Equinox - 2013                                               22 July 2013
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was the first year for Equinox and it solved the  previous two year 
New Hampshire gap by providing 100% successful transmission to MTWASH-13.

In addition, EQINOX-12 copied MTWASH-13 solidly 100% of the time on the 
445.925 MHz FM channel. Surprisingly, in spite of all kinds of antennas 
on the summit of Mt. Equinox, I experienced no interference.

MTWASH-13 on the other hand complained, from time to time, of having some 
interference and did have some some trouble copying me. Generally however, 
I would say we were successful in coordinating on the 445.925 MHz channel.

I tried to record the signal strengths, but being a first-timer, I was 
consumed with doing a lot of other things.

Having said that, I believe the TM-D710A has 7 bars in its signal 
strength meter and I recall seeing MTWASH-13 light up all of them (7of 7).  
When I did hear GRYLC K-11, I recall seeing they were lighting up 2 of 7. 
Unfortunately, I didn't notice a similar reading for SAMSPT-10.

I'm hoping to do this next year when I'll be more familiar with what to 
expect and I can be more focused on recording "signal strengths".

73,
Richard, N2SPI

-------------


I just uploaded my packet log for today (Golden Packet Day of course!). 
Try this link:

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/bFbrUXDZr0cVzc-Sie984F06kOCWsktmRdUxXKh
MWBfa0twjIn9jRmgeNJG5Tx1t4ywKz1ZjPEcf1U-LqO5ZzLhQpWo/EQINOX-12
_GoldenPacketLog_07-20-13.txt

If that didn't work, it's in the AT-GOLDEN-PACKET files section with the 
title "2013 Golden Packet Log for EQINOX-12".

I don't have much time to comment, but quickly:

1) Careful examination of the log will show EQINOX-12 heard SAMSPT-10 
direct..., a lot. However, for some reason (propagation? someone moved 
an antenna? other??) I didn't hear them much later on. Perhaps this link 
needs to be strengthened with, say, low noise preamps and/or yagi 
antennas (just as we do with satellites).

2) MTWASH-13 came in like gangbusters..., all day long. I never had a 
suspicion that I had missed a packet transmission from MTWASH-13. I always 
saw my beacon digipeated by MTWASH-13, never GRYLCK-11.

73,
Richard, N2SPI