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.

ARRL VHF June Contest 2020

It has been a while since I have obtained a new SDR (Software Defined Radio) Unit made by Analog Devices, called "ADALM PLUTO".

This is actually a learning module, capable of operation in a frequency range (after a simple hack) from 70MHz to 6GHz. There are several software programs able to work with PLUTO, I am using the SDR Console (note that this software does both, receive and transmit).

I am usually operating from outdoor locations, sometimes as a "rover". That brings a big challenge - how to squeeze everything inside one car? I have used this year's ARRL VHF June Contest to test my idea of using the PLUTO with simple wide band amplifiers and antenna for multi-band operation.

The antenna used for this VHF contest was a logarithmic-periodic PCB antenna made by Kent WA5VJB.

This antenna gives me access to all HAM bands between 900MHz and 6GHz. During this test, I have concentrated on 1296 MHz, 2304 MHz and 3456 MHz. I have also used the PLUTO on 222 MHz, but that was a different antenna.

I have obtained a cheap RX preamp from eBay (35dB gain / 2.5dB noise). I know this is not the greatest, but is was cheap, quick and simple.

The TX exciter (used as a PA capable of up to 100mW here) with GALI84 was from eBay too.

Along with these modules, I also used RX-TX Relay (cheap version on W1GHZ board) and USB-controlled relay board to switch the antenna relay and power for RX or TX amplifiers.

During the contest, I made 14 QSOs during its first 2 hours - 8 of them using the PLUTO. Distance covered by these QSOs was around 4.6 km, the station worked was Harry WA0CNS. However, we have made a test with Zack W9SZ one week before the contest (see here) and made a contact on 2.3 GHz SSB over 24.3 km with good signal.

I believe that the PLUTO is a good way how to improve VHF and microwave activity on HAM bands. I will work on improvements and post them here after next contest.

As for the lower bands, I have used FT857D and ring antennas installed on my car. The multiband microwave antenna was inside the car on the dashboard.

Harry WA0CNS used his home made transverters and antennas on azimuth rotor installed on his car.

My dog Darcey (on last picture) supervised the activity and made sure we followed the contest rules :-)

73 Herbert
AF4JF

June MAD 2020

Rather than rewrite our first uW outing of the season, Please connect to the SLAMS blogsite:  http://slams-stlouis.blogspot.com/  for more details about our first Microwave Activity Day of the season.

                                          Zack W9SZ setting up 24 GHz at EM49rx

                     Harry WA0CNS and Herbert AF4JF setup at EM 48 qs near SCCC

                              Pointed towards Pere Marquette State Park in IL from St. Peters, MO

Happy 2020!

                                                                    Happy 2020!

                      Let friendships deepen, records made and ham radio adventures abound!

Christmas Radio Related Present

This year, I didn't ask Santa for any radio goodies, but under my tree I found a radio accessory item.  I could use a collapsible wagon to haul microwave gear from the car to a transmitting location.  For example, I could have used it from Eagle Roost at Pere Marquette State Park near Grafton, IL  This should do the trick! 

Merry Christmas

                                                             Merry Christmas!

BARS/SLAMS November Lunch

Earlier this afternoon, BARS and SLAMS members enjoyed good food and good company at the Chandler Hill Winery near Defiance, MO.  The winery is in the heart of St. Charles County's Femme Osage Valley and the scenery is beautiful.  Our November meeting agenda was to work out our meeting calendar for 2020.  We had a good turnout, but we missed our friends who couldn't make it.

Pictured from the left:  Rich N0PQU, Bob N0IS, Harry WA0CNS, Herbert AF4JF, Sam W0PCE, Ron KO0Z and Debbie KC9ULA.

Some of us are taking advantage of the DUBUS article and surplus equipment on 122 GHz!  We are also getting involved with light communications.  Dr. Sam Green W0PCE has a great deal of professional experience with optics and light communications.  Harry WA0CNS has a working light transmitter and receiver!  Herbert, when he has some spare time, is experimenting at the local maker space and he fabricated a 3D printed horn for light communication

                                  Herbert AF4JF's 3 D printed light communications horn

Ron KO0Z has an article published in the November issue of CQ that features BARS/SLAMS activities.  It was great seeing everyone today.  For more details please check out the SLAMS BLOG site at http://slams-stlouis.blogspot.com/