[Moon] Fw: QRV 13 cm at 0500 Z

[vlada]

Hi Steve,
we, at OK1KIR, have similar configuration with the PA (SSPA) in the shelter also and about 1dB loss between PA connector and the feed and we are fully satisfied with that arrangement.
We have found no reasonable argument to move the SSPA to the feed having in mind all the troubles related to such design and also potential operational troubles (very slow move of our dish to parking position).
 
With 4.9m dish and 300W - 0.9dB loss you was already quite strong (we gave you 559 or 569 reports at our CW QSOs in Mar 2017 ! BTW, no QSL for 13cm still received, hi).
 
Furthermore, PA in the shack can be replaced or redesigned any time while any change at the feed is much more complicated. 
 
The main issue by my experience after G4DDK VLNA (with RW3BP mods) is the proper illumination of the dish and the coincidence of the feed phase center with the real focus point. It seems you have reached that !
 
A second issue we spent a lot time on it was new transvertor design with concern on extra good filtering of particular 13cm sub-bands and the easiness of switching operation on these sub-bands (in-band, cross-bands) just by turning a switch on the LO box with A32 programmed properly by N6CA inside that box.
It was really marvellous improvement over the previous Demi kit used for years even after its modification to 435MHz IF, which helped only  for some time. Must mention, of course, that the use of 13cm WiFi here, in the Czech Republic is really extreme.
 
You are right with quite low activity on 13cm, which is almost concentrated on Dubus contest and AW, but the troubles with different frequency bands being more and more swallowed for consumer mobile operation with even more pesimistic future do not support EME enthusiasm on 13cm band-s.
So, we must live with and at least fight for a survival.
 
Steve, wish you GL at higher declination !
73,
Vlada&Tonda/OK1KIR
 
 
______________________________________________________________
> Od: Steve Gross-N4PZ via Moon <moon at moonbounce.info>
> Komu: "moon at moonbounce.info" <moon at moonbounce.info>, peter Blair
> Datum: 04.03.2018 06:53
> Předmět: [Moon] Fw: QRV 13 cm at 0500 Z
>
> CC: <w5lua at sbcglobal.net, ve6ta at xplornet.com>

 ________________________________
 From: Steve Gross-N4PZ <n4pz at live.com>
 Sent: Saturday, March 3, 2018 11:45 PM
 To: Allen Katz
 Subject: Re: [Moon] QRV 13 cm at 0500 Z
 
 Hello Al et all
 Sad because after one year I finally have 549 echoes and not a single station on the 13 cm band. I seem to have ironed out all the glitches now. I want to play with the focus and choke ring when I get the sun back . Remember my polar mount only goes to neg 2 degrees. The improvement in echoes is a quantum leap forward. Before I rarely heard them and now they are 549 solid copy with 100 cps filter. I will be on the moon at the end of March for sure. I was getting discouraged but I never give up as you know. Now I am ready for some action on 13 cm. I want to pun my GR 1236 on the rx to see moon noise next time I have a moon.
 As it stands now I have almost 300 watts out and abt .9 db loss in my tx coax from the house. Putting the SS amp at the feed will pick up that loss but I wonder if it's worth hanging the amp on the dish. What do you think guys?
 Thanks for all the help that everyone has given me.
 73 All.
 Steve N4PZ
 ________________________________
 From: Allen Katz <alkatz at tcnj.edu>
 Sent: Saturday, March 3, 2018 9:33 PM
 To: Steve Gross-N4PZ
 Subject: Re: [Moon] QRV 13 cm at 0500 Z
 
 Steve,
 
 Poor WX this weekend - high winds.  Will not QRV.  Plan to be on DUBUS 13 cm contest at end of month.
 
 73, Al - K2UYH
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