23 Feb #MAD Microwave Activity Day February 2020
Last Updated on May 15, 2021
The #MAD Microwave Activity Day February 2020
The February 2020 Microwave Activity Day was held on Sunday the 23rd. In VK3, it was a stunning summer morning with an expected top of about 29C, as Peter VK3APW and I headed to the Mount Martha Park Vantage Spot. Here are a couple of #MAD Microwave Activity Day contacts
We started the day at South Beach Project, a beachside cafe that is known to the locals as South Park with a DXer’s breakfast consisting of bacon and eggs with a latte or two as a chaser.
South Beach Project. The starting place of the VK3APW and VK3FS #MAD
We then headed to the Mount Martha Reserve Vantage Point, yes there is such a place, to set up a 23cm (1296 MHz), 9cm (3.4 GHz) and 3cm (10 GHz) station. The vantage point is located on the western side of Mt Martha, and unlike the top of Mt Martha, it has very few obstructions to the west and north with the exception of one house and a tree or two. We weren’t expecting anything to the east. There were plenty of stations on the air too with many talking over the top of each other on 3.4GHz.
The 3.4GHz OCF dish with an SG Lab 3400 transverter. The FT-817 closest to the camera was for 23cm.
Pictured above is the 3.4GHz station. It comprised of an FT-817 feeding an SG Lab 3400 MHz transverter with an IF of 435MHz. This in turn put 3 to 4w into the Off Centre Fed dish. There was a great path between Robert VK3KRD and Neil VK3BCU in the Melbourne suburbs. We also worked Chris VK3ACG near Geelong and Lou VK3ALB on the Bellarine Peninsula.
Peter VK3APW working 3.4 GHz
The 3.4GHz antenna pointing through the gap to work Robert VK3KRD and Neil VK3BCU in Melbourne. It was really good to hear multiple stations calling on 3398.150, some over the top of each other too.
Peter VK3APW working Chris VK3ACG on 10GHz
The #MAD station Peter and I ran started at 1000 local and finished about an hour and a half later. All in all a very successful morning with lots of stations on air. The search for great microwave TX locations on the Mornington Peninsula continues… There are a lot of great spots behind Parks Vic gates, however, as you can see in the photos, it’s nice to work out of the back of the car.