222 EME/Roving Station Updated - Dec 27, 2021

 The 222 Mhz roving station has been updated and is ready for use in 2022.  The plan for 2022 is to activate at least 40 states on 222 EME.  In addition I plan to do a number of activations on 222 Tropo and MS.

The objective is to help as many operators as possible make progress toward 222 WAS.  If you have considered experimenting on 222 this could be a good opportunity.

The updated station enables a single operator to run two 6/2/222/70cm KW stations (500W on 23cm) simultaneously on two different bands.  I have been testing the operations at my home base and this works well.  The station in the truck can also be operated remotely and I have operated for several days in this manner.

First activation will be on the MS/AL border in EM50tl on January 13 starting at 2100UTC.  I will operate the station in MS and then move the station across the border into Alabama.  The operating location is a large roadside parking area that crosses the state borders south of Interstate 10.

I plan to activate New Mexico and possibly surrounding states in April/May 2022.

From July 2022 - October 2022 I plan to visit every state East of the Mississippi River plus 10 additional states to the West.

During each activation I plan to run 222 and 23cm EME.  I will also operate 2M EME from grids I have not previously activated.  I also plan MS, Es, and Tropo activations on 6M, 2M, 222, and 70cm.  I will also activate some states on 70cm EME.  6/2/222/70cm have KW stations.  23cm will run at 350-500 watts.

There are improvements in multiple areas:

• 4KW 220 AC power
• Full KW output on JT65B, Q65, FT8, MSK144
• Harris PA running on 51V for full KW output (Complete spare PA available)
• RF sensing preamp switching before PA greatly simplifies RF paths
• New tripod for EME antennas using improved MFJ folding antenna tripod
• Modifications to tripod and and fiberglass antenna spreader boom for 10 minute setup
• Laptop + 2 extension screens for easier operations management
• Pstrotator for very accurate antenna pointing
• Realtime RX noise analysis software (SpectraVue) to locate, characterize and avoid noise
• 2X16 K1FO yagis for EME with manual polarity rotation
• 1x16 K1FO yagi for MS, Tropo, FT8
• Planning to run 222 and 23cm EME stations simultaneously (to keep operator awake)

222 RF Deck - Harris modified PA with full KW output. Advanced Receiver Research preamp, Q5 transverter, ICOM 705 or 7300 IF radio.  Blue box is 7KW 110VAC to 220VAC autotransformer

New operating location with laptop and two side screens.  There are two exciters, ICOM-705 and ICOM-7300.  (Spares are ICOM-9700 and ICOM-7100).

MFJ has produced an improved folding tripod for supporting a mast.  The 11 foot high mast that has the elevation rotator and fiberglass spreading boom mounted is rotated at the base by the G5500 Azimuth rotator.  The spreading boom is 1 1/2 inch diameter solid fiberglass and is rigid, no bend or sag.  Fiberglass allows installation of yagis with horizonal and vertical elements, e.g. the 2M EME yagis.  The EME arrays are fed with a 33 foot length of LMR600 for very low loss.  The tripod legs slide into tubes mounted on the side of plastic boxes with 40lbs of concrete blocks inside.  The tripod doesn't move in 40MPH winds.

16 element 222 yagis mounted on the EME tripod.  The antennas snap onto brackets and can be installed/removed in seconds.  Total time from parking until the EME tripod is set up and 222 antennas installed is now 15 minutes.