[Moon] A21EME 1296-10xxx MHz DXpedition update 19.09.2019

Daniel A. Gautschi, HB9CRQ dan at hb9q.ch
Wed Sep 18 22:42:06 CEST 2019


Hi All

 

To give you enough time to prepare for A21EME on microwave (23-3cm) please
find here our planned activity schedule.

 

Unfortunately Sam, HB9COG will not join us for this DXpedition. Due to heavy
workload at his business he has to stay home and work. Dan HB9CRQ will be
supported by Susanne, his YL, and of course by the whole A21EME team.

 

We expect to have a pretty good MR (about 10° el) and MS (close to 0° el).
This gives us good moon windows for all continents including US westcoast.
We will confirm this when on site.

There should be internet service on site, so we will be stand-by on the HB9Q
loggers (1296 to 10xxx MHz).

 

We will be using again our proven DXpedition equipment: 

1.5m dish 1x2mm mesh, homemade automatic az/el control

1296: 100W at feed, circular, preamp at horn

23xx: 90W at feed, circular, preamp at horn

3400: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn

5760: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn

10xxx: 50W at feed, v-pol, preamp at horn

 

On 18. October we’ll arrive in Johannesburg (ZS6) where we’ll meet the other
DXpedition members at Johns ZS6JON’s QTH. John did provide all work to get
the licenses and find a suitable QTH. He prepared everything for a smooth
run during the DXpedition. Many thanks John!

On 20. October the A21EME team will drive in a convoy of 5 to 6 cars to
Botswana. This is a 5 hours trip. There we will have to do all needed
customs paperwork and physical checking. From there it is another hour by
car to our QTH (KM25WK) north of the city of Gaborone. We will arrive early
afternoon and immediately start to build the station to become QRV on
moonrise late evening same day.

 

The microwave EME activity will be as follows:

 

20./21. October

QRV 1296.100 1st JT65C from about 23.30z to 09.20z on 21. October

 

22. October

QRV 23xx.100 1st JT65C from 00.30z to 10.30z

2301.990 1st and 2400.100 1st (on request only, will be announced on HB9Q
23xx logger), for US-window 2304.100 1st (QSY will be announced on HB9Q 23xx
logger)

 

23. October

QRV 3400.100 1st JT65C from 01.20z to 11.30z

3399.990 1st (on request only), QSY will be announced on HB9Q 3400 logger

 

24. October

QRV 5760.100 1st QRA64D from 02.00z to 12.30z

 

25. October

QRV 10xxx.100 1st QRA64D from 02.50z to 13.40z

10450.100 1st (on request only), QSY will be announced on HB9Q 10xxx logger

 

26. October

1296.100 1st JT65C from 03.30z to 14.40z

 

27. October

QRV at most a few hours because we have to dismantle and pack the station
(we need to do this with daylight) for an early morning departure next day.
The times and frequency we will be active on will be announced on 26.
October.

 

Now that WSJT-X 2.1.0 is available, we will use JT65C with Doppler Control
(“Own Echo”, in other words we listen on our own echo) on 23, 13 and 9cm. On
6 and 3cm we will use QRA64D (if necessary JT4F) including Doppler Control
(“Constant Frequency On Moon” and if necessary “Full Doppler to DX Grid”).
Modes will be announced on HB9Q loggers.

Hopefully more people take advantage of automated Doppler control which
WSJT-X offers. Especially on 6 and 3cm it is a MUST for successful QRP
operations. 

Although it is on the limit, we will work CW on all bands. However only with
big-guns and after the pile-up on JT/QRA is worked. 

 

How big needs your station to be to work us? 

We’ve worked several stations the sizes the following list shows, so
definitely we can even work smaller stations:

on 23cm 2m dish and 150W at the feed 

on 13cm 2m dish and 100W at the feed

on 9cm 2m dish and 50W at the feed

on 6cm 1.5m dish and 80W at the feed

on 3cm 1.2m solid dish with 40W at the feed

 

QSL policy for 23-3cm: QSL only direct including SAE to: HB9Q, P.O.Box 133,
CH-5737 Menziken 

If you wish to sponsor the 23-3cm activity, you are welcome to do so by
using PayPal dan at hb9q.ch (please mention your call). If you like to sponsor
6m, 2m and 70cm activity please use PayPal info at pa3cmc.nl 

 

We are looking forward to the A21EME DXpedition and hope to work many of
you!

Next information about the microwave part of the DXpedition will be posted a
few days before we will be QRV.

 

Vy 73, Dan HB9CRQ, team member A21EME

 

 

 



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