Details

Written by Alan GM3PSP

Published: 27 July 2020

Hits: 625

                                         GM8BJF/P                                  GM4BYF/P 

Brian GM8BJF reports: Pete GM4BYF and myself have recently built up VK3CV 122GHz (2.4cm wavelength)  transceiver boards into portable systems and have been doing some tests with them. On Thursday 23rd July we had what we believe wss the first GM to GM contact across a distance of 0.69 km between two hills in Edinburgh and on Saturday 25th July we went down to the English border and had what we believe to be the first GM to G contact on the band. 

Interestingly, Doppler effects were observed even at walking speed on this band (no fire-engine required)!             
We were using the system in its most basic form with 25 mm circular horns. Plans are now afoot to add refinements such as GPS locking and improved antennas and try for longer paths having established the basic functionality of our setups.

John G3XDY of the UK Microwave Group has confirmed that these are "Firsts" for GM/GM & GM/G on 122GHz. Certificates will be awarded. Congratulations to Brian and Pete. 

John G4BAO has credited Brian and Pete with the GM-G "First" in his GHz Bands page (64) in the November 2020 RadCom & link to Brian's webpage.

     GM8BJF/P seen across the border from G4BYF/P.                                 (International DX !)

Full details with more photos and 3 short videos are on Brian's website at: 
https://gm8bjf.joomla.com/2-uncategorised/23-122-ghz-activities 

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Details

Written by Alan GM3PSP

Published: 20 July 2020

Hits: 678

Brian GM4DIJ returned to his favourite portable location at IO74mu about 8km south of Stranraer, to operate in the 70MHz Trophy contest on 19th July. 

Brian's station was an FT847 into a TE Systems linear amp with 100W output. The antenna was the 11-element VHF NFD yagi re-spaced as a 6 element, which was a struggle to erect to 5m in the wind, but at least the wx was sunny.

Valid QSOs: 30

Claimed QSO points: 9224

Claimed # of exchanges: 23

Claimed # of DXCCs: 4

Claimed total score: 249,048

Best DX: G3XDY; JO02ob; 513km.

Mni tnx to Brian for providing this report.

See also Brian's 23cm entry in March 2020

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Details

Written by Alan GM3PSP

Published: 21 July 2020

Hits: 692

 WorldRadioHistory.com

Many thanks to Brian GM8BJF who has just reported finding a potentially very useful website: https://WorldRadioHistory.com which provides detailed links to a very large number of publications serving the Amateur, Broadcasting and Music interests. You can search for specific pages in the publications, from the first edition onwards.  

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Details

Written by Alan GM3PSP

Published: 09 April 2020

Hits: 1029

The next LRS Viral Net, #49, will be on Wed 10th March at 20:00h on 144.350MHz SSB.

All welcome to call in!

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Net #48 on 3rd March 2021: Controller Colin GM4HWO, Pete GM4BYF, Brian GM8BJF (Peebles), Peter GM4DTH, Mike GM8KCS, Briain GM8PKL, Norrie GM1CNH, Melvyn GM4HYR, John GM8OTI, Brian GM4DIJ, Alan GM3PSP, Bill GM8SQM.

Pete had worked 39 on the 2m contest in good condx but had killed his LED garage lights! Best DX was PA5Y. Keith GM4YXI in IO88 had worked over 100. Pete had completed testing all the valves and would now sell his valve tester. He later reported that Brian BJF (not audible at PSP) was working on Raspberry-Pi, Unix and 3cm beam projects. Peter had got a 4m / M rig which tested OK and would be used for GB2RS work, and also 2m. An ADS/EBU interface was available for future use. He took this nice shot of Briain's QTH on the side of the Braid Hills:

Briain GM8PKL QTH - photo by Peter GM4DTH

Mike reported the GB3NGI beacon was strong at S2-S7 on a tapped vertical whip. Mike hopes to rig has 2m antenna soon after getting more poles from Granton on Monday. Norrie had fired up his linear to full power to a 9-element yagi. He started his car on Saturday after keeping the battery on trickle-charge for months but this had confused the low-voltage alarm which wasn't smart enough! He had found good IARU software for EMC calculations for the new OfCom regulations and would send them to Alan for the website (tnx - posted - psp). Melvyn was still busy working on his daughter's new house. John had watched the latest SpaceX launch which was shut-down at the last minute. (It blew up several minutes later - psp)! Brian DIJ had 10 QSOs in the Sunday cumulative including Pete BYF, Terry GM3WUX, G4TLZ (aircraft scatter) & NIck G4KUX. Condx were strange on 2m last night and he only worked G8RVQ in Liverpool. He heard GDs OK and the GB3NGI beacon was loud. With a new VNA he had measured his on 70cm and 23cm. Colin was busy selling valves (tnx to Pete for testing).  He was buying mobile antennas for HF and 2m for his LandRrover and would soon have a discone installed on his chimney by Ian, the "Antenna-Medic". Alan reported that his daughter Sheila had just been in an Edinburgh Evening News article about a litter-gathering project in Leith. Bill called in to report hearing most stations well in Kirkliston. Several people commented on the new RSGB plan for a single exam for the Full Licence, rather than the current 3 stages. It was agreed this was a very good thing, long overdue!

E&OE. Audio file (net only) tnx Peter:

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Net #47 on 24 Feb: Apols: Colin GM4HWO & Alan GM3PSP. Controller Pete GM4BYF. Participants: Peter GM4DTH, Briain GM8PKL, Mike GM8KCS, Melvyn GM4HYR, John GM8OTI, Brian GM8BJF, Brian GM4DIJ. Visitor Mike GM0MMN Kirkcaldy.

Peter has taken delivery of a Key KM80 commercial mobile on 4m to be used for the GB2RS service. This should lead to an improvement in audio quality. Testing will take place over the next few days. Briain has had a new aerial bracket heavily chromated bringing the day it will be in the sky ever closer. Mike had been working in Glasgow and communicated /M with Peter on 2m AM at the junction for Airdrie. Melvyn was the first to report aerial damage after yesterday's gales. His 60m dipole had disintegrated and his large magnetic loop had broken free from its mountings. John hoped he had cured the problem with the relays 'chattering' in his amplifier. He suspected an EMC issue and improved the screening of the relay's circuitry. Still in construction mode he is developing a regulator to use with a four cell Lipo battery to power 12V equipment. Finally he was recommending watching NASA's video of the landing on the rover 'Perseverance'. Brian BJF, in Peebles, was audible to the majority on the net. He had been renovating his 2m aerial and the general feeling was an improvement of his signal. He reported that his noise level was lower than usual The final Brian of the evening (DIJ) said that his 23cm aerial needed attention after the gales. In the 4m contest he worked Terry GM3WUX, Malcolm GM4TAL and Mike GM4IGS. Pete reminded everyone how long his chromated Tonna 2m beam had lasted. His 23cms preamplifier was still unserviceable He pointed out in the past he has an EMC issue with intermittent self keying of a transmitter being trigged by spikes from his refrigerator. He warned the net not to buy furniture from direct from an Cornish online retailer which delivers direct from their warehouse. What they did not reveal is the warehouse's location which is in Vietnam. It seems that they have adopted some of their trading practices of the fictional character 'Arthur Daley’. Report - tnx Peter. Audio file tnx Peter.

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For reports and recordings of previous nets, see Meeting Reports.

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