[50mhz] Re: 6m EME sked via JT44

[Lance Collister]

Hal ZS6WB wrote:
> 
> FANTASTIC ! ! !
> 
> Glad we made it. Had perfect copy on you calling Paul just before our sked
> started at 2150. Then just bits and pieces until 2235 when calls appeared
> from averaging. Then your OOO at 2237, RO at 2238, RR at 2240, 73 at 2241
> followed by TU, then heard you calling CQ at 2246. At this point I had taken
> off my headset and put it on the desk and I actually heard the tones coming
> from it for the first time during the attempt. At this point the moon was at
> about 3 degrees and had disappeared behind the trees. It will be a pleasure
> confirming this QSO and thanks for a new state and grid locator.
> 
> 73   -   Hal
> 
Hello Hal!  

Everything completed hr at 2240Z, April 21, when your moon was at 4 degrees
elevation!  As they say, I am quite a "HAPPY CHAPPY"!!!  

MNI MNI TNX for the new country, new continent new grid, new field, and WAC on 6m! 
AND, I think it very well may be the first 6m EME contact via JT44, to boot!  MNI
TNX also to K1JT for making it possible ;-)

I heard nothing from Paul, so I guess he was either not on, or the TE you guys down
there have wiped out the signals.  I got good sync and partial calls on your first
transmission (when the moon was up in your second lobe).  When the moon came down
into your first lobe I was pleased that Faraday rotation played along with us, and
was very pleasantly surprised that we were copying each other at the same time ;-)

Now all I have to do is figure out how to operate the JT44 to put signals in FREEZE
mode and so on, and choose which transmissions to add to the average, to really
boost its capability.  It sure was a thrill being able to complete my first real
JT44 contact, though, and have it be with you under real conditions!  I am glad to
have been able to run with someone like you, who has had experience with JT44
before...you probably made up for my inexperience.

I am curious to know if you ever got your preamp installed before the sked.  I found
I could run 1500 watts continuous output on this end without the air exhaust from
the amp getting too warm, so that's where I left things running for our sked.  I
imagine that was a good S unit above your output - HI!  

I was also watching the receiver audio output on Spectran, and found that I had to
see at least a faint trace on Spectran before it would decode in JT44.  In fact one
time your signal showed quite a strong steady trace that I think I would have been
able to copy at least partially in the narrow DSP audio filter if it had been CW. I
was surprised to see such a steady signal on 6m EME - usually the signals are more
erratic.  Often, though, I find that I need to have a stronger signal than that to
easily copy the CW, so I am very glad we took the chance and tried it first on
JT44!!!!  

Of course, let's cancel the other standby skeds, since I would have to leave work
early to make them anyway.  Again, MNI MNI TNX for the most memorable contact!!!  My
hope is renewed in working new DXCC countries from up here in the "RF Bblack Hole",
now that I know such a good contact can be made with a single yagi station running
low power! ;-)  It also should be a very good indicator of being able to complete
with low power DXpedition stations at locations with salt water horizons.  

You can be that my card will be in the mail tmrw!  VY 73, Lance 

-- 
Lance Collister, W7GJ (ex: WN3GPL, WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8)
P.O. Box 73
Frenchtown, MT  59834  USA
QTH: DN27UB
TEL: (406) 626-5728   FAX:(406) 728-6320
URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj