47 & 76 GHz outing to Notgrove IO91BV

 Originally I had booked the afternoon of Friday 25th June off work to go and watch a worcester T20 cricket game, but my ticket was cancelled due to covid restrictions. The question was what to do with the spare time? The answer was to persuade Noel G8GTZ to go out portable so we could try the Notgrove to Combe Gibbet path on 47 / 76 GHz, something we didnt really have time to try in the IARU 2021 contest

Noel managed to receive my pictures on both 47 and 76 GHz but I could not receive his DATV signals in the reverse direction. We did however manage an SSB QSO on 47GHz over the 67km path

The path towards IO91GI from IO91BV

My 47GHz signal as received by Noel

My 76GHz signal as received by Noel

IARU TV CONTEST 2021

Originally I ws not going to bother with this years contest, but after Noel said he was going to Dunkerry beacon there was a chance to set a few distance records if I went to Cleeve common, so i decided to venture out. 9 bands were packed (23cm, 13cm, 9 cm, 6cm,3cm 24GHz, 47GHz and 76GHz  and 2m FM). This number of bands would be quite challenging for the Portsdown software as it only has four transverter bands!

To get the best parking spot for the Dunkerry beacon path I went to Cleeve common early. Perhaps a bit too early considering the 1300 start time, but I used the time to go on an 8 mile discovery walk around the common

Two way TV QSOs were had with Noel on 23cm, 13cm, 9 cm, 6cm, 3cm and 24GHz. I briefly detected his signal on 47GHz but the river mist I saw on the path meant no two way qso. The only other station I heard on 2m talkback was G8GKQ but he was busy so I went home. Noel journeyed back to IO91GI overnight

5GHz and 10GHz point at IO81FD

The 23cm setup

On sunday morning I went early to cleeve common to try the path to IO91GI. I went man portable to the trig point and worked Noel on 24GHz at 0700z) but there were no signals either way on 47 GHz. I then retreated back to the car park and worked Noel on  13cm, 9 cm, 6cm, 3cm, By this time Cleeve Common was getting busy so I left and went to IO91BV.

Man Portable Sunday morning (note the shadow length!)

While at Notgrove my 7" display packed up (but not it;s touch screen!). With considerable effort (and Noels patience) we did manage qsos on 23cm, 13cm, 9 cm, 6cm,3cm and 24GHz

I was going to a third location to try it out, but with the failed display I didnt bother and went home. 

So I ended up with 16 QSOS, all working the same callsign! Activity was lower this year and being so far west denied me working the stations i worked when operating from walbury last year.

Another 47 and 76GHz DATV Expedition to IO91GI

 Noel, G8GTZ had let me know that on June 3rd he was going portable on 47 and 76GHz to Combe Gibbet, to allow G1EHF to try out his 47GHz QRP system to work G4LDR/P and G8ACE/P (who I hadnt worked ) on narrowband so I decided to tag along

Two way qsos were had with G4LDR/P SSB (at Stockbridge IO91GC68, 26km) and G8ACE/P on both 47 and 76GHz. My signals on 47GHz were so loud with Neil that even a conductive plastic bag over my dish couldnt eliminate signals at his end! I used my Langstone as the IF, the spectrum view was very useful for finding signals. G1EHF had his first qso, all before lunch, so we retired to the pub for a drink

Noel and I decided to try 47GHz DATV, to convince him his system was working. Although I had brought the portsdown, i didnt think we would be doing any datv so I hadnt brought the USB lead for the minituner. Fortunately G1EHF had a spare which I could borrow. 

Noel went off to Stockbridge IO91 while I returned to Combe gibbet. The langstone spectrum view helped find Noels drifting signal and a two way qso was had 

Noels 76GHz signal over 26km

Noels signal on 47GHZ on DVB-T