All posts by Fred Kemmerer

I enjoy station building, contesting and helping new folks to join and have fun with our hobby.
Digital, Featured, Newsletter, Station Equipment

EME Station 2.0 Part 12 – Station Software

Software is a big part of most current EME stations. The JT65 Protocol, which was created by Joe Taylor, K1JT, has revolutionized EME operations. It has made it possible for modest single and two yagi stations to have fun with EME…

Source: EME Station 2.0 Part 12 – Station Software

Operations using EME or Moonbounce communications is all about software. Every station’s software architecture and configuration is a little different.

2m EME Software Block Diagram - Phase 1
Station Software Block Diagram – Phase 1

We recently put together our software suite for our new 2m EME station. Our setup features multiple JT65b digital decoders, automatic tracking of the Moon, computer logging, and some useful web-based tools that make finding QSOs easier.

EME Software Operating Environment
EME Station Software Operating Environment

Our Phase 1 station configuration is mostly about integrating all of the components in our setup, sorting out operational issues, and learning to use all of the new software and hardware in our new Station.

MAP65 Software
MAP65 Software

Our primary software application is MAP65. This program can decode all of the signals on a given band at the same time. This is very useful during an EME Contest and for finding contacts during day-to-day operations.

You can read all about our software setup for our station via the link above.

Fred, AB1OC

Digital, Featured, General, Newsletter, Space, Station Equipment

EME Station 2.0 Part 11 – EME Station Hardware In Shack

Now that our 2m EME Antenna Array is fully installed, we have turned our attention to the set up the EME Station Hardware in our Shack. Our plan is to do a mix of JT65 Digital and CW operation with our 2m EME…

Source: EME Station 2.0 Part 11 – Station Hardware In Shack

EME Station Block Diagram - Phase 1
AB1OC-AB1QB 2m EME Station Block Diagram – Phase 1

We’ve created a Phase I Architecture that uses an SDR Dongle and manual selection of Receive Polarity via a switch. We also added a receive splitter and a Transmit/Receive relay in front of an Icom IC-9700 Transceiver which is dedicated to our EME setup to enable both the MAP65 and WSJT10 Software Decoders to operate simultaneously.

This approach has some significant advantages when conditions are poor as one of either MAP65 or WSJT10 will often decode a marginal signal when the other will not.

Special Transmit/Receive hardware was created and added to the sequencing system in our EME station to permit the simultaneous operation of two separate receivers and software decoders for JT65.

The article also covers the installation of a Reference Locking Board in the IC-9700 which allows the IC-9700 to be frequency locked to a clock derived from GPS Satellites.

You can read all about the setup of our EME Station Hardware via the link above.

Fred, AB1OC

Antennas, Featured, General, Newsletter, Space, Station Equipment

EME Station 2.0 Part 10 – Antennas On The Tower

After a year’s worth of planning and 10 months of construction, we have our new 2m EME Antenna System installed on our EME Tower and working! This stage of our project took about a week…

Source: EME Station 2.0 Part 10 – Antennas On The Tower

We’re making good progress on a new 2m EME Antenna System here at AB1OC-AB1QB. Our Antenanns system is up on our EME Tower and we are working through the setup and integration of the equipment and software for our EME Station.

EME Antenna Installation Using A 50 Ft Boom Lift
EME Antenna Installation Using A 50 Ft Boom Lift

We rented a boom lift and worked with Matt and Andrew from XX Towers to get our Antenna System up. Our antenna installation took a week to complete and it turned out quite well.

You can read all about this step in our project via the link above. We should have the work needed to bring the rest of our EME Station together sometime during the next few weeks. We can already receive signals that other Hams are reflecting off the moon!

Fred, AB1OC

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