Dwingeloo Radiotelescoop - C.A. Muller Radioastronomie Station - PI9CAM
Dwingeloo Radio Telescope - C.A. Muller Radio Astronomy Station - PI9CAM

EME 2018 conference report

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Author(s): Jan van Muijlwijk
Videos: Jan Klaassens, Henk Borg

EME 2018 conference report

The EME 2018 conference was organized in the Netherlands in Hotel Zuiderduin in Egmond aan Zee. Organizers were Jan van Muijlwijk (PA3FXB) and his partner Marjan Pierhagen, both CAMRAS volunteers.

The program of the conference:

  • Thursday August 16, 2018 – Waterday with a visit to the Reeuwijkse Plassen, the Bergambacht ferry, and a harbour tour Rotterdam and Maasvlakte 2.
  • Friday August 17, 2018 – ASTRON day with a visit to the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope, the Memorial Centre Westerbork (partners program), ASTRON and the Dwingeloo Radio Telescope and CAMRAS.
  • Saturday August 18, 2018 – Ham Radio Operators EME 2018 conference meeting, and partners program with visit to Alkmaar and Volendam.
  • Sunday August 19, 2018 – Ham Radio Operators EME 2018 conference meeting, and partners program with visit to the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution, the lighthouse, and the dunes.

In the fold menus below, you can choose a contribution to the EME 2018 conference program. Once a fold menu topic is opened you can click on the picture to open the film registration of that topic.

The film registration of the contributions of the EME 2018 conference and the editing is done by Jan Klaassens and Henk Borg. You can find the 30 filmed EME 2018 conference topics also in the CAMRAS YouTube Channel.

– EME 2018 – ASTRON day with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope, ASTRON, and CAMRAS and the Dwingeloo Radio Telescope (Friday August 17, 2018)

Visit to Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope.
Visit at ASTRON.
Visit to CAMRAS and PI9CAM at the Dwingeloo Radio Telescope.

– Ham Radio Operators EME 2018 conference meeting (Saturday-Sunday August 18-19, 2018)

Jan PA0SSB – History of EME

In 1972 Jan PA0SSB made his own big dish and started doing EME. Jan will tell about these early days of EME and the way moonbounce was done back then.

Peter G3LTF – A survey of 6cm activity in 2018

Interest in 6cm EME has been growing steadily in the last decade. The paper will describe the characteristics of 6cm EME and the equipment used by stations both large and small with details of antennas, feeds, transmitters and receivers. Where possible the paper will reference sites with constructional details.

Bernd DL7APV – Building a 128 yagi array for 70 cm moonbounce

We all know in moonbounce bigger is better…

So Bernd DL7APV decided to build a huge yagi arry for 70 cm. Only a few months ago it was completed. It works as predicted but building it was hard work.

In this presentation Bernd will tell you all about it.

Zdenek OK1DFC – First ever 3 cm EME from Africa

In October 2017 Zdenek OK1DFC activated Ceuta (EA9LZ) via the moon on 5 bands. Things did not work out totally as planned as the plan was to activate Morocco, but it turned out to be a very succesful expedition after all! Improvising and making the best of it were the keywords.

Zdenek will show several pictures and movies of the expedition.

Alex ZS6EME – UADC4, a dedicate ADC for SDR applications” the revival of ZERO IF receivers

The UADC4 is an ADC specially designed to work with SDR radios, specially with ZERO IF receivers, for many years we just use PC audio cards and this create a big obstacle because “Sound cards are for music” and not really specially designed for SDR applications, the performance of the UADC4 surpass the most expensive audio cards on the market for more than 10 dB’s and open a new window of experimentation for SDR radios based in IQ mixers were always was the sound card the limiting factor.

Chris PA2CHR, Lins PA3CMC, and John ZS6JON – The Swaziland moonbounce expedition

Sam G4DDK – The Iceni 70cm transverter

Iceni is the latest in a long line of G4DDK transverter designs going back to 1984 with the 4 and 6m Meons, through the 2m Suffolk, 23cm Kirton, 4m Nacton, and 2m Anglian 3. What was conspicuous by its absence was a 70cm transverter.

Having been asked if I would produce a design for 70cm, I began work in August 2017 on the design that would become the Iceni.

Although few could doubt that SDR transceiver architecture is the future, even for UHF through microwave, there is a still a steady interest in the superhet architecture transverter, for use with existing high performance HF rigs.

This paper describes the Iceni, the reasons for certain design decisions and the performance limitations that were felt acceptable.

As of spring 2018 more than 50 Iceni transverter kits have been produced and distributed.

Giorgio IK1UWL and Flavio IK3XTV – Chapter III – Limits of single polarity antennas in the V/UHF bands

This is the third chapter of our analyses of the effects on EME signals of ionosphere transit. We start with a short review on Moon reflection and depolarization. Then, using the excel sheet that we developed for modeling a full moon pass between two stations. we analyze 2 way polarization in VHF and UHF bands, and therefore qso probability for stations with linearly polarized antennas.

Moving from VHF to UHF, we show how the main factor in decode probability moves progressively from Faraday to Spatial Offset. We examine also the effect of axial rotation of the antenna.

John G4BAO – 5-band GHz EME from a European suburban garden

Many people in general Amateur radio circles still think that EME requires huge dishes, QRO and a back garden the size of Switzerland.

This presentation follows the 10 – year journey taken by John, G4BAO from an interest in Microwave Terrestrial DX to completing EME QSOs from a suburban back garden on all five GHz bands up to and including 10GHz.

It covers the systems used and how they developed over the years, the limitations of such small systems and tips for optimising them to make QSOs “by any means.” It shows that with a “can do” attitude and a refusal to be told, “it’s not possible,” CW, JT mode and even SSB QSOs can be made from a small system by choosing the right bands, technologies, modes and QSO partners.

Neil G4LDR – Goonhilly – To the moon and back – GB6GHY

This is an account of EME operation from Goonhilly Earth Station in the UK during the summer of 2017. Initial, (unsuccessful), tests bouncing digital amateur television off the moon allowed access for ‘conventional EME’ operation. The 3.4 and 5.7GHz bands were used, where over 50 contacts were made. Measurements were also made to determine dish performance using the deep space radio source Taurus A.

Jan PA0PLY – 432MHz Polarisation Experiments

Going the path on 432Mhz EME at a certain moment one realises that it becomes difficult to be able to work some stations for one reason. Little investigation shows actually, that there are much more than one reason involved in this phenomen.

With my presentation, I would like to share my experiments as well as the information found during my investigation and gathered in talks with yearlong experts on 432Mhz EME communication.

Jan PA0SSB – Comments on the new SSPA of the ON0EME moon beacon
Joana DJ5YL – First YL EME SSB QSO on 70 cm

On May 27, 2017 Joana DJ5YL visited the radio telescope in Dwingeloo. The main goal was to have the first ever EME SSB YL QSO on 70 cm. The event was a big succes! Joana will tell you all about it.

Guy F2CT – The Tonna legacy

I am both very moved and honoured to be speaking to you about Franck TONNA F5SE and his father Marc F9FT. I met them both in 1975 while I was a physics student.

Marc gave me 16 aerials of 9 elements that I put up in 1978 to carry out my first contacts in EME on 144Mhz. Many OM used the TONNA aerials from 50MHz to 2.3GHz. After taking an active part with his father in EME on 432MHz with a 16 x 21 elements TONNA, Franck went to get a 11 m satellite dish from F1JG in Arles, near Marseille. After completely taking it apart, he then put it back together at home, in Reims and adapted it on 1296MHz. His  signals and echos via the moon were extremely powerful. He enjoyed getting in touch with his friends in SSB and singing the Brother Jacques song.

Rest In Peace Franck.

Hannes OE5JFL Nando I1NDP Mario I0NAA – Hunting for Pulsars

The detection of pulsars is one the most challenging and rewarding activity for an amateur radio station and facts are showing that amateurs well equipped for EME have good possibility to achieve this important result.

In 2016, after the WW EME conference in Venezia, a small “Euro Pulsar Working Group” with Andrea IW5BHY, Nando I1NDP, Hannes OE5JFL and Mario I0NAA was established exchanging experiences, information and best practices.

After few months, thanks to the software released by Andrea IW5BHY, all members of the group started to see the rst objects and Mario I0NAA released a program that allowed precise prediction of possibility of detection. Also, in order to avoid fake detections, the group established a peer-to-peer review process.

As of today, Hannes OE5JFL was able to detect more than 50 Pulsars and few months ago Nando I1NDP released new detection programs that allow to use high bandwidth SDR opening the door to even more challenging results.

In the presentation all details and results of this exciting journey will be given from the members of the group.

Harke PA0HRK – A beginners journey

Many, many years ago I was inspired te become active with EME. However, the huge investment in equipment, the large antennasystem required and the necessary technical knowledge kept me on dreaming for many years. Until about 8 years ago when I learned that it would be very well feasible with modern technology. And that’s where my real journey started. Two years ago I made my first two QSO’s on 23cm in cw and last year my first 3cm QSO’s in QRA64, with (almost) completely home built equipment. I’d like to share with you some of my travel experiences, so as to inspire others.

Al K2UYH – SSB moonbounce

Al is the founder of something we know as a Funtest.

Moonbounce is difficult. SSB moonbounce is even more difficult. But therefore a bigger challenge. Organising a contest for SSB moonbounce is really something special.

Al now will tell us all about it.

Hubert DJ3FI, Iban EB3FRN and Lou N2END – Table top presentations

– N2END – A Microprocessor-Controlled Antenna Polarization System
An amateur-built system to control the polarization of Yagi-Uda antennas is described. The system makes use of a stepping motor and reduction drive to mechanically rotate an antenna boom along its axis. A microprocessor combines operator input, antenna position data, and time from an onboard clock and controls the stepping motor appropriately. Interaction with the operator is carried out with a simple command line interface. It allows the operator to adjust the receive position for best signal, and when available, the spatial polarization offset may be entered, from which the optimum transmit position is calculated. The microprocessor will automatically move the antenna between receive and transmit positions at the correct time. The antenna can move through an angle of 90 degrees in less than two seconds, allowing optimized linear polarization on both transmit and receive for typical modes used in EME communication. Polarization control was implemented in a 432 MHz EME system using homebuilt 15LFA-JT antennas with rear-mounted booms, and results obtained with it are described. A working prototype will be demonstrated during a tabletop presentation.

– EB3FRN – 10GHz low noise amplifier technique

– DJ3FI – Cavity low noise amplifiers

EME Award Ceremony

– EME 2018 – Conference opening and closing ceremonies and EME 2020 nomination and voting

Jan PA3FXB – Official opening EME 2018
AL K2UYH – Nomination for EME 2020
Zdenek OK1DFC – Nomination for EME 2020
Vote for EME 2020
Jan PA3FXB and Conrad PA5Y – Word of thanks
Thank you Jan PA3FXB and Marjan

– EME 2018 – Social and participants

BBQ and beachparty
Pancake dinner
  • AD6FP + partner
  • CT7AFN, CT1WO
  • DC7YS, DC7KY + partner, DF1XC, DF2ZC, DF5MO, DG0AG, DJ3FI, DJ3JJ, DJ5AR + partner, DJ5YL, DJ8FR + partner, DK2FD, DK6JL, DL1KDA + partner, DL1HYZ, DL1TR, DL1SMB, DL2HWA, DL4DTU + partner, DL4YEQ + partner, DL6ABC, DL6SH + partner, DL7APV + partner, DL7UDA + partner, DL7YC, DM2AYO
  • EA1BLA, EA3HMJ, EA5DOM, EB3FRN + partner
  • F1PYR, F1TE + partner, F2CT + partner, F5IWN + partner, F5RRS + partner + children
  • G0JLO/HB9BPQ/CT1JAD, G3LTF + partner, G4BAO + partner, G4CDN, G4DDK + partner, G4DML, G4HIZ + 2E0HIZ, G4KUX + partner, G4LDR, G4NNS, G4RGK + partner, G4SWX, G8BHC + partner, GM4PMK + partner
  • HB9BBD/HB9CW, HB9DRI, HB9DUK, HB9JAW
  • I0NAA + partner, I1NDP, IK1UWL, IK3COJ, IK3XTV + partner + child, IK3YBX, IK4PMB, IK6EIW + son, IW3HVB
  • JH1KRC + partner, JH5FOQ, JH5LUZ
  • K1DS + partner, K2UYH + partner, KL6M
  • LA3EQ + partner, LA4ANA
  • N2END + partner
  • OE3FVU, OE5JFL, OK1CA, OK1DAK /OK1KIR, OK1DFC + partner, OK1DIX, OK1TEH, OK1VPZ, OK2AQ, ON4BCB, ON4CDU, ON4KHG, ON5GS, ON5TA, ON7FLY + partner, ON7UN, ON8PDY + partner, OZ1CT, OZ1CFT, OZ4MM, OZ5TG + partner
  • PA0EHG, PA0HRK, PA0PLY, PA0S, PA0SSB, PA0TBR, PA2CHR, PA2DW, PA2V, PA3CMC, PA3DZL, PA3FPQ, PA3FXB + partner, PA4EME, PA4VHF, PA5Y, PA7JB, PA7MDJ, PE1BTV, PE1CHQ + partner, PE1F, PE1ITR, PE1LWT, PH0V
  • RW3BP
  • SM3JQU, SM4GGC + partner, SM6CKU + partner, SM6PGP + partner
  • UA3AVR, UA4HAK/OK8HAK + partner
  • VA6EME + partner, VE1KG, VK2FLR, VK4EME + partner, VK5KK + partner
  • W1GHZ + partner, WBøDBS + partner, WI7P + partner
  • XE1XA
  • YL2GD
  • ZS6EME, ZS6JON
Our precious Earth and the lunar far sideTime-laps of the Earth appearing behind the Moon