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ZL1DDL > EME 17.03.97 05:32l 48 Lines 1940 Bytes #-10516 (0) @ WW
BID : 47049_ZL1AB
Read: DL5MAE DL2SAX GUEST
Subj: New 10 GHz EME world record
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Sent: 970314/2336Z @:ZL1AB.#11.NZL.OC [Auckland] #:147049 Z:1309 FBB5.15
From: ZL1DDL@ZL1AB.#11.NZL.OC
To : EME@WW
On Wednesday, 12 March 1997, a new world record for EME on 10 GHz was set
in a QSO between Joe DJ7FJ and Greg ZL1GSG. The two-way QSO took place at
08.30 UTC.
DF7FJ operated from Schiltach in southwestern Germany and ZL1GSG from Awhitu
Peninsula / Manukau Heads southwest of Auckland, New Zealand. The great
circle distance between the QTH's is approximately 18340 km or just under
10000 nautical miles.
DF7FJ and his team were using a 4.5m parabolic dish and a 50W travelling wave
tube power amplifier, while ZL1GSG used a 3m dish and a similar PA.
The new world record came after a series of unsuccessful attempts and one
semi-successful attempt that saw ZL1GSG using a 1.8m dish from Muriwai, on
NZ's West Coast northwest of Auckland.
Prior to the successful QSO, a test run from Awhitu Peninsula confirmed on
the weekend before that moon echoes were clearly audible from the receiver's
speaker even a few metres away from ZL1GSG's van. Earlier echoes using the
1.8m dish had been very faint. The change to a larger dish had clearly made
the difference.
On the night of the QSO, moon echoes were received by ZL1GSG well from about
an hour before sked time. A last-minute technical problem, caused by a short
in the cable that switched the waveguide TX/RX relay, put the whole project in
jeopardy just minutes before the QSO began. However, Greg's policy of having
a spare bit of next to everything provided a makeshift solution only a few
minutes into the sked window, and contact was established almost immediately
after ZL1GSG was QRV again. The signals from Germany were clearly audible as
had been the moon echoes.
Congratulations to Greg ZL1GSG and Joe DJ7FJ from their New Zealand ground
support team of the day:
Bill ZL1TTH
Tim ZL3VTV
Ulrich ZL1DDL
Thanks go to many amateurs who helped with the provision of equipment, time,
and a QTH.
73 de Ulrich ZL1DDL@ZL1AB.#11.NZL.OC
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