Amateur Radio In The Bands Above 1 GHzAmateur Radio Microwave Frequencies 1240 –1300 MHz (60 MHz)...
Transcript of Amateur Radio In The Bands Above 1 GHzAmateur Radio Microwave Frequencies 1240 –1300 MHz (60 MHz)...
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Amateur Radio In The
Bands Above 1 GHz
Brian Yee, W6BY
Winter 2017
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What is this microwave stuff anyway?
We may define it as:
– Everything above 300 MHz (Wikipedia)
– Everything above 1 GHz (little or no
commercial gear available)
– Everything above 3 GHz (0.01 meter)
– Frequencies where lumped elements
become impractical
And it is not always line of sight (10 GHz record is 1700 miles)
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Amateur Radio Microwave Frequencies 1240 – 1300 MHz (60 MHz)
2300 – 2310 MHz and 2390 – 2450 MHz (70 MHz)
3300 – 3500 MHz (200 MHz)
5650 – 5925 MHz (275 MHz)
10000 – 10500 MHz (500 MHz)
24000 – 24250 MHz (250 MHz)
47.0 – 47.2 GHz (200 MHz)
75.5 – 81.0* GHz (excludes 76 – 77 GHz) (4.5 GHz)
119.98 – 120.02 GHz (40 MHz!)
142.0 – 149.0 GHz (5 GHz)
241.0 – 250.0 GHz (9 GHz)
All above 300 GHz
– For a total of more than 20 GHz!
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Why Get Into Microwave?
You might be interested in microwave if:
– You like something different from HF or repeaters
– You like to build things (including test equipment)
– You have limited antenna space or have
antenna restrictions
– You like to experiment with wide band modes or
digital modulation
– You like backpacking, portable or mountain-topping
– You like to push the limit of what can be done
– Enhance your professional career
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How much activity is there?
Clubs:– Local: 50 MHz and Up Group
– Out of area: SBMS, NTMS, Northern Lights, Pakratts, etc.
Activities:– House to house communication
– Local beacons and linear translators
– Microwave activity days
– Conferences (Microwave Update, various local conferences)
– Moonbounce (EME)
– Nets, email reflectors
– Cactus Intertie repeater system (a Bay-Net sponsor)
– Microwave contests
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Contesting
Various contests throughout the year include: VHF/UHF contests, spring and fall
SBMS 2 GHZ and Up in May
June Contest
10 GHz and Up Contest (two weekends in Aug and Sept.) –biggest turnout
EME contest in October
Stations can generally broken down into
these categories: Hilltop
Rovers
Home stations
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Contesting: Hilltops
Frazer Peak, 8000 Ft ElevationDave AF6KD on Mt. Diablo
California is blessed with
numerous accessible
mountain peaks with great
views and good RF paths
Steve
KB8VAO
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Contesting: Rovers
Randy W3RWN in 100 degree heat
Tomato truck hazard:
Pat N6RMJ near Kettleman City
Roving gives you the
opportunity to explore new
places and radio paths.
W6BY, N6RMJ, N6NU on Highway 5
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Some other activities
Jamesburg Earth Station Maker Faire
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Okay, so how do I get started?
Join an email reflector
Attend a local club meeting
Find an Elmer (many can test things for you and educate you on how things work)
Tag along on a contest or microwave activity day
Gather some parts together and just build something (swap meets, surplus stores)
Put a rig together! (It’s about as hard as building a two tube transmitter of the 60’s)
Do I need fancy test equipment? No!
Get on the air!!
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50 MHz and up Group www.50mhzandup.org (meets first Thursday of the
Month at TI auditorium)
San Bernadino Microwave Society (SBMS) http://ham-radio.com/sbms/
Paul Wade’s web page http://www.w1ghz.org/
Downeast Microwave http://www.downeastmicrowave.com/
Kuhne Electronic http://shop.kuhne-electronic.de/kuhne/en/shop/amateur/
ARRL UHF/Microwave Experimenter’s Manual
ARRL UHF/Microwave Projects
Dubus Magazine http://www.dubus.org/
Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB)
http://www.ham-radio.com/sbms/presentations/AF6NA/
exciting_10ghz_world-af6na.pdf
References
http://www.50mhzandup.org/http://ham-radio.com/sbms/http://www.w1ghz.org/http://www.downeastmicrowave.com/http://shop.kuhne-electronic.de/kuhne/en/shop/amateur/http://www.dubus.org/http://www.ham-radio.com/sbms/presentations/AF6NA/�exciting_10ghz_world-af6na.pdf
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Thank you!