The 15th International E-M-E Conference comes to Cambridge
Two Nobel physics laureates from the world of radio astronomy will be amongst an elite group of amateur radio and radio astronomy enthusiasts from all over the world who are meeting in Cambridge on the 18th and 19th August at the 15th International EME Conference.
This “home made” 6m parabolic dish antenna is used for Earth-Moon-Earth communications on a number of UHF and Microwave bands from 432MHz up to 5.7GHz
EME stands for Earth – Moon – Earth communications for which the moon is used as a passive reflector to extend the range of VHF, UHF and microwave radio signals. At these frequencies, conventional communications on planet Earth is limited by the curvature of the Earth and range is extended by using man made satellites. These are costly to build and launch but by “bouncing” signals off the moon any two stations that can “see” the moon at the same time can communicate using this natural satellite as a reflector.
The distance to the usual Geostationary communications satellites is about 37,000km and they receive, boost and re-transmit the signals. The distance to the moon and back is around 700,000km and its surface is a far from perfect reflector so the power returning to planet Earth is minute, just a few millionths of a millionth of a millionth of a watt. To succeed in receiving signals reflected from the moon receiving systems require sensitivity of the same order as those used for Radio Astronomy and Space communications.
The surface of the moon is a far from perfect reflector.
This 3.7m solid dish was formerly used in the development of satellite TV systems and is now used for Earth- Moon-Earth communications on the Microwave bands from 3.4 to 24GHz and for Radio Astronomy.
With an understanding of astronomy essential for success with EME communications it is not surprising that many involved in this challenging aspect of the science based hobby of amateur radio are also active Radio Astronomers.
Delegates to this international conference come from all corners of the world and from all walks of life from professional engineers and radio astronomers to medical doctors and others with a scientific background. All enjoy the challenge of designing, building and operating the equipment needed for this task.
Delegates to this international conference come from all corners of the world and from all walks of life from professional engineers and radio astronomers to medical doctors and others with a scientific background. All enjoy the challenge of designing, building and operating the equipment needed for this task.
The purpose of the conference is to present the latest developments in radio technology including receivers, digital signal processing, antennas and transmitters.
EME communication provides valuable opportunities for those involved in the design and development of radio and radar systems to develop and test ideas. This demonstrates the value of amateur radio as a science based hobby.
EME communication provides valuable opportunities for those involved in the design and development of radio and radar systems to develop and test ideas. This demonstrates the value of amateur radio as a science based hobby.
The former Apollo ground station at Bochum in Germany has been used by radio amateurs for EME tests and has even been used by amateurs to bounce signals off the planet Venus.
Such is the relationship between amateur EME communications and the world of Radio Astronomy that even the giant 1000ft Telescope built into a mountain at Arecibo in Puerto Rico has been used for "amateur" EME communications. (Arecibo image courtesy of Google Earth.)
More information on the conference can be found at www.eme2012.com or by email from:-
brian-coleman@tiscali.co.uk or telephone 01264 773342.
Useful Links to information about EME communications can be found on the following web sites. ** indicates that the web site owner will be at the conference.
Hampshire England http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/g4nns/radast.html ** Includes descriptions and photos of the construction of a radio telescope.
Sweden http://www.moonbouncers.org/
Australia http://www.vk3um.com/index.html **
Italy http://www.iz4beh.net/bagnara.htm
Japan http://eme.dokidoki.ne.jp/photo/jh1krc/index.html **
Germany http://astropeiler.de/dl0ef-amateurfunk-mit-dem-10m-radioteleskop
The former Telstar earth station at Pleumeur-Bodou in Britanny http://www.pleumeur- bodou.com/ was recently used by radio amateurs for EME communications to mark the 50th anniversary of the first transatlantic TV broadcasts.
All images can be downloaded and are free of copyright apart from the Arecibo picture which is from Google Earth.
brian-coleman@tiscali.co.uk or telephone 01264 773342.
Useful Links to information about EME communications can be found on the following web sites. ** indicates that the web site owner will be at the conference.
Hampshire England http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/g4nns/radast.html ** Includes descriptions and photos of the construction of a radio telescope.
Sweden http://www.moonbouncers.org/
Australia http://www.vk3um.com/index.html **
Italy http://www.iz4beh.net/bagnara.htm
Japan http://eme.dokidoki.ne.jp/photo/jh1krc/index.html **
Germany http://astropeiler.de/dl0ef-amateurfunk-mit-dem-10m-radioteleskop
The former Telstar earth station at Pleumeur-Bodou in Britanny http://www.pleumeur- bodou.com/ was recently used by radio amateurs for EME communications to mark the 50th anniversary of the first transatlantic TV broadcasts.
All images can be downloaded and are free of copyright apart from the Arecibo picture which is from Google Earth.
A pdf of this page with full resolution graphics may be downloaded from here.
To view higher resolution images, right click (ctrl click) on the image. These will open in a new tab/window from which you can save the higher resolution image.
To download higher resolution pictures from this page, select the image and use Save linked file as... or whatever your browser does to save linked files.
Full resolution images of the pictures can also be found and downloaded from here.
To view higher resolution images, right click (ctrl click) on the image. These will open in a new tab/window from which you can save the higher resolution image.
To download higher resolution pictures from this page, select the image and use Save linked file as... or whatever your browser does to save linked files.
Full resolution images of the pictures can also be found and downloaded from here.