DIRTY DISHES and clean signals the publication of The 50 MHz and UP Group of Northern California, Inc.

Volume 3 Number 12                  December, 1998

(Edited by Rex Allers, KK6MK)

Visit our web site at: http://www.nitehawk.com/rasmit/50UP.html

Next Meeting: SUNDAY, December 13, 1:00PM - at NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR CREDIT UNION.

PROGRAM:  Free-form gathering. Members are encouraged to share any projects or ham activities that they have underway now or have recently completed. Bring show-and-tell or pictures if you can. Mingle with members and seek advice if you need any. Get to know people in the group as we enter the holiday season.

SWAP: Bring any goodies you might have for a small buy /sell / swap session.

DIRECTIONS: The meeting place is National Semiconducto Credit Union. NSFCU is located on Kifer, between Lawrence Expressway and Wolfe. Kifer is located one light south of Central Expressway. From 101, take Lawrence Expressway south to Kifer. Turn right on Kifer. Go past the main National Semiconductor Buildings. On the right just before a park is the Credit Union. Go around to the back entrance. Door is at right side as you face toward Kifer.

Officers for 1998

New members welcomed

We are always looking for more people to join and share with our group. At the end of 1997 a vote was unanimous to reduce the dues back to $15.00 per year. It was also decided that a special rate of $25 for two years be implemented.

Please encourage anyone who might have an interest to join our group.

Contests and Events

Livermore Swap Meet - First Sunday of each month at Las Positas College in Livermore, CA, 7:00 AM to noon, all year. Talk in 147.045 from west, 145.35 from the east. Contact Noel Anklam, KC6QZK, (510) 447- 3857 eves.

VHF+ WeakSignal NETS
 

50 MHz & Up Group Minutes

Meeting of Nov. 10, 1998

The 50 MHz & Up Group held their November meeting at the Lockheed-Martin auditorium on the evening of November 10, 1998. Executives and directors present were: Rex Allers, KK6MK, President; Jim Moss, N9JIM, Vice President; Will Jensby, W0EOM, Treasurer; Bill Ogilvie, KQ6FY, Secretary; and Jeffrey Pawlan WA6KBL director. There were 20 members and visitors in attendance. The first part of the meeting began with a recap of the Western States Weak Signal Society conference that was co-hosted by the 50 MHz and Up Group in October. Several members gave talks at the WSWSS conference, Pacificon and at Microwave Update. Will Jensby, W0EOM, gave a presentation on harmonic mixers and harmonic multipliers at Microwave Update. At the November meeting of the 50 MHz & Up Group, Will recounted some of the highlights of Microwave Update, and gave the talk he had done. Will also showed his copy of the proceedings from Microwave Update.

Pat Petersen, WA6UAP, gave an interesting talk on an Amateur conference and Flea Market he attended while in Germany this summer. An airline strike had left him stranded in Mannheim, where the event took place. There were several presentations done in English, and most of the subject matter appeared to be interesting.

The remainder of the meeting was spent watching a VCR tape of a talk given by Charles Suckling, G3WDG, at Microwave Update, that was brought by Jeffrey Pawlan, WA6KBL. A description of X-band PA modules (manufactured by Triquint, but rejected for cosmetic reasons) and methods of adapting them for Amateur use was given in this talk. Triquint's commercial Millimeter Wave products can be seen on their Web Site at : http://www.triquint.com/

de KQ6FY, Bill Ogilvie

New 120 GHz Record by 50 Up Members

by Will Jensby, W0EOM

The previous record on 120 GHz was 0.7 miles set in July, 1944 by WA1MBA and WB2BYW. They also hold the 144 GHz record of 2.3 miles. Bob Johnson, KF6KVG, and I have been working for the past six months on gear for 120 and 144 GHz. Both systems are based on Hughes harmonic mixers and 9 inch Cassegrain feed dishes. I use a separate multiplier for transmit, Bob uses the harmonic mixer as a transmitter with a change of bias on the diode.

On October 2nd, a one-way contact, at a distance of 2.9 miles, was made on 144 GHz. Bob could hear me, but his transmit power was lower, and no two-way was made. The sets were modified for 120 GHz, and on November 16th a short-range test was made near Sandhill Road and I-280. This allowed us to calibrate our receivers and bore-sight our antennas. Bob then moved north to the Canada College parking lot, where we soon made contact at 2.9 mi. Information was exchanged by slow-speed CW.

Bob then moved further north where two-way contact was again made. This was a distance of 3.3 miles (5.3 km), a new US record.

For the future, we plan to revisit 144 GHz and upgrade our 47 GHz rigs.

Will Jensby 12/03/98

Precision Oscillator Tape

At the September meeting, Rick Karlquist, N6RK, gave a great presentation -- The Use of Precision Quartz Oscillators and Atomic Standards in Ham Radio. I finally made a master copy of the video tape of the presentation. If you would like a copy of this tape on VHS, contact me - Rex Allers, KK6MK (information in officers list.) There will be a nominal charge of $6 to cover costs.

Elections for 1999 coming up

The 50 MHz and Up Group of Northern California, Inc. holds elections of officers at the February meeting. The first round of nominations for officers and board members takes place at the January meeting. More nominations and the elections take place at the February meeting.

All members, please start considering who you would like to nominate to run for the Group positions.

On the Internet…

Do you have a Web Page relevant to our members? Let us know and we will put it here. (You must be a member.)

50 MHz and Up Group page: http://www.dnai.com/~rexahttp://www.nitehawk.com/rasmit/50UP.html The official group web page. Hosted by Rein Smit, W6/PA0ZN as part of his Weaksignal News Kiosk. The 50Up page includes an archive of newsletters.

ARRL Pacific Division Web page:  http://www.pdarrl.org/

Rex's Place - KK6MK: http://www.dnai.com/~rexa/ Microwave stuff, 50 MHz Up Group pictures and information.

Laser Communications Home Page! http://www.qsl.net/wb9ajz/laser/laser.htm Lots of bright stuff.