LAØBY Moonbounce (EME) activities LA0BY, last updated August 2009

Mounbounce or Earth-Moon-Earth describes a propagation mode for which a signal is radiated towards the Moon and reflected back to the Earth. Due to the high path losses and the low reflection coefficient of the Moon a rather high effective radiated power (ERP) is needed. For small stations this means really fighting the noise. Lately the use of digital communications has lowered the equipment demands somewhat, but be aware of the caveats (see SM2CEW's comments on the Validity of JT65 contacts with WSJT).

EME is most commonly used on 144 MHz, 432 MHz and 1296 MHz, but a number of radio amateurs have equipment also for 50 MHz and the higher microwave bands. Over the years I have operated on EME from several locations, using both small and medium sized equipment.

List of my EME activities

  144 MHz from JP99LP - first trials with single 12-ele yagi and fixed elevation 
  144 MHz from JP99OO - good system with 4 x 15-ele yagi, full elevation 
  144 MHz from JQ88AD - exiting opportunity from Svabard 
  432 MHz from JO59DX - joint project with LA9NEA and LA8KV 
  432 MHz from JO59FW - trials with a single yagi and QRP
 
However, nothing of this compares to the mighty EME array of LA8YB. Check it out!