[MAMS] Mad Saturday, July 2

[Zack Widup]

Well, I guess it turned out to be more of a "Microwave Non-Activity
Day." That is, unless driving to a hill and setting up antennas and
station, then taking it down and driving to a different grid square
and doing it again counts as activity.
:-)

I set up on a hill in EM59wx and listened for a few beacons. I
couldn't hear any of the K3SIW beacons, but at 7:30 am I could hear
the WB9PNU 10 GHz beacon in St. Louis about S4 or S5, fairly steady. I
took it as a good sign.

Then I tried to work KB0PE. We tried 902 and 1296 with just a few
parts of CW characters being occasionally heard at each end, mostly in
the noise. Not good enough for a QSO. We tried 3456 with nothing heard
at either end. I checked for the 10 GHz St. Louis beacon again at
about 9:15 am and it was gone. So much for the good sign.

I then packed up and drove about 30 miles to another hill in EN50xf. I
tried to work Lloyd NE8I on 902, 1296 and 2304. Nothing heard at
either end. Next I tried with Mark K8MD. Nothing heard on 902 or 1296.
As a last shot, I tried to work Wally W9OBG. Nothing heard on 902. We
didn't try any other bands.

This was about the worst conditions I've seen in a while. Humidity was
high, haze was thick and it got hot starting around 11 am.

Every little town around here has a Casey's General Store in it. I am
really glad of that. When you've forgotten to take anything to drink
and you're really really thirsty, it's good to know you can get an
iced drink only a few miles away. And their pizza isn't too bad,
either. You can have lunch for about $5.50.

Well, hopefully some of the future MAD's have propagation. The ARRL
UHF contest is coming up, too.

73, Zack W9SZ


On 7/2/11, MARK K8MD <k8md at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> I have everything on this morning 902 thru 3456. Listening 144.260 looking
> West. Mark, K8MD EN82bq
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