LinkRF - EME and Weak signal communication

My name is Alex Artieda, I was first licensed as OA4CRK (incl. CW) in 1990 at the age of 25. Like all the novices in Peru I began to operate on 40m and 80m. During the 90’s I became one of the most active DXer of Peru. The EME project at OA4O (Peruvian Radio Club) gets my attention; the idea to bounce signals off the moon was fascinating me very much. But by the time I received my license the project at OA4O was already suspended (until 2005).

I was enrolled as an active member on the APDX (Peruvian DX Association) founded by Nathan Sterental OA4OS (sk). In 1994 participate as member of the first IOTA Dxpedition activating the first Peruvian IOTA SA 052, San Lorenzo, with the call sign 4T0SL. In 1997 we moves from Lima to Bogotá, Colombia, from there I operates 3 years as HK3TAS, concentrating my activity from 28 MHz to 432 MHz. In 2000 we moves again, this time to Switzerland were I gets my Swiss call HB9DRI. Due to space limitations for antennas I operates QRP on HF. Never the less I was able to contact 130 countries in HF. The passion for ham radio is shared with my wife Helene who is in charge of administering the log and the QSL’s.

In 2001 I meets Dan, HB9CRQ, who invited me to become member of HB9Q. In 2005 my dream became reality! I was the project-leader of „OA4O back to EME“. With my friends of OA4O we made a major effort to fix, if needed replace the existing equipment and add what was missing. Finally, we succeeded to reactivate the 8m dish which was QRT for 15 years. We made 12 initials on 432 MHz. In 2008 I opened LinkRF, a small design house dedicated to produce high quality electronic designs especially for EME, well know devices like the OE5JFL antenna controller was produced. The Adaptive Polarization receiver IQ+ emerge from my bench and spread quickly within the EME community.

In 2015, for working reasons, we moves again, now to South Africa where I operates as ZS6EME, especially on 2.3 GHz. I decides to re-learn CW after more than 25 years of inactivity. I manages to complete 90% of my EME QSO’s from South Africa in CW, most of them random, and also a good number in SSB and JT. Never the less I'm not devoted exclusively for one single mode but I prefers SSB as the REAL KING mode for EME. Last but not least in 2017 I participate in the 3DA0MB DXpedition in Swaziland. And together with Sam, HB9COG and Dan, HB9CRQ we activate EME from Pretoria in 5.7 and 10 GHz on EME using my call ZS6EME.

In 2019 again we move, this time to Thailand were I operate as HS0ZOP, I'm still waiting the especial authorization for EME in 432 and 1296 MHz, the authorization is complicate becouse those bands never bin used by Radio Amateurs.

I complete a University Degree in Communication Sciences of the University of Lima in Peru. I'm experienced technical specialist in telecommunications, having worked several years in mobile telephony and data infrastructure worldwide. I worked as IT System Architect for the Swiss government for almost 10 years, and now semi -retired dedicate my free time to build equipment for EME and support my wife in her diplomatic missions world wide.