I guess given time someone will figure out how to make contacts.

Arecibo on 432 MHz Moon Bounce

The Arecibo Observatory Amateur Radio Club will be putting the 1000-foot radio telescope on the air for 432 MHz EME from April 16-18. It can be heard with a small hand-held yagi pointed at the moon.

The scheduled times of operation are:

April 16: 1645 – 1930 UTC
April 17: 1740 – 2020 UTC
April 18: 1840 – 2125 UTC
Callsign: KP4AO

Tx Frequency: 432.045 MHz

Rx Frequency: 432.050 to 432.060+

Tx power: 400 W

Antenna gain: 60 dBi

System noise temp: 120 K (cold sky)

System noise temp: 330 K (when pointed at moon)

KP4AO can be heard with a small hand-held yagi pointed at the moon and a good receiver. A 15 dBi antenna and 100 W will be enough to work us on CW.

Operators at KP4AO will do their best to work as many stations as possible. Each session will start with a brief announcement and CQ in SSB. SSB QSOs may continue for 30 minutes to an hour, if the QSO rate remains high.

The mode will be shifted to CW as soon as it is judged that higher QSO rates would result.

We will listen for calls at frequencies 5-15 kHz higher than our own, and even higher if QRM warrants. Callers who s-p-r-e-a-d o-u-t are more likely to be copied.

If you’ve already worked us in any mode, please do not call again — give others a chance.

If we call “CQ QRP”, we will listen for stations running 100 W or less to a single yagi. Please do not answer such a CQ if you are running more power or have a larger antenna.

On April 18, if we reach a condition where most calling stations have been worked, and we judge that operating in the digital mode JT65B would produce a higher QSO rate, we will switch to JT65B.

Note that any of these planned operating strategies may be changed as circumstances dictate.

We are extremely fortunate to have been granted access to the world’s largest radio telescope for this amateur radio good-will event. We look forward to working as many stations as possible in the alloted time.

Here is a EME event you cant miss. Dust off your CW key, its time for Satellite, QRP EME.

The 1,000 foot dish has 60 dBi on 432 mc and 400 watts. That comes out to be approximately 243,902,443 Million Watts ERP.

And on a business note, are you taking group orders? I can order and wait…or have it rush delivered:)
Someone said Hams were 'tight' and I wouldn't want to go against the grain…
Greg

This is something that I have practiced with in the past and had good results between the SARA hub in Edmonton and a simplex Echolink node to link us into Lloydminster. However when I tried it on the Canwarn activation between VE6VHF and the SARA Hub in Edmonton, the short kerchunk from the SARA hubs would keep the crossband repeat in a back and forth cycle without an opportunity for anyone to jump in. That evening I had good conditions to VHF and PZ so I wanted to try it from here first. It could just be my FT8100 for some reason. It almost seemed like the very short kerchunk from the SARA backbone did not occur until a msec after the conversation dropped. Any thoughts? I have to spend more time experimenting to see what works and what doesn't. I always felt that this would easily and should work as a way of providing a temporary link from a non-SARA repeater into the system.

- [i]Except for Police, Fire, and EMS.[/i]

If it is indeed for the greater good, I wouldn't mind giving up my right to use my cell while I'm driving – I've witnessed a few people totally oblivious to their surroundings while on the phone. I truly believe it is dangerous. But I think I would draw a hard line at cells and only cells! Who knows… It could regenerate an interest in radio communications! !lol

VA6CLA – Clay
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