Introduction
Communicating over great distances via VHF continues to fascinate many amateurs. EME (Earth-Moon-Earth) communication, also known as "moonbounce", meteor scatter, and VHF cw DX are some of the techniques used. In the case of EME and meteor scatter, the concept is simple: use the moon or the ionized trail of a meteor as a passive reflector for VHF and UHF signals. A simple but effective station is within the reach of most amateur experimenters. With the advent of very sensitive receiving preamplifiers and commercially available high-gain Yagi antennas, many VHF operators are enjoying successful weak signal contacts. With a total path length of about 500,000 miles, EME is the ultimate DX -- for the time being!
Articles
- A Basic Approach to Moonbounce
QST July 1985, pp. 18-21
Is moonbounce an esoteric mode beyond the reach of most amateurs? No! Recent advances in amateur equipment have brought EME even closer to the mainstream of Amateur Radio. - WSJT: New Software for VHF Meteor-Scatter Communication
QST December 2001, pp. 36-41
Computer software helps to communicate by bouncing signals off the ionized trails of meteors. - JT44: New Digital Mode for Weak Signals
QST June 2002, pp. 81-82 - The Journey to EME on 24 GHz, Part 1
QST October 2002, pp. 28-32
Exploring the microwave region for moonbounce - The Journey to EME on 24 GHz, Part 2
QST November 2002, pp. 43-47
Web Links
- WSJT Home Page by Joe Taylor K1JT
- MoonBounce (EME) Operation by Mike Cook AF9Y
Technology >> Radio Technology Topics >> Weak Signal -- (VHF-DX, Meteor Scatter, EME-Moonbounce)