Preface
There is no doubt that there is a continuing increase in the number of radio amateurs operating on the VHF, UHF and SHF bands who become interested in using the moon as a passive reflector of radio signals. If we look; back in the evolution of Earth Moon Earth communication, it is true to say that the equipment involved with this type of communication was much more complex than the typical VHF equipment commercially available and therefore beyond the reach of many radio amateurs. ‘ Compared to the equipment used back in 1960, when the first amateur EME contacts were made, the techniques used today are greatly enhanced. Browsing through the index, we see computer controlled antennas, cooled GaAaFet preamps, new power amplifier techniques, computer optimised dishes and yagi’s and a lot more. Thanks to the support of all the active EME amateurs, Alan Katz K2UYH could publish and distribute The 432 and Above EME Newsletter containing everybodies experiences on the EME frontier. New techniques and experiences from EME amateurs created the possibility for more amateurs to join into EME. This is our first attempt to collect the information and experiences available through the Newsletters and to collate it into a book. The reader will get an impression of the evolution of the techniques involved in EME. We achieved this by representing the articles in the same order as they appeared in the Newsletter. This may have resulted in a somewhat strange layout of the book, but we felt the idea of time most valuable. We tried to keep as much aa possible to the original articles published in the Newsletter, although this was sometimes hard to achieve, as a lot of articles were not more than just a little remark or sketch. One should be aware that the possibility exists that we missed publications of articles, but gathering all the information from 15 years of EME-Newsletter was a difficult task. We hope that this book will encourage more design, constructional and EME activity. Share your results, your knowledge and your ideas with fellow amateurs and let the future be an interesting one, trying out new techniques. Note that this book is originally written for amateur use only. The information in this book is not guaranteed to be correct. However if you have any comments on errors, additions or other matters, we advise you to contact the original author of the article.
Geert Stams PA3CSG Peter Beyer PA3AEF
Contents of chapter 1 (transmitters)
1.1 K2RIW Amplifier Modifications
1.2 2 kW Amplifier using 7213
1.3 Crawford Hill 1296 Two Tube Amplifier
1.4 Two Tube Amp for 1296 MHz
1.5 7660 IkW Final Details
1.6 High Voltage Current Trip Circuit
1.7 UPX-4 Modifications
1.8 200 Watt Amplifier for 1296 MHz
1.9 Water Cooled Anode for the 7289
1.10 1296 MHz Power Combining
1.11 Y730 IkW Amplifier for 1296 MHz
1.12 432 MHz Power tube Comparison
1.13 Modified Grid Socket for 2C39 type Tubes
1.14 Bias supply for the UPX-4 1.29 YU-129 Modifications
1.15 1296 MHz Amplifiers using 2 x SD1599 and 4 x SD1599
1.16 Watercooling the UPX-4 Amplifier
1.17 432 MHz Amplifier With 8877
1.18 A 1.2 Watt Amplifier for 2.3 GHz
1.19 PA Blower Protection with a Manometer
1.20 Quick Method of Making Water Cooled 2C39’B
1.21 The VK5MC Water Jacket
1.22 2320 MHz Amplifier
1.23 RF Probe With Power Monitor
1.24 Output Probe for Annular Cavity Amplifiers
1.25 The Audrey II UHF Amplifier
1.26 Hi-Power Hybrid
1.27 A Bias Circuit for 7289 or 2C39 alikes
1.28 432 MHz amp. 2 x 7650
1.29 YU-129 Modifications
1.30 Increasing Capacitance for 2C39 Cavities
This chapter can be downloaded chapter-1
Contents of chapter 2 (receivers)
2.1 The Relationship Between Transistor NF and Input Match
2.2 Notes on Bipolar LNA Design MRF902 and FMT4575
2.3 Original V244 GaAsFet LNA Design
2.4 Update on the 4675 LNA Design
2.5 Transistor Protection Device
2.6 More information on the NE244 Design
2.7 NE645 Bipolar LNA Design
2.8 GaAsFet Protection Circuit
2.9 MSC 88000 GaAaFet Design
2.10 More Information on NE646 Design.
2.11 More on 88000 GaAsFeta Designs (1)
2.12 More on 88000 GaAsFet Designs (2)
2.13 Note on Zero Bias 88000 LNA
2.14 432 MHz Preamplifiers with 3SK48 & MGF1400
2.15 Note on Low Loss GaAsFet Input Circuit
2.16 PI Input Circuit for 1296 MHz
2.17 GaAsFet Transient Protection
2.18 Notes on Load Dependent NF
2.19 An Alignment Aid for VHF Receivers
2.20 GaAaFet 3SK97 design
2.21 First Preamplifier for 432 MHz with 3SK98
2.22 3SK98 Preamplifier for 432 MHz
2.23 432 MHz GaAsFet Preamplifier
2.24 NE24483 or Dexel 3501/D432 1296 Preamplifier
2.25 NRO 1296 MHz Preamp Design
2.26 GAT-6 1296 MHz Preamplifier Design
2.27 Preamplifier for 432 MHz
2.28 1296 GaAsFet LNA Design
2.29 1296 Mhz Preamplifier
2.30 GaAsFet Preamp for 13 cm
2.31 Wide Band Noise Source
2.32 G4COM Noise Meter Notes
2.33 432 MHz GaAsFet Input Circuit
2.34 GaAaFet Burn-Out Note
2.35 2300 MHz Preamp
2.36 Modifications to the W6PO Type 1296 MHz PreAmp
2.37 A W6PO Style Preamplifier for 2304 MHz
2.38 F2TU 1296 MHz Preamp Input Circuit
2.39 Coupler To Inject Noise Into Yagi Systems
2.40 Modified G3WDG 1296 MHz PreAmp
2.41 Solderless 23cm Preamp
2.42 70cm Cavity Preamp
2.43 Tunable Preamp for the 1.2 – 2.5 GHz Range
2.44 432 MHz Preamp and Change-over Box
2.45 Noise Figure Measurement at the Thorn EME Conference
2.46 A Two Stage 1296 MHz Preamp
2.47 A Preamp Design For 2 Bands
2.48 Pettier Cooled Preamp for 432MHz
2.49 Noise Measurements at CSVHF
This chapter can be downloaded chapter-2
Contents of chapter 3 (antennas)
3.1 Dual Polarised Dish Feed
3.2 28 ft Dish Mount Details
3.3 432 MHz Rhombic Antenna Design
3.4 432 MHz 4-way Power Divider
3.5 432 MHz Quad Feed Design
3.6 1296/432 MHz Dual Band Feed and System
3.7 DL9KR 13 el. Yagi
3.8 20 ft.portable stressed dish
3.9 Long yagi for 1296 MHz.
3.10 Coffee Urn Feed For 1296 MHz
3.11 W2IMU Horn Tune-up Notes
3.12 1296 Feed Horn Details
3.13 Choke Horn Feed Idea
3.14 An Off-Set Fed Parabolic Reflector Antenna
3.15 Yagi Length Gain Chart
3.16 Deep Dish Design Ideas
3.17 Deep Dish Feed Matching Suggestions
3.18 8 Yagi Ring Stacking Arrangement
3.19 Corner Reflector and 12 El. Corner Yagi
3.20 Digital Antenna Indicator
3.21 Deep Dish Feed Design
3.22 Dual Band Feed Modifications
3.23 Deep Dish Feeds, Comments and Improvements
3.24 More on Deep Dish Feeds
3.25 A High Gain Long Yagi for 70cm
3.26 Dual Dipole Feed for 432 MHz
3.27 DL9KR Long Yagi Mark II.
3.28 Open Wire Feedline
3.29 N9AB’s Quagi Array
3.30 70 CM Flat Dish Feed
3.31 LX1DB Multi Band Feed
3.32 Beam Pattern Characteristics of Different Feeds
3.33 Dipole Disk Antenna with Beam Forming Ring N/A
3.34 Apparent Azimuth Beamwidth
3.35 Simple Circular Feed Antenna for 1296 MHz
3.36 2304 MHz. circular polarised feed
3.37 Off set feed for 144, 432 and 1296 Mhz.
3.38 Chaparral feed for 1296 MHz.
3.39 A Small Dipole Fed Resonant Reflector Antenna with High etc.N.A.
3.40 Circular Loop Dish Feed For 432 MHz
3.41 W1EJ/K1FO 24′ 432 MHz Yagi
3.42 Antenna Polarisation Controller
3.43 Elevation Drive System
3.44 Delta Match and Open-Wire Feed For 21 El. Tonna Yagis
3.45 K1FO 22 El. 432 MHz Yagi
3.46 Modified 21 El. F9FT Yagis
3.47 Modifications to the CC424B
3.48 Scalar Horn Feeds for 23 and 13cm
3.49 Digital Antenna Readout System
3.50 Improving the KLM 432-30LBX
3.51 Dual Dipole Feed for 432 MHz
3.52 Low Noise 432 MHz Yagi
3.53 Array With Polarisation Control
3.54 Modified VE4MA 1296 MHz Feedhorn
3.55 Feedhorns for 23 and 13 cm
3.56 The Spirolator
3.57 Circular Polarisation Standard
This chapter can be downloaded chapter-3
Contents of chapter 4 (miscellaneous)
4.1 Sun Noise Measurements
4.2 Notes on Biological Effects ofRF Radiation
4.3 Equations for Geometric Moon Polarisation Rotation
4.4 Notes on LDE Reception
4.5 Computer Routine for Geometric Polarisation Rotation
4.6 Digital Dish Position Encoding System
4.7 PET Computer Dish Control Interface
4.8 High Power Directional Couplers for 432 and 1296 MHz
4.9 Power Dividers from Coax Adapters
4.10 Cold Sky Ground Noise Curves
4.11 Transistor Diode Noise Source
4.12 EME RST Signal Report
4.13 Sun Tracking Program
4.14 Improving 70 cm EME Operating Procedure
4.15 400 Hz Synchro Power Supply
4.16 432/1296 MHz EME Operating Procedure
4.17 Sagittarius Sky Noise Charts
4.18 Taking a Closer Look at Faraday Rotation
4.19 Microwave Radiation Safety
4.20 RF Hazards Revisited
4.21 Program to Calculate Stellar Noise Sources
4.22 RF Fields Indicators
4.23 Cygnis “A” Noise Curves
4.24 Doppler Shift on EME
4.25 Polar Mount Parallax Correction
4.26 RX NF Measurements using Sky and Ground Noise
4.27 Libration Fading
4.28 Modification to Bird 43 Slugs
4.29 Study in Monkeys Suggests Microwaves Pose No Threat
4.30 Using A VU meter For Signal Strength Measurements
4.31 A Sky Noise Chart
4.32 Polarisation Error
4.33 EME Signal Polarisation
4.34 CW Noise Smoother
4.35 9913 Connector Conversion
4.36 Estimating Moon Noise
4.37 Multiple Time Delay Filter
4.38 Evanescent Mode Filter
4.39 Operating With Concern to frequency
4.40 Operating With Concern to frequency Revisited Revisisted
This chapter can be downloaded chapter-4