[Moon-net] First Echoes on 3400 MHz

[peter blair]

 Last night I heard my first echoes on 3400 MHz. This project has been a long time reaching fruition! The system is 6m dish , 0.375f/D with VE4MA feed, at present using linear polarisation. The complete transceiver is at the focus of the dish   with two 17W modules combined to give about 27 W at the feed. The ~100MHz LO and 144MHz up and down are on a single coax. The PSU is at the base of the dish.
I see 1dB of moon noise and echoes are +5dB in 500Hz, these figures are consistent with the measured system parameters and the eme calc sw predictions.

 Next step is to tidy up the shack end of the system and make a little 144 to 200 MHz transverter  to enable me to work on 3456 MHz.

 At present we are in a very calm wx system but wind will be a problem with a1dB beamwidth of 0.5 degree.
 I know I can get about another 1-2dB of Power at the feed and about 1db more receive sensitivity and there is something to be got from touching up the dish profile.
If anyone out there would like a test in the next two days please let me know.
73 Peter G3LTF