July 27, 2024
I'm the only 70cm EME station in Montana and I haven't been on in over a year. So I put up my meager station of a single 9WL Yagi and 500 watts and got after it. This first session was quite productive. I had no wind, and a 100% visible moon. Logged were DK3WG (-20), PA2V (-22), OE3JPC (-20), DL1VPL (-26), W7MEM (-23), NC1I (-11), PA3FWV (-21), GW4ZHI (-24), and K4EME (-29).
July 28, 2024
The next night was quite a different story. Can you say "Faraday Lock Out" boys and girls? Each contact was an hour-long struggle. Through shear persistence I worked UX5UL (-27), W5ZN (-20), and G4RGK (-27). The contact with Joel, W5ZN was especially frustrating, as you can see from the screen shot below his 4x Yagi station was excellent copy for a long, long time before polarity finally rotated just enough for a contact. Phew!
July 31, 2024
Another session to work folks who were at the Central States Conference and more. I remembered can I change polarity with a twist of the boom if needed so that's a help. Official two way communications on 70cm via the moon completed with DL1VPL (-26), N9HF (-26), N1AV (-21), W6TCP (-25), PA3DZL (-17). W4ZST was as close to a contact as one can get, but no joy over 30 minutes. M0CTP was also heard well at times.
All in all good times - 17 stations worked over three sessions, and several folks nudged along toward their Worked All States award. LoTW upload done.
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| A fine example of Faraday Rotation effects . W5ZN peaking -20, but can't hear me ... yet. |
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| The not-so-little 70cm Yagi that could. ;-) |