August 10 2001
The 10 GHz cw beacon has been repaired and is now operating on Mt. San Miguel, southeast of San Diego in Gridsquare DM12MQ. The Lat/Lon is 32 deg 41.80 min North and 116 deg 56.09 min West. Frequency is 10,368,070 MHz +/- 10 KHz and callsign is WB6IGP/B. A second beacon also emits from this site using wbfm cw on a frequency of 10,250 MHz with callsign N6IZW/B.
Several have asked for more details about the San Diego Beacons on Mt San Miguel (Grid DM12MQ). Both beacons have +14 dBm output to a waveguide slot antenna with 16 total slots, estimated gain of 10 dBi. The waveguide has no wings so the omnidirectional horizontal pattern has dips and peaks. Polarization is horizontal. The location altitude is approximately 2565 ft. The source for the narrowband beacon on 10,368.070 MHz, +/- 10 KHz, is a "brick" oscillator phase locked to an internal approx 100 MHz crystal oscillator. The crystal is heated but we have experienced daily frequency variation due to external temperatures as indicated by the +/- range stated above. We also expect a gradual downward drift due to crystal ageing based on past experience. This beacon has cwid callsign WB6IGP/B. The source for the wideband MCW fm beacon on approxmately 10,250 MHz is a Gunn Oscillator and may move around +/- a few MHz with temperature changes. Its MCW callsign is N6IZW/B.
We have plans for a more advanced beacon system in the future, but felt it was more important to get these beacons back on the air in time for the 2001 microwave contest weekends.
73s from Ed Munn, W6OYJ
(858) 453-4563