New to EME and planning my first moonbounce setup with limited budget and space. Looking at either 2m or 70cm for initial band choice. Research suggests 70cm requires less power for equivalent performance due to better moon reflectivity - is this accurate?

Available equipment options:

• 2m: 2 x 13 element Yagis + 400W SSPA + 0.8dB NF preamp
• 70cm: Single 25 element Yagi + 200W SSPA + 0.6dB NF preamp

Both setups fit my budget but wondering which offers better success rate for a newcomer. Most activity seems concentrated on 2m but 70cm appears more forgiving for smaller stations.

Go with 2m for your first EME band - the activity level makes a huge difference for learning. Yes, 70cm has better path loss characteristics, but you'll find far more patient elmers and regular activity on 144MHz. Start with digital modes like Q65 to build confidence before attempting CW.

Your 2m setup looks marginal but workable with Q65. The dual Yagi array gives you about 16dBi gain which combined with 400W should get you into the game. Make sure your preamp has good dynamic range - EME requires excellent weak signal performance without overload from nearby strong signals.

Actually started EME on 70cm with a similar single Yagi setup and had good success. The band is less crowded so finding clear frequencies is easier, and the shorter path loss does help. However, switching to 2m later opened up many more contacts due to higher activity levels.