Got a 1.2ghz radio...like a T-81a HT? You need to know about our fine-business microwave repeater here at the University of Texas. It is on 1292.3 mhz. Minus offset -20mhz. The nifty thing is that is has a high-power 10 meter FM link onto 29.6mhz. We are cranking out 100 Watts at almost 22 stories up. It makes a BIG signal on 10. You can work Europe, Japan and anywhere else on the planet with 100mw from your rubber-duckie walking down the street in Austin. Please email me and ask for the control codes so you can turn it on and off at will.

You can hit our repeater from anywhere in the Austin "Bowl" with a watt. Remember, 1.2 is a line of sight band. 1" can make a difference in getting in.

A great project is the following:

Take two 3lb coffee cans. Cut the bottom out of one. Now, drill a half inch wide hole 4" from the bottom of the can with the bottom still on it (on the side of the can). Install a female N connector there. On the center pin of the female N connector, solder a 2.3" piece of 10ga wire. This is the quarter wave antenna element. Now solder the two cans together at the top of the one with the antenna element and the open end of the one with the bottom cut out. You can spray paint the whole thing...looks nice. You can also put the plastic lid back on the open end. I paint a red radiation symbol on my plastic lids. Lastly, you can mount a metal "L" bracket on the rear of the assembly and solder a 1/4 x20 nut to the part coming away from the can (over the hole in the bracket) which forms a nice camera tripod mount for the antenna.

This is a 10DB gain open-ended waveguide beam antenna that really does the job. If you are over the horizon from the repeater...or shooting through a hill of dirt- aim the antenna higher than level..and you will refract over the hill into town. I do this from 15 miles out -in back of a hill- and get in with 1 watt.

So....see you on 1.2 . It is high and thin territory...and the haunt of the elite (did I get your interest?!)

73's

Bob Nagy AB5N

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