Microwaves USA

WA1ZMS and W4WWQ took advantage of the cold dry winter air to extend the 241 GHz millimeter record
to 114.4 km.  A considerable improvement over the old 79 km record.   The temperature was -15C with
a humidity of 38% at Brian's end and -11C with 40% humidity at Pete's end.   Atmospheric Loss varied
from .29 dB/km to .41 dB/km over the path.    The extreme cold and high winds took their toll. Brian
lost a laptop battery and almost lost a toe to 5 hours in the cold.  Li Ion batteries do not like to
be charged and discharged at these temperatures.   One 214 GHz mixer was several dB better than the 
other, the CW was easily copied by ear on the WA1ZMS end but Pete needed the aid of Spectran at the 
W4WWQ end of the QSO.   This was during the ARRL January VHF contest.  Thus Brian turned in a log 
with only one QSO and only one grid, but it was the best January contest he's ever had.