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2007 EME Soapbox Rules Main Article by Jeremy Alexander W7EME Scores Category Winners (PDF) Line Scores by Class Sidebar Articles The Digital/Analog Divide Getting Started in Moonbounce From The Participants ARRL Products: Technical, Electronics, and Communications Reference (More) Shortwave DX Handbook -- New Price $34.95, effective January 3rd, 2008. -- Your Gateway to worldwide DXing, both at home and on your travels! Basic Radio - Understanding the Key Building Blocks -- FINALLY--an introduction to radio FOR EVERYONE!--what it does and how it does it. ARRL's Low Power Communication with 40-meter CW Cub Transceiver Kit -- Now Shipping! -- Build and operate low-power radio gear--the QRP way! 3rd Edition. Includes the 40-meter CW Cub Transceiver Kit. Power Supply Handbook -- Gain the knowledge and confidence you need to build and use power supplies. A must have for your bookshelf! ARRL's Low Power Communication -- Now Shipping! -- Build and operate low-power radio gear-the QRP way! 3rd Edition.

Moonbounce is an awesome achievement and fairly intimidating to the average ham, but it has never been more accessible than it is today. As you'll discover, the special digital sigital processing algorithms and protocols of WSJT by Joe Taylor K1JT (see the sidebar "The Digital/Analog

Divide") put moonbounce within reach of even modest stations, leveraging the power of the microprocessor to copy extremely weak signals.

If the idea of making a QSO over a half-million mile path sounds like fun, you need to start by learning the terminology and fundamentals of EME operation. There is an HF Moonbounce Net at 1500Z on 14.345 MHz for EME operations on 432 MHz and the higher bands. It is followed by the 2 meter EME net on the same frequency at 1600Z or 1700Z. This is a good place to meet hams that will answer questions (probably off-line and not during the net).

To learn more about the basics of EME, try the ARRL Technical Information Service EME pages at http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/moon.html

where you'll find some QST articles and links to other moonbounce sites.

N1BUG publishes a good how-to guide for the EME beginner at www.n1bug.net/operate/emebasic.html. A good US site is maintained by K7XQ at http://www.elite.net/~k7xq/k7xq.html and a good European site by DK5YA at http://www.vhfdx.de/eme.html.

Suffice it to say that you won't need a NASA-sized steerable dish. A couple of long-boom Yagi's will get you "on the moon" on either 144 or 432 MHz, the two most popular bands for EME operation. There may even be a moonbouncer in your town or region that wouldn't mind showing you the ropes.

You can also find moonbounce operators through the regional VHF/UHF contest clubs and those can be located those via the ARRL Club Search Web page at http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/clubsearch.phtml.

With all of these resources and the excellent VHF/UHF all-band all-mode radios so widely available, the barriers to moonbounce have never been lower. Why not make it a group or club project? The moon is closer than you think!