After testing the 47GHz kit across a car park, I was keen to get my first QSO. The RSGB 432MHz-245GHz 24 hour contest otherewise known as "May UHF" seemed like a great opportunity.
It was great to have two real QSO's at a decent starting distance 24km from Applepie Hill (I091JM22) near Compton, across to Walbury Hill (IO91GI44) which is LOS. I created a substantial L shaped bracket from aluminum angle bolted onto my surveyors tripod and the PASOLONK 50 loan kit unit with its 30cm PD Dish was securely bungee'd to that with foam padding. All very stable. The FT-817ND was used on its lowest power sat on top with PTT providing the 434MHz IF.
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| The 47GHz System Pointing to Walbury |
Noel G8GTZ/P's portable system is higher power with an RF amp and SDR view. So to start with I pointed at them and he found me fairly quickly with an FM carrier. Noel transmitted to me and I found him and then we had the usual dish optimisation dance. The bandwidth is very sharp.
Once I'd had NBFM and SSB QSO's with Noel, it was easier to work Dave G1EHF/P on SSB. Dave's system is more QRP so he was weaker than Noel who has about 1mW. I was reasonably strong on both their systems, they were both using 30cm dishes. There was noticeable degradation during the hour or so that we played. There was quite a lot of fadding and QSB which was all very interesting to experience for the first time.
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| A Great Afternoon Playing Microwaves! |
For the concurrent 10GHz Trophy contest and with just the 60cm Offset Dish and 1W, I managed 3 easy QSO's with David M0GHZ (IO81VK, 70km), Neil G4LDR (IO91EC, 55Km) and Martyn G3Z on Brown Clee (IO81QL, 145Km) for my ODX.
Because it was also the May UKuG Low Band contest I also took 9cm (Pluto SDR, Stealth SM3437 20W) and used the same 60cm Offset Dish, with a soup can feed to work M0HNA/P on Walbury. I also worked M0HNA/P on 13cm (both 2300MHz and 2320MHz) using just the Pluto SDR and about 1mW.
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| 3rd in the RSGB May UHF Open Section! (Source: VHFCC Website) |
Amazingly, with all 8 QSO's I came 3rd on 47GHz, 7th on 10GHz, 2nd on 3.4GHz, 3rd on 2.3GHz. I was surprised to achieve 3rd overall across all bands in the Open Section. It was a really enjoyable Sunday afternoon in the summer sunshine.