Some local stations in IO91 square had mentioned they planned go out to test gear and various paths. So I packed the car and drove to my local site at Remenham Hill (IO91NM78) which is 99m ASL, about 10 minutes from home. This is usually a very quiet farm gate off a footpath south of the A4130, with space for one car parked off road. I quickly set-up the FT-817ND and pointed the 0.250W 30cm Nortel ODU system towards Dave G1EHF/P who was to the South West at Farleigh Wallop near Basingstoke (IO91KF42, 36km).
Unusually there were a lot of walkers, cyclists and even a trials motor bike zoomed past behind me, thankfully keeping 2m social distance! With one hand rotating the dish and the other VFO twirling, Dave was received very stong on SSB and then NBFM at 58's both ways. My dial frequency was 580Kc's high and there was the usual warbling and drift as the LO stabilised over time. A recently purchased Leo Bodnar mini-GPS will provide future frequency locking. After logging into ON4KST, I tried with Neil G4LDR (IO91EC, 69km) in Salisbury, with nil heard either way. The same path always works on 10GHz easily.
After packing up, I drove for 25 minutes up to Britwell Hill (IO91LO98) 229m ASL on the Chiltern Ridge. This is another farm gate with parking for 2 or 3 cars off Britwell Hill Road, a quiet country lane. This has stunning views over what is left of the Didcot power station and you can just see the x-BT PMR mast at Sparsholt Firs about 20km or so West along The Ridgeway path.
The 24GHz system was set-up again and I soon found Dave G1EHF/P this time due South a direction partially obstructed about 1,500m away with a large clump of trees. Surprisingly signals were stronger 59's both ways at 42km distance. Via ON4KST I tried once more with Neil in Salisbury but nothing was received. I also called out again on 144.390MHz SSB and on Zello (SHF Chat) but no one else was about. It was great to get out again up onto the hills and test 24GHz and make a couple of QSO's!
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| 24GHz from Remenham Hill |
Unusually there were a lot of walkers, cyclists and even a trials motor bike zoomed past behind me, thankfully keeping 2m social distance! With one hand rotating the dish and the other VFO twirling, Dave was received very stong on SSB and then NBFM at 58's both ways. My dial frequency was 580Kc's high and there was the usual warbling and drift as the LO stabilised over time. A recently purchased Leo Bodnar mini-GPS will provide future frequency locking. After logging into ON4KST, I tried with Neil G4LDR (IO91EC, 69km) in Salisbury, with nil heard either way. The same path always works on 10GHz easily.
After packing up, I drove for 25 minutes up to Britwell Hill (IO91LO98) 229m ASL on the Chiltern Ridge. This is another farm gate with parking for 2 or 3 cars off Britwell Hill Road, a quiet country lane. This has stunning views over what is left of the Didcot power station and you can just see the x-BT PMR mast at Sparsholt Firs about 20km or so West along The Ridgeway path.
The 24GHz system was set-up again and I soon found Dave G1EHF/P this time due South a direction partially obstructed about 1,500m away with a large clump of trees. Surprisingly signals were stronger 59's both ways at 42km distance. Via ON4KST I tried once more with Neil in Salisbury but nothing was received. I also called out again on 144.390MHz SSB and on Zello (SHF Chat) but no one else was about. It was great to get out again up onto the hills and test 24GHz and make a couple of QSO's!