In the past I did work a lot via satellites. They were AO-7, AO-10, AO-13, AO-27, AO-40, SO-50, FO-29, VO-52 and many others. Totally over 4500 QSO. Than I lost interest to satellites, because it was not possible to get anything interesting from the LEO satellites. So, I stopped, dismantled antennas and become to EME.
But on Thursday, November 15, 2018, the geostationary satellite Es’hail-2, which carrying amateur radio transponders, was launched from Kennedy Space Center at 20:46 GMT and is now in a geostationary orbit at 25.9° East.
Good deal, but I was not sure I like to go back to satellite communications. Anyway, we are HAMs and our hobby makes us, no, requires us to seek and try something new.
OK. I thought, let me try. The goal was to try new bands: 13 and 3 cm. They are for Uplink and Downlink for QO-100:
Narrowband Linear transponder
2400.050 – 2400.300 MHz Uplink
10489.550 – 10489.800 MHz Downlink
So, I ordered all converters, LNB, power amplifier from DXPatrol (CT1FFU company) and starting prepare antenna. Than I’ve got all equipment from Tony, I installed all into a water proof boxes and mounted themes close to the dish. Below is a gallery, where shown temporary and final setup. As a main transceiver, I used my old, but trusty FT-847.
On the March, 2020 I made my first QSOs via QO-100. It was great to get a pile-up! 36 QSO from the first CQ!
