New Claimed VUCC and World and North American Distance Record for the 122GHz Amateur Radio Allocation

16-Jan-2005

Hello everyone-

Myself and Pete, W4WWQ would like to report what should be a new World and North American DX record for the 122GHz band. (This band is "new" in the USA as of March 2004 and W0EOM reported the 1st QSO on the band several months ago.)

Using the club callsign W2SZ/4 from a fixed location in FM07fm, we managed to work the required 5 grids (FM06, FM07, FM08, EM96, EM97) for the ARRL's VUCC award. The first grid was worked last week, while the final four were worked in a "grid square blitz" over a 10 hour period last night.

Our best DX was:
Date: Jan 16, 2005
Time: 04:22z
WA1ZMS/4 N36-59-28 W80-07-17 EM96wx
W2SZ/4 (W4WWQ op.) N37-31-00 W79-30-35 FM07fm
Distance: 79.6km

WX at WA1ZMS QTH:
Temp: -2.6°C
Dew Point: -10°C
Relative Humidity: 58%
Pressure: 937mb
Atmospheric loss: 0.472dB/km

Equipment used (short version):
12" parabolic with Cassegrain feed
TX power: 5mW at feed
Rigs are phase locked 61GHz Gunn sources driving a pair of GaAs frequency doublers.
The doublers serve as harmonic mixers for receive with active DC bias control.
Frequency references are Wenzel ultra-low-noise 5MHz crystal oscillators.

73,
Brian, WA1ZMS/4

18-Jan-2005

Hi all-

Since we had some tiny signal margin on 122GHz at 79km and we knew we could get a few more dB from the use of Spectran software, we were able brave the cold night air and better our World DX record to 114km.

Details of QSO:
Date: Jan 18, 2005
Time: 03:46z
WA1ZMS/4 N36-43-03 W80-19-23 EM96ur
W4WWQ/4 N37-31-00 W79-30-35 FM07fm
Distance: 114.4km

WX at WA1ZMS QTH:
Temp: -12.0°C (10°F)
Dew Point: -23.1°C
Relative Humidity: 37%
Pressure: 920mb
Atmospheric loss: 0.336dB/km

WX at W4WWQ QTH:
Temp: -17.5°C (0°F)
Dew Point: -21°C
Relative Humidity: 74%
Pressure: 877mb
Wind: 24km/hr
Wind chill: -28°C (-18°F) !!!!
Atmospheric loss: 0.362dB/km

I'd like to really thank Pete for dealing with sub-zero wind chill temperatures while making the QSO. It took us about 40 minutes to send and copy all the necessary info via QRSS mode. My feet were so cold just standing around waiting for the very slow CW to be sent that I put a pair of chemical/air-activated hand warmers in my shoes. They worked very well. No more cold toes!

-Brian, WA1ZMS

122GHz Station Pictures

Test bench set-up while testing the DC bias point of the 61/122GHz doubler

Detail view of the 122GHz feed

Looking to FM08

122GHz station

W2SZ/4 in FM07 working FM08

W4WWQ at the FM08 end

W2SZ/4 in FM07 working EM96

WA1ZMS at EM96ur

122GHz QSO Audio Files

You can listen to an excerpt from a 122GHz QSO (the file is a 415kB 19 sec .WAV file).

Description: "carrier....W4WWQ W4WWQ"

This is W4WWQ in FM08ia while being heard at W2SZ/4 in FM07fm.

Path distance is 61.7km.

Some audio from the 114km QSO (682kb 31 sec .WAV file).

Description: Carrier from W4WWQ as heard at WA1ZMS

Path distance is 114km

More audio from the 114km QSO (1Mb 47 sec .WAV file).

Description: W4WWQ sending at <<1WPM CW

This is W4WWQ in FM08ia while being heard at W2SZ/4 in FM07fm.

Path distance is 61.7km.

122GHz Spectran Plots/images

W4WWQ sending the "ZM" of callsign as heard at WA1ZMS

"4W" being heard at W4WWQ as sent by WA1ZMS

WA1ZMS' laptop after detecting carrier signal from W4WWQ near start of QSO.

Operating position at W4WWQ inside vehicle

122GHz QSO log sheet

as of 19-Jan-2005

QSO dates marked with (*) count towards VUCC for W2SZ/4.

Date: 30-Dec-2004 Time: 04:32z W4WWQ/4 N37-22-48.5 W79-21-20.3 FM07jj Norwood Cemetery WA1ZMS/4 N37-29-46.6 W79-32-15.5 FM07fl Onion Mountain Overlook Distance:: 20.6Km

Date: 30-Dec-2004 Time: 05:50z W4WWQ/4 N37-18-22.6 W79-18-25.4 FM07ih New London School parking lot WA1ZMS/4 N37-29-46.6 W79-32-15.5 FM07fl Onion Mountian Overlook Distance:: 29.3Km

Date: 8-Jan-2005 Time: 00:43z W4WWQ/4 N37-21-14 W79-10-13 FM07ji Wingate Hotel WA1ZMS/4 N37-31-19 W79-30-14 FM07fm AO Parkway Overlook Distance:: 34.9Km

Date: 8-Jan-2005 (*) Time: 02:43z W4WWQ/4 N37-10-49 W80-03-59 EM97xe Pohags Gap Overlook W2SZ/4 N37-31-00 W79-30-35 FM07fm Apple Orchard (ZMS op.) Distance:: 61.8Km

Date: 15-Jan-2005 (*) Time: 22:58z W4WWQ/4 N38-02-57 W79-18-37 FM08ia Little North Mtn. (T:6.4C DP:-8C RH:35% 950mb .455dB/km) W2SZ/4 N37-31-00 W79-30-35 FM07fm Apple Orchard (ZMS op.) (T:-3.7C DP:-7.7C RH: 74% 885mb .495db/km) Distance:: 61.7Km

Date: 16-Jan-2005 (*) Time: 01:47z WA1ZMS/4 N36-59-26 W79-20-41 FM06hx Dalton Farm Rd. W2SZ/4 N37-31-00 W79-30-35 FM07fm Apple Orchard (WWQ op.) Distance:: 60.3Km

Date: 16-Jan-2005 Time: 01:50z WA1ZMS/4 N36-59-26 W79-20-41 FM06hx Dalton Farm Rd. W4WWQ/4 N37-31-00 W79-30-35 FM07fm Apple Orchard Distance:: 60.3Km

Date: 16-Jan-2005 (*) Time: 04:22z WA1ZMS/4 N36-59-28 W80-07-17 EM96wx Park Ridge (T:-2.6C DP:-10C RH: 58% 937mb .472db/km) W2SZ/4 N37-31-00 W79-30-35 FM07fm Apple Orchard (WWQ op.) Distance:: 79.6Km

Date: 16-Jan-2005 (*) Time: 06:14z WA1ZMS/4 N37-31-00 W79-30-35 FM07fm Apple Orchard W2SZ/4 N37-31-00 W79-30-35 FM07fm Apple Orchard (WWQ op.) Distance:: 0.01Km

Date: 18-Jan-2005 Time: 03:46z WA1ZMS/4 N36-43-03 W80-19-23 EM96ur Lover's Leap Wayside (T:-12C DP:-23.1C RH: 37% 920mb .336dB/km) W4WWQ/4 N37-31-00 W79-30-35 FM07fm Apple Orchard Mtn. (T:-17.5C DP:-21C RH: 74% 877mb WC: -28C .362dB/km) Distance: 114.4Km