[NLRS] 10Ghg Operations from EN36

[Bill K0AWU]

Hello Gang

  Just got back from a 125 mile round  trip down to north central EN36 to a 
couple sites I had been watching (on the map) for a couple years... we all 
know the difference between the map and real the real world .... Worked 
Gary W0GHZ twice on tropo, both over 110 miles on 10Ghz tropo, mid day 
.....

  Site#1  Big Sandy Dam (really a playground 300ft south). The playground is 
about 10 or 12 ft above lake level and nice shot south across the lake until 
you reach the shore about a mile or so away, then a good tree line. Called 
Gary on the pay phone back by the dam and we start at 12:30pm local .... I 
hear Gary's first sequence on CW 5-1 no QSB ... Noon tropo!  EN36is -- 126 
miles  from Gary... (DNR provided the Lat/Long) nice contact, no problem. 

  Site#2  The LookOut Tower at Rice Lake Game Refuge ..... NOT WHAT I 
THOUGHT!!  10 miles of gravel road ( just washed the car yesterday)!! The 
Lookout tower the DNR told me about 3 yrs ago is a lookout PLATFORM!!!,
10ft high overlooking the rice choked lake. ARGH!  Well the opposite shore 
is at least 2 or 3 miles away, but no way to get ahold of Gary or anyone else.
The nearest phone is McGreger about 15 miles away. Try the Aitkin repeater 
... nothing ... try the Grand Rapids repeater... barely into it. Reached 
KC0JEZ, will you send an e-mail for me??  He did .... Gary was away from 
the computer but returned shortly... by the time I reached the radio Gary was 
calling. S-1 CW with QSB now (19:27z)  EN36in  111 miles, we completed 
and switched to SSB, on QSB peaks good enough for a SSB QSO by not for 
conversation. JEZ was gone from the repeater and I could not get Gary to 
understand that I was wanting to know if others were around. After we 
completed I called and beaconed until 19:45z in case there were others. 
Beaconed on the "evens" moving the dish 3 or 5deg each 20sec between 
Gary's and FQA's heading ... Nothing heard ...

   I am considering trip to a 200ft or 250ft mine dump EN37fg  north of town a 
few miles for MORNING tropo tomorrow. Operate from maybe 8:00am to 9:00 
or so.. would be interested in knowing who is interested. Would like to try to 
work EN35,34,26 from that site.... can see for MILES ..... every direction ... 
need to run the numbers for Don ...  I can use the phone patch and XYL to 
coordinate or try 2m SSB... Long way for 2m, 10Ghz is better :>)) Still 
having fun!

73 Bill K0AWU