VK3/VK5 Microwave Activity Day

[VK5KK]

Hi All

Re 10 GHz: Both Iain & myself run similar power & antennae (3Watts & 750mm offset) and locked to an OCXO. Mine is usually within 10 Hz of where it should be and both are stable enough for WSJT and other digi modes we have played with locally. I'll have the Thunderbolt with me so can GPS lock things. XRef exciters.

Re 24 Ghz: Yes a long way past the current VK terrestrial record .... I have 1W into a 600mm prime focus antenna, Iain similar power level (both Thales). Can run digi modes and connect to GPS ref if things hot up on 10 Ghz

BTW: I'll update spreadsheet Thursday with Peter (3APW) Berwick location and update 3HZ & 3ALB

Cheers

David VK5KK

[VK3QM]

Hi David / All

The Geelong group,VK3PY/QM/NW will have the logger running under our portable group name, VK3UHF. We will not be using this call during the activity. My mobile is 0408864815 although this is a bit "Flakey" on the hill due to overload / intermod.
I will also have 47GHz with me and hopefully 24GHz, The latter is in pieces at the moment so I am off to the shed to try to finish the rebuild by the weekend!

73's
VK3QM

[VK3KH]

Hi all,
I am planning to be out on Saturday afternoon on Arthur's Seat on the Mornington Peninsula at QF21LP35. I will have 1.2, 2.4 and 10GHz and will take digital with me as an added option. Will have 2 metres as liaison and mobile 0417392378. All weather permitting.
Thanks for the great spreadsheet David 5KK. Would be good if you could add mobile numbers into the first sheet, means only need two bits of paper.
Now to go and sacrifice a goat to the Propogation Gods.

Michael VK3KH

[VK3HZ]

I should be on from Andy's from mid-morning. Mobile is 0412 554 889

As mentioned, we'll have a good path to Adelaide and Hepburn looks like it's trying to help. However, most other locations will be on the wrong side of Mt Macedon from us. Nevertheless, we can always try some knife-edge refraction or cloud scatter on 10 and 24.

Regards,
Dave.

[VK4GHZ]

We're hoping somebody down there can edit a video together of this, and that most of you will contribute some footage towards it!

[VK3ES]

In addition to David's 10 and 24GHz, I'll have 2.4GHz, 10GHz and maybe 1296MHz. We'll be on 144MHz and possibly even 7.170MHz (from the car) for liaison.

Should be a bit of fun!

73,
Andy VK3ES
0429862140

[VK3ALB]

I pinched this from Rex and modified it to suit the weekend.

VK5 - VK3 Microwave activity day.xls

Distance & bearing calculator

(58 KiB) Downloaded 204 times

[VK3YFL]

With so many going into the field it's hard to pass up an opportunity to exercise the 10GHz gear, but I just don't seem organised and I'd really like to go somewhere other than my normal Kinglake location. We'll see what Saturday brings and so don't surprised if you hear me pop up somewhere.

Bit hard to put "somewhere" that spreadsheet though!

Bryon
VK3YFL

[VK3ALB]

I updated the spreadsheet and added a second tab similar to the one David prepared earlier. You can now see distances and bearings and phone numbers on the one page. I think it's correct but just run a sanity check from your location.

[VK3PY]

Looking back through this thread I can't find a definitive starting time for our proposed microwave activity day (maybe I missed it). Anyway, I expect to have my microwave gear set up and ready to go by about 2200 UTC (9:00AM local VK3 time). It might take me a little longer to get the 40m squid pole antenna in the air (lowest priority band, hi!).

Now for frequencies:

40m co-ordination: 7.170 MHz +/- QRM
2m SSB co-ordination: 144.180 MHz
"Local" chat on VK3RGL 147.000 MHz repeater
If all else fails: Mob 0458 994 495

Microwave bands - XXXXX.100 on each band unless requested otherwise

We will likely have Logger access too.

Chas
VK3PY

[VK3ALB]

. . . . The site I'm planning to use is an hour or so drive from home but I hope to be set up and ready to operate by 10am (10:30 in VK3). Will have VK Logger / iChat (depending on phone coverage) plus 40m for liaison.

xxx.180 works for me.

We plan to be operational by 23:30 UTC

[VK7MO]

Hi All

i will be up on Mt Wellington at 42.742071 S and 147.225963 E from around 10:30 on 10 and 24 GHz. If anyone has digital if will run JT4F as it is a long way to anywhere.

73 Rex VK7MO

[VK5ACY]

There is/was good tropo conditions between VK5 and VK7, VK3 on Friday morning local time.

With any luck these better conditions may last another day or two...

Good luck with your microwaving activities

Bill VK5ACY
Bowhill
PF95sb

[VK3YFL]

Decision made! I was thinking of visiting my old stamping ground of Ballarat and joining Ian VK3AXH at Mt Buninyong, but that's now not possible and so for simplicity I'm just going to to my usual spot at Kinglake NP (37.52142S, 145.31876E). I'll have just 10GHz for microwave and 2m & 40m into a multiband whip (or 0413 200 705) for liaison.

Bryon
VK3YFL

[VK5KK]

Hi All

Thanks Lou for updated spreadsheet

Frequencies = **2400.100, 3400.100, 5760.100, 10368.100 & 24048.100

40M liason = 7170 kHz, 2M liason = 144.180 Mhz SSB (VK5 local liason VK5RMB repeater 146.775 Mhz)

VK5ZD & VK5KK operational from around 2330 UTC

Cheers

David VK5KK

** We use 2400.100 instead of 2403.1 in VK5 as usually a bit less WiFi noise, if anyone has a problem using 2400 we can QSY to 2403

[VK3QI]

Hi David,

I was thinking about your use of 2400 instead of 2403.

Is that the case with the VHF/UHF field days?

Depending on what frequency is being used for the IF frequency with transverters, that can become an issue.

In our setup with VK3ER/p we use 145 for the IF, bringing us out on 2403. We use 145 so that the IF is well away from our 144 SSB or 146 FM transmissions on 2 metres.

The problem then is to get 2400 we need an IF of 142 which is not a problem in itself, except that many of the IF rigs then need to be "unlocked" below 144, which can be an issue.

Similarly, if 147 is being used for the IF to give 2403, then 2400 would require 144 which is not good in a multi-transmitter setup.


Of course we could switch the oscillator giving us the 2258 frequency, but that could be tricky for some who are not using a PLL system, but a crystal.

Our experiences in VK3 looking back towards Melbourne is that the WI-FI interference is just as bad wherever you listen 2400 through 2405 and just varies in intensity over time - just pot luck so to speak.

Cheers

Peter VK3QI

[VK3ALB]

An excellent day although sadly we didn't manage to work the crew in PF94 or PF95. From our side we got to test a new site and I have internet up here. Optus GSM is the go.

Worked the following

2.4GHz - VK3AXH, VK3PY
5.7GHz - VK3PY, VK3APW
10GHz - VK3AXH, VK3PY, VK3YFL, VK3KH, VK3GHZ, VK3APW, VK3ZSJ, VK5DK

Thanks everyone.

[VK5KK]

Hi Peter

Yes we have used 2400 in more recent times for field day work (145 Mhz If with a 2255 MHz LO, infact use 145 Mhz for 2/3/5 in the field and 435 Mhz above that) maybe marginal improvement in background WiFi noise around the city hills sites but that could just be the way the transverter is tuned! Today had the old transverter that has 2403/147 split so could do 2400 (old Qualcomm PLL) but a bit of cross talk on 144 IF when we were working on 144.150 SSB.

Cheers

David VK5KK/P

[VK5KK]

Hi All

Sorry did an edit on the previous post, mixed UTC times up ... makes more sense two planes across roughly mid path at the correct UTC time!

2400 Mhz aircraft scatter reception of David VK3QM around 142 - 146 UTC (peaking 519 CW err well fast dots beacon signal, 2 bursts of ~ 25-40 seconds). A quick look at flight tracker for that time yesterday revealed QF683 tracking towards Adelaide over the Grampians followed by VQ233 about 10 minutes behind

Both aircraft would have been on the horizon for me (sorry haven't checked altitude & distances) but a bit above the horizon for VK3QM. Me thinks David's 20Watts on 2400.1 Mhz was painting the underside of the aircraft quite well from 120 - 150 km away Just lucky we happened to be attempting the path at the right time! Sigs not good enough for SSB but JT65 would have made it.Last (very weak) signals heard around 146 UTC presumably from VQZ233.

Report from PF94ju, flat conditions, only VK3 worked Russell Vk3ZQB on 144.150 MHz. VK5KK & VK5AKM worked Colin VK5DK (345km) from his home QTH on 1296, 2400 & 10368 53 - 55 signals on each band and the VK5RSE beacon (305km) was 55 on 1296 and 51 on 10368.55. Happy with that as looks like can work Colin anytime from this site. Tried over 20 minutes with Russell VK3ZQB on 10368 Mhz but no joy, other tests with VK3HZ, VK3ES & VK3PY brought no joy.

None the less a good shake down of the gear and some new antenna. The PF94ju site has excellent potential for summer propagation to the east so will activate this year (its only 30 minutes from home). BTW: This morning we have the elevated conditions we needed yesterday, probably highlights we need to set the alarm clock for 4 am to do this stuff

Cheers

David VK5KK

[VK7MO]

Hi All

While I only worked one station there was some interesting propagation which seems to be due to pre-frontal ducting.

A detailed report is at the following URL

http://www.vk3hz.net/microwave/MAD-Report-VK7MO.pdf


73 Rex