5760 and 3400 at W7RNB

[Rick Beatty]

Today was a day of progress, for my 5760 nad 3400 transverters. I completed both systems, providing at least 1W on TX and plenty of gain on RX. Both in the same box using the same power supplies too. I am waiting for the IF attenuation board for the 3400 rig, but all the rest is done.

I did a preliminary alignment of the 18 dish antenna and it appears to be 20 db at 3400 and a bit more on 5760.

One interesting quirk of this box is that it runs on 110Vac, and I was able to cobble together my inverter with my batteries and it works quite well.

So, I'll be ready to test off the big 4 mountain shortly, or whenever I get the input attenuator board from Ukraine.

73 -- Rick

[Mike Lewis]

I got my 1.2GH PA advertised art 50W at 1250Mhz.  Don’t think so.  It is a 4W part for 700-1000.  Attached email shows my quick findings.  I need to sett up a better test setup with more 28V current.  First looks is >40W at 1080Mhz, 20W, likely more at 1296,  my bench supply hit its limit at 3A so not a full evaluation.   Right now working on the 905 decoder prototype.  Trying to get the 8 LED  PWM outputs working correctly.  Got 1 RGB LEDs working.  7 more regular LEDs to go.  Will make a PCB once the prototype is settled.   Firmware is working good otherwise.  I have to wire up all 12 outputs.  PTT is wired and working, turning on a LED and activating the correct outputs.  Just need to hook the outputs to  the driver and LEDs.

 

The 50W 1296 amp, and a yet to arrive 8W 12V 1296 and 28V 200-300 28V PA, are still to get crammed into my  705 Xvtr box.  I tested 222 Rx Tuesday night and after fixing a cable swap on the IF side, it is receiving great.  Pas test with my local weak signal show 903 should do well.  I am not so sure about 1296 yet.  I tried to hear Paul or anyone Tuesday night on FT8 and nothing.  It could be the LPDA.  It hears the weak signal source OK but I need to dig into what RF path it is hearing it and measure how sensitive it is, verify no cable issues.  I replaced the half broke solid sate SP6T IF switch and added a new 4 relay module to switch the 28V to the 3 50W amps.  The 903 amp got 50W no problem.  Still waiting for my 12 to 28V converter, need to mount it before I can mount my 10W TX IF attenuator, Until then I am mostly RX, cable swaps required to switch.

 

I have been chatting with Peter AF7GL about the 50W 5.7G PA.  Ther is an attached copy of the Dubus article on it.  If you look in the thread to January 7 you will se 2 links from Peter.  One of the article authors is in VK land and he wrote his own article on the 20W version results and smoke tests.