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.
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| A stealth, folding 1.6M dish, a perfect match for condo living. |
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| My first 23cm contact. HB9Q was in the speaker. Listen. |