There are a keen number (>50) of amateur radio enthusiasts that operate on the 23cm band (1296MHz).
This high up on the spectrum, radios that transmit on this band are not easy to come by and often people buy a transverter to operate here.
The 23cm group mainly hold QSO sessions on Sunday mornings after the broadcasts, with the occasional construction session. Most people point at our microwave bands passive reflector – otherwise known as the Mt Wellington Organ Pipes.
If you have a low cost RTL-SDR you can listen out for people operating on the 23cm band.
23cm QSO Party
| When: | Approx 10am every Sunday |
| Frequency: | 1296.150MHz FM, followed by USB and Digital operation later |
| Where | Hobart and Surrounds |
Contact: Please Contact Us for further information
Recent Posts
Some history – a number of Hobart stations had been testing out rigs and antennas on 23cm. Just under 10 years ago in discussions at a REAST BBQ it was decided we should encourage this activity in some way. The suggestion was that we run a 23 cm QSO party straight after the Broadcast each Sunday morning to see how that works out and explore how well the various stations can communicate and encourage the improvement of antennas and systems.
On Sunday 6 December 2015, Murray VK7ZMS, operated from Mt Wellington and was the initial control station for the QSO party. Operation was on FM on 1294.0 MHz and in general people operated with horizontal polarization. There was a wrap up of how this all worked out at the DATV night on 9 December 2015 and more activity was planned on 23 cm. One option was that we can run a net by all beaming at Mt Wellington and continue each Sunday after the broadcast. So those with 23 cm gear dusted it off and joined in.
(more…)Last Sunday (23/02/2020) we welcomed Anthony VK7ZTA as a new participant. In all, 12 stations participated from Hobart and one from Launceston to equal our previous record of 13.
In addition, Richard VK7ZBX completed his first QSO up to Launceston with Peter VK7PD. Congratulations Richard and Peter.
The 23 cm QSO party is held each Sunday morning at 10:00 am immediately after the broadcast on 1296.150 FM. At 10:30 am we beam north to Launceston on 1296.2 MHz with the digital mode QRA64-C. Hobart stations transmit first period.
73 Rex VK7MO
VK7BEN’s 23cm Station with new Yagi
Participants: VK7’s MO, BEN, MA, WLH, TU, ZBX, OO, DM, HRS, KRJ
A great turnout on 23cm today with 10 participants! Many of the people were using their newly constructed yagi antennas built at the workshop at VK7MO’s last week. There was much interest in comparing signals with the new antennas.
By all reports, everyone has seen definite improvements in the receive and transmit signals, with many commenting on being able to hear people they couldn’t before and reports of the strongest signals from people in many months. VK7TU commented that is may also be due to the heavy rain yesterday causing the hills to be wetter and therefore more reflective of the signals.
From L-R VK7’s OO, BEN, ZBX, HRS and HH with their antennas. Photo: VK7MO
While many people enjoyed southern Tasmania’s Hobart Show public holiday, Rex VK7MO played host to a group of amateurs building antennas for 1296Mhz (23cm).
VK7s OO, BEN, ZBX, HRS and HH all attended from early in the morning to build Yagi’s suitable for 23cm. While most were content to built antennas with 18-21 elements, Richard VK7ZBX set himself a challenge in building a 70 (yes 70) element yagi, with a boom length of 6 metres!
The work is not over though, with building to continue on Saturday.
Last weekend numbers were down to 5 with VK7’s OO, ZMS, MO, JG and Ken VK7KRJ who is new to the group. Ken is operating with a handicap of 30 feet of thin coax and numerous adapters and while he had a good signal to VK7MO was only just detectable by VK7OO and VK7ZMS.
Ken expects to receive some adapters from ebay which will allow him to mount his transverter at the antenna and save around 10 dB which should make a big difference.
We continue straight after today’s broadcast on 1296.1, initially on FM.
(73, Rex, VK7MO)