The KD0AR HamShack

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My most recent work in Amateur Radio has been my building of my microwave station. The band that I have been concentrating on has been the 3 cm band with activity centered on 10,368 MHz Upper Sideband.

So far, I have worked my VUCC award, and on 10 GHz, only five 2X1 degree Grid Squares are required, and those five grid squares have been worked while I was operating portable on the shores of Lake Erie, on the Western border of Geneva State Park in Ashtabula County, Ohio.

The 10 GHz band is a very interesting slice of spectrum. Radio waves that exist that far up on the spectrum chart behave in odd ways, especially over the lake. One typically thinks that wavelengths that small only travel in straight paths, but over the water, the waves follow a "duct" that forms just a few feet over the surface of the water that extends the range of the signal to well beyond the horizon. My best distance so far has been about 200 miles.

I have made some progress with the station recently.  I have included a 3 watt DEMI Amplifier into the outfit.  This involved repackaging the unit, and now the 10 GHz station should be operational again.  I'm waiting for the April MAD to give it a try.  I also have what might be a decent location in Western PA that may be a decent location to work East and Northeaast from.  If anyone would like to make a schedule, email me at the address at the bottom of the page.

During the January meeting of the Mahoning Valley Amateur Radio Assn., I gave a presentation on 10 GHz.  You can read a paper I put together right here.

We have a couple of local VHF nets that you might be interested in. We usually have a pretty good turnout and everyone is invited. These are rather informal ragchew nets and the coverage area includes Eastern Ohio, Western PA and Southern NY. We have had checkins from WV as well.

The frequencies for these nets are... on 2 meters, 144.230 and this net is held every Wednesday evening at 9:00PM Eastern time. The 6 meter net is on 50.165 and is held at 9:00PM Eastern Time on Friday night. Both nets are in Upper Sideband, horizontal polarization, however some operators can also work vertical polarization. If you can hear the net control station, you are welcome to check in, no matter where you are located. The nets are open to all radio amateurs, and they exist to promote VHF activity.

Another part of Ham Radio that I am involved with is the Digital modes. These include text modes, such as PSK31, Olivia, MFSK, Throb and Hellscreiber. Also included in what I consider is part of the "Digital Modes" is also a new form of SSTV which uses digitally transmitted transmitted images. This form of SSTV is advancing very quickly, and is being perfected more and more every day. Images sent using this mode are crisp and lack the "noise" problems associated with analog SSTV.

Text Based Digital

The text based digital modes that I operate are intended as keyboard to keyboard "chats". Normally they are one-on-one contacts. Most digital operators use low power, typically running between 10 and 20 watts. The transmissions are error free, unless the signal strength dips to extremely weak levels. Modern software can decode signals so weak that you can barely hear the tones sent.

Image Modes

Digital Slow Scan requires a wider bandwidth signal so this mode is normally used in the Amateur Phone Bands. They take up the same amount of spectrum as a typical SSB voice transmission. Special software is required, and most operators are now using a program called EasyPal. It is currently free.