6m EME, A Diary of Events:

(Last Updated Jan' 2008)

This Diary Starts Aug' 2005:

At the G8PL station, I am keen to explore all forms of 6m propagation and modes. EME is new to me, but with help from Lance W7GJ and Ian M0BCG (without whom I would never have never got this far!), I have gaining the knowledge to complete  6m EME QSO's. Articles in the UKSMG Mag have helped along with a talk Lance & Rod ZL3NW did at the 2005 G3WOS BBQ, Lance's web site at www.bigskyspace.com/w7gj/ is also very helpful! Lance's paper on successful 6m EME.

EME is normally attempted via pre arranged skeds (on the Internet chat pages & email) using JT65A although you can just call CQ. The EME frequency section used is .180 - .205 with the MS JT6M calling frequency being .230 

'Echo' experimentation was the first step in establishing weather my station was capable of completing an EME QSO. There is lots of new soft wear to learn and a whole new EME language! The only thing close to this I have completed before is 2m Satellite QSO's, but at 50Mhz frequencies and the Moon being around 355,655Km away it's considerably more complicated.

I started Echo testing around 18th August 2005 using 'WSJT JT65A 4.9.8 Echo mode on 50:250. With just my wide spaced 6 element beam (10.4m boom 14.0dbi, SSB Electronics SP6 Pre-Amp and Hunter six amp (Max 800w), I have no elevation on my rotator, so I can only work the moon as it comes up (Moonrise) or drops (Moonset) across my horizon, a few minuets twice a day, at the right time of the month.

The results for the first week of test were very promising, testing two days before Perigee (when the Moon is closest to us, Apogee being at it's furthest) until 5 days after, with returned signals from the Moon at best -10db, that's 20db over noise and audible by ear, with quality levels 'Q' of 10, huge signals! It was a promising start. 

In December 2005 I upgrade to WSJT 5:9:8, and in Feb'06 changed my shack cables to Ecoflex.10 from RG213

The shack (October 2007) 

2x FT920's, the one on the left is set up for data, JT6M & JT65A. The one on the right for SSB. 

2x  Networked PC's both with 6mg broadband Internet connection, the left monitor is the data PC, the right monitor for ON4KST and logbook software. 

Amp: Hunter-6 single 3-500Z. Antenna: 1x 617-6B  (14Dbd) at 17m AGL.

Pre-amp: An SP-6 running at 25db, run into a 'T' connector and the RX is spilt into both FT920's via 2x 40"  75 ohm cables into the Phone RX only sockets. This way both FT920's can receive at the same time one monitoring data the other SSB. A coax relay ensures no RF in the pre-amp stage.

All cables are Ecoflex-10 and largely solderless N plugs.

6m EME Stations Worked.

Click on the callsign to meet the operator, their station and to see the data & sked information.

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