[NLRS] W0PHD & NT0V 10 GHz QSO

[Dennis Clemenson]

Well the UHF contest was not very active for me (24 QSO with 23 grids
scattered out on 222, 432, 903, and 1296).  12 of my 24 QSOs were with
K0MHC/R so thanks to Jim.   Things really got interesting this afternoon,
however, after the contest was over and I finished a few details on my
latest project.

Wally, W0PHD, and I just completed my first 10 GHz QSO from EN08oc to
EN18oe, a distance of 92 miles.  Wally was portable on the west edge of
Warren, MN, and I was at home.  My 18 inch DSS dish is mounted up about 25
feet on a TV tripod on my garage roof with the transverter mounted just
below the feed arm.  The IF and control lines run down into the shack.
Wally was also using an 18 inch dish and we both are using the DEMI 2 watt
transverters. I'm not weatherproof yet so the transverter has to come back
inside after use.

I don't think there was any special enhancement for this QSO.  Signals were
weak both ways on CW and kind of watery sounding, 519.  We did not have any
liaison equipment, just a schedule set up earlier from Wally's shack on 432.
I was supposed to send CW for 5 minutes for Wally to locate me and then we
were going to run odd/even minutes.  I actually unkeyed after 3 minutes and
Wally came right back to me.  Beginner's luck!  We made a few exchanges and
sent 73s.  Then Wally went back home and we rehashed it on 432.

My thanks to Gary, W0GHZ, and Jon, K0FQA, for getting me set up with a dish
ready to use.  And a big thanks to Wally for the help and encouragement.

Now, I'm open for further challenges and can try to participate in the
contesting the weekend of the 20th.  If tropo or storm scatter chances look
good for any of you to my location, let me know and we can try to make a
contact.

Regards,

Dennis NT0V
EN08oc