Two QSO's on 3cm. First QSO on 6cm WBFM!

After two miserable outings (a wet stormy April UKAC evening to Lacey Green on 10GHz, and last weekend to Dunstable Downs after the Rally, Lacey Green and Remenham Hill on 24GHz) - and with no contacts both times, its great to report some GHz success!

This afternoon I managed to escape for an hour and set-up portable on Remenham Hill, my local go-to /P site between Henley-On-Thames and Marlow. Instead of the noisy roadside lay-by, I chose the quieter option which is just down a bridleway. This has has the benefit of off-road parking and no muggles! After setting up I called “CQ Contest” on 144.390MHz the new UK Microwave talkback QRG but it was strangely quiet. I still enjoy 2m talkback and find it really useful for setting-up QSO's on the GHz bands.

Horizon view Walbury Hill to Remenham Hill (Source: HeyWhatsThat)

  As a bit of fun I brought my 6cm WBFM kit (Boscam TS832 Rx, Boscam TS5832 FPV 5.8G 2W 32CH AV Tx) to try with Dave G1EHF/P also at Walbury Hill, co-sited with Barry. I turned the Dish’s back to Walbury and it was great to hear a strong signal from Dave and to complete a 2-way QSO over the 45km path!  This was my first QSO with the simple FPV modules plus a TP-Link TL-ANT5830B 60cm grid dish. We used “Channel 33” which is 5665MHz and is becoming the centre of 6cm WBFM activity. 

Dave was almost fully quietening with only a little noise. I have some tidying-up work to do on the 6cm gear to add an external microphone and also an audio amp to boost the output into the headphones, but must say am very pleased to confirm that everything works. I’m certainly excited about the distances that can be worked on 6cm WBFM - previously I had just tested the gear across the garden!

Path Profile: Walbury Hill 977ft ASL to Remenham Hill 324ft ASL
(Source: HeyWhatsThat)

  It was great to get out /P to check the 3cm gear. With no joy on 2m, I announced myself on KST and quickly worked Barry G4SJH/P on Walbury Hill (IO91GI) which is a good unobstructed path at 45km, and then Neil G4LDR in Salisbury (IO91EC) at 70km, both on 10GHz. Overnight there had been an amazing thunder and lightening storm, and the Wx was now a glorious May hot summer day. This was very different to the last time I worked Neil from this exact same location in the January UKAC when there was snow on the ground!