A few days ago I got a mail, someone was planning to do activity from the island of Moen. A distance of about 77km from me.
The operation was planned for this afternoon, and they would acttivate both 1296 and 2400MHz.
I went out about 2km from home and set up the IC905 with small antennas for the 2 bands.
I think they stopped activity about the ime I got set up, so I called some of the locals who had 2400MHz capability.I was not on the hilltop as the earlier tests, so it's always interestingt to see how a new band works. I called OZ4HZ, who had a station with antenna on a balcony. Signals on 1296 were booming in, so we decided to test 2400. Signals from Hans were weak, but readable, and we made a marginal QSO in SSB, exchanging callsigns and reports both ways, 52-53 reports. Not bad for a first test on the band.
I had texted OZ1GIN and told him about the activity, and h came on after a while. Also with booming signals on 23cm. The test on 2300MHz had weak, but easily readable signals in CW. We exchanged 559 reports at 25km distance. This is a special case as Allan was running with a completely indoor system, including the antennas.
After the experiments I started listening for beacons on 1296, and heard 2 in SM6, at least one in LA, and also OZ5SHF at Yding, one of the highest points in OZ, and the whole time, most of the time booning in, and audibl with the antenna in all directions. There was most certainly tropo today. It's now about 2200 local time, and with my vertical at home it's still coming in with solid copy, even at the other end of th4e house.
There is still a lot to optimize in the portable microwave system, so maybe better results next time.
Right now I am not complaining.
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