KA6U EME Expeditions

KA6U Update - August 31 - 2330UTC Tennessee Activation Complete TN activation completed today with 25 QSOs.  Congratulations to NC1I and OK1DFC who completed 23cm WAS today.  They are the 3rd and 4th new 23cm WAS members during the trip. Several Ops are also now in the high 40's for 23cm!  Final activations planned for this Summer's trip.  Unfortunately due to Moon's declination no EU window: North Carolina -  EM96 - September 2nd 2000 - 2300UTC South Carolina - FM03 - September 3rd - 2100 - 2330UTC I will visit these Southeastern states again, probably this Fall during high Moon declination.  In particular GA, LA, MS are on the list. I plan to arrive home in Florida on Sunday September 4th after 113 days traveling. Interesting operation today. It was challenging in multiple ways but very interesting.  I learned several new valuable  things about portable operations, two activations from the end of the trip :-) I found a great park to operate in today.  When I set up it was

 KA6U Update - August 29 - 2330UTC Change in Plans Tennessee Activation moved up to Wednesday August 31st Activation in MD is complete. After activation in MD I was able to return to the hotel in WV and set up the station to provide QSOs to some who missed the earlier WV operations. Total of 80 combined QSOs on 23cm from WV and MD on the trip Upcoming Operations: Virginia FM19eh - August 30 - 1400UTC - 1800UTC 23cm   (a little later because of trees) Tennessee EM96cl - August 31 - 1530UTC - 2000UTC 23cm  I will drive 500km South to Tennessee on Tuesday afternoon. The activation in Tennessee will start on Wednesday August 31st at 1530UTC, maybe a little later if I have mountains to deal with. There will be a multi-hour window to EU available. On September 1st I will drive 500km North back to Alexandria, VA. On September 2nd I will drive to North Carolina and will activate NC and SC on Saturday and Sunday September 3rd and 4th with very bad Moon windows to EU. I will be able to activate

KA6U Update August 28 - 2145UTC MD, VA and TN Activation Plans I visited and tested the activation site for MD tomorrow.  The location is in Brunswick, MD in the middle of the CSX Railroad yard near the Potomac River in FM19eh45.  The site in Virginia is directly across the Potomac River in FM19eh43   Plan: Maryland FM19eh - August 29 - 1400UTC - 1800UTC 23cm Virginia FM19eh - August 30 - 1500UTC - 1800UTC 23cm (stop when storms start) Tennessee EM96cl - September 2 - 2000UTC - 2359UTC 23cm I know that the date for the Tennessee activation is no good for EU .  I can't avoid that on this trip.  I need to get back to Florida by September 6th.  There will be an opportunity for me to go back to Tennessee in the future. Final activations this trip will be over the weekend in North Carolina and South Carolina. In the photo above I am parked in a lot in the middle of a large train yard in Brunswick Maryland.  The train in the photo is headed westbound.  There are also several tracks in th

KA6U Update - August 26 - 2300UTC 23cm Activations on Monday and Tuesday My vehicle is fixed.  This is the plan for the beginning of the week: Maryland - FM19 - Monday, August 29 1500-1900UTC 23cm Virginia - FM19 - Tuesday, August 30 1600-2000UTC 23cm

  KA6U Update - August 24, 2022 - 1700UTC  West Virginia Activation Complete Thank-you everyone who called during the two day operation in West Virginia, FM19bg this week.  36 QSOs logged and uploaded to LoTW.  23cm WAS completed by two and several others are very close. I do not have any additional activations planned until at least August 29th.  If my roving vehicle brakes are fixed this Friday, the 26th, I will do an activation in MD starting on August 29 at about 1300UTC after the New Moon. If the repair does not happen until next week, I will get started again the day after the repairs are completed. After MD I will activate Virginia. Please watch this page for updates over the weekend. The remaining states planned for this trip in order are: Maryland - FM19 Virginia - FM19 Tennessee North Carolina South Carolina Unfortunately due to delays some of these activations will be at Moon elevations that are not good for EU stations.  If this is the case I will come back and activate the

KA6U Update - August 23, 2022 - 1600UTC  West Virginia Activation Update August 24 1100 - 1600UTC - West Virginia FM19 operation continues This will be the last activation until after the New Moon I was able to compete with 18 callers on 23cm today from FM19 in West Virginia Congratulations to HB9Q and OK1KIR who complete WAS and NC1I who needs one more state (next week) I operated from my SUV in the hotel parking lot.  Elevation at start of operations was 60 degrees. Surprising I had some of the best RX performance I have ever seen with the portable dish.  Several stations that are normally marginal were easy copy, about 3db better than usual.  I made some repairs to the dish yesterday and operations were at the highest elevations I have tried. Tomorrow is the last activation I will make this week.  The rental car company I was going to rent from today so I could activate Maryland later this week lied to me.  I made a reservation and showed up at Enterprise Rent-a-car this morning and

  KA6U Update - August 23, 2022 - 0100UTC UPDATED - Possible start WV at 1300UTC August 23 later today I may be able to do first day of two day WV activation at 1300UTC - 1600UTC August 23.  This would be followed by activation at Moonrise in FM19 on August 24 at 0800UTC.  This would be using the THIRD roving vehicle of this trip. Please check here for updates I plan to rent another truck tomorrow and continue West Virginia, Maryland, and Maybe Virginia activations I will do WV first over two days planning at least 10 hours QRV 1300-1600UTC on August 23 and 0800-1500UTC on August 24  This activation area is a 1 1/2 day drive from my home in Florida so I can easily come back to activate these states again, if needed, when the moon is higher. Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina would be the first week of September which is no good for EU.  These states are a one day drive from my home in Florida so I could come back to these states when there is good declination for EU. Yes Augu

  KA6U Update - August 20, 2022 - 1400UTC Here is the plan for the next 5 days.  If the weather is perfect: August 21, 2022 - 0500UTC FM21 New York - 23cm and 70cm August 22, 2022 - 0540UTC FM29 Delaware- 23cm and 70cm August 23, 2022 - 0630UTC FM29 West Virginia - 23cm and 70cm August 24, 2022 - 0730UTC FM29 Maryland - 23cm and 70cm August 25, 2022 - 0830UTC FM29 Virginia - 23cm and 70cm It is likely that there will be weather on August 22nd that will cause Delaware and following activations to be delayed by one day.  If there is a delay, Virginia may be moved to after the New Moon. If necessary I will activate West Virginia on two days which would delay Maryland and Virginia. Peter, KA6U

  KA6U Update - August 19, 2022 - 1900UTC I have arrived in FN32ru in New Hampshire for the activation tonight.  Weather forecast is good with temps of about 60F when activation starts.  I wont be able to see the moon until about an hour after "official" Moonrise.  First signals expected at about 0500UTC August 19, 2022 ~0500UTC New Hampshire - 23cm and 70cm

  KA6U Update - August 18, 2022 - 2100UTC Here is my updated plan for the next week.  This is preliminary and may be affected by weather: August 19, 2022 0400UTC Rhode Island - 23cm only August 20, 2022 0400UTC New Hampshire - 23cm and 70cm NY - August 21 UT PA –  August 22 UTC DE – August 23 UTC WV – August 24 UTC VA - August 25 UTC MD – August 31 UTC Peter, KA6U

  KA6U Update - August 17, 2022 - 1300UTC Activation today: August 18, 2022 0330UTC Connecticut - 70cm and 23cm Plan is to operate 23cm and 70cm at same time at Moonrise, 0330UTC August 17, 2022. Next confirmed plans: August 19, 2022 0400UTC Rhode Island - 23cm only August 20, 2022 0400UTC New Hampshire - 23cm and 70cm Peter, KA6U

KA6U Update - August 17, 2022 - 0000UTC Activation today on August 17, 2022 at 0300UTC from FN32rr in Vermont Vermont plan is to operate 23cm and 70cm at same time at Moonrise, 0300UTC August 17, 2022. Next confirmed plans: August 18, 2022 0330UTC Connecticut - 70cm and 23cm August 19, 2022 0400UTC Rhode Island - 23cm only I believe there is interest in West Virginia.  I do not have the final date yet.  It may be as early as August 24th or it may be after the new Moon Peter, KA6U

  KA6U Update - August 13, 2022 - 2100UTC Activations tonight in MO, IN tommorrow and Northeastern US Next Week I am planning to do activate Missouri tonight (tomorrow morning UTC).  Plan is to operate 23cm and 70cm at the same time. EM49fq - Missouri - Sunday August 14 - Starting 0300UTC EM79nt - Indiana - Monday August 15 - Starting 0300UTC Activations this week in IA, NE and KS have gone well.  Station has worked great.. Here is a time exposure of the station in Kansas last night at about 0200UTC.  Great location on highway parking turnout.  First QSO when Moon elevation was 2 degrees Time exposure of full moon.  Looks bright like the sun.  This was a very dark area and there were distinct shadows from the Moon light Here are tentative plans for activations in the Northeast US next week.  This is a very ambitious plan expecting everything including weather to go well.  It is likely that one or more additional days will be required.  If additional days are required I will use August

  KA6U Update - August 12, 2022 - 1400UTC Activations this week in KS, MO and Northeastern US I am planning to do activations in four states this week.  I know the Moon declination is not favorable, but I am in the Midwest for the last time this trip and I need to get to New England area by August 16th.  All dates and times are UTC.  Plan is to operate 23cm and 70cm at the same time. EM29cx - Kansas - Saturday August 13 - Starting 0300UTC EM49gr - Missouri - Sunday August 14 - Starting 0300UTC Here are tentative plans for activations in the Northeast US next week.  This is a very ambitious plan expecting everything including weather to go well.  It is likely that one or more additional days will be required.  If additional days are required I will use August 30/31. These activations are planned to start at Moonrise with the Moon at favorable declination CT - Wednesday August 17 RI - Thursday August 18 VT - Friday August 19 NH - Saturday August 20 ME - Sunday August 21 NY - Monday Augus

  KA6U Update - August 11, 2022 - 2100UTC Activations this week in NE, KS, MO I am planning to do activations in four states this week.  I know the Moon declination is not favorable, but I am in the Midwest for the last time this trip and I need to get to New England area by August 16th.  All dates and times are UTC.  Plan is to operate 23cm and 70cm at the same time. EN20cp - Nebraska - Friday August 12 - Starting 0200UTC EM29cx - Kansas - Saturday August 13 - Starting 0300UTC EM49gr - Missouri - Sunday August 14 - Starting 0300UTC I should have Internet access and I will be on HB9Q. Next operations in Connecticut/Rhode Island area around August 18th. I plan to visit this midwest area in the future during a favorable window for EU on 70cm and 23cm. 73, Peter KA6U

KA6U Update - August 9, 2022 - 2200UTC Activations this week in IA, NE, KS, MO I am planning to do activations in four states this week.  I know the Moon declination is not favorable, but I am in the Midwest for the last time this trip and I need to get to New England area by August 16th.  All dates and times are UTC.  Plan is to operate 23cm and 70cm at the same time. EN41qo - Iowa - Thursday August 11 - Starting 0200UTC EN21al - Nebraska - Friday August 12 - Starting 0300UTC EM29ms - Kansas - Saturday August 13 - Starting 0330UTC EM49gr - Missouri - Sunday August 14 - Starting 0330UTC I should have Internet access and I will be on HB9Q. Next operations in Connecticut/Rhode Island area around August 18th. 73, Peter KA6U

KA6U Update - August 7, 2022 0300UTC New roving station tested successfully off the Moon tonight on 23cm and 70cm. Tonight was the first time I tried the relocated 23 and 70cm stations on the air. Station setup time for both stations was only 30 minutes.  No ladders required.  70cm conditions were excellent in NA (EU Moon had set).  Easily worked several stations.  23cm started well with several easy QSOs.  Later in the session the dish was pointed at two communication towers about 3km away and I couldn't hear anymore.  I was heard very well. I will not be on the air the next three days due to the weather.  I plan to leave for the Northeast U.S. on Thursday  and be QRV in Connecticut and Rhode Island starting on August 15th. 70CM and 23CM Stations in EN53 Wisconsin Everything is setup for simultaneous two band operation.  I only ran one band at a time tonight so I could carefully monitor the stations.  No issues.  The operating location in the SUV is more comfortable than in the tr

 KA6U Update - August 6, 2022 0030UTC Roving station rebuilt for 23cm and 70cm. Plan to resume EME operations around August 15th in Northeast. Today I completed moving my roving station from the truck to a new (for me) Ford Explorer SUV, the "Red Rover". The 23cm and 70cm stations are fully installed and I plan to test the stations tomorrow night local time Saturday night or about 2200UTC.  I know the Moon is very low, the purpose it to make sure everything is wired correctly and I don't have RFI problems.7 I plan to attempt simultaneous 23cm and 70cm operations again. I plan to leave Lodi, Wisconsin on or about August 11 to drive to Connecticut/Rhode Island.  I plan to start operations again on or about August 15th. There is no room in the truck to carry 222 or 2M antennas unfortunately so they are being shipped back to Florida. If things go well I plan to be roving in the Eastern U.S. on 23cm and 70cm until about September 20th. After I get back to Florida in October I

KA6U Update - August 3, 2022 - 0300UTC Well, a lot has happened. The turbo-charger has failed in my truck.  Because of all of the modifications to the truck the only mechanic who will work on it is my guy in Florida.  So the truck is being shipped from Wisconsin to Tampa Florida on Saturday.  The truck will not participate the rest of the Summer. Since I don't have a truck, my RV is being shipped from Wisconsin to Florida next Tuesday.  The RV will try to hide from Hurricanes until I get back to Florida. I bought a replacement roving vehicle today, a used Ford Explorer SUV.  I will definitely be able to fit the 23cm station.  I believe I can fit the 70cm station in the SUV.  BUT, the 222 and 2M stations will not fit inside or on the roof.  So very unfortunately 222 and 2M will not be activated again this Summer. After the RV and Truck head to Florida I will go to the Albany, NY area.  I hope to spend a month from August 15 - September 15 in the Northeast activating all of the state