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V26PD
MyQSL Service
PO BOX 375
PAWLING, NY 12564
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After I lost the last EME array on CY9C, I decided to try another design of antenna for the next round of 2m EME tests. After a number of recommendations from prominent EME enthusiasts I settled on a pair of custom designed 144mhz optimized 9 element EME yagi’s from DUAL https://www.antennas-amplifiers.com/2-meter-best-portable-antenna-9-element

I had been testing these at my home QTH for a number of months with very good results. The real test was taking them to V26 for their first portable DXpediton. As you can see from the results below, the antennas performed exceptionally well! Since the short expedition was a fairly last minute plan, the luxury of planning the trip during optimum moon conditions were not an option. Unfortunately, the trip was during the WORST moon conditions possible.

Even with the extremely poor moon conditions you can see that the antennas performed above expectations. There were many comments that there would be no reason to take the EME gear as no contacts would most likely be made except for the handful of very large stations. This could not have been further from reality. As conditions worsened the array kept pulling signals from the ether, even during the 2nd moon pass the preamp failed, the array went on to make an additional ~38 contacts at the peak of the highest degradation during the month!

I am currently installing the pair of 9’s in FN65 on the coast of Maine to test a 100% remote EME station. With a new DXpedtion that is going to be announced shortly, my next portable 2M EME antenna with be another DUAL antenna. My goal is to develop a highly portable and lightweight 2m EME station that can be taken just about anywhere and can fit into the smallest vehicles and airplanes. Instead of a pair of 9 elements, I am going to test a DUAL single 16 element Yagi.

144mhz EME:

36 Worked first few hours of the first pass in the start of very poor EME conditions.

90 Total contacts in 3 passes

• K4FEG
• NA2AA
• KB2M

SO-50

• WB8RJY

XW-2C

• No Contact – Pass in Atlantic

CAS-4B

• Nothing heard until east of me? First time on this bird, maybe I am missing something.

AO-7

• Low pass to the west which my worst direction (sharp elevation rise and house)
• Nothing heard too low.

XW-2F

• KB2M
• N3CRT
• NA2AA
• N6RFM

XW-2C

• N8HM
• HI8KW
• KB5AAB

FO-29 (My 12 year old daughter helped with the logging)

• N4UFO
• KB1PVH
• NK1K
• AA5PK
• KC8QDQ
• VE4AMU
• KG5CCI
• WB3CSY
• AA9LC
• XE1MEX
• W5PFG
• N3CRT
• KD2LGX
• K8ESE