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The recent mention in various reports in the RSGB Microwave Newsletter, has at last prompted me to write my own report on my operation from Guernsey in July and August 1997. As usual, I took my 10GHz equipment and worked around 15 differant stations. Conditions were variable, with some days having no tropo enhancement, and the GB3SCX beacon being inaudible. Other days, there were some brief periods of tropo but no rainscatter, propagation over the sea being quite good at times, but not reaching too far inland this year. Best10GHz DX was Richard, G4FCD, at 295kms. Equipment used: 1 watt output to an 18" dish. WDG004 pre-amp.
This year, I also took 5.7GHz. The equipment was somewhat bulky, comprising a JVL transverter driving a TWT amplifier. On receive, I used a 2 stage pre-amp in WG14 using ATF10135's. The antenna was a 2' foot dish fed with 2.5m of LDF450. Some problems were experienced with the TWT amplifier running on my generator, resulting in my being only able to get 4w output instead of 10w (this being obtained after much twiddling of the TWT voltages). At home of course, the unit delivers 10w with ease!!!
On the operating side, I was pleasantly surprised with the contacts made. I worked 10 different stations in G, GW and F, the best DX being Phil ,GW3PPF/P, at 261kms with 599 reports both ways. This contact was made early in the morning (0545z !!) on 9th August, and may be the first GU to GW on this band. The first G station to be worked was Derek, G3GRO/P, on the 29th July. Possibly the first GU to F was Eric F1GHB/P on the 31st July at 109kms with 59 reports both ways.
Other stations worked were:
Bob G8VOI/P, Del G1JRU/P, Maurice F5EFD/P, Mike G0JMI/P,
Roy G3FYX/P, Phil G3PPF/P, Neil G4BRK/P,
It was very pleasing to work a number of stations on 5.7GHz, a band which I have always considered to be under utilised and largely unexplored and where some interesting examples of propagation were noticed.
Hopefully, I intend to return next year and will almost certainly take 24GHz as well as 5.7 and 10GHz. I last took 24GHz in 1996 and now that activity has increased over the last year, I have had a number of requests for this band to be included again.
73 from Chris, G0FDZ
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From: Alan Devlin <adevlin@golden.net.au>
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 1997 09:31
Gidday all,
Below is a summary of a much larger document which describes a recent AmateurRadio Expedition in Australia, during which 19 NEW Microwave Distance Records were either Set or Extended in the Northern Territory (VK8), Queensland (VK4), New South Wales (VK2) and the Australian Capital Territory - VK1.
If anyone wishes to read the complete article (which I will say is a good "read") I can email it to you. It's in WORD6 format with few Pix & graphs & anecdotes.
The whole aim of this expedition was to inspire others into becoming involved in the wonderful world of microwaves. See you there !!!
Thank you.
Alan Devlin - VK3XPD, Melbourne, Australia.
JULY/AUGUST 1997.
On a recent DX Expedition over a 2 week period from July 26 through to August 7th, a group of amateurs from VK3 & VK5 travelled firstly to VK8 then VK4, VK2 & finally VK1 and “set” or “extended” 19 Microwave Distance records.
The participants were Alan - VK3XPD from Melbourne, Russell - VK3ZQB from Port Fairy, Trevor - VK5NC and Colin - VK5DK both from Mt Gambier & David VK5KK from Adelaide.
Our achievements over this intensive 2 week period can be summarised as follows :
VK8 - 7 NEW records were set on 430 MHz, 1.3 GHz, 2.4, 3.4, 5.7, 10 & 24 GHz.
VK4 - 2 NEW records on 3.4 & 24 GHz and the 5.7 & 10 GHz records were extended.
VK2 - 4 existing records were extended - 3.4 , 5.7, 10, & 24 GHz.
VK1 - 3 NEW records were set for 2.4, 3.4, & 24 GHz, and 5.7 GHz was extended.
Had the weather been more favourable, several other “existing” 2.4 GHz records would have been extended too !
A detailed account of the expedition is now available. It will form the basis for anumber of articles in AMATEUR RADIO magazine and for distribution to WIA Broadcast groups and other interested groups/clubs.
Alan Devlin - VK3XPD for & on behalf of -
Trevor Niven - VK5NC, Colin Hutchesson - VK5DK, David Minchin - VK5KK and Russell Lemke - VK3ZQB.
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AUSTRALIAN 24GHz DISTANCE RECORD BROKEN
From: "Walter Howse" <howse@cleo.murdoch.edu.au> To: <g3pho@geocities.com>
Neil Sandford and I have been at it again!
On Friday 18 July 1997, Neil Sandford VK6BHT/p at Quinns Beach (suburb north of Perth) worked Walter Howse VK6KZ/p at Falcon (suburb of Mandurah south of Perth) on 24 GHz over a distance of 102.7 km with ssb reports each way of 5-4 at 04.53 UTC. This was over a sea path with both stations about 10 metres above sea level. This contact exceeded their current Australian distance record of 85 Km. Tests from Two Rocks over a longer path were unsuccessful although Neil did hear brief snatches of VK6KZ transmissions.
The following morning (with a 5 am local time rising) each ventured to Two Rocks and Falcon hoping for better propagation. At 00.37 UTC on 19 July contact was established with VK6BHT/p at Two Rocks giving VK6KZ/p at Falcon a report of 3-1 (later amended to 4-1) whilst VK6KZ/p gave a 3-1 report.
This contact on 24 GHz over an ocean path of 120.6 Km will be the basis of a claim for a new Australian distance record.
Gear at both ends of the paths was similar with DB6NT Mark2 transverters with HEPA providing noise figures of approx 4 db and power of about 20 mW and 570 mm dishes with penny feed. Temperatures were 11 degrees Celcius and relative humidity 64%.
Both operators are looking forward to the summer months!
73 from Wal, VK6KZ..... Dr Walter J Howse Phone + 61 8 9317 2967 4 Renton St Fax + 61 8 9317 3113 Melville Western Australia Australia 6156
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From information provided by Michel, HB9AFO:
Before sunset on 3 May 1997, and after one year of preparation, Serge Riviere, F1JSR/Portable and Michel Vonlanthen, EA5/HB9AFO/Portable increased their 10 GHz ATV world distance world record to 701 km or 434.6 miles!
The QSO was made between Mt. Caume (JN23WE) at an altitude of 2452 feet near Toulon, France on the Mediterranean to Mt. Rates (IM98XR) at an altitude of 2779 feet near Alicante, Spain. Signals up to P5 in color were received at both ends, with heavy QSB due to variable meteorological conditions in the path which included 445 km or 271 miles of non-optical path.
Serge, F1JSR, used 110 Watts into a 24 inch offset parabolic antenna and Michel, HB9AFO, used 1 Watt into a 40 inch prime focus parabolic antenna. Additionally, Michel used a narrow bandwidth ATV receiver.
The record breaking QSO was made on the fourth day, after 3 days of unsuccessful attempts, and contacts were made in each direction. Coordination via phone was made as well as by the 80, 40 and 2 metre bands when this was possible.
The success of this expedition can be attributed to 4 parameters, as a minimum:
* The equipment was perfectly tested during the months preceding the expedition and the two teams had exact knowledge of the frequency and azimuth of the other station. This is a prime requirement for a non-optical path.
* Before the expedition assistance and with the meticulous preparation by Jean-Pierre Mutero, F1AAM and his son Lionel for planning the contacts, arranging phone skeds, determining the path, and calculation of the azimuth and distances, etc.
* By incorporation of local radio amateurs in both teams:
- With F1JSR: HB9DLH helped with the video and phone contacts on 40/80 meters and 144 MHz and F1CH helped with local assistance and the research for high points.
- With HB9AFO: HB9ADJ helped with the phone contacts on 144MHz and F6GBQ helped with contacts on 40/80m./1200/2300 MHz, EA5DFV of Spain helped with the local assistance and in the research for high points and F6BCF for geographic localization with GPS.
* And of course, the chance to have good propagation and good meteorological conditions. A tip of the hat especially to Remy, HB9DLH, who at 72 years of age did not hesitate to go with Serge, F1JSR, on this physically hard expedition. Three generations were on the sites: HB9DLH, HB9AFO, and F1JSR!
The second goal of this expedition was to offer the possibility to local hams to make ATV QSOs on 10 and 24 GHz. Several teams took this opportunity and they travelled to mountains to contact us in France: F1ANY on SSB, F1EYB, F1UNA, F5AD/F1FCO, F5CAU/F6BVA, F5DCB, F6EOE, F6FAT, and HB9RXV) and EA5YB in Spain.
After having received all the photos and videos, a detailed description of operations will be written for the SWISS ATV NEWS, B5+ of the French ANTA and some specialized magazines.
It is to be noted that the preparation of this expedition was done via Internet on the Swiss ATV Home Page http://www.cmo.ch/swissatv and E-mail messages to HB9AFO at mvonlanthen@vtx.ch
Michel Vonlanthen, HB9AFO SWISS ATV, PO BOX 301, CH-1024 Ecublens, Switzerland.
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Equipment details for this historic contact are as follows:
F6DWG/P: 100 milliwatts from a DB6NT transverter + PA + LNA, Gain = 32dB, 1.9dB NF.
G/F5KMB/P: 500 microwatts from a DB6NT Mk 2 transverter !
Antennas at both ends were Procom 48cm dishes.
Our thanks to Eric, F1GHB for this news and the following item...........
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Equipment: F6DER/P: 50 milliwatts DB6 NT transverter + PA. 75cm offset fed dish.
F6BVA/P: 12 milliwatts DB6NT transverter + PA 75cm offset fed dish
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From: ZL1DDL@ZL1AB.#11.NZL.OC
On Wednesday, 12 March 1997, a new world record for EME on 10 GHz was set in a QSO between Joe DJ7FJ and Greg ZL1GSG. The two-way QSO took place at 08.30 UTC. DF7FJ operated from Schiltach in southwestern Germany and ZL1GSG from Awhitu Peninsula / Manukau Heads southwest of Auckland, New Zealand. The great circle distance between the QTH's is approximately 18340 km or just under 10000 nautical miles.
DF7FJ and his team were using a 4.5m parabolic dish and a 50W travelling wave tube power amplifier, while ZL1GSG used a 3m dish and a similar PA.
The new world record came after a series of unsuccessful attempts and one semi-successful attempt that saw ZL1GSG using a 1.8m dish from Muriwai, on NZ's West Coast, northwest of Auckland. Prior to the successful QSO, a test run from Awhitu Peninsula confirmed on the weekend before that moon echoes were clearly audible from the receiver's speaker even a few metres away from ZL1GSG's van. Earlier echoes using the 1.8m dish had been very faint. The change to a larger dish had clearly made the difference.
On
the night of the QSO, moon echoes were received by ZL1GSG well from about
an hour before sked time. A last-minute technical problem, caused by a
short in the cable that switched the waveguide TX/RX relay, put the whole
project in jeopardy just minutes before the QSO began. However, Greg's
policy of having a spare bit of next to everything provided a makeshift
solution only a few minutes into the sked window and contact was established
almost immediately after ZL1GSG was QRV again. The signals from Germany
were clearly audible, as had been the moon echoes.
Congratulations to Greg ZL1GSG and Joe DJ7FJ from their New Zealand ground support team of the day: Bill ZL1TTH Tim ZL3VTV Ulrich ZL1DDL.
Thanks go to many amateurs who helped with the provision of equipment, time, and a QTH.
73 de Ulrich ZL1DDL@ZL1AB.#11.NZL.OC
Extra notes:
Reports exchanged were "O" both ways. The frequency used was 10368.100MHz.
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"Hello microwave friends,
On the 7th April, 1997 Michael, DB6NT/P and myself, Lorenz, DL6NCI/P, made a fine QSO on the 145GHz Band.The distance is 53km (JO50XL <> JO50VA).This is a new world record (the old one was 16km)!!!!! For more information please contact me (DL6NCI@DB0MAK). The signal reports around 10dB on both sides gives the chance to reach more then 60km.
73 from Lorenz .............. "
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Congratulations to Chuck, WA6EXV & Dave K6OW on setting a new North American 24GHz distance record. Yesterday, July 7th 1997 at 1414z, Chuck from DM06WL, Walts Point and Dave from Heaps Peak, DM14KF, set a new distance record of 166.25 miles (267.5km corrected) using 100 milliwatt gunns and 2 foot dishes. Signals were at times 20 dB out of the noise. Further distances will be forthcoming we're sure.
Keep up the super effort guys!
SBMS
...and congratulations from all of us over here in the UK...wideband still rules!
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It also sets a new French national record for the band, a considerable increase in distance over the previous record reported elsewhere in these newspages.
The three operators had been waiting for suitable weather conditions to develop.... cold, dry and with no snow at each end on on the site access routes.
F5BVA/P
was located at an altitude of 1400 metres above sea level, above
FOIX in the Pyrenees. The other two stations
were located
at 1900 metres a.s.l. at LE CHIRAN, in the mountains of the Verdon,
in the French Alps. Jean, F6DER, was also due to be involved in
this DX test but he unfortunately had to withdraw due to a back problem
that had been giving trouble for some weeks.
The two ends of the contact were in place on the Saturday afternoon but strong winds at the Le Chiran prevented any contact at that time. A tentative sked was therefore made for 0600 local time the next day, Sunday the 26th October. At 0630 on the Sunday, a 10GHz link was set up and worked first time with no problems, signals being very strong indeed. By inserting an attenuator between the 10GHz transverter and the receiver IF at 144MHz, signals were made weak enough to allow a very accurate setting of the dish (which was also used on 24GHz). By 0645 the Alpine end of the link was hearing F6BVA/P on 24GHz! Signals were very readable, the necessary exchange of information being completed on SSB by 0700. Everyone concerned was in a state of euphoria of course!
Since that Sunday was also a French activity contest day, starting at 0800, the two teams made a sked for 0800 so that a repeat contact could be made, one which could count for scoring purposes in the contest! At 0805 the qso was made, SSB reports of RS52 being exchanged.
Equipment used:
F5CAU/P and FA1ONQ/P: DB6NT MkII transverter + PA. 10mW output. 75cm offset-fed dish antenna.
F6BVA/P: DB6NT MkII transverter + PA. 40mW output. 75cm offset dish.
The temperatures at the time were 2 degrees C at the Alpine end of the path and 5 degrees C in the Pyrenees.
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From: <Steve.Davies@nmp.nokia.com>
On the 25th October 1997, G3FYX/P and G4KNZ/P worked over a 65km path on 47GHz, for what is believed to be a new UK dx record for the band.
G3FYX operated from Charterhouse (IO81PH) and G4KNZ operated from just south of Hackpen Hill (IO91CK). The path from the car park at Hackpen to Chaterhouse passes directly over a hill in Bath only 30m below the path (4/3 radius), and with Bath University buildings on top, which was why G4KNZ took some trouble to drive over 1km South along the ridgeway, to be sure of an unobstructed path.
Both stations were using 100mW Gunn sources, and diode receive mixers. G4KNZ was using an 18 inch dish, and G3FYX a 14 inch dish. As with previous tests, the antennas were aligned using 24GHz first - a WG22 feed allows this.
The tests were started at 0900 GMT, on a cold clear frosty morning with no wind. At first, signals seemed not so strong, possibly due to lingering mist on the path, but by 0945, good stable WB FM speech signals were exchanged both ways (55 and 57 reports). G4KNZ estimated G3FYX was about 12dB above minimum detectable.
G4KNZ.
LATE FLASH! The Microwave Round Table held at Martlesham, Suffolk, UK on the 9th of November 1997 saw a record gathering of UK 47GHz operators and their gear. To read G4KNZ's report and see the guys and gear in all their glory.......
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