2007 ARRL International EME Competition
11/25/2007 |
W8PAT
Very interesting contest. I though I had very good conditions, but much of the reason could be changes I have made in the station.
Due to my restricted window on two meters, I recently moved the two meter array to the south of all buildings near the six meter array. I moved the PAs and LNAs to an old chicken coop near the antennas to help overcome the 330 feet of feedlines to the shack. Two meter feedline is a combination of LDF7 and LDF4 while six meters is all LDF4. The advantage is clear horizon down to 1 degree in all lunar directions and all noise sources are behind or off the side of the antennas. Both arrays are close to the ground as the attached picture shows. The noise floor on two meters has improved about 5 dB over the previous location. The six meter array is manually aimed while two meters has rotators for AZ/EL and polarity rotation, however, the control cables only run to the chicken coop so every half hour includes a trip outside to the chicken coop.
Amps are solid state 400 watts on 6 and 350 on 2 meters. Antennas are 4x12M on 2 and 2x7 (N1DPM design) on six meters.
I made two six meter QSOs on first weekend when two meters was down and one six meter and twenty-seven two meter QSOs the second weekend. 30 QSO X 27 Multipliers
.
I spent most of my time looking for new initials (11 new, now 356 on two meters, one new now 21 on six meters) instead of working, tried and true, big gun multipliers. Never was a smart contester - HI HI!
I really enjoyed this contest. Thanks to everyone who copied my low power; 6 KW ERP on six meters and 20 KW ERP on two meters. Two meter highlights of the contest included working RN6BN, LA8YB, SV1BTR on CW and copying OK1MS, OZ1HNE and LX2US. The rest of my contacts were digital, either JT65A of JT65B. It was FB working KL7UW QRP station. First Alaska since WAPK/KL7 in 1981. I also worked two new EME states (Virginia and Delaware) bringing my total to 45 via two meter EME. JN1JFC was a new initial on six meters. Best of all Murphy did not visit!
73, John -- W8PAT
Due to my restricted window on two meters, I recently moved the two meter array to the south of all buildings near the six meter array. I moved the PAs and LNAs to an old chicken coop near the antennas to help overcome the 330 feet of feedlines to the shack. Two meter feedline is a combination of LDF7 and LDF4 while six meters is all LDF4. The advantage is clear horizon down to 1 degree in all lunar directions and all noise sources are behind or off the side of the antennas. Both arrays are close to the ground as the attached picture shows. The noise floor on two meters has improved about 5 dB over the previous location. The six meter array is manually aimed while two meters has rotators for AZ/EL and polarity rotation, however, the control cables only run to the chicken coop so every half hour includes a trip outside to the chicken coop.
Amps are solid state 400 watts on 6 and 350 on 2 meters. Antennas are 4x12M on 2 and 2x7 (N1DPM design) on six meters.
I made two six meter QSOs on first weekend when two meters was down and one six meter and twenty-seven two meter QSOs the second weekend. 30 QSO X 27 Multipliers
.
I spent most of my time looking for new initials (11 new, now 356 on two meters, one new now 21 on six meters) instead of working, tried and true, big gun multipliers. Never was a smart contester - HI HI!
I really enjoyed this contest. Thanks to everyone who copied my low power; 6 KW ERP on six meters and 20 KW ERP on two meters. Two meter highlights of the contest included working RN6BN, LA8YB, SV1BTR on CW and copying OK1MS, OZ1HNE and LX2US. The rest of my contacts were digital, either JT65A of JT65B. It was FB working KL7UW QRP station. First Alaska since WAPK/KL7 in 1981. I also worked two new EME states (Virginia and Delaware) bringing my total to 45 via two meter EME. JN1JFC was a new initial on six meters. Best of all Murphy did not visit!
73, John -- W8PAT
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