Historia komunikacji Zemia - Księżyć - Ziemia (EME) dyletantowi Czerepakowi Miszy dedykuję Wyśmiany system anten przez dyletanta Miszę Czerep

Earth–Moon–Earth communication history Bouncing radio signals off the Moon is not a recent endeavour. According to Trexler the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) searched for lunar echoes ‘as early as 1924 and continuing through the 1930s’, making regular attempts as radar technology progressed. These technological improvements originated in the ionospheric research of the 1920s and 30s, but the decisive progress came in the shape of military technology during the second world war. After the war, there was an abundance of surplus radar equipment, as well as a large pool of engineers and scientists in pursuit of peacetime careers. Consequently, it was not until the end of the war that circumstances permitted EME experiments which were ultimately successful. At war’s end ionospheric research resumed its roll as a driving force in radar technology, eventually enabling the field of radar astronomy. Lunar studies became a part of this research, in its turn opening up further areas of interest, both civilian and military, not seldom with the latter under the guise of the former. As a consequence of the ensuing cold war, two of the goals of these and following projects were to develop long-range radars for detecting intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and locating Soviet radars by intercepting those of their signals which bounced off the Moon. Another goal was to use the Moon as a passive relay in long-range communication circuits, both for commercial and military purposes. Some of the people involved in these projects were also keen radio amateurs. Hence it should come as no surprise that amateur radio enthusiasts were not far behind in trying to bounce radio signals off the Moon. This chapter will present some of the most prominent projects related to the above. Among these are Project Diana, Project PAMOR, the Communication Moon Relay Project and Project Moonbeam which was an amateur radio project. Last but not least, a few words on the current state of amateur radio EME communication will be presented. The information in this chapter was compiled from mainly two NASA history office sources, which should be of interest to those seeking more knowledge . Aerial view of the Project Diana site, Camp Evans Signal Laboratory, where the first planned radar signals were received from the Moon on January 10, 1946. (Photo courtesy of Camp Evans InfoAge WWII museum and national historic landmark.

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