Moon Bounce (EME) activities from São Tomé have been rare, with no recorded activities on the 70cm band that we are aware of. This sparked our initial interest in undertaking such an endeavor.

While 432-EME will not be the primary focus of the S9Z expedition, our operating conditions will be somewhat constrained. Nevertheless, we aim to bring some excitement to Moonbounce enthusiasts worldwide.

Thanks to the generous support of ICOM, we have been loaned a brand-new IC-9700. Aware of the thermal drifting issues, we have enlisted the expertise of Leo Bodnar to equip the radio with a high stability kit. Striking a balance between size and performance, we opted for the INNOVANTENNAS 17-LFA, which will be mounted on a tripod with a 3-meter fiberglass mast.

A very short run of LMR400 will be used for connecting the antenna’s balun to the EME2-432 ANTENNAS-AMPLIFIER LNA. The feed line will be completed with a few meters of LMR600.

We recognize that the IC-9700’s power alone may not suffice to reach many stations, and we welcome any suggestions and help. However, we are limited by the weight we can carry on our flight to São Tomé and the associated costs. On the bright side, the Moon will be favorably positioned during our activation days.