23-on-23 May 23, 2015.... and 2.4GHz plus activation?

[VK4CZ]

Rex

Thanks for the feedback, and 2c well spent!

I was in the paddock behind the Telsta tower, between the ramshackle fibro house and the new sprawling mansion. This meant that we could initially get a very clear shot without trees.... until I moved further along the ridge to try and minimise the 2.4GHz QRM.!

4 years ago, Alan VK4WR and I did a VHF/UHF FD from near the cattle yards, and the view wasn't obscured by trees... now completely blocked.

[VK4BG]

Cyclone Stihl or Cyclone McCulloch will fix that problem Scott.

73
Glenn

[VK4BG]

I've been beaming Sth every night since the last 23 on 23 event ( May ), from 7pm local to 7.30pm local, with my system beaconing every 30 seconds with my Callsign and location. I propose to do this for the next few weeks at least, just to give the gear some exercise. I can hear the Brissy beacon 24/7...it's always there, weakly, with the odd AE ehancement. I'm running 35W to a grid pack, so I should be a better signal down in Brissy, than the beacon is up here. I'm always in the Shack when this is going on , listening whilst I do other tasks. Friday will be the only night that I'm unlikely to be on, as I usually do my best to reduce the supply of red plonk in the local area with Tony, VK4CH ( Who drinks Rum.Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ).

So...if you want to look North and see if you can hear anything, feel free !

73
Glenn
VK4BG

[VK4CZ]

With the growing interest in 23cm locally Glenn, I hope that some of the BNE ops who are at home at that time can support you.

Unfortutely I'm unable to be there as I'm usually on route home or still in the office. But happily be there early Sat & Sun mornings.... usually in the shack about 19:30z and out by about 22:00z [WINKING FACE]

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

[VK4BG]

Thought I'd give it a try Scott, as it may provide some interest to anyone south of me to do some system adjustments, antenna tweaking, or having a QSO. I'll beam around 170 Mag, as that should place me West of the path I use for Trevor ( 160 deg ), and I guess, a more " straight into the heart of Brissy " path. I'll be listening of course, so heading changes to peak up on anyone I hear will be carried out. I could leave it beaconing away till 8pm if suits you or anyone else as a more convenient, later time.

I tried with Frank, 4FLR recently, early morning, but he has a few problems up there with his gear...but that should be an easy path, as I have done that before when John, 4AJS was on 23cm, and in a more inland location...the path looks very similar to the one to Trevor.

I just ferreted out my " best " 23cm QSL card....up to Andrew, 4KAY when he was in Mackay...600k's ! I think that's about the same distance as it is from here down to Grant,2MAX, but the terrain is a bit savage down Grants end...although Trevor has had good results.

73
Glenn

[VK4CLG]

I've been beaming Sth every night since the last 23 on 23 event ( May ), from 7pm local to 7.30pm local, with my system beaconing every 30 seconds with my Callsign and location. I propose to do this for the next few weeks at least, just to give the gear some exercise. I can hear the Brissy beacon 24/7...it's always there, weakly, with the odd AE ehancement. I'm running 35W to a grid pack, so I should be a better signal down in Brissy, than the beacon is up here. I'm always in the Shack when this is going on , listening whilst I do other tasks. Friday will be the only night that I'm unlikely to be on, as I usually do my best to reduce the supply of red plonk in the local area with Tony, VK4CH ( Who drinks Rum.Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ).

So...if you want to look North and see if you can hear anything, feel free !

73
Glenn
VK4BG

HI Glenn
It was nice to have made contact with you during the 23 on 23. I was just interested in what grid pack antenna are you using as I always wanted to try one. I was looking into the grid pack that Radio Specialists have but I haven't heard anyone say they got one or how good or bad they are. I only got an 18El home brew yagi on the home base at the moment with max 10W output (GPS Locked) from my Icom IC-910H. I'm planning an antenna upgrade and PA upgrade (150W or there about) as soon as the budget will allow me to do it. I use an 18El yagi for portable work as well as it is easy to carry around in the car. I have a 35El home brew yagi as well but it is on loan to the radio club for contesting.
What frequency are you using to TX on at night. I will swing the beam Nth and see if I can hear you. Brissy beacon is only just audible from here (Southern end of Sunny coast) due to terrain.

Cheers
Robert
VK4LHD
(I was working as VK4WIS and VK4LHD during the 23 on 23)

[VK4BG]

G'Day Robert,

Beaconing on 1296.100...with a QSY if it gets busy

After wrestling with both antennas, the grid pack is easier to handle, well built, and I plan to make up and test a purpose built feed for it, although the one that it comes with looks good when I sweep it. There was a good design in the Gippstech 2008 lecture notes. Using Doug, 3UM's software, and the actual gridpack dimensions, his software comes within a whisker of the claimed antenna gain of the gridpack manufacturer.

The grid pack came from radiospecialists...a tad over $200 delivered. I think it is marginally better than the two 16 element yagis I had stacked. They were 17dbi on paper, and the grid pack is claiming 18dbi. I will run with this grid pack for another month, and then I want to try my homebrew 30 element single yagi. I have discovered by sweeping the yagis that I built as accurately as I can, I'm still not getting the DE centered on 1296.100, so I have made the 30 element DE easy to change, and I've made up a series of DE's to try....small errors appear to make LARGE changes.

Frank,4FLR is recovering from having a new set of knees fitted. so it may be a while before I work him, so all my attention is directed to the South for a while. Grant, 2MAX is the obvious DX contender, but that may take some doing, and with AE help.

Good to work you last weekend Robert !

73
Glenn

[VK4BG]

Some success with my 7-7.30pm beaconing. I've worked Rod, VK4VU the last two nights. Grant, 2MAX is listening intently ( you are aren't you Grant ? ) down at Kempsey, and I'm warming up the 50W PA this end. It's probably a long shot with Grant...wrong time of the year etc, but I have heard him twice now in the last few weeks, on AE...voice and CW, but too fleeting to do anything about it. My other Kuhne transverter arrived today, so I'll be progressing with my 150W outdoor box shortly.

Now I know there are more of you out there...


73
Glenn
VK4BG

[VK4REX]

Hi Glen

Sent you an email via the logger did you see it ?.

VK4ADM and I are usually here at 4pm to 6pm most nights, are you able to try earlier on 1296.

Rex

[VK4BG]

Hi Guys,

Just worked Andru 4KAY...tough going, but AE did the trick...5/1 to him, and received 5/2 at around 7.15-7.22pm. Lots of good peaks, but still lots of QSB.

Rex and Daryl...I'm not on the Logger ...so email, phone or HF liason if required.

73
Glenn
VK4BG

[VK4BG]

New day, new QSO. Worked Rex, VK4REX late today, and Rod , VK4VU again tonight...good peaks with both Rex and Rod, up to 5/5 with both of them

C'Mon ...where are the rest of you ?

73
Glenn

[VK4CZ]

If like me, at that time I'd just arrived home from work

[VK4KHZ]

Glenn, your enthusiasm is contagious - I may have to set my gear back up and give 23cm another go.

Regards

Shane VK4KHZ

[VK4BG]

G'Day Shane,

Trust you are keeping well !

Yep...put your gear back up, and let's give it a go. Mackay was the last DX I worked to the North, quite some years a go. Frank, 4FLR is getting setup, so there should be a few around shortly.

73
Glenn

[VK4KHZ]

All going well up here Glenn.
I will deliver a yagi antenna to Wayne 4WDM this weekend, so hopefully he will be operational soon also.
I still have a Gridpack for 1.2G and my 120w amp so I will reinstall the antenna over the weekend. I have only ever spoken with VK4KAY on 1296.100 SSB and despite a long term commitment to the 23 on 23 sessions I never managed any additional QSO's or hearing anyone else for that matter.

Thanks for the inspiration!

Regards

Shane VK4KHZ

[VK4BG]

Hi Shane,

Good news...let me know when you Guys are up and running, and I'll beam north. I can beacon north on a mutually agreed time.

And...today's South bound results....

Worked 4REX, 4ADM, 4VU and 4KAY late this afternoon/tonight.

73
Glenn

[VK2XN]

G'day Glenn sending a bit of CW your way at the moment on 1296.100 from QF59ar near Narrabri.
VK4RTT 2m beacon up to 579 at the moment.

Cheers
Wayne.... VK2XN

[VK4BG]

Hi Wayne,

I'll work out a beam heading for Narrabri and look out your way during my 7-7.30pm beaconing sessions.

73
Glenn

[VK4BG]

An update...

198 Deg to Narrabri approx...so I can do that one night if you would like to make a sked Wayne.

Doing well with 4REX and 4ADM..particularly Daryl, who is low power, but it takes AE to make it all happen. Rex and Myself have been working out which aircraft " do it " for us to work. Results are amazing, as signals peak to 5/6-7 on peaks, but it's quick...you don't have much time.

So, don't discount poor paths from Google Earth etc....the airlines provide free reflectors on a regular basis.

Still ploughing along with my upgrade to the system this end, and hope to have 150W by the end of July at the latest ( few other things on the boil slowing me down a bit )...Rex, 4REX updated me on a site that has/is/hope will provide a kit for really nice yagi construction, so hoping that that happens...his gear looks really nice.

Scott...Rex and I can organise an aircraft if you want to beam up this way..take you're pick...Small Jet, or Turbo Prop...they all seem to work.

73
Glenn

[VK2XN]

G'day Glenn,

27 deg to you certainly makes our AE path a challenge with 1000m high mountains 10km out from this qth.

BUT I have worked Trevor VK4AFL and Andru VK4KAY via AE in the past month, so with the right plane on the right path at the right time.... it should be possible.

I will set up AirScout http://www.airscout.eu/ and study our path V aircraft flight paths whether, where and when AE is possible.

On the other hand I have noticed considerable enhancement via tropo ducting to VK4RTT over the past few weeks so another prop mode worth considering
though the inland tropo does have trouble poking it's nose over the Divide.

Do you use any of the digital modes available such as JT65c?

I will continue to monitor this thread re your times of activity etc.

Thanks for the heads up!

Wayne.... VK2XN