VK3/VK5 Microwave Activity Day

[VK3BJM]

G'day all.

Whilst I didn't participate, I did drag myself up to the QTH of Andy, VK3ES; and I took a few happy snaps of Andy and Dave, VK3HZ, doing battle with the propagation god/s (is there more than one??).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72319077@N ... 246721113/ reveals all.

I did also take some video, but I've not dealt with that yet. Considering it's the first time I'll have edited any video, let alone packaged it up and posted it anywhere, I can safely say it won't be viewable this arvo... First I'll view it, to see if any of it is usable! After I finish mowing the grass...

73,
Barry
VK3BJM

[VK3YFL]

Perfect weather for it and lot's of fun.

Here's my (very amateur) attempt at a video record of my station and a couple of contacts:

http://youtu.be/fU2VUbl0QUE



For those interested, the video and stills used here were taken on a simple point and shoot Nikon and the resulting video, including addition of captions, compiled using the free version of ActivePresenter. That's a very useful package I can recommend.

Bryon
VK3YFL

[VK4GHZ]

Great video!
Always good to see how others do things.
Sounds like nice solid copy on Lou as well.

[VK3PY]

Nice video, Bryon.

Summary of my operation:

10GHz: VK3HZ, VK3AXH, VK3ALB, VK3GHZ, VK3KH, VK3YFL, VK3ZSJ

Heard VK7MO on 10GHz but conditions had faded by the time we got a separate system set up in a spot with a favourable view towards VK7. Wish we had known that Rex was going to be operating.

5.7GHz: VK3ALB

2.4GHz: VK3ALB, VK3KH

Here's a photo of our set-up, all bands from 2.4GHz to 47GHx inclusive. The 600mm and 1.2m dishes in the distance were a late addition to try to work Rex VK7MO. We initially tried with the 600mm dish, and when that didn't work we hauled out the heavy artillery. Whilst we could hear Rex's 50W at 4x1, our 6W signal just wasn't enough for him to hear us.

Chas
VK3PY

[VK5ZD]

Hi all

Well, I didn't work anyone after all that (except Lou on 40m, but I guess that doesn't count ). I could hear Colin, VK5DK, in the noise on 23cm and there was a slight indication on his 10GHz carrier on Spectrum Lab. Nothing at all from the VK3 stations. I bit disappointing but not unexpected.

Next time (and I hope there will be a next time) I think I'll just try one or two bands. The logistics involved in making a serious effort on all bands seems to be getting harder with the passing years. The weather was fine on the day, although maybe a tad warm (about 33 degrees ).

I've made a short video of the exercise. Note that the setting up has been compressed from one hour to about 3 minutes (I didn't want to bore you too much).

[VK2ZRH]

That reminds me of the "Ode to the Fisherman":

Lo, he riseth early in the morn; before dawn.
Mighty are his preparations.
He returns late in the evening, with no fish, smelling of strong drink and the truth is not in him.

It also reminds me of the time while I was a student in Melbourne (VK3ZRY), when I had a few frustrating attempts to achieve contacts on 576 MHz over more than a few km

Eventually, I made a one-way contact while portable from Arthur's Seat, working VK3QO (SK) in Heidelberg

I was running a few hundred milliwats (guesstimate) into a 10 element yagi . . . running AM; it was a mod-osc.

73, Roger Harrison VK2ZRH

[VK4GHZ]

I've made a short video of the exercise.

Great to be able to watch these videos.
One thing that becomes apparent from the stills & video from down south, (and Iain has recent first-hand experience operating in VK4), is that we simply don't have as many elevated locations that have reasonably open and unobstructed views.
Most of them are treed, and you're surrounded by heavy foliage.

Note that the setting up has been compressed from one hour to about 3 minutes.

I'm determined to get this music into my next time compressed clip:

This_Music.mp3

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