2005 ARRL International EME Competition
11/29/2005 |
W6IFE
All I can say is "WOW!" I've always been told that, "Bigger is better!" Guess it's true ...
Members of the San Bernardino Microwave Society, W6IFE, were able to operate on 1296 MHz for this year's ARRL EME contest using the 40 meter antenna at Caltech's Owens Valley Radio Observatory. Most amateurs dream of using an antenna like this (I certainly have) but few actually have the opportunity to do so.
It took 18 months from the time we began negotiating an arrangement with the observatory to the time that we could actually squirt RF towards the Moon. During that time, we surveyed the antenna, and then designed and built transverters for 1296 and 10,368 MHz that would eventually be mounted at the focus of the dish. A control system and IF radios had to be provided, as well. Several months of testing and integration got us on the air. Unfortunately, technical problems kept us off the air for the 10 GHz weekend. On the other hand, the 1296 MHz system performed flawlessly.
On 1296 MHz we were operating with about 60 Watts at the feed, and a receive noise figure of .42 dB. The gain of the antenna is estimated to be 54 dB at 1296 MHz.
Signals were good both weekends, many signals receiving S-8 to S-9 reports. The real thrills came in operating on SSB and working through numerous pileups. When we first came on the air, tuning across the first 25 KHz of the band sounded like a DX contest on 20 CW! One lighter moment came as we attempted to make, albeit unsuccessfully, a contact on FM. I wonder if anyone has previously tried that as an EME mode?
Over the two weekends we made a total of 97 contacts, but many were dupes as we went to SSB. Claimed: 78 total initials with 36 multipliers.
I wish to extend many thanks to the faculty and staff at OVRO, most notably Dr. Mark Hodges and James Fredsti, without whose help this would never have been possible. We look forward to more operations using the 40 meter antenna in the future.
Now if we can just get some more power up there at the focus ...
W6IFE ops: K6JEY, WA6EXV, WA6NIA, KJ6KO, KG6JKJ, SP5CJT, and KN6VR.
73 -- WA6NIA
Members of the San Bernardino Microwave Society, W6IFE, were able to operate on 1296 MHz for this year's ARRL EME contest using the 40 meter antenna at Caltech's Owens Valley Radio Observatory. Most amateurs dream of using an antenna like this (I certainly have) but few actually have the opportunity to do so.
It took 18 months from the time we began negotiating an arrangement with the observatory to the time that we could actually squirt RF towards the Moon. During that time, we surveyed the antenna, and then designed and built transverters for 1296 and 10,368 MHz that would eventually be mounted at the focus of the dish. A control system and IF radios had to be provided, as well. Several months of testing and integration got us on the air. Unfortunately, technical problems kept us off the air for the 10 GHz weekend. On the other hand, the 1296 MHz system performed flawlessly.
On 1296 MHz we were operating with about 60 Watts at the feed, and a receive noise figure of .42 dB. The gain of the antenna is estimated to be 54 dB at 1296 MHz.
Signals were good both weekends, many signals receiving S-8 to S-9 reports. The real thrills came in operating on SSB and working through numerous pileups. When we first came on the air, tuning across the first 25 KHz of the band sounded like a DX contest on 20 CW! One lighter moment came as we attempted to make, albeit unsuccessfully, a contact on FM. I wonder if anyone has previously tried that as an EME mode?
Over the two weekends we made a total of 97 contacts, but many were dupes as we went to SSB. Claimed: 78 total initials with 36 multipliers.
I wish to extend many thanks to the faculty and staff at OVRO, most notably Dr. Mark Hodges and James Fredsti, without whose help this would never have been possible. We look forward to more operations using the 40 meter antenna in the future.
Now if we can just get some more power up there at the focus ...
W6IFE ops: K6JEY, WA6EXV, WA6NIA, KJ6KO, KG6JKJ, SP5CJT, and KN6VR.
73 -- WA6NIA
Photo Gallery
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The OVRO 40 meter...
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Chuck, WA6EXV, cl...
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Project team: Dr....
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WA6NIA and K6JEY ...
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