4 comments
This antenna array is used for EME. For those not familiar with that acronym, it means using the moon as a radio reflector to send signals back to earth: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%E2%80%93Moon%E2%80%93Earth_communication" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%E2%80%93Moon%E2%80%93Ear...</a>
I love reading about the exploits of radio amateurs. This is some seriously impressive engineering too. It's surprising what one can do with off the shelf components assembled on a human scale (instead of microwave frequencies which need much smaller circuits).<p>Also, there's a certain beauty in staying close to the physical layer and working the airwaves yourself.
The caption for the WAS aware clearly mention 52 US states.<p>Is that a typo or some quirk of radio amateur?
I believe that's a mistake. The page of the award mentions only 50 states: <a href="https://www.arrl.org/was" rel="nofollow">https://www.arrl.org/was</a>
It seems to be a typo, unless the criteria for the award have changed: <a href="https://www.arrl.org/was" rel="nofollow">https://www.arrl.org/was</a>
Or perhaps incredibly prescient!
Just 10W of RF to hear your own voice relayed by the moon is insane