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Looking for skeds for my 1st ATV QSOs

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 9:52 am
by 2E0GYX
Hi! I will be out tomorrow to give my new 5.6GHz ATV setup a testing from IO93UK14 from around 13:00 onward. If anyone wants to arrange a sked let me know & I'll spin my dishes in your direction.
73, James 2E0GYX

Re: Looking for skeds for my 1st ATV QSOs

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 4:48 pm
by g4njj
Hi James

Welcome to the world of ATV. Good to see more stations coming on 5ghz, especially from the lincolnshire wolds area. There is a group of us with portable gear in the West Norfolk area and are able to go to the North Norfolk coast from Hunstanton and further. We did hold the UK record for a short time on May 9th operating from West Runton near Cromer with a 158km path to Bridlington using sea surface ducting which you may have seen on the forum. That was a very exiting day and pure luck that the weather was on our side. Unfortunately this weekend is too short notice to arrange a sked but I hope you get some other takers. Keep in touch with your activities and hopefully we can arrange a sked in the not too distant future.

Have you been able to do local testing of your Tx/Rx to see if all is working ok? We did some field trials fixed station to mobile over 3 to 5 miles first but only one way which went fine. The next outing was the trip to West Runton which was the real proof it worked.

Good Luck

Peter G4NJJ

Re: Looking for skeds for my 1st ATV QSOs

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 5:32 pm
by 2E0GYX
Thanks for the welcome Peter. I had read about your record, quite an achievement, I would be happy with 1/3 of the distance :)
No problem with you not being available this weekend, I'm sure there will be other opportunities to work you in the future.
The only testing I have done so far is from one end to the other of the building where I hold my makers group, only about 20m through several internal walls on 600mW which worked well. The real test of the equipment will be tomorrow when I take it all out onto the top of the Wolds and run it properly all together. Would it be a good idea to be beaconing on APRS to let other operators know my location etc.?

Re: Looking for skeds for my 1st ATV QSOs

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 7:23 pm
by G8JAN
2E0GYX wrote:
Sat Sep 08, 2018 9:52 am
Hi! I will be out tomorrow to give my new 5.6GHz ATV setup a testing from IO93UK14 from around 13:00 onward. If anyone wants to arrange a sked let me know & I'll spin my dishes in your direction.
73, James 2E0GYX
Hi James I can be available from around 13-45pm tomorrow. I'd like to try a contact with you I'll be running 600 Mw to a 16Dbi squarial on 5.6 Ghz ATV With my mast fully wound up the antenna will be roughly 95 ft ASL. I'm located in Downham Market 10 miles south of Kings Lynn. My postcode is PE389PG and I'm QTHR.
I'll listen out and call on 144.750 primary and 144.725 secondary
Best 73's
Pete

Re: Looking for skeds for my 1st ATV QSOs

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 8:07 pm
by M0NRD
Hi James,

Already touched base on the Facebook page but I hopefully will be out tomorrow afternoon at IO93MD62, will be my first try with my gear as well and 50km and hopefully line of sight. Just standard 600mW kit, but with some Polish 27dBi mesh antennas.

Andrew M0NRD

Re: Looking for skeds for my 1st ATV QSOs

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 8:25 pm
by 2E0GYX
G8JAN wrote:
Sat Sep 08, 2018 7:23 pm
Hi James I can be available from around 13-45pm tomorrow. I'd like to try a contact with you I'll be running 600 Mw to a 16Dbi squarial on 5.6 Ghz ATV With my mast fully wound up the antenna will be roughly 95 ft ASL. I'm located in Downham Market 10 miles south of Kings Lynn. My postcode is PE389PG and I'm QTHR.
I'll listen out and call on 144.750 primary and 144.725 secondary
Best 73's
Pete
Thanks Pete, I'll try calling you around 13:45. Found you on the map the bearing to me will be 334.45°
M0NRD wrote:
Sat Sep 08, 2018 8:07 pm
Hi James,

Already touched base on the Facebook page but I hopefully will be out tomorrow afternoon at IO93MD62, will be my first try with my gear as well and 50km and hopefully line of sight. Just standard 600mW kit, but with some Polish 27dBi mesh antennas.

Andrew M0NRD
Good luck Andrew, I'll swing my dishes in your direction too. Your bearing to me will be 53.53°.
I'll be using 600mW/4W into separate ex-sky minidishes for send & receive with the dishes driven by 14Dbi patch antennae at the focal point of the dishes.

Re: Looking for skeds for my 1st ATV QSOs

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2018 10:39 am
by G8JAN
ok James I'll raise my mast and check my gear before lunch. Hope to exchange pics with you from 13;45pm don't forget to monitor the talkback frequency AND 144.725.
I'm happy to try a QSO with anyone else later.
73's
Pete

Re: Looking for skeds for my 1st ATV QSOs

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2018 12:58 pm
by 2E0GYX
Sorry, I ended up having car troubles so couldn't get out today. I'll just have to try again another time.

Re: Looking for skeds for my 1st ATV QSOs

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2018 6:54 pm
by G8JAN
OK James I found your post about 2-15 pm! I called you at 13-45 and then on and off until about 2-10. Plus I was transmitting my test card at the same time. I don't mind trying again sometime but I'll wait to hear you're set up before I start transmission . Winding the mast up to full height gets a bit more difficult with advancing years!
Regards
Pete

Re: Looking for skeds for my 1st ATV QSOs

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2018 8:24 pm
by M0NRD
I'd popped out too hoping to QSO with James, wasn't a total write off even though I didn't manage any contacts.

I was unlikely to make another contact from the location but still I certainly learned I need to make my kit more transportable and robust.. not only ended up having to fix a dodgy power connectors but managed to pull an n-type to sma adapter apart thinking it could support the negligible weight of the receiver module! Also check the first aid kit had some plasters so when you cut your finger on the sharp remnants of the nasty cheap Chinese adapter you don't bleed over all your kit!

Also couldn't see the screen properly even with a sunshield made from a card board box ;-)

Live a learn, be bending a few ears at CAT18 next weekend ;-)

73

Andrew M0NRD