SARC 10 GHz Beacon

Early Experiments and Beacon Concept

After completing QRP transmitters and transverters, Dino and Scott VA7SC were successful in making line-of-sight 10 GHz contacts between distant points in the Fraser Valley. This event was the precursor to the construction of a 10 GHz beacon which would provide experimenters with a known signal source and encourage more activity in this neglected band.

Building the 10 GHz Beacon

Completion of the beacon was timed to correspond with the MUD (Microwave Update) 2024 conference held in Vancouver, BC – the first such conference ever held in Canada.

The beacon was built around the ADF4351 clock chip providing the local oscillator frequency followed by tripler circuit obtained from Paul W1GHZ, to put out 1mW at 10,368.225 GHz.

The 10 MHz reference was provided by an oven-controlled crystal oscillator (OCXO) circuit board obtained from Hugh VA3TO. Control was provided by two Arduino Nano boards, one for the local oscillator and the other for the Morse Code ID of the beacon (VE7SAR/B). The antenna is a 2x10 Slot waveguide omnidirectional antenna.

Installation and Coverage

Scott and Dino installed the beacon at the Concord High-Rise in Central Surrey in September 2024 at an elevation of approx. 600 ft ASL. Even with the minimal 1mW output the beacon was received 15 km from the source. Knowing more power output was required, they installed a JCA 150mW power amplifier which provided an amazing coverage in the Lower mainland with S9+ 10 db in Victoria, Vancouver Island. It was also copied from Hurricane Ridge in NW Washington, 160 km away. The beacon has been running 24/7 ever since.

Community Impact

Having the beacon up and running has had the desired effect of attracting others to participate on 10 GHz, including SARC members Slava VE7LWW, Les VA7OM and Andrew VA7LGN. In addition, Alex VE7IRU has built an offset dish and low noise block (LNB) system which allows him to copy the beacon signal from Nanaimo, Vancouver Island.