1. UKMicrowaves@groups.io
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Re: South Yorkshire Microwaves Round Table - photos uploaded

Storer, Darren
 

Hi Bernie,

thanks for the update.

From memory, quite a few of the names on the list at the SYRT event indicated that they had their own external (Rb/GPS) 10MHz sources. Perhaps you would consider releasing the MK1 kit, without the TCXO?

Speaking to some of the RAL attendees, it's apparent that a growing number of microwavers are keen to monitor 3cm beacons from home but don't want to tie up a full transverter for the task.

It is appreciated that you are busy, so please don't be put out by our eagerness to use the project in anger.

73 de Darren
G7LWT
 

2009/8/6 bernie <bernie@...>

 

There's not much of an update, I'm afraid Darren. I have been sourcing
the 10 MHz TCXO, and it looks like buying direct from the distributer is
about three times cheaper than waiting for an ebay 'bargain'. The same
board also can act as a low power tx driver just by swapping a 14.4 MHz
TCXO for the 10 MHz one - no other rf changes, but I need to add a
modulation input before ordering more boards - it's really a winter
project, so expect something in the new year (it might even be spring
before it's all updated and components bought).

Sorry I'm not any quicker than that.

Bernie



Storer, Darren wrote:
>
>
> Hi Bernie,
>
>
> mny tnx - that works a treat (even in Chrome)!
>
> [Turns to hide blushes]
>
> Changing the subject quickly: Would you happen to have an update on
> the availability of boards/kits for the ingenious LNB project that you
> demonstrated at the S Yorks Round Table event?
>
> 73 de Darren
> G7LWT
>
> 2009/8/6 bernie <bernie@... bernie@...>>

>
>
>
> I thought I had the same problem, but clicking on the far right hand
> miniscule arrow on each JPG listing then downloaded that
> particular picture.
>
> Bernie
>
>
>
> Andy Talbot wrote:
> >
> >
> > It doesn't even work with IE8 - just gives a list of JPGs but won't
> > allow viewing
> >
> > Andy
> > www.g4jnt.com <http://www.g4jnt.com>

> >
> > 2009/8/5 Dave Ackrill <dave.g0dja@...
> dave.g0dja%40tiscali.co.uk>
> > dave.g0dja%40tiscali.co.uk
> dave.g0dja%2540tiscali.co.uk>>>:

>
> > >
> > >
> > > Peter Day wrote:
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Here's the correct URL for public access. This should work OK (I
> > >> hope!)... You'll notice it changes the URL once you've
> clicked on it.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> http://public.me.com/g3pho <http://public.me.com/g3pho>
> <http://public.me.com/g3pho <http://public.me.com/g3pho>>
>
> > >>
> > >
> > > Just to warn anyone not using Internet Explorer or Mozilla, it
> wont work
> > > with other browsers.
> > >
> > > Dave (G0DJA)
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
>


Re: Quick path profile question..

Storer, Darren
 

Good Evening,

if anyone else is struggling to find all the UK SRTM/.HGT files to use with Mike's software, you can now find a collection hosted here:


NB. You can either download all the UK files in a single ZIP archive or select individual areas if you are on a slow speed GPRS/dial-up connection.

I'd like to thank Murray for taking time out to FTP the files over; Mike's software is very useful but I have been struggling to find all the UK height data in a convenient format to download.

73 de Darren
G7LWT
 

2009/8/10 Richard Newstead <g3cwi@...>

 

--- In ukmicrowaves@..., "Tony Gallagher" wrote:
>
> Hi,
> Does anyone know of a website/utilitiy that allows you to plot a path profile between to locators?

Woops:


http://www.mike-willis.com/software.html

73

Richard
G3CWI
Re: 1296 Area

Grant Hodgson <grant@...>
 

Lee

Nearly everything. Certainly all the EME, terrestrial DX (SSB/CW), licenced beacons, FM simplex and FM repeater outputs, plus a few other modes that don't get used as much, although digital modes are starting to become more popular, and they fit inside the 2MHz segment as well.

Sounds a lot, but it's not really 'squashed' - you can do an awful lot with 2MHz, and some parts of the segment don't get much use at all.

Apart from ATV, the only things you won't get are the satellite uplink at around 1269MHz, FM (speech) repeater inputs at 1291MHz and un-attended beacons at 1298MHz, but for a beginner I wouldn't worry too much about those at the moment.

The Kuhne Electronic transverters are very popular and perform very well.

You can find the UK bandplans here for more info:-

www.microwavers.org > Operating > Spectrum Forum webpage - have a look at the rest of the microwavers.org site while you're there.

regards

Grant G8UBN

aiqy65 wrote:

Evening all,
New to this microwave lark and I am looking at one of the DB6NT transverters to get me onto 23cm. I have 23/13cm on TV but there isnt much activity at all here on the Lincolnshire coast.
Is everything I would want to contact squashed into the 2meg that these transverters cover?
Cheers
Lee G4TNX
1296 Area

aiqy65 <aiqy65@...>
 

Evening all,

New to this microwave lark and I am looking at one of the DB6NT transverters to get me onto 23cm. I have 23/13cm on TV but there isnt much activity at all here on the Lincolnshire coast.
Is everything I would want to contact squashed into the 2meg that these transverters cover?

Cheers
Lee G4TNX
Re: Quick path profile question..

Robert Price <g8dtf@...>
 

Hi Tony
 
It looks like I am taking the lads to Lahinch. This is very low down as you might imagine, but all may not be lost. There is a hill of about 160m at IO52HX which we could both point at. The bearing from IO52TU to IO52HX is 281degrees and distance about 70km. I will take KST and 2m.
 
If you fancy giving this a go I will set the gear up. Leaving soon for Lahinch so TXT me if its OK. I will call you before 7.30 anyway.
 
regards
 
Bob

From: Tony Gallagher
To: ukmicrowaves@...
Sent: Monday, 10 August, 2009 17:37:01
Subject: [ukmicrowaves] Re: Quick path profile question..

 

Many thanks Richard.

Downloading it now.....

Tony

--- In ukmicrowaves@ yahoogroups. com, "Richard Newstead" wrote:
>
> --- In ukmicrowaves@ yahoogroups. com, "Tony Gallagher" wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> > Does anyone know of a website/utilitiy that allows you to plot a path profile between to locators?
>
> Woops:
>
> http://www.mike- willis.com/ software. html
>
> 73
>
> Richard
> G3CWI
>
Re: Quick path profile question..

Tony Gallagher <tony_g_ireland@...>
 

Many thanks Richard.

Downloading it now.....

Tony

--- In ukmicrowaves@..., "Richard Newstead" <g3cwi@...> wrote:

--- In ukmicrowaves@..., "Tony Gallagher" <tony_g_ireland@> wrote:

Hi,
Does anyone know of a website/utilitiy that allows you to plot a path profile between to locators?
Woops:

http://www.mike-willis.com/software.html

73

Richard
G3CWI
Re: Quick path profile question..

Richard Newstead <g3cwi@...>
 

--- In ukmicrowaves@..., "Tony Gallagher" <tony_g_ireland@...> wrote:

Hi,
Does anyone know of a website/utilitiy that allows you to plot a path profile between to locators?
Woops:

http://www.mike-willis.com/software.html

73

Richard
G3CWI
Re: Quick path profile question..

Richard Newstead <g3cwi@...>
 

--- In ukmicrowaves@..., "Tony Gallagher" <tony_g_ireland@...> wrote:

Hi,
Does anyone know of a website/utilitiy that allows you to plot a path profile between to locators? I currently use Radiomobile and one of the Andrews link planning tools, but I'd like something where I can use locators instead of coordinates, (So I can use on my Iphone while hilltoping). I remember seeing a website that did this before, but I cant recall which one.

http://www.mike-willis.com/software.htmlhttp://www.mike-willis.com/software.html

73

Richard
Quick path profile question..

Tony Gallagher <tony_g_ireland@...>
 

Hi,
Does anyone know of a website/utilitiy that allows you to plot a path profile between to locators? I currently use Radiomobile and one of the Andrews link planning tools, but I'd like something where I can use locators instead of coordinates, (So I can use on my Iphone while hilltoping). I remember seeing a website that did this before, but I cant recall which one.

Thanks

Tony
EI4GHB
Tonight - Microwave Activity Night, 8/10/2009, 8:00 pm

ukmicrowaves@...
 

Reminder from:   ukmicrowaves Yahoo! Group
 
Title:   Tonight - Microwave Activity Night
 
Date:   Monday August 10, 2009
Time:   8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Repeats:   This event repeats every week.
Notes:   Monday nights are traditionally microwave activity nights. Why not try listening around at 20:00 local time? Better still, call CQ! Consider using KST to co-ordinate activities:

http://www.on4kst.com/chat/start.php
 
Copyright © 2009  Yahoo! Inc. All Rights Reserved | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy

Chuff, chuff, chuff, chuff chuff, chuff, squelch! (1)

Christopher Bartram <cbartram@...>
 

The 'steam train effect' on VHF signals is caused by the signal scattered by a
moving reflector - typically an aircraft - interfering with a signal propagated
over a static path. The 'chuff, chuff, sound is usually caused in an AM receiver
(which includes SSB in this context) by the receiver AGC trying to follow the
relatively slow (~1Hz-ish) changes in signal strength caused by the the two
signals adding and subtracting as their relative amplitude and phase changes.
A similar thing happens in FM receivers below limiting but the mechanism is
different

Given the usual velocities of aircraft, the doppler shift on the signal
scattered by one is likely to be in the region of 1kHz at 10GHz. That's too
fast for most AGC systems to follow, and the chuff-chuffing becomes a tone. In
practice, because we tend to hear only the signal scattered from the aircraft,
the norm on the microwave bands is to hear a frequency shifted signal, but not
to notice the interference effects. I have heard chuffing on the microwave bands
from (relatively slow moving) cars, and even pedestrians, but they tend not to
high enough to provide useful extended propagation :-)

I'm pretty sure from his description that Tony noticed simple scattering from
aircraft.

Vy 73

Chris
GW4DGU


(1) FWIW the subject line is taken from the chorus of a 1970's song - the
title of which I've long forgotten - by a very funny man called Mike Absolom.
The song, which had the heroine tied to a railway track, contained one of my
all- time favourite lyric lines: 'She said to me you virile brute, don't be so
eclectic, British Rail have changed their chuff-chuff trains to electric ...'
Re: 10Ghz in EI today... update!

Richard Newstead <g3cwi@...>
 

--- In ukmicrowaves@..., Dave Ackrill <dave.g0dja@...> wrote:

The classic way to describe aircraft scatter is that you hear a 'chuff,
chuff' type of noise. Often described as being like an old steam train
moving away from a station.
Dave

I have not heard anything sounding like that on 10GHz. I have heard occasional strong pings and fairly constant level signals drifting with Doppler - both of which I assume are due to aircraft. But no steam trains.

Can anyone confirm if the steam train effect happens on 10GHz?

73

Richard
G3CWI
Re: 10Ghz in EI today... update!

Andy Talbot <andy.g4jnt@...>
 

http://www.g4jnt.com/beacons.htm (scroll down the page to about last third-)

then http://www.g4jnt.com/BCNKEYER.zip


Andy
www.g4jnt.com



2009/8/9 Dave Ackrill <dave.g0dja@...>:



Richard Newstead wrote:
--- In ukmicrowaves@..., "Tony Gallagher"
I think my next purchase is a cw beacon keyer for setting up. Can >anyone
recommend something cheap?
The one I went for was the one designed by G4FRS and G4DDK see
http://hamradio.lakki.iki.fi/new/Software/PIC/Beacon%20keyer/

The great thing about this design is that it's not expensive and you can
decide what you want to have programmed into the message.

If you have the programming board (which I decided to buy as well for
other PIC projects) then you can program up any number of chips with
various messages on them.

Dave (G0DJA)
Re: 10Ghz in EI today... update!

Dave Ackrill <dave.g0dja@...>
 

Richard Newstead wrote:
--- In ukmicrowaves@..., "Tony Gallagher"
I think my next purchase is a cw beacon keyer for setting up. Can >anyone recommend something cheap?
The one I went for was the one designed by G4FRS and G4DDK see http://hamradio.lakki.iki.fi/new/Software/PIC/Beacon%20keyer/

The great thing about this design is that it's not expensive and you can decide what you want to have programmed into the message.

If you have the programming board (which I decided to buy as well for other PIC projects) then you can program up any number of chips with various messages on them.

Dave (G0DJA)
Re: 10Ghz in EI today... update!

Dave Ackrill <dave.g0dja@...>
 

Tony Gallagher wrote:
I headed to IO52MT on Woodcock Hill Limerick, unfortunately no qso was possible here, distance was about 130Km and we were both over 600-700ft ASL. I was a little disapointed!
What was interesting was we both heard each on very quick burst on FM, about S6, The bursts were about 5 seconds and had alot of very very fast fluttering. I wonder was this tropo or some sort of scatter?
130km is a bit ambitious for a first contact, and the propagation you describe sounds very like aircraft scatter.

If it had been rain scatter, that would sound more like an Aurora signal.

The classic way to describe aircraft scatter is that you hear a 'chuff, chuff' type of noise. Often described as being like an old steam train moving away from a station.

Dave (G0DJA)
Re: 10Ghz in EI today... update!

Tony Gallagher <tony_g_ireland@...>
 

Perfect,
Thanks Richard


Tony

--- In ukmicrowaves@..., "Richard Newstead" <g3cwi@...> wrote:

--- In ukmicrowaves@..., "Tony Gallagher"
I think my next purchase is a cw beacon keyer for setting up. Can >anyone recommend something cheap?
http://www.hamgadgets.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=89

73

Richard
G3CWI
Re: 10Ghz in EI today... update!

Richard Newstead <g3cwi@...>
 

--- In ukmicrowaves@..., "Tony Gallagher"
I think my next purchase is a cw beacon keyer for setting up. Can >anyone recommend something cheap?
http://www.hamgadgets.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=89

73

Richard
G3CWI
10Ghz in EI today... update!

Tony Gallagher <tony_g_ireland@...>
 

Hi everyone,
Worked EI3IX/EI7FAB/P today from Galway IO53PK or there abouts. They were in IO53LU
Distance was about 50-60Km. Signals 9+ were exchanged. Tried FM on 10Ghz for the first time today, which was pretty nice!
I headed to IO52MT on Woodcock Hill Limerick, unfortunately no qso was possible here, distance was about 130Km and we were both over 600-700ft ASL. I was a little disapointed!
What was interesting was we both heard each on very quick burst on FM, about S6, The bursts were about 5 seconds and had alot of very very fast fluttering.
I wonder was this tropo or some sort of scatter?

For setting the dishes bearing, I used Martyns method of standing infront of the dish. This worked perfectly!!! Thanks for that.

I think my next purchase is a cw beacon keyer for setting up. Can anyone recommend something cheap? I'm getting hoarse calling and calling!!

Regards

Tony
EI4GHB
Re: beam and coax

Julie & Stephen <stephen_hayman@...>
 

Hello Chris - if you new to 23cm then *welcome* - it is one of the best microwave bands..
 
Keep the *rule of thumb* for any coax loss at 1dB or less - not sure of antenna prices in the UK but here in ZL we build our own, because we can't buy them locally  - a loop Yayi - 33 elements will work great - cost to build is about 5 pound. A days work to cut the strips and mount on a 19mm boom. They are not critical in dimensions - the word would be less forgiving as compared to say a Yagi design.
 
Get something up in the air first - I used for many year a single loop Yagi and only 25 watts and had some great internal ZL contacts (350km) and beacons (550km) including VK many times at (2100km) portable - so when the troposheric ducting is in, she is magic..
 
The good thing about 23cm, you can work many to begin with, and over time you can upgrade your station. It's an active band. Since my days of 25 watts and a loop Yagi (and a lot of activity growth) have upgraded to 150 watts (W6PQL) and a stack of 4 Yagi's(120 elements) in total. That really helped with my limited home station QTH...
 
Cheers - Steve
 
 
 

 --- On Sat, 8/8/09, Chris wrote:

From: Chris
Subject: [ukmicrowaves] beam and coax
To: ukmicrowaves@...
Received: Saturday, 8 August, 2009, 9:28 PM

 
Hi I have just put the 23cm unit into my IC910 and I need some help with what beam and coax to use on the 23cm band
thanks Chris GM4YLN
Re: beam and coax

g4bao
 

Hello Chris,
The WIMOs are quite pricey, but I've heard nothing but good said about them. I use four 23 element Tonnas, but ran a single one for many years. They are a little fragile but have the advantage (if you live surrounded by neighbours like I do) that the visual impact is less than most Freeview TV antennas. Also if you had plans for higher bands, a 45cm sky Dish fits INSIDE a box of four Tonnas (have a look on www.g4bao.com for a picture of my setup) giving you a nice multiband setup with minimum space.

As for feeder, I echo Graham, FSJ450 or LDF450 works well, but if you can get the PA and preamp on the mast, you can use UR67. I have a masthead preamp and use UR67 as downlead  for receive, and I also diplex the 144MHz IF for 3cms down the same coax. I have a separate TX feed of FSJ4-50 as my PA is in the loft.

There are many combinations of antenna gain and feeder loss possible so you need to get your calculator out and work out what suits your particular location best.

73
John              
-- 
G4BAO
QRV 23,9,3 and 1.2cm
Beacon keeper GB3CAM/24GHz
http://www.g4bao.com

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