Linda, KA1ZD and I skipped the first weekend because I was recovering from surgery but I felt good
by the second weekend. At the last minute we decided to go to a couple of our favorite spots on the
Cape. Saturday we were moderately successful from FN42wb but failed to connect with anyone on 24
GHz. Sunday we had better luck on longer 10 GHz paths from FN41xt and managed 148 km on 24 GHz to
the gang on Block Island. Our final 10 GHz QSO was W1VLF. Paul's periscope antenna delivered an
outstanding signal at 249 km!

Despite two humid weekends with flat propagation, another fun contest!
 
Highlights: 
Pack roving SJV with N9JIM & K6MG (Game warden by canal: "Are you fishing?"... Us: "Just for QSOs")
From Frazier, worked NJ6D and K6VHF on Mt Pinel, 765 km, 10 GHz weak signal CW 
Over a dozen 47 GHz QSOs (all CW & ~100 miles DX) with W6QIW, W6BY, KB6BA, using 30mW radio built by
Bob, KF6KVG, from surplus parts.
Lots of 24 GHz QSOs (lower San Joaquin Valley <-> Frazier Ntn) despite generally poor mm wave
conditions. 
 
73,
Mike K6ML

What a thrill this contest was!  It started slowly, as I joined N2CJ and others at the Stony Point
Lighthouse on Saturday for the Lighthouse weekend. From the SPL I was only able to work W1VLF, and
that was a big effort, but it did mark I believe my first digital contact on 10Ghz, so that was
quite fun!  Next I went to State Line Lookout with its proven path to Block Island and picked up the
bunch on Block Island, which was great!  Next stop was home. Now since watching K0SM's Rain Scatter
presentation at Dayton on YouTube, I had really had RS on the brain.  With encouragement and
patience from K1RZ and others I finally made my first RS contacts right from my deck!  WOW what a
thrill! Had I understood how to use K0SM's website earlier in the contest I would have made out like
a bandit!  But I am ready for the next go round!  73 & Looking for you on RS!

On August 16, 2025, I operated solo on the first day of the 10 GHz from Inspiration Point on
Blueridge (DM14di), about 7,500 feet above Wrightwood, California. I used an Icom IC-905 (1/2 watt)
and an 18 inch AH-109PB dish mounted on my van about 13 feet above the ground. I parked my van next
to a microwave repeater site. The long view to the east and steep drop to the northwest (for the
roving stations in the Central Valley) were great. Some hills limited my local contacts in the Los
Angeles basin. Sunrise on Saturday was awesome. Radio conditions were not as good as 2024, perhaps
due to fog and moisture in the air down below. In addition to the usual suspects, I worked: three
stations in Kettleman City (DM06aa), a distance of 276 kilometers; and one station on the Mexican
border (DM12no), a distance of 209 kilometers.

In spit of equipment failure in August and long travel to vistas with random cell service, I managed
to score higher than other years.  Many "almost" qso's with copy on one end or the other, so close. 
A microwave SWL is a big tease. What a pleasure hearing familiar voices, working new Stations and
once in a while providing new grids to folks.  Roving microwave continues to be the most fun I've
had in 50 years as a ham.

What a crazy event! This was my first 10GHz & up contest, operating only on 10GHz.  The first
weekend I teamed up with veterans, Pat N6RMJ and Alex K6VHF, to rove from S. California.  The second
weekend Alex and I went mountain topping in Arizona to concentrate on long haul contacts, while Pat
went back to California to work the central valley again.  For me, after some 1500+ miles under the
wheels I netted 68 QSOs over both weekends - not a top 10 but fun nonetheless.  

The highlight for me was making some truly long-haul QSOs from eastern Arizona to Southern
California.  In particular I improved my longest 10GHz QSO by a large margin when I completed A QSO
with Oliver, KB6BA, from Mt Graham, AZ to Frazier Mountain for 862km!  As a bonus, I discovered some
truly beautiful places in Arizona I didn't know existed having lived in the state for more than 30
years.

On the first weekend 3 of the 5 possible rover stations were not available so we decided to do some
1km QSOs on all the bands from 10-122 GHz.  I had intended to add Light but I had trouble with one
of them.

On the first day of the second weekend we have 5 rovers out in the rain.  We had 3 stations equipped
with 10 & 24 GHz but we did not bother with 24.  We had one portable fixed station as well as my
home station.

On the second day of the second weekend the weather was much better but the humidity was very high
from the rains on the first day, so did not try 24 on the long hops.

Thanks go out to VA3ECO, VE4SA, VE4DDZ, VE4GA, VE4BRE and VE4AQU for their efforts !

The station was operated as W6IFE, the San Bernardino Microwave Society Club Call, to mark the 70th
anniversary of The Society.  The rover station is battery powered and operates the full contest
weekend without re-charging.  The station runs 8W into a 4' dish.  The dish is older than the
society or the operator.  We have a motto at the SBMS regarding working stations on marginal or
difficult paths: Put in a little extra time to find where the best path is and you will be a
believer as even the most modest station has the potential for a significant contact distance at 10
GHz.  We implore everyone who hasn't tried "real microwave" to start planning to be part of the ARRL
10 GHz. & up contest.  W6DL, President, SBMS.

This was my first 10 GHZ since 2014. This was the first time using a smaller dish--17" and 8 watts
vs 3 ft dish and 12 w years ago--also first time using new Icom 705 transceiver. Thanks to all the
"old timers" who worked my and the first timers too! Hope to get a set up at home QTH for the next
years test. 

73 de w6ylzilla!!!

NO FUE BUENA LA PROPAGACION