Weak-signal VHF/UHF/Microwave

Sat 21 February 2015

I am, or have been at one time or another, been active on 6m, 2m, 70cm, and 23cm VHF and UHF bands.  (I've also experimented with some mesh networking on 2.4GHz (13cm band) so maybe I can claim another band?)  All of the weak-signal work (2m through 23cm) was done when I was in Newport News, Virginia (FM17rc) using a sub-optimal antenna array.  It was the best I could do at the time but I'm always hoping to do better.

Current Plans

My new QTH (April 2015) is quite near the Chesapeake Bay in Chesapeake Beach, MD (FM18rq).  The location provides a great path to Philadelphia and points north and east into Connecticut.

I currently have my 144, 432, and 1296 MHz antennas up in the air on a 20-foot pole.  No rotator, yet, but the antennas are pointing toward Connecticut and Rhode Island and I'm having fun working those guys up there.

VHF/UHF

6m (50 MHz)

Kenwood TS-2000X, 100 watts into a OCF dipole.  Not great but it gets me on the air.

2m (144 MHz)

Kenwood TS-2000X, 100 watts into an 11-element yagi.

70cm (432 MHz)

Kenwood TS-2000X, 50 watts into an 23-element yagi.

23cm (1296 MHz)

Kenwood TS-2000X, 10 watts into an 11-element yagi.

Microwave Plans

As luck would have it, I'm in the process of building out my bands, not with 222 MHz as I thought I might, but rather with 33cm (902 MHz) and 13cm (2300 MHz).  More information will be forthcoming.

Proposed future bands

I'm hoping to make a portable transceiver for 5GHz and 10GHz.  This would be for voice (SSB) and CW.  I'd also like to experiment with mesh networking in the 13, 9, and 5cm bands.

Initial station would be a portable station that could be taken mountain-topping as well as setup along the Chesapeake Bay.

5cm (5 GHz)

Proposed -60cm aluminum dish with a dual band feedhorn.  Currently looking at the Directive Systems' DSEDBFEED 5GHz and 10GHz feedhorn.

3cm (10 GHz)

Proposed -60cm aluminum dish with a dual band feedhorn.  Currently looking at the Directive Systems' DSEDBFEED 5GHz and 10GHz feedhorn.

By Sparks, Category: Radio

Tags: weak-signal /