August 2003 Background

VE4MA EN19 -- Aug 20, 2003

This is a radar composite of the 400km path between VE4MA and EN37ed. I completed with Barry about 3 min after this radar image. Signals peaked for Barry enough to complete while I had listened to his 50 watts solid for 20 min before the contact S2 and stronger. The cell appeared to not be moving all that fast and I was able to see it just above the tree horizon. The elevation was quite critical, where the heading was fairly broad. We worked on CW and the multipath gave the signal a "crisp" aurora like sound. Barry's report to me was 5-2A. Thanks for the contact, my first on rain scatter and 10GHz Barry! Thanks also to Gary WØGHZ for the loan of the gear. DEM Transverter, Qualcomm amplifier at about 660 milliwatts. (The system uses a DSS offset feed dish, so it looks like it is looking down when it is not!)

WØGHZ EN34 -- Aug 21, 2003

After working Barry VE4MA earlier in the day a weather system moved through the area that looked promising. I called Gary WØGHZ and asked if we could try our 240Km path.

I heard Gary's beacon right away about S-2 but the xtal heater was heating the xtal in a COLD DEM transverter and the drift was HUGE. Fast and constant tuning was needed. We tried FM, SSB but the drift was too much and the signal was lost.

After the DEM stabilized Gary beaconed and I re-aimed ... S-9 from 153 miles off the thundercell. Two contacts VIA rain scatter in one day for my first 10Ghz QSO's ... Very Cool!

KØFQA EN35 -- Aug 23, 2003

We were in thunderstorms with 30mph winds and drizzle most of the day that really discouraged trying to work rain scatter off the dock. I had ran with Eric KT8O and Chris NØUK earlier in the day after missing the best path,without success. This time I spotted a line of showers with about 20 minutes of lead time and started trying to round people up. Phone lines busy and no answers, so a post again. Gary got on and I worked him easly with S3 SSB signals at 21:33z trying to keep from being blown off the dock. Jon was next and he heard me before I had to retreat again from the rain. The rain/drizzle let up and Jon was still set up, so I made a dash to the dock again. Set up and heard him in about 3min. Weak beacon .... There was NO side tone at all, just "keyed hiss", if I got the heading "just right" I could get a hint of sidetone. I called him on CW nothing, beaconed a bit and he was back, this time he peaked up to about S2 / S3 on SSB and we chatted for a few a bit. Now elevation was not critical at all. I could tilt up 10 degrees or more with little change, the heading was more critical and pretty much direct beam heading. I have yet to see a skew "heading"... Thanks for EN35 Jon, we signed at 22:38z!

WØGHZ EN34 -- Aug 23, 2003

I checked the radar after hearing a couple static crashes on 2m and found a small cell that was approaching the bearing to Minneapolis. So I posted a message on the NLRS reflector and made some calls on 144.200 while the DEM was warming up. After a few min Gary WØGHZ called on 144.200 and we set up a sked. He was to start his beacon and then call on even min. I took the 10Ghz system down to the dock in the dark with the flashlight and set things up. As soon as I turned on the IF rig and tuned across his signal, there he was. 5-2 CW. The elevation was on the horizon and the heading was not real critical. We tried FM with no success, but the SSB was good copy. The signal peaked at S-5 and we chatted for about 5min. I signed and went up to the shack and called on 144.200 hoping to catch others for a run. No others were found. We signed at 03:14Z

WØGHZ EN34 10Ghz TROPO!! -- Aug 25, 2003

The Hepburn Forecast looked real good for morning tropo. I had ran with VE3KRP and N8PUM between 5:30am and 6:20am local (only time they were available) with poor results on 1296 and 222. Eric KT8O calling CQ on 2m got me back in the shack about 7am. When Eric and I made our "regular" check of 1296, we found signals to be S-9! Gary WØGHZ broke in 5-9+20. I warmed up the 10Ghz Transverter and made a mad dash to the dock and set it up, came back to the shack and had Gary "beacon" ....S-2! Dashed back up to the shack and let him know I was hearing him. We then completed our 10Ghz tropo contact on SSB with signals 5-2 to 5-5 with QSB, logged out at 12:25z. 61 degrees with 88% humidity and calm. We worked again on 10Ghz about 40min later, but now on CW with S-2 signals and the QSB was a problem. Elevation was not critical and bearing sensitivity was normal. Eric KT8O had an emergency call to work and as a result didn't have a chance to try 10Ghz tropo. By 13:40z a thunderstorm was sweeping through Minneapolis, bye bye tropo duct on that end!

KMØT/Ø EN26 10Ghz TROPO -- Aug 30, 2003

KØAWU/Ø From EN36 10Ghz TROPO -- Aug 30, 2003