Search RFC: |                                     
Please support my efforts by advertising!
Serving a Pleasant Blend of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow™
Vintage Magazines
Electronics World
Popular Electronics
Radio & TV News
QST | Pop Science
Popular Mechanics
Radio-Craft
Radio-Electronics
Short Wave Craft
Electronics | OFA
Saturday Eve Post
Please Support My Advertisers!

Aegis Power | Centric RF | RFCT
Alliance Test | Empower RF
Isotec | Reactel | SF Circuits

Formulas & Data

Electronics | RF
Mathematics
Mechanics | Physics


About | Sitemap
Homepage Archive

Resources

Articles, Forums, Radar
Magazines, Museum
Radio Service Data
Software, Videos


Artificial Intelligence

Entertainment

Crosswords, Humor Cogitations, Podcast
Quotes, Quizzes

Parts & Services

1000s of Listings

Please support RF  Cafe's GoFundMe campaign! Software: RF Cascade Workbook | Espresso Engineering Workbook
RF Stencils for Visio | RF Symbols for Visio | RF Symbols for Office | Cafe Press
Werbel Microwave (power dividers, couplers)



ConductRF Phased Matched RF Cables - RF Cafe

Please Support RF Cafe by purchasing my  ridiculously low-priced products, all of which I created.

RF Cascade Workbook for Excel

RF & Electronics Symbols for Visio

RF & Electronics Symbols for Office

RF & Electronics Stencils for Visio

RF Workbench

T-Shirts, Mugs, Cups, Ball Caps, Mouse Pads

These Are Available for Free

Espresso Engineering Workbook™

Smith Chart™ for Excel

Windfreak Technologies Frequency Synthesizers - RF Cafe

Ham Radio Earth-Moon-Earth Contact
October 1960 Electronics World

October 1960 Electronics World

October 1960 Electronics World Cover - RF CafeTable of Contents

Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Electronics World, published May 1959 - December 1971. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.

We recently passed the 62nd anniversary of the first successful earth-moon-earth (EME) communication path by amateur radio operators. What is today a routine operation by Hams was a big deal back in the day. The moon was still a mystery to most of the world since at the time not even an unmanned probe had been sent for exploration. As reported in this 1960 issue of Electronics World magazine, 1,296 MHz was the frequency of choice using a 1 kW klystron on the transmit end and a highly sensitive parametric amplifier on the receive end, with high gain parabolic antennas on both ends. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has allocated the 144.00-144.20 MHz (2 m), 222.0-222.025 MHz (1.25 m), 432.00-432.07 MHz and (70 cm), 902.8-903.0 MHz (33 cm), 1295.8-1296.05 MHz (23 cm), and 2303.9-2304.2 MHz bands for various modes of EME operation per Part 97 rules.

Ham Radio Earth-Moon-Earth Contact

Ham Radio Earth-Moon-Earth Contact, October 1960 Electronics World - RF Cafe

Some members of the Eimac Radio Club in San Carlos, California, who participated in the moon-bounce circuit are shown here with their make-shift parabolic dish.

Details on the first amateur radio moon-bounce two-way microwave contact between California and Massachusetts.

The first amateur radio moon-bounce two-way microwave communication took place on Sunday, July 17 between two distant points. This contact marks an important milestone in the development of amateur radio. The historic contact was between the members of the Eimac Radio Club in San Carlos, California and Mr. Sam Harris, Rhododendron Swamp VHF Society in Medfield, Mass.

After months of personal effort by the radio amateurs concerned with this project, signals were transmitted in both directions on 1296 mc. The equipment was then refined and the first successful two-way communication was made. The first transmission was from West (W6HB) to East (W1BU). The pattern was then reversed and the first amateur coast-to-coast communication via the moon completed. At each end of the circuit, a 1000-watt klystron was used in the transmitter and a very sensitive parametric amplifier in the receiver.

Path of the 1296-mc. microwave signals - RF Cafe

Path of the 1296-mc. microwave signals.

This successful reception and transmission using the moon as a signal reflector will stimulate efforts to improve amateur-built equipment for further moon-bounce communications. The only other moon-bounce communications equipment in existence is military or experimental in nature; the principal installation is the Naval link between Washington and Hawaii.

Members of the Eimac Radio Club who participated in the moon-bounce circuit are: Bill Orr, W6SAI; Hank Brown, W6HB; Bill Eitel, W6UF; Ray Rinaudo, W6KEV; Bob Morwood, K6GJF; Bob Sutherland, W6UOV; Hugh MacDonald, W6CDT; George Badger, W6RXW; Allan Beer, K6GSO; Al Clark, W6MUC; Mike Krivohlavek, K6AXN, and Charlie Anderson, W6IVZ.

 

 

Posted December 2, 2022
(updated from original post on 7/9/2014)

Windfreak Technologies Frequency Synthesizers - RF Cafe