The HX Files 12

The HX files.

Hello and welcome to extract 012 of the HX files.

D’oh.

Since the last HX files I was operating /P, I went to a site that was just over 15 km’s line of sight from the QTH of Mark (EI-9-FX) 

Photo 1

The location had a good take off and but it was down a lane that was not used often and was more or less a dirt track. I was brave because of the location, high and overlooking the area around Mark’s location. I said to Mark that I would not be bringing the 1.2 GHz equipment, and I would only bring the 10 GHz gear.(D’oh) The aerial I used was a horn aerial, photo 1, (the business  end of the horn antenna is 20cms x 20cms and is a total length of 5ocms) I started to transmit to Mark, and I slowly started to at first, pan across were I though Mark was, and then tilt the aerial and kept doing a couple of passes but all to no avail, Mark was not getting a thing from me. I guess I should have brought the 1.2GHz equipment with me to help me find Mark’s location , so, if you know of a village in need of an idiot, you can E-mail me and let me know.

 After awhile I decided to give up the trials for the night, and even on the way home from that failed attempt, I was talking to Mark on 2m, and I could not understand how we had such a bad outcome. The following day I decided to setup my 10GHz gear at home to see if I had a dodgy transmitter, or a faulty connector, or lead. so I setup in the sitting room of my home, and hey presto the picture and sound were there on my screen, so I was (@~¬*^#*) glad that I had a transmitter that worked, but because I was operating so close to the receiver I could have easily pickup my transmission at any power level, so I decided to use the Power meter (photo 2 ) to check that I still had my 500mw’s of Tx power,( or any mw watts at all, and I was relieved to see I had still got my full power .



Photo 2



Take 2.

One week later, and here I was back at the scene of the failed attempt, to try again, this time I decided to bring the 1.2GHz equipment .The first thing I did was to get set up that equipment, and then Mark and I could try and get each other on 1.2 GHz, and when we had that done we had an idea were our 10Ghz aerials were to point. Even though we were only over 15km from each other (again we will not be setting any records until we put a nought or two on the end of that figure). Mark was using a 10 watt transmitter and a 35el tonna aerial, and I was using 15watts and a 21el tonna at first, and then a Flash Gordon aerial later, see photo 3. With either of the aerials I used, both Mark and I could do no wrong; we could get each other with ease. In my case I was pointing the smaller aerial ( the Flash Gordon one) at the Moon ,Australia and even pointing it inside the car Mark was still getting me .We were just about to start using the 10Ghz equipment ,when we were joined on 145.400,by Tom (EI-9-CJ)who had heard us talking on 2m, and then Mark and I done a few test’s on 1.2Ghz with Tom with both of the aerials first on 15 watts and then with 750mw ,and just like Mark, Tom could get me every bit as good .(Tom lives in Rockmarshall, Dundalk and was around 27Km’s from me).



Photo 3
Flash Gordon Aerial



 10 GHz.

Tom stayed on the radio monitoring our 2m feedback, and then I started to transmit on 10 GHz to Mark. Using the horn aerial again, and balancing the aerial using the top of the door to take most of the weight and to hold it steady I started to transmit a signal, and shock and horror after a few seconds Mark got my signal, success at last.

Disc element Aerial

 (So what was wrong with last week’s attempt, did someone knock a shed or open a window?

I was in the exact same spot from the week before, as in the lane that I was on, it was the only spot that I could turn my car and not have to reverse about 2km to get back to an asphalt road). While I was still transmitting, Mark decided to retransmit my signal to Tom on 1.2GHz, as I was transmitting on 10GHz to Mark, Tom would be talking back on 2m and letting me know if my Armstrong rotator was drifting off Mark, because Mark was in another room away from his shack, as he had the 10 GHz gear setup again in the east wing, and he was using the audio he could hear from Tom telling me on the 2m rig to stop moving ,and then Mark would peak my signal and Tom would have a P5 (excellent)picture.

 I don’t know what if anything was in the path between us the previous week but at lest we were successful this time.

What’s next?

The next thing Mark and I have to do is to use our  10GHz transmitters with our dishes and transmitters attached to our tripods, photo 4, and try from a couple of hill tops. I will be bringing the 1.2GHz equipment with me for sure this time.

 A lesson learned indeed, anyway that’s it for another issue .Thanks yet again to Thos (EI-2-JD) for the photo studio time.

As usual may your signals be P5. 73’s, Pat.