[NLRS] 6M operations at KTCA

[Donn Baker - WA2VOI/0]

Kent, WA5VJB, had a similar opprotunity in Dallas/Ft. Worth a couple of years ago.  They built a new Ch 2 station with 
antennas at the 1800' level.  The transmitter was delayed by several months so Kent and gang had a reasonably good 6m 
antenna for that time.  I'm pretty sure they ended up with two or three cavitys (cavities ?) to keep the other stuff out 
of the receiver and transmitter.  They measured (with a Bird wattmeter) about 8 watts coming back down the coax from the 
other stations on the tower.

It was apparently well worth the time and effort spent in getting it working.  They had lots of fun.  We can ask him 
what they actually had to do... it might save some time and effort here.

73 Donn
WA2VOI/0

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Doug Reed" <n0nas at amsat.org>
To: "NLRS List" <nlrs at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 2:31 PM
Subject: [NLRS] 6M operations at KTCA


>
>
> I've been talking with friends over at KTCA to find out what their plans were for after the analog TV stations go dark 
> next February. The answer is they plan to play radio on 6M, of course....
>
> Scott, Don, and Ray are inclined to put a 6M SSB/CW station on the air from Shoreview using the Ch 2 antenna after the 
> analog stations go dark. Scott likes to say it only requires a few watts into the main amplifier, but where are you 
> going to find a TR relay capable of handling the output?  :-)
>
> In the real world, they intend to have a double-shielded coax coming out to the ham equipment from the main antenna 
> feed. Scott has already purchased one of the 8 or 10 section DCI 6M filters. It has claimed attenuation over 120 dB by 
> the time you hit the FM band. Hopefully that will be enough. If anyone has experience doing this, please comment on 
> the required filtering and remaining RF noise. By the time we attempt this, the closest remaining stations will be in 
> the FM band and channel 9 digital. But that doesn't mean we still can't get knocked out by simple broadband RF hash 
> from the nearby transmitters. We will not know until we try.
>
> The very best news is that no tower work is scheduled on the antennas until mid-August at the soonest. That means we 
> have a super antenna site to play with for 6 months, including at least 3 contests and the summer Es season. The down 
> side is the companies involved will probably NOT allow wide-open visits by the horde and assorted friends. I'm just 
> saying don't be too disappointed if the ground rules include limited access, certainly only when an employee is 
> available.
>
> Once we have proof-of-concept and make required changes to get things working, and the three contest weekends are out 
> of the way, what other suggestions do you have for potential activities? Where would NLRS want to participate in 
> events? Or are there only a few more people who want to play?
>
> If I don't hear anything better, my own suggestions are along the lines of a PropNET PSK31 propagation beacon on 
> 50.291 for most of the summer. The propagation beacon might be useful spotting openings and it would certainly be 
> interesting to compare results from one station at 200 feet and another at 1100 feet.
>
> Or (possibly and) a temporary 6M FM repeater or a remote base on 52.525MHz. The repeater or remote base would be fun 
> for the rest of the ham community.
>
> It might even be interesting to try one day or weekend where that station is run at the legal limit, just to see how 
> far we can talk when the band isn't supposed to be open.... That is where it would be interesting to have an "activity 
> day" scheduled for late February or early March when all the Ch 2 - 3 stations we can find nationwide get on the are 
> with high power at the same time. Then see what the paths look like... But we've been using Ch 2 for a propagation 
> beacon for a long time now, so the results probably wouldn't be that different or exciting....
>
> No, I will not be at this breakfast, but I hope to read some discussion on the reflector.
>
> 73, Doug Reed, N0NAS.
>
>
>
>
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