UTARC VHF Weak Signal

Equipment | VHF DX Totals | 50 MHz | 144 MHz | 222 MHz | 432 MHz | 1296 MHz

The University of Texas Amateur Radio Club has only a brief history of activity on the VHF/UHF weak signal bands. UTARC acquired its first VHF multi-mode radio around 1987 and only became seriously active in 1996. The club station has been used to make contacts using Sporadic E, troposcatter, tropoducting, meteor scatter, transequatorial, and EME propagation.

N5XU's VHF/UHF Weak Signal Equipment

Band	Radio	Amplifier	Feedline	Antenna
50MHz	Yaesu FT-847	None 100 watts out	RG-213/U	Cushcraft 50S3
144MHz	Yaesu FT-726R	AM-6155 400 watts out	RG-213/U	Cushcraft 13B2
222MHz	Down East Microwave 222-28CK with Realistic HTX-100	AM-6155 400 watts out	LMR-400	13-element yagi
432MHz	Yaesu FT-726R	Tokyo HyPower HL-60U 60 watts out	1/2" Andrews Heliax	Directive Systems DSFO432-25
1296MHz	UHF Units transverter with Yaesu FT-290R	None 3 watts out	Tower-mounted with RG-213/U	45-element loop yagi

In the Photo Above: The equipment is on a single table and shelf. On the top shelf, left to right: Tokyo HyPower HL-60U, Optimus PRO-50MX headset microphone, Kenwood SP-230 speaker, Super CMOS Keyer III sitting on top of Yaesu FT-290R, and Realistic HTX-100/Downeast Microwave DEM28-222CK transverter combination. On the bottom shelf, left to right: Astron RS-35M power supply, Yaesu FT-726R, Bencher BY-1 paddles, Yaesu FT-847. The PC monitor, speaker, keyboard, and mouse are connected via long extension cables to a 90 MHz Pentium machine located out of the frame to the right. On the floor is a Henry 3CX800A7 50 MHz linear amplifier (not currently being used.) On the right side of the table, you can see MFJ coax switches, used for our 50 MHz and 144 MHz antennas.

Expansion Plans: Some time in the future, UTARC plans to expand its VHF/UHF equipment base. We are considering amplifier options, such as an AM-6155 for 432 MHz and maybe some sort of 8877 or dual 3-500Z amplifier for 50 MHz. The next band acquisition will probably be 902 MHz. Anyone interested in helping out with these, or other VHF/UHF weak signal projects is highly encouraged to get in touch with one of the club officers.

VHF DX Totals

In November, 1996, N5XU was awarded ARRL VUCC (VHF/UHF Century Club) certification on 50MHz. This award requires confirmation of two-way contact using Amateur Radio frequencies above 50MHz with other radio amateurs in at least 100 distinct grid squares. Our certification is number 845. UTARC is still working toward VUCC certification on the other VHF/UHF bands. The UTARC club station, N5XU, is located in grid square EM10dg.

Band	Grid Squares	U.S. States	Canadian Provinces	DXCC Countries
50MHz	210	44	3	6
144MHz	63	15	0	3
222MHz	14	2	0	1
432MHz	22	4	0	1
1296MHz	7	1	0	1

Below are maps of North America showing the grid squares and states that N5XU has confirmed on the VHF/UHF bands. These maps were created using GcmWin by SM3GSJ.

Six Meters

Grids: CM87, CN82, CN84, DK79, DK89, DL44, DM04, DM05, DM11, DM12, DM13, DM14, DM15, DM17, DM22, DM23, DM26, DM28, DM33, DM34, DM35, DM36, DM41, DM42, DM43, DM44, DM45, DM51, DM54, DM56, DM57, DM59, DM61, DM62, DM63, DM65, DM67, DM68, DM69, DM72, DM76, DM79, DM98, DN06, DN30, DN40, DN44, DN52, DN71, DN84, DN94, DN95, DN96, EK09, EL07, EL08, EL09, EL17, EL18, EL19, EL29, EL39, EL49, EL59, EL83, EL86, EL87, EL88, EL89, EL94, EL95, EL96, EL97, EL98, EM00, EM01, EM09, EM10, EM11, EM12, EM13, EM18, EM20, EM22, EM26, EM27, EM28, EM29, EM34, EM36, EM37, EM38, EM40, EM44, EM48, EM49, EM50, EM53, EM54, EM55, EM56, EM57, EM58, EM59, EM62, EM63, EM64, EM65, EM66, EM67, EM68, EM69, EM70, EM71, EM72, EM73, EM74, EM75, EM76, EM77, EM78, EM79, EM81, EM83, EM84, EM85, EM86, EM87, EM88, EM89, EM90, EM91, EM92, EM93, EM94, EM95, EM96, EM97, EM98, EM99, EN10, EN11, EN26, EN30, EN31, EN33, EN34, EN35, EN36, EN40, EN41, EN42, EN43, EN44, EN45, EN50, EN51, EN52, EN53, EN54, EN56, EN60, EN61, EN62, EN63, EN64, EN66, EN70, EN71, EN72, EN73, EN75, EN80, EN81, EN82, EN83, EN90, EN91, EN92, EN94, FE48, FL16, FM02, FM03, FM04, FM05, FM06, FM07, FM08, FM09, FM14, FM16, FM18, FM19, FM26, FM29, FN00, FN01, FN02, FN03, FN10, FN11, FN12, FN22, FN31, FN35, FN41, FN42, FN43, FN74

States: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming Canadian Provinces: Ontario, Nova Scotia, Quebec

DXCC Countries: Argentina, Bahamas, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, the United States of America

Two Meters

Grids: DL98, DL99, DM42, DM43, DM62, DM78, DM81, DM90, DM91, EL07, EL08, EL09, EL16, EL17, EL18, EL19, EL28, EL29, EL39, EL49, EL79, EL83, EL86, EL87, EL88, EL89, EL95, EL96, EL97, EL98, EM00, EM01, EM04, EM10, EM11, EM12, EM13, EM14, EM19, EM20, EM21, EM22, EM30, EM31, EM32, EM40, EM50, EM51, EM60, EM70, EM73, EM77, EM80, EM81, EM84, EM90, EM95, EN13, EN25, EN34, EN70, FM05, FM16

States: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas DXCC Countries: Cuba, Mexico, the United States of America

One and a Quarter Meters

Grids: EL07, EL09, EL17, EL19, EL29, EL87, EM00, EM01, EM10, EM11, EM12, EM13, EM20, EM21

States: Florida, Texas DXCC Countries: the United States of America

Seventy Centimeters

Grids: DM90, EL07, EL09, EL16, EL17, EL19, EL28, EL29, EL87, EL88, EM00, EM01, EM10, EM11, EM12, EM13, EM19, EM20, EM22, EM45, EM50, EM70

States: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Texas DXCC Countries: the United States of America

Twenty-three Centimeters

Grids: EL09, EL17, EL19, EM00, EM01, EM10, EM20

States: Texas DXCC Countries: the United States of America

University of Texas Amateur Radio Club N5XU
Send comments to: utarc@www.utexas.edu
Last updated: 17 October 2006