EME OK2AQ |
1296 MHz |
JN89eu | |
LOG Equipment Documents Pictures QSL | |
ARRL EME Contest 1st Weekend 23 cm October 28 and
29, 2023 |
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Weather always plays an important role in EME. The 1st weekend of the ARRL lower band contest was still relatively warm with occasional showers and no strong winds. I was active again all week before the contest in the evening hours with the Moon in the east. My goal, even during the contest, was mainly new initials, which I managed to make 26 by Q65 mods: 24.10. EA8DBM, DK3EE, YL2GD, 25.10. OH2DG, PA0TBR, GM0PJD, 26.10. LA3PNA, 27.10. GI4DOH, G4RGK, OZ1CTZ, DL0SHF. In the contest then 28.10. KB7Q, WA3RGQ, IK5VLS, SP3YDE, OK2ULQ, DL3WDG (2.4 m dish, 35W), F5KDK, ON4BCV, 29.10. AC0RA, W3HZU, W3SZ, VA7MM, AA6I, VK3VJP, RX3DR, and CW OK2PE. I made total 39 QSOs in the contest and enjoyed excellent EME conditions. Log | |
June 2023 with OJ0EME |
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After 3 cm I rearmed to 23 cm on June 19
and it was really alive here. There was a pile-up on OJ0EME and so there
was no point with my QRP to increase the interference on their
frequency. I did, however, make a number of initials. The next day the
OJ0EME expedition frequency was already clear, so I
called it with an offset of 1000 Hz (they were working 1500 Hz) and we
immediately made a QSO {#86} DXCC 27, which made even Sebastian DG5CST
happy because he knows my little setup. In total I made 26
initials and 6 new countries PY2BS,
OJ0EME, LA3EQ, YB2MDU,
YU1SAN and 9H1BN by June 29, see
log. Some of those connections took
work, but after finding the optimal configuration, they were successful,
and that's the best fun. So I really enjoyed June with EME. I was also
visited by Jirka OK1MWW on his electric bike, who as it turned out lives
in almost a neighboring village, so there was also someone to talk to. |
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For interest: on waterfall
there is OK1UGA signal on 1200 Hz during our EME QSO. Besides the exact
frequency, we can see the perfect Doppler shift compensation during
CFOM. Below around 1000 Hz is Martin's direct signal which I received
due to the proximity of our QTH. It shows how the Doppler shift
compensation is done (during CFOM we both compensate half of our own
shift). Then at period 15:53 you can see this direct signal additionally
reflected from the aircraft. |
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REF and DUBUS EME contest, April 22-23 2023 | |
We arrived at my rural QTH on Wednesday before the REF and DUBUS 23 cm contest. On Thursday in nice weather I installed the external and internal hardware and managed to calibrate the antenna. On Friday after moonrise I made my 1st CW QSO with HB9Q followed by 15 Q65-60C contacts with initials SM6CKU, DJ7FJ, CX2SC, K5LA and K8ZR. In the DUBUS contest I made 6 CW QSOs with HB9Q, OK1KIR, DG5CST, OK2DL, OZ4MM and OK1DFC. It turned out that tuning to the opposite station during CW "blind" (I can't see my own echo) is not trivial with PLUTO. In fact, it is necessary to link the calculated value for Doppler compensation with the corresponding frequencies of the RX nf filter, TX keying tone and DF in WSJT-X. There were also a number of digi stations on the band, so we managed to extend the initials with IN3FCK, N5TM, W2ZQ and OK1USW. Especially the last contact with OK1USW is appreciated. We both use small antennas with 1.8 m diameter of aperture and 150/200 W power. I decoded Lada's CQ quite reliably, but he didn't pick me up. So we changed the mode to Q65-120D and did the reports (-27/-28) with no problem. Distinguished CW operators like to use the phrase "CW is King" and I add "Q65 is Queen". Log. |
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ARRL EME contest 1. leg, October 15-16 2022 |
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Beautiful Indian summer before and after the contest and rainy weekend during the contest. On 23 cm I participated in the contest for the first time and therefore with due humility. The stations on the moon were like on "twenty meters" and the strength of some of them would bear similar comparison. It was clear to me that with such a small antenna (1.8 m offset) and power (100 W in the feed) it was like riding the "superbike" category on a moped. But it was great fun with lots of new knowledge. If anyone would like to follow me, I highly recommend it, but be very patient. Almost every station with a stronger signal has a pile-up and you have to wait until everyone else has done it and then do it too. My main goal was the new initials. In the contest I made 25 QSOs with 12 initials K3WM, DL6SH, K2UYH, PA3DZL, VK2JDS, SK0CT, DL7UDA, LZ1DX, DF3RU, OM4XA, UA5Y and ON4AOI. Since I was QRV on Thursday and Friday before the contest, I made initials G4YTL, UN6PD, SP7EXY, IK2DDR and F1RJ and on Monday after the contest IK3COJ and PE1LWT, on Tuesday G0LBK for a total of 20. For my SDTRx with the Adalm PLUTO I solved the CW elegantly, but I forgot to monitor. I tried to solve it with a second SDR, but the delay in the software defined receiver was such that telegraphing was not possible - a task for next time. The complete log is as usual. |
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SETUP | |
FEED + SSPA | |
1.8 m Offset Dish f/D = 0.8 + 23 cm Feed | |
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+ 1296 MHz Frontend + 300 W SSPA | |
TRX: Adalm PLUTO + GPSDO | |
+ 1296 MHz Frontend + LNA N.F. 0.3 dB | |
The FEED:
https://www.radio.feec.vutbr.cz/esl/files/EME/Doc/OK2AQ_23cm.pdf |
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24.
07. 2023 SN/CS = 9.0 dB SFU = 172 |
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