10368Mhz activities
The Dish came with a 10Ghz waveguide feed, which made it interesting to prepare the set-up for operation on this band as well. Compared to the 23cm activity, running a QSO on this band was really challenging in 2012. Aiming the dish on the moon requires an update every 60sec. Besides, the Doppler between TX and RX signal is constantly changing up to 25kHz maximum depending on the moon position. With no help of computers at that time one can imaging, decoding a CW signal, while aiming the dish and correcting for the doppler is not an easy job.
In 2020 the digital mode was introduced and computers were used to take over the tracking of the dish on the moon. As for today, the decoding using WSJT-x is relativly easy. Transceivers are automatically compensating for the Doppler shift and a new mode called: Centre Frequency On Moon, CFOM, was introduced. This meant that the WSJT-x software commands the tranceivers to correct for both the TX and RX frequency and everyone is on the same frequency. GPS control was introduced as well to be sure the set-up is exactly on frequency.
Technical wise I discovered that my dish f/D = 0.3, which is off from the feed designs published. Therefor I spend almost one year to develop an optimal feed for my dish. Thanks to Rasto OM6AA it gave a very good result.
Next to 1296Mhz, this band is also very popular, with a lot of active small stations.
Station outfit
Transceiver: TS-2000X
Preamplifier: DU3T – 0.55dB
Final amplifier: 40Watt Thompson TWTA
Antenna system: 3m solid dish, Andrews prime focus – 46.5dBd / Beamwidth: 0.67degr / Lineair feed
Control system: VK5DJ – Stand alone interface
Setup progress
August 2010
Starting the hard job of calibration for 3cm! Pointing accuracy should be within 0.6degr. Using the sun, the shadow of the feed was positioned exactly in the centre. Measured sunnoise with an SAT LNB system: 12dB. September 4th the first attemp on 3cm EME was done: F2TU was seen on Spectran but due to unexperience with the type of signal, I was not able to decode it.
September 2011
Just another year is passed with little progression. Did do the pointing calibration of the dish into the 0.2degr region and tested all in the ARRL contest in September 2011. Moontracking is now much easier using a SATFINDER device. September 25th I heard and decoded positively DL0EF (529), F2TU (529) and UR7D (519). Below a screenshot of DL0EF.
March 2012 – Run 1st QSO with LX1DB, contestweekend worked 6 station RFout: 25Watt, here is my echo’s on 10Ghz: Echo-3apr-2012
February 2013 – Using ver 2.0 Moonnoise meter with 1dB-full scale. Article: Moonnoisemeter
April 2013 – RF output now 45Watt
August 2017 – Found both pre-ampifier box and transverter soaked with condense water! Complete set-up needs to be re-furbished.
December 2017 – Repaired Transverter with new PLL LO: DF9NP, installed the DU3T preamplifier
October 2020 – Dish pointing accuracy is now 0.2Degr
December 2020 – Made my first QRA64 QSO’s
January 2021 – Added additional 12dB gain after preamp
February 2021 – Changed to SM6FHZ feed and located preamp on the focus platform
September 2021 – Installed at new location JO32LR. Using RTL dongle and I0NAA sw for moonnoise tracking.
August 2022 – During ARRL contest I completed the WAC, with ZL1LS for continent Africa!
August 2023 – After one year of testing the new feed with OM6AA type choke was installed.
10368Mhz photo's
Below you will find a collection of pictures which shows the construction of my 10368 Mhz station in various stages.
10368Mhz Initials
Interested in my contacts on 10368Mhz? Please take a look into the list.
See here my EME setup