DN54fw Wyoming Perseids Push

Dates: August 9 to 12, 2020

QTH: Beartooth Plateau, DN54lw, Wyoming

Gear: 6M 4el. Yagi, 100 watts. 2M 9el. Yagi 600 watts. 222Mhz long Yagi 700 watts.

Schedule:    August 10, 2020 0300z 6m meteor scatter, also 1200z

                      August 10, 2020 0545z MR 222 Mhz EME

                    August 11, 2020 1100z - 1400z 222Mhz Meteor Scatter (FSK441)

                    August 12, 2020 1100z - 1400z 2M Meteor Scatter (MSK144)

Internet: none

Well that was a glass half full/half empty trip! Six Meter meteor scatter was great, I was able to nudge a few guys closer to their FFMA award from DN54fw @ 9,700', but my 10 year old, well used and abused Honda generator didn't like the high altitude.

 

I was only able to see 350 watts out on 222 MHz before the generator would kick off line - so even though I copied K1OR -28 off the moon under less than idea conditions, he only saw me at -30 with no decodes. So it goes. I'll re-group and try to get Wyoming up on 222 MHz EME soon.

 

The new acquisition - 10% more power and a fresh engine.

The camping was superb, and it was great to get out of the house again during these pandemic times.

Treeline at 9,700' Beartooth Plateau, Wyoming. DN54fw.

  

The 222 MHz Project

July 17, 2020

I was looking for a project to keep occupied during these strange times and taking up the 222 MHz challenge seemed like fun. It took a few months to get all the pieces to Montana, and to build up an amplifier, but I think I'm ready. Tomorrow I'll set the station up out at a friend's ranch, tune the Yagi for best SWR, and see what we've got.

Basically the station is a IC-7300 serving as the 28 MHz IF, a Q5 transverter, and a 800 watt LDMOS amp based on a W6PQL module. The antenna is a 20 element Yagi graciously supplied by N9HF. I'm missing a pre-amp, but the transverter has a decent noise figure, and I should have one soon.

Update: It's alive! The pre-amp arrived, I debugged the station and fixed a bad "N" connector and so far have worked five stations on a combination of meteor scatter and tropo out to 918 miles. On moonbounce K1OR, N9HF, and N0AKC have been worked.

Immediate plans are to haul the gear up to the Beartooth Plateau (WY, DN54fw) for the August Perseids meteor shower and make some noise.

My first 222 Mhz EME contact with K1OR.

The bench test was successful. 4 watts drive = 700+ watts out.