ARRL EME Contest Nov 28 - 29, 2020

     I went out to the barn both evenings, fired up the 23cm station, the propane heater, and had an absolute blast. For a small 1.6M dish, 250 watts at the feed, and being at apogee I still managed a great result with 29 contacts. I felt like the little engine that could! After European moonset the second evening I ran out of "dance partners" and called it good. I discovered when aiming elevated and south I got some pre-amp overload/hash from a cell tower 1/2 mile away. WSJT-X 2.3 rc2 was flawless. All in all a fun weekend and very rewarding to have the station working so well.

Stations worked: DL3EBJ, SP5GDM, OK1DFC, KN0WS (2x), KA1GT, RA3AUB, PA3FXB, OK1IL, PA0PLY, DL7YC, W6YX, VA7MM, K7CA, WA3RGQ, N5BF, KD5FZX, K2UYH, WA3GFZ, OK1KIR, ON5GS, DL7UDA, UA4AAV, K5DN, SM5DGX, OK2DL, IK5VLS, DF3RU, NC1I, IK2MMB. 

Waiting for moonrise - a good look at the patch feed.

More 23cm EME Action

November 21, 2020 

I set the station up out at the barn south of town in anticipation of the ARRL EME Contest next weekend and even with low declination I worked three stations while noodling around adjusting my audio levels and getting the space heater aimed just right on my toes! I must say the WD5AGO 0.2db NF pre-amp really hears well!

I completed easily with KD5FZX (-12), K5DOG (-17), and N5BF (-20). W3HMS was heard several times as strong as -25, but he didn't hear me. The next evening I added KA1GT (-26) to make it 19 unique stations worked so far on 23cm EME.

The 1.6M dish looks small out there in the countryside.

 

My signal as received by K5DOG and his 4.4M dish.

It's Alive (23cm EME)

 November 7, 2020

The Tohtsu CZX3500 isolation relay finally showed up - it got waylaid in the election mail-in ballot  onslaught up in the Great Falls distribution center. Anyhow, I put the 1.6M dish up just outside my condo and when the moon cleared the spruce tree I was in business. It was a very successful night - I worked 16 stations in 2.5 hours.

On JT65C logged were HB9Q (-8), PA3CSG (-19), PA3DZL (-17), DL0SHF (-7), NC1I (-18), SP5GDM (-27), K2UYH (-17), DK3WG (-30), PA3FXB (-24), UA3PTW (-19), ON4QQ (-30), ES3RF (-28), G4CCH (-13), IK3COJ (-19), DF2VJ (-30). On CW I worked G3LTF (419) easily. I’m very happy to try CW anytime folks think we can make it work.

I had about 250 watts at the feed, and this was my fifth EME band to put on the air from Montana. I’m hoping to be 23cm active for both nights of the ARRL contest later in the month (weather permitting) and hand out the Montana multiplier. Improvements to be made going forward - I have a superb preamp from WD5AGO to try out, and a few coax adapters to eliminate in the receive path.

W2HRO's dish design is extremely well thought out, it takes longer to assemble and secure the tripod than to mount and unfurl the dish. This is going to be a fun portable set up to take to Wyoming.

A stealth, folding 1.6M dish, a perfect match for condo living. 

My first 23cm contact. HB9Q was in the speaker. Listen.