20+ Years of Ontario SHF Activity. Steve Kavanagh, VE3SMA and Roger Sanderson, VE3RKS. Topics to be Covered. History of activity above 3 GHz in Ontario Some accomplishments and observations Current activity Where do we go from here ?. In the beginning….
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Topics to be Covered • History of activity above 3 GHz in Ontario • Some accomplishments and observations • Current activity • Where do we go from here ?
In the beginning… • Dana, VE3DSS/VE3KU, found an annotated photo of Toronto area VHFers in the 1950’s that hints that at least one may have been active on 10 GHz at that time • Hans, VE3CRU (SK), had Gunnplexers ca. 1980 • Things really got started in the mid-80s with wideband FM on 10 GHz
VE2DUB • Prime mover behind 10 GHz WBFM activity in Montreal area, using Gunnplexers • Wrote microwave column in “The Canadian Amateur” • When I moved from Montreal to Ontario I brought some of his enthusiasm (and some X-band alarm modules) with me
VE3LPP & VE3EZP • My 1st 10 GHz QSO in Ontario was with Bruce, VE3LPP, in 1986 • His was the only callsign in my 1986 10 GHz Contest log ! • Now VE6LPP • John, VE3EZP, joined the activity in 1987
More Activity • Activity snowballed after that • Equipment was a mix of M/A-COM Gunnplexers, Burglar Alarm Gunn Modules and other surplus Gunn oscillators (with 30 or 90 MHz IF), and • Kevin, VE3KDH (now VE3KH) distributed a lot of surplus Tellurometers to amateurs • 50 mW Klystron, 10” dish, 10.050-10.450 GHz, IF ~ 33 MHz • Description at http://www.wcarc.on.ca/ve3cvg_tellurometer/Tellurometer_files/frame.htm • One year there were 20 callsigns active in southern Ontario in the 10 GHz Contest • VE3ONT multi-op (at VE3ASO) in June ’92 contest had 33 QSOs on 10 GHz
The advent of 24 GHz WBFM • VE3ONT multi-op (at VE3ASO) made a single QSO on 24 GHz in June 1992 contest. • My first 24 GHz rigs (ca. 1996) were converted Kustom speed radars (still in use in VHF contests!) • Gunn oscillator, about 150 mW, 2 inch circular horn • Others used low power Gunn modules available from SHF Microwave • VE3OIK, VE3FHM, VE3VXO • or converted point-to-point Gunn radio • VE3EZP
The “Middle” Bands • Activity on 3.4 and 5.7 GHz came later • Skipped the WBFM stage • 1st Claimed 3.4 GHz QSO in Canada • VE3PFC – VE3SMA 1991 • VE3ONT multi-op (at VE3ASO) had 5 QSOs on 3456 MHz in June ’92 contest • 1st Claimed 5.7 GHz QSO in Canada • VE3DJ – VE3OIK/VE3SMA 1994
Above 30 GHz • Only activity except lasers has been by RVHFG members’ expeditions
The Modern Era • Dennis Mungham, VE3ASO (SK), and Don Jarvis, VE2DWG, were the first in Canada on 10 GHz SSB (SSB Electronics transverter, I think) • Next was Stu Beal, VE3MWM, with SSB Electronics transverter – not sure if he ever made a QSO with it. • Then Bob Golden, VE3OIK, built a homebrew transverter and started working unheard of distances on 10 GHz – the rest of us followed • WBFM on 10 & 24 GHz has almost completely disappeared, replaced with CW/SSB
Some Accomplishments • DX Records and Firsts • Algonquin Radio Observatory EME • Contest Activity • VUCC • Propagation Observations
DX Records and Firsts • Ontario amateurs have been the first in Canada to make QSOs on several microwave bands • Current Canadian DX records held by Ontario operators: • 10 GHz VE-W VE3ZV-AF1T/W1MKY 801 km (tropo) • previous record VE3KRP-KM0T 791 km (rain scatter) • 24 GHz VE-VE VE3ZV-VE3SMA 210 km (tropo) • 24 GHz VE-W VE3FN/2-N1JEZ 232 km (tropo)
10 GHz EME from Algonquin Park • 46 m dish (150 ft) in FN05, 100 watt TWT • Team of VE3ASO, VA3LK, W9IP, VA3MW, VE3LMK, VE3UXZ, VE3/SM0DFP, K2UYH • Worked 14 stations in 10 DXCC countries on 10 GHz EME (all on CW) in 1995 • http://www.arocanada.com/
Contest Activity • VHF Contests – regular activity > 3 GHz • VE3NPB/R, VE3OIL/R, VE3SMA/R, VE3ZV, VE3WCC (June) • Sometimes others: VE3RKS/R, VE3KH/R • UHF Contest activity spotty due to holiday weekend • 10 GHz & Up Contest – has had entrants from Ontario every year since 1987 • normally some stations active all 4 days about 8 AM-8 PM
VUCC • Several VUCC awards have been issued (quite a few more have been earned but not applied for) • 3.4 GHz: VE3SMA • 5.7 GHz: (none) • 10 GHz: VE3SMA, VE3TFU • 24 GHz: VE3SMA • As far as I know nobody has achieved the 10 grid level on any of these bands yet
Propagation Observations • Low Level 10 & 24 GHz Paths over the Great Lakes • Blocked and Bounce Paths on 10 GHz
10 & 24 GHz on the Beach • Ontario has no real mountains…so we have to make do • We’ve made a lot of QSOs between beaches on Lake Erie • Just started to try the same on Lake Ontario
A Tantalizing One that Got Away • Also had some QSOs on Lake Erie where sigs peaked pointing out into lake – over the horizon ships ?
Beacons • So far only one above 3 GHz • VE3ZV/B • EN92vw • 10.320 GHz (or so !) • 100 mW to small horn – can be pointed in different directions on request from Steve, VE3TFU/VE3ZV • Has been heard many times at >100 km and on rain scatter
