7.3km on the 322GHz Amateur Radio Allocation

Dec-2006

Hi everyone-

I'd like to report some new DX on 322GHz, and claim a new DX record overall for traditional RF operations above 300GHz. (i.e.: excluding light) The QSO was made by WA1ZMS & W4WWQ using slow speed CW and Spectran software.

Details of QSO:
Date: Dec 10, 2006
Time: 02:16z
Mode: FSK-CW
Frequency: 322GHz
Distance: 7.3km

W4WWQ/4 was located in FM07 at: N37-21-13.8 W79-10-15.0
WA1ZMS/4 was located in FM07 at: N37-23-09.8 W79-14-33.9

The weather at the time of the QSO was:
Temp: -2C
Dew Point: -17C
Relative Humidity: 31%
Station pressure: 1004mb
These weather conditions resulted in an atmospheric loss of 4.13dB/km due to oxygen and water vapor.

The gear used for this QSO was the same gear used previously on 241/322/403GHz; that being harmonic mixers and 12" parabolic dish antennas.

This latest QSO exceeds our former DX of 1.4km as well as makes a claim for best DX on any amateur frequency above 400GHz (except for visible light).

SOME COMMENTS: A note to US amateurs that last year the FCC changed the amateur allocations from 300GHz and above to now read: "275GHz and above."

It is also my understanding that Germany remains the only country with a segmented amateur allocation above 275GHz, that being 411GHz. Can anyone confirm this?

Lastly, the ITU over the next several years will be reviewing and possibly making dedicated amateur band allocations above 275GHz. That should promises to be a positive event for amateurs worldwide.

Remember when the US ham bands used to be 30GHz and above? Look how far we as hams have come!

73,
Brian, WA1ZMS/4

Spectran screen capture

322GHz at a distance of 7.3km showing "1ZMS" as coppied by W4WWQ via Spectran.

322GHz QSO Audio

You can listen to a an excerpt from a 2km 322GHz QSO (the file is a 690kB .WAV file).

More information...

For more pictures and information you can also look at
the page with the original 241 and 322GHz records
and
the follow on 241GHz distance record
and
241GHz VUCC #1
and
the original 0.5km QSO on 322GHz