[AReU] VHF/UHF happenings.

[w4tas]

Mike (KB4JHU) and I had a long and pleasant QSO on AO40 tonight. 
The squint angle was 18 degrees and the signals weren't as strong 
as normal. The distance was about 75% of the maximum distance 
to apogee and that helped a great deal however. Mike upgraded 
his 435 MHz feedline with some 9913F that he bought at Orlando 
this weekend. He also greatly improving his receiving system with 
a DEMI low noise amplifier ahead of his 2.4 GHz converter. He 
reported good copy of my signal although not quiet armchair quality. 
His signal was about the same here. Mike has a great uplink antenna 
and a 2 ft. by 3 ft. Primestar dish on the downlink. 

I listened for the Sunday night 2 meter SSB net normally held by the 
West Central Florida Section. It is on 144.230MHz USB with the net 
control using vertical polarization. This is for the benefit of the FM 
crowd that have vertical antennas and all mode radios. Signals are 
usually good and there are usually 15 or 20 check ins. Tonight however 
the net was not held. I don't know what the reason was but there were 
still several QSO's on the band conducted by folks that tried to check 
in. All of the folks receiving this E-Mail that have 2 meter all mode 
rigs should try listening for this net every Sunday night at 8:00 PM 
local time. It has really spurred a lot of activity on the weak signal 
portion of the 2 meter band. Anyone wanting to check out their 
2 meter SSB capabilities just give me a ring or send me an E-Mail 
and we'll try to get together and have a QSO. The 2 meter SSB 
calling frequency is 144.2 MHz USB. The same goes for 70 cm's 
on 432.1 MHz USB and 50.125 MHz USB. 

Let's hear some activity!!!!!!

73

Tony