Why Moonbounce on 50 MHz?


·        To try something that few people have accomplished so far

Very few stations (probably not more than 100 all over the World) have been able to complete a qso via EME on 50 MHz so far. The difficulties are mostly represented by the necessity of large arrays, the high noise on this frequency and the high power needed to produce an audible echo.

·        To make a DX QSO even when the propagation is poor or absent

We are now going to experiment a very bad period for F2 propagation. The solar cycle, infact, is rapidly fading and we will have always more difficultys finding an F2 opening over the next years. Moreover, a lot of countries are not very often reachble via F2 even when the solar cycle is at the top. The Moon, on the contrary, is always there and always usable to make a qso!

·        Just for the fun of make experiments under prohibitive conditions

I find is very stimulating to try something new, difficult and never easily reproducible! If I just want to talk with someone I use the telephone or the FM repeaters!

·        To optimize your own station and to get the maximum from it

An EME station is obviously a very good station for F2 propagation also! Probably it will be a little bit less optimazed for propagation modes with higher path angles, but I have always got, so far, incredibly good reports on every ES opening, and quite often I receive 59+40db report during TEP opening with Africa!

 

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