K7RAT E.M.E. Page

This is a very Boring page - but that only seems appropriate since K7RAT is the club callsign for the Boring Amateur Radio Club.

However, we did do something pretty exciting recently! We worked SM7BAE on six meter moonbounce. This QSO took place on July 13, 1998 UTC between 0633 and 0646Z. The frequency was 50.033 MHz.

The schedule started at 0610Z, but I actually missed the first few minutes because I had been watching a movie with the wife.

Kjell and I were using one minute sequences. This means he transmitted for the even minutes and I transmitted during the odd ones.

At the end of my transmission during 0633Z, I heard the end of my call come back from the moon. You can listen to it by clicking here. It is a pretty low tone as I was listening up higher in frequency for Kjell's signal (which comes back around 500 Hertz above my transmit frequency).

During the next minute, I heard Kjell sending my call two different times. You can listen to this whole minute by clicking here. His CW note is around the D note an octave above middle C. After hearing this, I sent Kjell his signal report (339) during minutes 35, 37, 39, 41, 43 and 45 with nothing heard. I thought maybe I heard something during minute 38, but it wasn't enough to be sure. Finally, at minute 46, Kjell came up enough to hear him sending "33N" two or three times. You can listen to minute 46 here. The moon was approaching 6 degrees of elevation at this point - which is the calculated peak for my major lobe. I spent minute 47 sending QSL over and over, and minute 49 sending 73.

I will get some pictures of the K7RAT antenna soon. I was using a 7 element beam on a 37 foot boom at 45 feet in height. My power was 1050 watts output from a pair of 4-250As in ground-grid. They glow pretty red at this power level. I have about 130 feet of 7/8 inch hardline to the antenna. The radio was a TS-850 with Down East Microwave transverter and a Teletec solid state amp.

Here is a recording of my first echo which I heard off the moon. This was recorded on 9 July 1998 at 0354Z.

Six meter moonbounce is certainly a challenge - but it sure is neat to be able to do it with modest equipment and antennas. If you are interested in trying a schedule with K7RAT, please send us e-mail at k7rat@jzap.com.

Back to the Six Meter E.M.E. page