241 GHZ

The 241-250 GHz bands are the highest frequencies globally allocated to amateur radio. Whilst powers and noise figures are challenging, experimentation is rising, helped by progress in lower bands such as 134 GHz and stable frequency sources. The high antenna gains available from small dish sizes facilitate portable operation, provided they are accurately aligned to accomodate the small beam angles.

Equipment/QSO Details Pictures
  • UK First / Distance Record:

    30m by Roger G8CUB/P and Chris G0FDZ/P on CW 19-Feb-2016

    Location JO01EP near Brentwood, Essex

    Mode: CW, A1A
    Power: ~1uW
    Antennas: 250/300mm dishes

    See also below


G8CUB 241 GHz Transceiver - click for higher-res


Operating Examples

Feb-2016:
The video below is of the first UK QSO that took place on 19-Feb-2016 15:00z on the 241GHz (1.2mm) band between Roger G8CUB/P and Chris G0FDZ/P in locator square JO01EP, Essex. The distance was 30 metres and the CW signals were 559 and 589. With signal to spare both ways an attempt was made to increase the distance to over 50m but with deteriorating weather likely, a decision was taken to limit to 30m as antenna alignment was taking a very long time to achieve

 
Chris G0FDZ Tx+Rx - and the outdoor test path

Roger G8CUB was transmitting on 241.01 GHz, Chris was on a nominal 241.02 although it was 1.3 MHz low at 241.0187 GHz. Both used separate Tx & Rx. All Txs (and Chris's LO) were derived from Elcom synths. Roger was using 16.0385 as LO (x15) into a Tektronix mixer. Chris used a 1mm diameter hole in the block on Rx with cut-off around 175GHz, whilst Roger used a piece of WR-03 - 173GHz cut-off.


Video: 19-Feb-2016 - A UK First on 241GHz

May/June-2016:
John Hazell G8ACE is another millimetre wave enthusiast and has been making great progress on and distances. To reach 241.02 GHz, John uses a 2.678GHz source x5 x3 and a final x6 mixer.


Video: John G8ACE testing his 241GHz kit - May 2016


Video: Further tests by John G8ACE over 400m distance - June 2016

May-2017:
John Hazell G8ACE and Ian Lamb G8KQW out portable achieve a new UK distance record of 6.8km on both 122 and 24GHz


Video: UK 122 & 241 GHz 6.8km

USA:
Brian Justin WA1ZMS et al lead activity in the USA - click here for more

France:
Similar distances to the UK - See here from 2001



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22-Jun-2017