No matter what size dish was used or exactly how far it really was, the important part is you had a good time doing it and that all of us find enjoyment in your accomplishment. Thanks and keep transmitting. What's next?
It has been decided that 18951KM will be the official distance for the QSO per the info below. Paul N2EME Hi all, For world records, calculations made using IARU approved methods should be accepted as the standard. So I will defer to the calculation based on the 6356.912 km / 6378.388 km ellipsoid as explained by Matej OK1TEH. An updated VK records list has been posted on the WIA web site giving the WA3LBI - VK7MO record distance as 18951 km. John VK3KM
Just out of curiosity how is the grid square resolution down to 10 digits? What is the equation? -Mark -"What's in your hamshack?"
In the case of this contact our GPS system built into the trailer gives us down to the 8th digit. The 9th and 10th digits were provided by Matej, OK1TEH. As the GPS system is also used as part of the tracking system and the dish has a 0.5 degree beam width it is not just an IPhone duck taped to a pole. HiHi Hope the following helps explain it a little more. Wikipedia states the following on grid squares. Character pairs encode longitude first, and then latitude. The first pair (a field) encodes with base 18 and the letters "A" to "R". The second pair (square) encodes with base 10 and the digits "0" to "9". The third pair (subsquare) encodes with base 24 and the letters "a" to "x". The fourth pair (extended square) encodes with base 10 and the digits "0" to "9". The fifth and subsequent pairs are not formally defined, but recycling the third and fourth pair algorithms is one possible definition: BL11bh16oo66
Great job to Jim and Rex. FYI, Jim can run 150 watts or around 300 on 10 ghz depending on the amp he uses. That's enough to zap bugs flying by the feed! Hope this record contact gets all you non-microwave types interested in the eme or terrestrial uWave hobby. 73
