Update May 22: The station is tested and ready for tomorrow our moonrise, which is only from about 10.00z (moving out of close trees). Since the DUBUS 13cm CW contest takes place during this weekend we will be on 2320.140. As always we are standby on the 23xx logger during our QRV time..

23. May
2320.140 JT65C HB9CRQ 1st RX on own echo, 10.00z until 15.30z
2304.140 (QSY will be announced on HB9Q 23xx logger).

We will post tomorrow after moonset our revised times for 24. May (then we will know exactly from and until what elevation we can work).

Good luck and lots of fun on 13cm!

Update May 18: We have arrived at our holiday home in Brione sM, JN46je. Unfortunately the EME window is smaller than I expected. Due to a lot of nearby trees moonrise and moonset are restricted. I therefore have rescheduled our activity times, see below. It is difficult to tell exactly when the moon clears the tries and different branches. We will adjust the schedule after our first moonpath of 23. May.

We are sorry, but our open window is between 140° and 250°, so there will be no window to Australia and Japan. South and North America are OK. Europe and Africa will be on during our full window.

Here our adjusted operation schedule:

23. May
2320.100 JT65C HB9CRQ 1st RX on own echo, 10.00z until 14.30z
2304.100 (QSY will be announced on HB9Q 23xx logger).

24. May
3400.100 JT65C HB9CRQ 1st RX on own echo, 10.00z until 15.30z

29. May
5760.100 QRA64D HB9CRQ 1st CFOM, 15.45z until 21.00z

30. May
10368.100 QRA64D HB9CRQ 1st CFOM , 16.30z until 22.00z

31. May
1296.100 JT65C HB9CRQ 1st RX on own echo, 17.00z until 22.00z

CW: Although it is on the limit, we will work CW on all bands. However only with big-guns and after the pile-up on JT/QRA is worked.

Equipment:
1.5m dish 1x2mm mesh, homemade automatic az/el control
1296: 100W at feed, circular, preamp at horn
23xx: 90W at feed, circular, preamp at horn
3400: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn
5760: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn
10xxx: 50W at feed, v-pol, preamp at horn

We will be using WSJT-X 2.2.0 RC1. On 23, 13 and 9cm we use JT65C with Doppler Control (“Own Echo”, in other words we listen on our own echo). On 6 and 3cm we will be using QRA64D (if necessary JT4F) including Doppler Control (“Constant Frequency On Moon” and if necessary “Full Doppler to DX Grid”). Hopefully more people take advantage of automated Doppler control.

Especially on 6 and 3cm it is a MUST for successful QRP operations.

We'll have internet access. During our activities we’ll be stand-by on the HB9Q band loggers. We also will check our e-mails several times a day.

How big needs your station to be to work us?

On 23cm 2m dish and 150W at the feed
On 13cm 2m dish and 100W at the feed
On 9cm 2m dish and 50W at the feed
On 6cm 1.5m dish and 80W at the feed
On 3cm 0.75m solid dish with 60W at the feed

QSL policy: QSL only direct including SAE to: HB9Q, P.O.Box 133, CH-5737 Menziken

We are looking forward to work many of you!

Next information 24. May.

Vy 73, Dan/Sue & Sam Q-Team at HB9CRQ GRID-Expediton

We are very happy to announce our NEW spring Q-Team GRID-Expedition!

Due to the worldwide Covid-19 situation we had to postpone our SV5 DXpedition to May 2021 (more information in summer).

In HB9 lockdown is easing-up now, so it is possible to travel within HB9. Therefor we have decided to go to our holiday home in Brione sM, south Switzerland (JN46je). As far as I know there was NO EME activity ever from JN46 on 1296, 23xx, 3400 and 5760 MHz. On 10xxx MHz HB9DUK is QRV from JN46, so several stations have worked already JN46. But for all others it is a new grid!

Our holiday home is on the south slope of the Alps at 400m above sea level. We have a very nice view of the Lago Maggiore. However, still being in the mountains, our moonrise and even more our moonset are somewhat restricted. We probably lose 20° on MR and 20+° on MS. Since I never expected to be QRV from there, I do not know exactly the window, sorry. We will drive there on 16. May. So I expect to communicate the exact window by 18. May (I will post it on HB9Q webpage, mmmonvhf and the Moonnet).

We have received the special license to use 2320/2304 and 3400 MHz from there (in HB9 this frequencies are not part of the regular license).

Here our operation schedule:

23. May

2320.100 JT65C HB9CRQ 1st RX on own echo, 06.30z until 16.30z
2301.990 and 2400.100 (on request only, please send e-mail to dan@hb9q.ch), 2304.100 (QSY will be announced on HB9Q 23xx logger)

24. May

3400.100 JT65C HB9CRQ 1st RX on own echo, 07.30z until 17.30z
3399.990 1st (on request only, please send e-mail to dan@hb9q.ch), QSY will be announced on HB9Q 3400 logger

29. May

5760.100 QRA64D HB9CRQ 1st CFOM, 12.00z until 21.30z

30. May

10368.100 QRA64D HB9CRQ 1st CFOM , 13.30z until 21.00z
10450.100 1st (on request only, please send e-mail to dan@hb9q.ch), QSY will be announced on HB9Q 10xxx logger

31. May

1296.100 JT65C HB9CRQ 1st RX on own echo, 14.40z until 22.00z

CW: Although it is on the limit, we will work CW on all bands. However only with big-guns and after the pile-up on JT/QRA is worked.

Equipment:

1.5m dish 1x2mm mesh, homemade automatic az/el control
1296: 100W at feed, circular, preamp at horn
23xx: 90W at feed, circular, preamp at horn
3400: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn
5760: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn
10xxx: 50W at feed, v-pol, preamp at horn

We will be using WSJT-X 2.2.0 RC1. On 23, 13 and 9cm we use JT65C with Doppler Control (“Own Echo”, in other words we listen on our own echo). On 6 and 3cm we will be using QRA64D (if necessary JT4F) including Doppler Control (“Constant Frequency On Moon” and if necessary “Full Doppler to DX Grid”). Hopefully more people take advantage of automated Doppler control. Especially on 6 and 3cm it is a MUST for successful QRP operations.

We’ll have internet access. During our activities we’ll be stand-by on the HB9Q band loggers. We also will check our e-mails several times a day.

How big needs your station to be to work us?

On 23cm 2m dish and 150W at the feed
On 13cm 2m dish and 100W at the feed
On 9cm 2m dish and 50W at the feed
On 6cm 1.5m dish and 80W at the feed
On 3cm 0.75m solid dish with 60W at the feed

QSL policy: QSL only direct including SAE to: HB9Q, P.O.Box 133, CH-5737 Menziken

If you wish to sponsor our activity, you are welcome to do so by using PayPal dan@hb9q.ch (please mention your call).

We are looking forward to our Grid-Expedition and hope to work many of you!

Next information 18. May.

Vy 73, Dan/Sue & Sam Q-Team at HB9CRQ GRID-Expediton