SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX020
ARLX020 New 2304 distance record
 
ZCZC AX52
QST de W1AW  
Special Bulletin 20  ARLX020
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  July 12, 1994
To all radio amateurs 
 
SB SPCL ARL ARLX020
ARLX020 New 2304 distance record
 
New 2304 distance record
 
This year's summer VHF opening between Hawaii and California has
produced a new 2304 MHz world distance record.  On July 11 at 2321
UTC Chip Angle, N6CA, and Paul Lieb, KH6HME, made a two-way CW
contact on the band.
 
The two had spent 13 years attempting contacts on most of the
microwave bands before 2304 MHz was finally conquered.  Angle says
this leaves only 10 GHz left in their quest.
 
Angle said that the opening continued into July 12 and that Lieb and
Russ Sakai, KH6FOO, have been busily working stations on the
mainland on 144 MHz, many of them mobile stations with
omnidirectional antennas.  Lieb also is reported to have worked many
stations on 220 through 1296 MHz.
 
KH6HME is on the Mauna Loa volcano at 8200 feet elevation; N6CA is
in Palos Verdes at 340 feet.  Distance for the contact was 2468.8
miles.  An SSB QSO was attempted for a few minutes on 2304 MHz, but
was not completed because the two rushed to 10 GHz to attempt a
contact there.
 
This was an uncommon type of opening, with no elevation restriction
on the California end, along with good 1296 MHz propagation, Angle
said.
 
The opening produced another record, too, according to a report from
ARRL Technical Advisor Tom O'Hara, W6ORG.  KH6HME put his 434 MHz
amateur TV transmitter on the air, where it was copied by Gordon
West, WB6NOA.  West alerted other ATV operators in southern
California; the second amateur to copy the fast-scan video from
KH6HME was Mike Henkoski, KC6CCC, in San Clemente.
 
KH6HME did not have ATV receiving equipment with him at the Mauna
Loa site but hoped to try for a two-way on July 12.
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/EX