1. N5GHZ President: Bill Musa, K5YG Vice President: Anthony Allen, W6CSA
Formed December 2010
N5GHZ
KF5JKC – Applied for N5GHZ
President: Bill Musa, K5YG
Vice President: Anthony Allen, W6CSA
Secretary: Victoria McKitrick, K5EYK
Board Member: Glenn Martin, N5PQ
Board Member: Bob Delaney, WN2E

2. The World Above HF & VHF/UHF DX presented by Bill Musa – K5YG January 9, 2011 Video
(Video produced by JACQUE “JD” DUPUY, N0IRS)

3. VHF/UHF Operations There is something for everyone:
Terrestrial – all modes
Line of sight
Tropospheric (Tropo)
Sporadic E (E-Skip)
F2 Skip on 6M
Satellites (Up and Down Link on various VHF/UHF bands)
RS-12 Satellite used 15M up with 10M down
Meteor Scatter (M/S) (6M and 2M)
Moon Bounce (EME) (6M thru 1.2Ghz)

4. “The VHF/UHF DX Bug” bit Bill in 1965
Highlights for K5YG
1965 – Made some of the first contacts via the OSCAR Satellites. (2M up / 2M down – low orbit)
1965 CQ Spring VHF Contest – High Score 2M
1970 – Worked W5WAX in Oklahoma (1180mi,) on 2M via Aurora over 40 years ago, from NJ
(Then again (K5SW) in 2008 from MS on 2M CW and SSB)
1995 – Worked All States via Satellite (ARRL OSCAR Award #214)
1995 – AMSAT W4AMI Satellite Operator Achievement Award #6 for 1000 Satellite QSO’s
Working N0IRS & N0IRC in Kansas City, MO (700mi) on 2M
Working N4TUT in FL (450mi) on 70cm from the O.S. Bridge
Working N4TUT in FL (450mi) on 23cm SSB (Both running only 1 Watt)
2009 – Working all over USA and Europe on 6M
2010 – 2M E-Skip Opening June 19, 2010 – Maybe the best ever
K5YG EM50 to N0IRC EM29 Recording
(Video produced by JACQUE “JD” DUPUY, N0IRS)

5. 1970 contact with Sam, W5WAX

6. 1967 contact with Barney, now K3FM

7. VHF/UHF Propagation 6M – Normally line-of-sight
Sporadic E Propagation –All over US with multi-hop to Europe
F2 Skip on 6M during Sun Spot Cycle High – world wide
Meteor Scatter every morning – work all over US
2 M – Normally line-of-sight
Tropospheric (Tropo) Propagation - 500mi
Sporadic E Propagation (E-Skip) mi +
Back Scatter – strange sounding signals 100mi
Meteor Scatter most every day, peaking during major Meteor Showers. (1500 mi about the limit on 6 & 2M)
Moon Bounce (HS Via WSJT by K1JT) or via CW – world wide
70cm & above – Normally Line of sight
Occasional Tropo Propagation, most of the time 70cm is better than 2M.
Moon Bounce

8. F2 Skip during Sun Cycle High
Don't hold your breath for this one, but be aware of its potentialities. This is the familiar long-haul skip which bounces shortwave signals around the world in hops of roughly 2000 miles each. During sunspot peaks F2 may extend up to 60 mHz, opening American channel 2 to DX, plus a number of European, African and Oceanic TV stations operating at these frequencies and below. F2 activity is greatest in years of peak sunspot activity. As sunspot activity increases, F2 MUF also rise. F2 at VHF frequencies is not probable in years of low solar activity. If you want to keep track of F2 conditions, which tend to peak in the spring and fall, monitor on a mHz radio. Paging stations beyond 1600 miles or so on 35 and 43 mHz will give you a warning when F2 is "up".

9. What does it take? (IC-706, IC-7000, IC-910H, FT-897D, TS-2000)
Multi-mode SSB/CW/FM - HF/VHF/UHF Transceiver
(IC-706, IC-7000, IC-910H, FT-897D, TS-2000)
Low Loss Coax such as LMR-400
Mast mounted Pre-Amp desirable
Most using Horizontally Polarized Antennas
Yagi, 2M Big Wheel, 6M Dipole, Vertical
Only Watts needed during good opening
300W or more best for Meteor Scatter

10. VHF/UHF Calling Frequencies
6M – SSB Calling: , CW
6M – Beacons below
6M – HS Meteor Scatter:
2M – SSB and CW calling
2M – HS Meteor Scatter
2M – EME
1.25M (222 Band) SSB & CW
70CM – SSB & CW
Beacons and above
K5YG/B Running 10 watts 24/7 into HO Loops
23CM – SSB and CW
Schedules: Usually 5-10 up or down from calling frequency
Rag Chew: Move off the calling frequency

11. When is 6M and above open? Being there at the right time!
Local Observations
Weather – Warm Front approaching, Fog
Repeater: Reception of stations outside normal area
Receiving distant TV stations, WX Radio, Marine Band
Beacons on 10M, 6M, 2M and 70CM
Tools
Grid Bandits Website
APRS
Hepburn Propagation Forecasts
Propagation Logger (6, 2 & UHF)
DX Sherlock Sporadic-E clouds location and estimated MUF real time map
Ping Jockey

13. APRS Automatic Packet Reporting System 144.390
APRS was developed by Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, as a real-time local tactical communications system for rapidly exchanging digital data of immediate value to operations. This really took off when GPS became available and MAPS were integrated into the system for tactical situational awareness of everything in the net. In the 13 years since its introduction, it has grown to encompass just about every aspect of Amateur Radio.

14. Grid Square Map

15. APRS 28 Dec 1550z

16. APRS Data Stations Received By KI4JOO-7 (East of Tallahassee)
Grid: EM80am
Last
Call
Grid
Direction
Distance
Received
(degrees)
(km)
28 Dec 1542Z
AE4PO-2
EM81tf 63
167
28 Dec 1537Z
AA4QI-1
EM90eh 95
218
WC4PEM-14
EL98eg
138
335
28 Dec 1502Z
WC4PEM-9
EL98ce
141
331
28 Dec 1553Z
KI4GNI-7
EM80ed
143 51
28 Dec 1513Z
WC4PEM-10
EL97cv E-Tampa
145
358
28 Dec 1549Z
KJ4ZI-1
EM80eb
147 59

17. APRS Data Stations Receiving KI4JOO-7 Grid: EM80am, findu.com map Last
Received
Grid
Direction
Distance
Heard By
(degrees)
(km)
28 Dec 1526Z
AA4QI-1
EM90eh 95
218
28 Dec 1537Z
KD4MOJ-5
EM70qn
273 66
28 Dec 1553Z
W4VLD
EM80iu 58 67
28 Dec 1555Z
KD4MOJ-11
EM80at
351 33
28 Dec 1557Z
KD4MOJ-7
EM70vo
282 31

19. Very good opening into TX, AR, TN and FL

20. Sporadic E July 26, 2008

21. Sporadic E July 1, 2008

22. The “Big one” 2M E-Skip Opening June 19, 2010

23. World above HF Get on 50.125, or 144.200 and make some “noise”
There can be a Sporadic E opening on 6M anytime of the day
The 2M APRS Map does not always tell the truth!
Call CQ in the early morning and evenings
(If everyone listens the bands appear to be “dead”)
Plenty of activity during Contests

24. VHF/UHF Contests Anyone?
Great way to check out your equipment
Your home station
Rovers
Fixed Contest Stations
Portable “hill top” stations
Great opportunity to make contacts toward ARRL VUCC (VHF/UHF Century Club)

25. VHF contest calendar for 2011
NAME
DATE (not all are confirmed yet)
ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes
Saturday, January 22 (1900 UTC) - Monday Jan 24 (0359 UTC)
PA FM Simplex contest
Saturday, February 26th, PM - 11 PM local
spring 2m Sprint
Monday, April 11 (7 PM - 11 PM local)
spring 222 Sprint
Tuesday, April 19 (7 PM - 11 PM local)
spring 432 Sprint
Wednesday, April 27 (7 PM - 11 PM local)
spring Microwave Sprint (903 MHz and above)
Saturday, May 7 (6 AM - 1 PM local)
spring 6m sprint
Saturday, May 14 (2300 UTC) - Sunday, May 15 (0300 UTC)
ARRL June VHF QSO Party
Saturday, June 11 (1800 UTC) - Monday, June 13 (0300 UTC)
CQ Worldwide VHF Contest
Saturday, July 16 (1800 UTC) - Sunday, July 17 (2100 UTC)
ARRL UHF Contest
Saturday, August 6 (1800 UTC) - Sunday, August 7 (1800 UTC)
fall 6m Sprint
Saturday, October 29 (2300 UTC) - Sunday, October 30 (0300 UTC)

26. VHF contest calendar for 2011
ARRL September VHF QSO Party
Sat. 10 September (1800 UTC) - Mon. 12 September (0300 UTC)
fall 2m Sprint
Monday, September 19 (7 PM - 11 PM local)
fall 222 Sprint
Tuesday, September 27 (7 PM - 11 PM local)
fall 432 Sprint
Wednesday, October 5 (7 PM - 11 PM local)
fall microwave Sprint (903 MHz and above)
Saturday, October 15 (6 AM - 12 NOON local)
NY State QSO Party
Saturday, October 15 (1400 UTC) - Sunday, October 16 (0200 UTC)

27. VHF/UHF Awards ARRL Fred Fish Memorial Award (FFMA) (W5FF SK)
ARRL VUCC
ARRL Fred Fish Memorial Award (FFMA) (W5FF SK)
Confirm all 488 Grid Squares in contiguous 48 states. (3 holders)
ARRL VHF/UHF Century Club (VUCC)
Band
(K5YG count)
Grid Sqs
6M (300+)
100
2M (100+)
(37)
50 (1/2 CC)
(55)
902
25 (1/4 CC)
(30)

28. VHF Highlights The World Above HF
(Video produced by JACQUE “JD” DUPUY, N0IRS)
“Make some noise” get on: , , , &
6M M /4M CM CM
Presentation (R3) by Bill Musa, K5YG – Video credits to JD, N0IRS