[MAMS] NE8I/r First weekend10 GHz+ summary

[Lloyd Ellsworth]

August 2012 first weekend of 10 GHz cumulative summary. Made 17 contacts. 5 on 24 GHz. Best DX 10 GHz K8WW EN81uk/EN74at. 24 GHz K2YAZ EN74av/EN74eo. Fair bit of rain scatter. Drove one tank of gas, aprox 300 miles. Broke the fuel budget. Operated 9 rover stops. Longest were Tustin Know EN74gc and AJ EN74at. August, high tourist season, makes many rover sites, well, difficult. Can't always get where you need to be to operate. Add operating safety. Always careful, not to expose people to RF. Especially children. Operating time. Most of the contest, except 10 PM to 8AM. Had multiple murphy visits. Brought enough equipment, parts, backups, was able to repair them all. Keep operating. Worst, was the 18W 10 GHz amp. Was able to bypass, until repair later. Run barefoot 180 mW. Cost me Sat evening contacts. Worst, was the tourists asking me this and that while trying to make a contact. 
 
Rain scatter. There were several useful storms in range. Especially Sunday. Worked W9SNR and W9ZIH. Reminder, elevation is really important. Usually a maximum of 8 degrees. But, with a 3 degree dish appature, that makes quite a difference. Also, taking time. To work K8WW EN81uk, W9ZIH EN51nv, W9SNR EN51xr, From AJ EN74at it was typically 60 to 90 minutes. Many calls. Could just barely hear each other direct. Just plain takes time. However, when the rain cloud path, came into range, signals got strong. However, that path opening, lasted only for a couple of minutes. Both the heading (azimuth), and elevation, changed during the contacts. In the case of KB8VAO in EN91kt, got everything but the RRR. I had several partical long distant almosts. Sat PM, trying with the UP group, just could not find any working Rain Scatter paths that worked. Operating QRP, did not help. Trying to find a useful storm, get the right geometry working, can take quite a bit of
 time and effort. Don't forget the elevation. 
 
Many of the rover sites I use, do not have cell coverage, or computer wireless access. Having multiple ways to conttect, communicate helps in this contest. 144.260, does not always work either. Add my 2M amp died, and looks like this will require a replacement, when the budget allows. In driving around, I found locations where I could here up to 3 different contacts going on 144.260. Most of the rover sites I use, are RF quiet areas. EG on 2M, the s meter, stays on the lower peg. Quiet. Amazing what you can hear. Having enough battery operating power, backup, helps. 
 
Tropo. As usual, the rule about best tropo conditions were at sunrise. Then conditions fall off till about 8PM or so. 10 AM to 6PM, dead band conditions. Best for 24 GHz however. (and 47 GHz.). 
 
Sept VHF, will be a limited rove this year. Fuel budget issues. Same with the Second weekend of the cumulative. Expect to operate mostly at Tustin Knob EN74gc, AJ EN74at and add along Lake Michigan, South to Ludington SP. Depending on activity. Tustin Knob, is a rover friendly location. High elevation, near the highest in Southern Michigan, Near Cadillac. 
 
10 GHz Beacon progress. Got the dish. Working on getting it ready to mount. When I get the beacon, it should be up and operational fairly quickly. Site elevation 1120 ft ASL. EN73mv. 30 dB dish aimed at 140 degrees (SE). Might change. 10.368.300 1W, I have all the parts for the 24 GHz beacon. Again 30 dB gain dish. 100mW. 24.192.275. 
 
Plans are in flux. Can, and likely to change without much of any notice. 
 
73, Lloyd NE8I/r
EN73 etc