunday, 13 August.  Time and place to eat will be determined.

73 de Ron, KO0Z

 Left to right:  Debbie KC9ULA, Mike N0OBI          Left to right: Bob N0IS, Herbert AF4JF
Harry WA0CNS, Bob N0IS and Herbert AF4JF         Ron KO0Z, Debbie KC9ULA and Mke
                                                                                     N0OBI

 Debbie, KC9ULA holding up a home brewed, 2.3 GHz  yagi that Harry, WA0CNS brought.

                                          The driven element of the commercial WiFi yagi antenna

 Debbie holding up the commercial WiFi 2.4 GHz antenna Harry brought to brunch.

                                                   10 GHz slot antenna for the beacons

                        AF4JF's  programmable controller with five sensors for the 10 GHz beacon 

(made by Tomas, OK1DXD)

                                            AF4JF's 3 watts 10 GHz PA for the beacon

 Programmable controller on top of the Elcom synthesizer coupled to the 3 watt 10 GHz beacon

                                         
                                                  WA0CNS hairpin feed to his 2.3 GHz yagi.

 
                                                      Coaxial feed point to the 2.3 GHz yagi.

Austin, TX, EM10; Padre Island, TX, EL17

A week ago today, Debbie, KC9ULA, Roman, KD9COA and myself returned from a ten day vacation/family reunion to Padre Island, TX EM17. We took the Dodge Caravan and I brought along a Yaesu FT-857 and a Efactor 144/432 loop that I purchased from David Kirk, WT4E of Efactor Antennas, http://efactorantennas.com/index.html, after I read about them in a QST review by Steve Ford a few months ago.  It is an extremely well built dual-band loop with only one coax feed.  The price is only $79.00 and David is a FB op to work with.  To set the SWR, all I had to do is increase the spacing between each loop end to get a great match.  I didn't hear much on the trip, but an op near Corpus Christi came back to my CQ.  We were about 50 miles apart with each of us giving great signal reports.  I also brought some HF hamsticks, but ended up not using them.

                                                 WT4E 144/432 mobile loop. Only $79.00.

While in route to our family reunion, some ops back home asked if I'd be on 6 meters.  My car is equipped with 6 meters, but I didn't have a six meter stick for the van.  Nothing that a stop at Ham Radio Outlet in Plano, TX couldn't fix.  I was expecting a small store front with a large warehouse, but the store is a fully functioning ham radio retail store.  I picked up my six meter stick, a mag mount and few other items.

                          Debbie, KC9ULA and Roman, KD9COA outside HRO in Plano, TX

                                               HRO, a fully functioning ham radio store!

                                                 KC9ULA looking around HRO



After visiting HRO near Dallas and on the way to Corpus, we spent the night in Round Rock, TX which is near Austin and I spent a wonderful time visiting with Jim, N5MU.  He and Shelia are doing well, but Jim told me that his workbench is in his home's garage which doesn't lend itself to building projects in the Texas summer heat.  While we were there it was over 100 degrees F.

                                                      Jim, N5MU and Ron, KO0Z

In addition to the loop and hamsticks, I brought along my 10 GHz rig.  I asked Jim if he knew of any good microwave spots in the area, but he's been so busy unpacking and arranging his home that he really hasn't had much opportunity to look.  So after our visit, bleary eyed from driving and staying up late, I looked at Google Maps and found what may be a suitable site only five miles from our hotel.  I made a sked with Ron Marosko, K5LLL near Austin for late Saturday morning.  Ron told me about the N05K beacon on 10,368.222 GHz which serves the area.  About 10 am, Debbie, Roman and I set out for Round Rock Multipurpose Complex ( ball fields, picnic area etc) which has a fairly good view to the north and southeast.

                                        Round Rock, TX Multipurpose Complex EM10en looking North

                               Looking southeast towards the NO5K beacon and Ron K5LLL 

                      I could copy the beacon well, but not Ron.  He speculates there's a ridge between us.  Ron, K5LLL is about 38 miles away.

     

  A recording of the NO5K beacon located in EM10ch.  About 20 miles from my portable QTH in EM10en.

 Me, KO0Z (EM10en) listening to the NO5K/b ( EM10ch) and after completing a rainscatter QSO with Ron, K5LLL, EM10kf.

Debbie, Roman and I didn't have a lot of time to look for a suitable site, but they were quite patient with me while I looked and then setup.  Ron, K5LLL wasn't too familiar with the area, but he felt like folks didn't have a lot of luck in the past.  Well, the adage, nothing ventured, nothing gained applies and giving it the old, college try, I set up, only to find out that my deep-cycle battery was dead.  I had charged it before the trip, but it had seen one too many microwave ventures. Instead, I was able to use the van's electrical system.  I heard the beacon on 10,368.222 GHz without difficulty.  Ron, K5LLL and I couldn't make it direct, but we did take advantage of some thunderheads to our north and we make the two-way via rainscatter!  

This two-way 3 cm QSO made my day!  Now on to San Antonio and the Alamo.  Four hours later (I-35 traffic was horrible) we arrived at the Alamo.  We enjoyed the history, historical sites and the riverwalk there.

We now pressed on to Padre Island and I had a 2 meter SSB QSO with Don Galloway, K5DYY, in Alice, TX, EL07 about 35 miles away .  He told me that he used to be active  on 10 GHz, but he wasn't able to get his transmitter working, so we didn't have any luck with 3 cm. Too bad, I was looking forward to working him.  It would have been fun to work him via rainscatter, for there are almost always some showers over the Gulf while I was there in EL17, IOTA NA-092.  I appreciate him trying. I hope he can locate the problem.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

                                            T-storm off of Padre Island, IOTA NA-092

                                  Sargasso sea weed washed on shore on Padre Island EL 17
                    

                                                              Screen shot tells the story.

 One of the really nice things about visiting Padre Island is that you can drive your car up onto the beach.  Being careful to park beyond the high tide mark, Debbie, Roman and I took a dip in the Gulf's warm, but refreshing waters.  A bit later, I returned to the van, broke out the newly purchased six-meter stick, tuned it up with my analyzer and connected it to the FT-857.  I immediately made a six-meter contact and since I was on Padre Island, IOTA NA-092, I was spotted and for the next half-hour or so I worked down a small six-meter pile-up!  What fun!  

When we returned home on Sunday, July 2, I already had some QSL cards waiting for me!  I wish I would have had more time to devote to Amateur Radio on this trip, but it was a family reunion and that was a lot of fun and time consuming.  Still running ham radio vacation style was a fun experience.

73,   Ron, KO0Z

WB9PNU/B Telemetry

I posted this video earlier, but for some reason it didn't upload, So here's round two of the WB9PNU 3 cm beacon in St. Louis as received by Ron, KO0Z at EM49ua, Dow, IL on Sunday, June 11, 2017 around 3 pm. 

The telemetry translates:  1.10 watts out, 12.9 VDC, Beacon enclosure temp of 98F and beacon PA temp of 101.9F.

WB9PNU Beacon Telemetry 6-11-17

On Sunday, June 11, 2017 around 3:00 pm, I copied the WB9PNU 3 cm beacon in St. Louis from Dow, IL EM49ua.  Band conditions were good, in spite of the windy conditions.  John's beacon was pounding in at the site with over S9 signals! 

The telemetry copies as 1.10 Watts output, 12.9VDC, beacon enclosure temp of 98 F and the PA temperature of 101.9 F.

73 de Ron, KO0Z

BARS Get Together June 2017 Pontoon Beach

What a weekend, chock full of ham radio activity.  The ARRL June VHF Contest began on Saturday at 18:00Z, the Egyptian ARC Hamfest in Granite City was on Sunday and BARS had its June meeting after the hamfest at Uncle Linny's in Pontoon Beach.  Zack, W9SZ spent most of the weekend on top on the hill in EN51 blown about the high winds.  Ron, KO0Z operated from his QTH in EM59 and Harry, WA0CNS operated from his EM48 QTH.  On Sunday, KO0Z took a break from the contest to attend the Egyptian ARC hamfest.  Other BARS members were also attended and afterwards we met at Uncle Linny's in nearby Pontoon Beach, IL.  After lunch, Ron tried to operate 10 GHz from EM49ua in Dow, IL, but discovered that his deep cycle battery wasn't charged.  He was able to connect his car's power to his rig and copy the WB9PNU beacon.  WB9PNU/B's telemetry indicated that it is putting 1.10 watts out with 12.9VDC, the enclosure was 98 F and the PA temp was 101.9 F.  However, being tied to the car's electrical system kept KO0Z from being able to move his dish very far from the car, so he made tracks back to EM59ck to continue with the contest, but not before making four, six meter contacts along the way!

All in all, it was a very fun weekend and seeing everyone was well worth the trip.  It was interesting hearing Gene, N0BDS and Mike, WB0SND's accounting of the muddy, Dayton/Xenia Hamvention.  So far the Es season has been great and hopefully uW conditions will be good this season.

I asked Zack if Sunday morning at EN51rl, on the hill, was any better than Saturday.  W9SZ responded, " Yes, actually Sunday did turn out to be better up to a point. The wind
died down overnight on Saturday and was still not bad on Sunday
morning at 7 am, so I set up the 902 and 1296 stations and the tripod
with dish. But then the wind started picking up again around 9 am. I
managed to wok K2DRH and W9XA on 902 and 1296, and K2DRH on 2304 and
3456 too. I did also work a few other stations on 1296.  But I had to
hold the dish and tripod while making the microwave QSO's to keep the
wind from blowing the dish over. I balanced the IF rig with keyer
paddle on top of it on the car window ledge. Lucky nothing got damaged
this time. After that, I took the dish off the tripod to be used only
if I heard someone who had microwave bands. No one else showed up. Ron
W9ZIH never showed up and Jim W9SNR/R wasn't on, either. I have to
figure out how to stabilize that dish so it won't blow over. Something
easier to implement than putting a screw anchor in the ground. :-)

Saturday night I had something interesting happen. The bands seemed
dead so I went to sleep in my car (if you could call it that) at 11
pm. At 12:30 I woke up with some sort of premonition or something that
told me to turn the rig on and see what I could hear. I found KA1ZE/3
in FN01 just booming in on 144 MHz. I worked him. 555 miles away. That
may be my best DX ever on 144 MHz with 6 watts.

I went QRT at noon on Sunday and took everything down without losing
any antennas over the weekend. I wish I could've had the 6m beam up
stably. It's my biggest beam with the most wind load.

One other interesting thing. When I got to the hill, I saw a huge
crane truck parked on the gravel road where I usually operate from. I
think it was there for maintenance on the windmill power farm. I
parked about 50 feet from it. Slightly down from the peak of the hill
but not enough to matter. But I noticed my beams, particularly the 2m
beam, had virtually no directivity in most cases. I worked a lot of
people off the sides and back of the beams. I'm pretty sure it was due
to the proximity of the large truck."

73, Zack

                                            Entrance to the Egyptian ARC indoor hamfest

                                                        Hamfest flea market parking lot

                                            Some of the Egyptian ARC HF antennas.

                                            Check out the Uncle Linny hamburger!

                     BARS June meeting at Uncle Linny's in Pontoon Beach, IL  From left to right:  Mike, WB0SND; Herbert, AF4JF; Bob, N0IS; Wayne, KB0NEO; Harry, WA0CNS; Gene, N0BDS, Rich, N0PQU and Sam, W0PCE.  Ron, KO0Z is taking the picture.

                                 Lewis and Clark historical site near Alton, IL on the way to Dow, IL

                                                 Dow, EM49ua coming into sight.

                                          The Dow, IL AT&T tower in EM49ua.

                          Herbert, AF4JF's more "moderate" burger.  Compare it to the Uncle Linny!  Herbert's burger is small in comparison and he has a good size burger!  AF4JF photo.

                          WA0CNS photo, from left to right:  Rich, N0PQU; Sam, W0PCE; Ron, KO0Z; Mike, WB0SND; Herbert, AF4JF and Bob, N0IS.

BARS May Meeting

Sunday, May 21, TA Restaurant in Troy, IL six BARS members attended breakfast.  From left to right, Harold,KD9SG; Dallas, WD9IVD; Mike, N0OBI; Rich, N0PQU and Herbert, AF4JF.  Ron, KO0Z is behind the camera.  We discussed the upcoming solar eclipse on Monday, August 21, safely viewing the Sun, a little contesting strategy for the upcoming ARRL 10 GHz contest and our next meeting at the Egyptian Hamfest on Sunday, June 11.  Instead of breakfast, we are planning a lunch meeting at Uncle Linnies in Pontoon Beach after the hamfest.

AF4JF - KO0Z 902 and above sprint attempt

Saturday, May 6 the 902 and above sprint took place.  Zack, W9SZ went north towards Chicago and Herbert, AF4JF just returned home to St. Peters, MO, for part of the weekend, from Colorado which afforded him the opportunity to test his 1.2 GHz 55 element looper and his Yaesu 736 with me.  Around noon we tried to make a two-way QSO.  I have ten watts from a Kenwood TS 2000 X feeding 7/8 inch hardline to a 55 element looper up around 60 feet. 

We weren't able to make a two-way QSO, but Herbert did hear some CW when a plane on approach to Lambert International Airport.  We believe it was aircraft scatter.  Although we didn't successfully make a two-way QSO this time, Herbert did successfully test his looper and 736.  It was a fun experiment.

                                                     AF4JF's 55 element looper
 

                                               AF4JF's Yaesu 736 being used for the first time

 

                                                          AF4JF's back porch and armstrong mounting

 

                                                         St. Peters, MO EM48qs