ARECIBO OBSERVATORY TO CHANGE HANDS, CONTINUE RESEARCH

The NSF has announced that the giant radio telescope/dish will continue to do critical research, and has changed management hands to the University of Central Florida (UCF).

One of many press pieces on this....

https://www.insidehighered.com/quic...ntral-florida-will-manage-arecibo-observatory

73
Chip W1YW

 

qrm !

 

Quite the hike from Orlando to Central PR.

 

Florida is closer than any other point in CONUS. shrug.

 

UCF football team reportedly confused about their January 2019 plans due to a mixup over "dish" and "bowl."

 

Sure beats the alternative.

 

I seem to remember when some of the Scientist were also Amateur Radio Operators set up a single 10 element 2 m beam pointed down to the center of this dish antenna, using a 100 W solid state RF amplifier and a transceiver rounding out the ham station and operated 2 meter Moon Bounce. It would be nice to know the Gain of the Dish Antenna. I guess these hams worked a whole lot of guys using that set up. Years ago I worked a woman ham up in North Dakota on 6 m who spent 11 months a year working at Arecibo Observatory. The one month was used for retaining her U.S. Citizenship in North Dakota. I'm glad to see that the people are continuing their work at Arecibo Observatory with the help of the University of Central Florida.

Dan
WA9WVX

 

Small moves Ellie... small moves...

 

Well, she would have kept her U.S. citizenship anyway, but I know what you mean. Anyway, Google "Moonbounce from Arecibo Observatory - Princeton Physics" for the story. Speaking of North Dakota, I heard of a farmer there who set his center pivot irrigation system up as a horizontal 160 meter antenna. It is amazing what hams can do.

 

Hello Rich,

I personally know several people that have done 2 meter Moonbounce / EME and the first guy was K0MQS Bob out in Iowa who used a 2 meter Rhombic Antenna on his farm. He worked all 50 states (WAS). Then K9HMB Frank used 16 Cushcraft 32-19 Yagis fed with 7/8" Andrews Heliax & RF Power Dividers. That antenna was capable of 360 degrees Azimuth and Elevation controls, then WB9CAS / W9EBO Louie / Bonnie used the same antenna system as Frank K9HMB, they were good friends. Both Frank & Louie got their WAS on 2 meters and all three hams used low speed CW to accomplish this Moon Bounce operations. This was done 30 years before JT65 came along so the contacts were labor intense and they were something to be proud of. Yes, I understand what Moonbounce is about and how to accomplish this challenge. I would say that 99% of the Amateur Radio Operators use JT65 for their Moonbounce operations.

Dan
WA9WVX

 

Anyone doing voice contacts via moonbounce? JT/FT modes get boring after an hour or two.

 

Ummm.... Puerto Rico is part of the United States they ARE citizens

 

Gubbermint is so bad, so incompetent, in some people’s minds that they think a third rate university can do it better.
America doesn’t really do as much basic science anymore unless it’s military related and/or obviously profitable.
One of the new managing partners, Yang Enterprises (which has a troublesome history but is politically well connected), will likely just give our technology to the Chinese, like it did when one of its employees (convicted spy Henry Nee) gave military and NASA tech to China. Giving up Arecibo makes one more small step down along the way of our long decline.
We had a good run, it’s China’s time now.

 

"Small steps Ellie...........small steps..."

Now a mondain question: When it rains, as it does quite often (not considering hurricanes), is there a drain plug at the bottom of the bowl?

 

For me, JT/FT modes get boring after about 30 minutes or so. When will we get "burst" technology available?