Hi Wayne,
Yep...give me a yell when you get a feel for what flights may assist us.
Just working Rex, 4REX like clockwork on AE between us.
73
Glenn
23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?
Re: 23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?
June 15th
Just had contacts with Trevor, 4AFL, then Rod, 4VU and Les, 4ALH...and presently beaconing away on .100 pointing South till 7.30 PM local. Good to see some activity during a week night, and hopefully, Frank,4FLR is not too far off having a new antenna back up.
It will be some weeks before I get my new system on the air ( 150W to replace the 50W presently in use...35W at the feed ), but I have a few other jobs that take precedence.
Grant and I are still trying, but I think it will be a summer tropo path.
73
Glenn
VK4BG
Just had contacts with Trevor, 4AFL, then Rod, 4VU and Les, 4ALH...and presently beaconing away on .100 pointing South till 7.30 PM local. Good to see some activity during a week night, and hopefully, Frank,4FLR is not too far off having a new antenna back up.
It will be some weeks before I get my new system on the air ( 150W to replace the 50W presently in use...35W at the feed ), but I have a few other jobs that take precedence.
Grant and I are still trying, but I think it will be a summer tropo path.
73
Glenn
VK4BG
Re: 23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?
Got the new 2.4ghz gridpak Glen -just figuring out the new feed for 23cm - done heaps of on line research & got a few ideas in the pipeline, no one up here to talk to re modifications etc , so a steep learning curve for this old duck !!
73
Frank VK4FLR
73
Frank VK4FLR
Re: 23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?
Hi Frank,
Do you have the 2008 Gippstech notes....good article there about a 23cm feed for gridpacks
73
Glenn
VK4BG
Do you have the 2008 Gippstech notes....good article there about a 23cm feed for gridpacks
73
Glenn
VK4BG
Re: 23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?
G'day Frank.
Just noticed your post, I have just got my grid pack up and running, it is a converted pay tv one ,600mmx400mm.I found the best focal point to be 225 mm from centre. It appears to be slightly better than the 24 element home brew yagi I have been using,however early days .
Cheer's Daryl
Just noticed your post, I have just got my grid pack up and running, it is a converted pay tv one ,600mmx400mm.I found the best focal point to be 225 mm from centre. It appears to be slightly better than the 24 element home brew yagi I have been using,however early days .
Cheer's Daryl
Re: 23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?
No Glen -but in the process of knocking up a simple dipole feed at the moment with reflector ? Then to get it tuned up & should be good to go for a test ? (if I can get it up the mast in one piece with wobbly legs ?)
Also Thanks Daryl for your comments -my grid pack is 1000x 800 & the focal point appears to be 315mm ...I have a 23cm 36E slot fed yagi antenna up the mast -but seems to have died after the last Cyclone !! & is difficult for me to get at due two two knee replacements recently ..So as a quick fix to get going again on 23cm -decided to try a gridpack a bit lower on the mast. I tried searching your post but didn't get anything at Darylhttp://www.vklogger.com/forum/post ... 0&t=13044#
73 Frank
Also Thanks Daryl for your comments -my grid pack is 1000x 800 & the focal point appears to be 315mm ...I have a 23cm 36E slot fed yagi antenna up the mast -but seems to have died after the last Cyclone !! & is difficult for me to get at due two two knee replacements recently ..So as a quick fix to get going again on 23cm -decided to try a gridpack a bit lower on the mast. I tried searching your post but didn't get anything at Darylhttp://www.vklogger.com/forum/post ... 0&t=13044#
73 Frank
Re: 23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?
G'day Frank and others,
Frank...The 2007/8 Gippstech notes had a presentation on a " Cavity backed dipole dish feed ", with more explanation in the 2008 papers. If you want a photo copy, let me know.
I have found that the Gridpack sweeps better than the 2 stacked yagis I had (better return loss and better centered on 1296 Mhz ). It appears to work a smidgin better than the two 16 element yagis I had up, that claimed 17dbi. The Gridpack is claiming 18dbi. My homebrew single 30 element is claiming 19dbi, but has yet to be put up and swept, and as we have the winter field day then 23 on 23 next week, I'll leave things alone for the moment, rather than risk being off air for any reason in the next week.
Grant seems to have had good results with his gridpack ( same as mine ), and I have discovered that if I beam 180, Trevor, 4AFL can hardly hear me till I motor around to 160 and point at him..so they certainly are not " broard " !
Should be an interesting weekend with the Field Day...and 23 on 23 on Tuesday.
73
Glenn
VK4BG
Frank...The 2007/8 Gippstech notes had a presentation on a " Cavity backed dipole dish feed ", with more explanation in the 2008 papers. If you want a photo copy, let me know.
I have found that the Gridpack sweeps better than the 2 stacked yagis I had (better return loss and better centered on 1296 Mhz ). It appears to work a smidgin better than the two 16 element yagis I had up, that claimed 17dbi. The Gridpack is claiming 18dbi. My homebrew single 30 element is claiming 19dbi, but has yet to be put up and swept, and as we have the winter field day then 23 on 23 next week, I'll leave things alone for the moment, rather than risk being off air for any reason in the next week.
Grant seems to have had good results with his gridpack ( same as mine ), and I have discovered that if I beam 180, Trevor, 4AFL can hardly hear me till I motor around to 160 and point at him..so they certainly are not " broard " !
Should be an interesting weekend with the Field Day...and 23 on 23 on Tuesday.
73
Glenn
VK4BG
Re: 23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?
I would greatly appreciate a copy of that article Glen If its not too much trouble to scan & email -just haven't gotten around to sending down the $30 to VK3 for a personal copy ! & thanks for the write up on your antenna findings -most interesting & very helpful !!
Engineering Works are n progress up here to hopefully add another 23cm northern contact for all you guys in the great south east ! looking forward to that with a great deal of interest !
Engineering Works are n progress up here to hopefully add another 23cm northern contact for all you guys in the great south east ! looking forward to that with a great deal of interest !
Re: 23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?
Hi Guys,
My few weeks of beaconing on 23cm at 7pm through till 7.30pm has been interesting, and yielded a lot more contacts than I thought I would get !
It has enabled me to give my gear a good " shakedown cruise " and it has all worked 100% and now appears very reliable. I will be upgrading to higher power shortly with an outdoor equipment box rework, and the antenna testing has been interesting...Gridpacks do work !
However, the 7-7.30pm sessions appear to have lost their " novelty ", and I doubt I'm going to work any new stations, so...I'll be making tonight my last session, and I will only be available for 23cm contacts in the future by prior email contact to organise a sked. It is a pointless exercise to sit here night after night, if there is no activity.
It has been a fun exercise, and as I pointed out above, realised many more contacts than I thought I would get, but it appears that I have worked just about everybody who was interested enough to come up and make an attempt at a QSO. But...if you want a test or a QSO, feel free to email me.
73
Glenn
VK4BG
glenn4655mcneil@gmail.com
My few weeks of beaconing on 23cm at 7pm through till 7.30pm has been interesting, and yielded a lot more contacts than I thought I would get !
It has enabled me to give my gear a good " shakedown cruise " and it has all worked 100% and now appears very reliable. I will be upgrading to higher power shortly with an outdoor equipment box rework, and the antenna testing has been interesting...Gridpacks do work !
However, the 7-7.30pm sessions appear to have lost their " novelty ", and I doubt I'm going to work any new stations, so...I'll be making tonight my last session, and I will only be available for 23cm contacts in the future by prior email contact to organise a sked. It is a pointless exercise to sit here night after night, if there is no activity.
It has been a fun exercise, and as I pointed out above, realised many more contacts than I thought I would get, but it appears that I have worked just about everybody who was interested enough to come up and make an attempt at a QSO. But...if you want a test or a QSO, feel free to email me.
73
Glenn
VK4BG
glenn4655mcneil@gmail.com
Re: 23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?
Thanks Glen- Sorry I haven't been able to participate with your tests, but excellent effort on your part to encourage some activity on 23cm . Hope to work you as soon as i get a usable antenna going ! & many thanks for the encouragement & assistance .
73
Frank VK4FLR
73
Frank VK4FLR
Re: 23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?
Hi Frank,
I hope that 23cm feed is coming along....and let me know as soon as you are ready for a test.
73
Glenn
I hope that 23cm feed is coming along....and let me know as soon as you are ready for a test.
73
Glenn
Re: 23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?
Hi Glen.
Thanks for being there when you did. I know my home base is not the best for 23cm because of the terrain but I did on one night only just hear you and was able to pick out one or two words here and there but then again I'm badly hearing impaired so that don't help either. I'm not sure if you heard me or not but you were talking to Les VK4ALH on that night
I will be (weather permitting) going out portable on Tuesday night for the 23 on 23 and will try to the north and see if you are there but I still think the close by buildings and tree's will stop it from happening. I heard the weather report is for rain tomorrow night so I hope it stays away long enough.
Anyway hope all goes well with your upgrade. When the budget allows me I will get a grid pack for 23cm and see how much better they are to the yagi antenna. I might even look into one of those 150W amplifiers that the Brisbane VHF group are doing.
Cheers
Robert
VK4LHD
Thanks for being there when you did. I know my home base is not the best for 23cm because of the terrain but I did on one night only just hear you and was able to pick out one or two words here and there but then again I'm badly hearing impaired so that don't help either. I'm not sure if you heard me or not but you were talking to Les VK4ALH on that night
I will be (weather permitting) going out portable on Tuesday night for the 23 on 23 and will try to the north and see if you are there but I still think the close by buildings and tree's will stop it from happening. I heard the weather report is for rain tomorrow night so I hope it stays away long enough.
Anyway hope all goes well with your upgrade. When the budget allows me I will get a grid pack for 23cm and see how much better they are to the yagi antenna. I might even look into one of those 150W amplifiers that the Brisbane VHF group are doing.
Cheers
Robert
VK4LHD
Re: 23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?
Hi Robert,
Thanks for coming up and " being there ". It was an interesting experience, and if nothing else, got me interested in the band again, and with a much improved setup this end to what I had some years ago. I'll be on tomorrow night of course from 8pm, looking for anyone South of here.
I'm also looking at more antenna gain, and came across " 23cm panel antennas "...interesting things that the digital and ATV Guys seem to prefer. A panel about the same size as my gridpack ( 900 x 600 ) has more gain by several dbd, and I'm guessing, may not be as directive as a long yagi that has the drawback of being quite directive to the point of not hearing things if you are not pointing at them...but a bit more research and reading to do yet.
73
Glenn
VK4BG
Thanks for coming up and " being there ". It was an interesting experience, and if nothing else, got me interested in the band again, and with a much improved setup this end to what I had some years ago. I'll be on tomorrow night of course from 8pm, looking for anyone South of here.
I'm also looking at more antenna gain, and came across " 23cm panel antennas "...interesting things that the digital and ATV Guys seem to prefer. A panel about the same size as my gridpack ( 900 x 600 ) has more gain by several dbd, and I'm guessing, may not be as directive as a long yagi that has the drawback of being quite directive to the point of not hearing things if you are not pointing at them...but a bit more research and reading to do yet.
73
Glenn
VK4BG