IARU contest 2022 Day 1 Garrowby IO93XO

After the boredom of last years IARU TV contest I decided to do something different in 2022. Being on a walking holiday in Ravenscar the week after the contest I decided to try some paths  up there with the only other station likely to be active Rob, M0DTS and also try for a UK first on 122 GHz

I travelled up on the Friday which went so smoothly I even had time to visit the Yorks air museum which was very interesting

Saturday morning I travelled out to Garrowby IO93OX. It was very breezy. While setting up the Red Arrows flew low overhead on their way to the Teeside air display, Nice of Rob to arrange the welcome

122GHz was setup first as it was going to take most time. G4NXO/P was at IO93PW49 5.6km away. Output was around 12uW using DB6NT HSCH-9401 diode mixers with 100mw of 40GHz local oscillator and 146.5MHz IF at both ends. Antennas were pasolink dishes fed with VK3CV horns via a machined adaptor.

47GHz QSOs were also completed with G4NXO/P over the 6,  16 and 37km paths at IO93PW, IO93PU and IO93RQ respectively. I used my old DB6NT mixer with a DB6NT 47GHz amplifier used as a preamp and power amp and pasolink dish. G4NXO/P used my complete DB6NT transverter with W1GHZ horns

Rob, M0DTS/P. I went to IO94DF, a 66km line of sight path. 2 way QSOS were had on my intended bands 2GHz to 24GHz. I also had 2 way QSOS on 2 unplanned bands. 23cm using my DEMI narrowband transverter and half a 23cm Tonna antenna, (thrown in the car at the last moment) and held on the tripod with Wilco large croc clips. The other band was 432MHz using the 1W IF drive for my 24GHz transverter into the dual band mag mount on the car. This QSO was made even more challenging by Fylingdales Radar QRM

13cm equipment. Note manner of affixing yagi to tripod!

24GHz and 6cm FMTV setup

122GHz 

I also worked G4EEV two way on 23cm. Loud signals both ways, even with my miscalculation of which way west was, and working him off the back of the beam!