[Moon] G3LTF 13cm/9cm report

[peter blair]

I spent Saturday on 13cm and  worked the following: DL4MEA, VK4AFL, VK3NX, F2TU, ES5PC, JA8IAD, JA4BLC, PA0BAT,HB9SV, F5JWF, IW2FZR, OZ4MM, OK1KIR, SD3F, OK1CA, HB9Q, G3LQR, IK2RTI, WW2R, K2UYH, W5LUA, VE6TA, K7XQ, NA4N # 55.  
10 of these were crossband. Good activity and really great to see the VKs appearing in the lists. I had hoped to try a new feed but too many other jobs got in the way. Until about 1800 the wind was strong and the dish was not always on the moon affecting signal levels, I could see the moon noise fluctuating down to 50% of normal.
 I changed the system over to 9cm on Sunday but something was wrong as my moon noise was low and I seemed to be getting too much noise from the trees than normal for the elevation I was at. I did work VK3NX and then DL4MEA and OK1CA, but signals were definitely down and I decided to check the feed alignment. The whole system,except the 101.375 MHz TCXO and PSU, is at the feed  and so there is quite a weight out there.
 I had forgotten ( another senior moment) to fit the ally strap that steadies the feed to the feed support leg. I put crosswires accross the front of the feed and with a small hole at the back of the feed I was able to re -sight it on the dish centre and fit the strap. This was the solution and signals and moon noise returned to  normal. ( the feed mis-pointing  put up sidelobes and lowered gain). I then worked OK1KIR, W5LUA and VE6TA #12.  My Sun noise today is 14dB with a SF of 68.
 Thanks to all for a great weekend of EME operating.
73 Peter 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.moonbounce.info/pipermail/moon/attachments/20080414/71d2580c/attachment.htm