[NLRS] more 10 GHz stuff

[Andrew T. Flowers, K0SM]

Hi folks,

I got on 10 GHz for the first time this past weekend.  We got some funny 
looks from the motel owner when N2OPW and I stopped in his lot, but he 
didn't seem to mind.  Nobody even stopped to ask why my dish was 
"pointing into the ground".  A few folks around here made some QSOs over 
600km using rain scatter, but I wasn't so lucky.  I did hear K2UYH in NJ 
briefly though, so that was pretty exciting.  Highlight was working 
K2AXX from my apartment window--I don't have a window facing him, so we 
created a new propagation mode:  FN12cs to FN13ed on 10GHz "rochescatter".

I'll be back in Nebraska around Dec 20 for three weeks or so.  I would 
love to work the you guys on snowscatter or whatever we can find.  Right 
now I have a DEMI xvtr w/2dB NF and qualcomm amp pushing a little under 
a watt into a 20" offset-feed dish.  I'll be getting a preamp shortly 
:-)  It'll be interesting given that KM0T is the closest station at 160mi!

Andy K0SM/2

Mikek wrote:

>Howdy all
>
>Quick report on the first weekend.  In short, fantastic!
>Drove up north of Kewaunee, Wisconsin to work K2YAZ, WB9SPT, NN9X,
>and WB8TGY who were all located up in EN74 (Northern MI).  I started
>in EN64 and started moving down the coast with primary stops around
>Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Milwaukee, Racine WI, and Winthrop Harbor, IL
>covering three grids (EN64, EN63, and EN62).  For every stop,
>signals across the lake were from S5 to 20 over S9.  The conditions
>actually improved towards the afternoon and several times, we
>used FM to make the QSO.  I started with my 2ft dish but found it
>easier to use the 17db horn mounted on the transverter.  Power out
>was around 200mw.  I was joined by Marc, N8KWX just north of Milwaukee
>and we worked the MI crew a couple more times finally concluding
>at Wind Point, WI.  I drove out to Winthrop Harbor, IL on Sunday
>to work K2YAZ on SSB with just a horn antenna.  Didnt work out
>the distances yet but these were all 100km plus contacts with the
>Winthrop Harbor QSO coming out to a little over 200mi over water.
>Crowd encounters on the lakefront were all friendly with plenty
>of questions as to what I was doing.
>
>Strangest comment I heard was:
>"If we go to war, they are going to hate you!"
>My response was:  "But, Im one of the good guys!"
>
>Also heard from one couple going to the beach:
>"Are you doing anything we should not be here for?"
>
>Most enlightened comment:
>"Cool!"
>and...
>"Are you doing some kind of weather experiment?"
>
>Thanks to Bob, Mark, Neil, and Alex for all the Q's and for
>risking a slow roasting hanging out on the beach while I 
>navigated along the back roads looking for lake access in WI.
>
>On to September!
>
>73 de AA9IL
>Mike Kana
>