KA6U Update - March 14, 2023 - 1300UTC Western US roving trip April 2023 I am planning the next trip in April to visit most of the Western US. The plan below is tentative and will depend on the weather. The dates shown are very optimistic, assuming the weather cooperates every day. It is very likely that the trip will take several days longer. Hopefully we can complete while we still have a good Moon window to Europe. Most of the locations are on the borders of states where I can actually move the station across the border in a few minutes. As a result, I am planning to operate from two states on the same moon pass when possible. Basic operating plan will be 23cm and 70cm at the same time starting each operation followed by 23cm and 222 Mhz. I will not have Internet access from some of the remote places I am visiting (operating locations on borders). When you hear me please call with TX2 to save time. Calling with TX2 lets me know that you have copied me. If you call with TX1, I
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Showing posts from March, 2023
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KA6U Update - March 10, 2023 - 2200UTC I have completed all 23cm and 70cm operations planned for this trip. All QSOs uploaded to LoTW. Please send me an email if anything is missing. Thank-you everyone who called during this last minute activation trip. Total distance traveled over the 3 weeks about 3200 miles. I plan to be roving again the last week of April/1st week of May starting again in Texas. Weather permitting I will go up North toward the US/Canada border, Minnesota, North Dakota, etc. then turn left and visit Utah, Wyoming, etc. Focus of this trip will be 23cm and 70cm. I will bring the 222 array with me also. I stopped in Indiana last night and operated 222 only. Weather was horizontal blowing snow with accumulation about 5 inches. I had to clean snow off driven elements every 5 minutes so the PA would not trip with an SWR fault. Weather for my trip to the East then south back to Florida will not be good and Moon conditions will not be good. Here is a photo from last
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KA6U Update - March 8, 2023 - 1500UTC Thank-you everyone who called last night. Excellent moon conditions early. The weather was overcast, cold and windy. The wind strength was close to the upper limit for operating with the folding dish. I did not see the Moon last night however the strong signals helped me find the target. First QSOs at 1 degree elevation. I had a couple of issues with a connector for the dish preamp disconnecting as the dish shook in the wind. The connector is gone replaced with a soldered connection. When you see my CQ, particularly early in the operation, please send a signal report on my CQ. I know how strong I should be on RX for most of you and this lets me know immediately if I am on the Moon. Congratulations Ivan OK1IL for completing WAS with N1V from HI last night. Great job Jay helping deliver 4 additional 23cm WAS completions from Hawaii. Next scheduled operation this evening (local time in MO): March 9 Thursday (Wed night local time) - EM56 M
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KA6U Update - March 7, 2023 - 1500UTC Thank-you everyone who called last night. 30 contacts in the log on 23cm, 70cm and 222. Thank-you for spreading out away from 1500hz. Congratulations Jurg DK3WG for completing WAS with N1V from HI last night. Again outstanding weather conditions. The Moon was easy to find and was working well. The new preamps are working very well. First QSO at .5 degrees elevation. Here are two more reasons why I enjoy these operations. I did not need a flashlight last night 222 antennas are on the car on the left. The antennas snap onto the outer brackets on the crossboom Next scheduled operations: March 8 Wednesday (Tuesday night local time) - EM57JC Illinois 0030UTC - 0400UTC 23cm and 70cm at same time followed by 222 March 9 Thursday (Wed night local time) - EM56 Missouri 0130UTC - 0430UTC - 23cm and 70cm at same time followed by 222 Weather forecast is ok. It should rain on Wednesday morning but clear out by the evening. I should have good Inter
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KA6U Update - March 6, 2023 - 1330UTC EME activations KY, IL, MO Thank-you everyone who called last night. 34 calls in the log. The weather was exceptional, maybe the best weather ever for an activation. 68F light wind, no insects, spectacular sunset. After I pointed the 70cm antenna at the Moon the stations worked perfectly. EM55 in Tennessee The field in the background is normally dry. The water is flooding from the Mississippi River. It is possible later in the Spring that this road will be flooded I had many visitors last night. They were very interested. The people in Tennessee are great. Next scheduled operations: March 6 Monday - EM56LM Kentucky 2330UTC - 0300UTC 23cm and 70cm at same time followed by 222 if needed March 8 Wednesday (Tuesday night local time) - EM57JC Illinois 0030UTC - 0400UTC 23cm and 70cm at same time followed by 222 March 9 Thursday (Wed night local time) - EM56 Missouri 0130UTC - 0430UTC - 23cm and 70cm at same time followed by 222 I should have
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KA6U Update - March 4, 2023 - 0330UTC LA Activation complete Thanks to the stations that called. I was not expecting to be very busy and I wasn't disappointed! I believe several stations who still needed LA on 23 or 70cm called. The stations worked perfectly. It appears that my RX on 70cm is working well. Switchable polarity in the middle of QSO's was required several times today for both NA and EU stations. Only 30 minutes to setup today. Louisiana site in EM31 - Edge of a cut forest Close-up of Paul W2HRO's latest 2.4M dish with slew drive Drive and tripod combined weigh about 90 lbs.... Dish is only 15 lbs EME activations starting Sunday in TN, MO, IL, KY Weather permitting (looks ok for at least a few days) I plan to do activations on 70cm, 23cm and 222 from TN, MO, IL and maybe KY. I am currently in Texas and plan to head North on Sunday morning. Current plan: March 5 Sunday - EM56LM Tennessee 2230UTC - 0200UTC 23cm and 70cm at same time followed by 222 if nee
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KA6U Update - March 3, 2023 - 0200UTC EME activations starting Sunday in TN, MO, IL, KY Weather permitting (looks ok for at least a few days) I plan to do activations on 70cm, 23cm and 222 from TN, MO, IL and maybe KY. I am currently in Texas and plan to head North on Sunday morning. Current plan: March 5 Sunday - EM56LM Tennessee 2230UTC - 0200UTC 23cm and 70cm at same time followed by 222 if needed March 6 Monday - EM56LM Kentucky 2330UTC - 0300UTC 23cm and 70cm at same time followed by 222 if needed March 8 Wednesday (Tuesday night local time) - EM57JC Illinois 0030UTC - 0400UTC 23cm and 70cm at same time followed by 222 if needed March 9 Thursday (Wed night local time) - EM56 Missouri 0130UTC - 0430UTC - 23cm and 70cm at same time followed by 222 if needed Activations will be weather permitting. I wont set up in the rain. Current forecast looks ok but it could change. I should have good Internet coverage. If you call, please call with TX2 and spread out on the bands. Pleas
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KA6U Update - March 1, 2023 - 2000UTC LA EME Activations moved to Friday, March 3rd starting at 2100UTC Thank-you everyone who called me when I was in AL and MS yesterday. 59 QSOs in the log for 70 and 23cm. Uploaded to LoTW. If anyone is missing please send me an email. Many callers were calling me very close to 1500hz. When we run CFOM this will happen unless operators select different audio/DF values. I can listen from 500hz to 2300hz. Because of many callers in the same place weaker stations were not heard. This is different from JT65 where Doppler helps spread out stations. I am hearing much better now with improved dish, improved 70cm array and cavity filter preamps. In many cases though Q65 does not seem to decode overlapping signals as well as JT65. So please spread out when calling me using Q65 CFOM. The weather forecast for Thursday March 2nd is heavy rain during planned time. I am going to move the Louisiana activation to Friday. Louisiana - EM31EN - 23cm and 70