SG-Labs 1296 Transverter and PA/LNA

[Mike Lewis]

The SG-Labs website has not been updated recently but he now has version 2.3 of the 1296 transverter (2.2 on website) with a 10M reference input port. He also has a combination 25W PA with internal LNA and relay switching. About the same size package with mounting ears and split RX in.  Found a you tube video where it was bench tested.  Pricing 330Euro/$375USD shipped total for both. Breakdown is 156e for transverter, 162e for PA/LNA, and 12e shipping for both, 2 week lead time as of today. I could not pass that up so made an order for them today, looking forward to testing them. I would think the PA unit needs an external heat sink, I have asked about that, one was not added in the video.  The video is from Jan 2019 and is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w8sGDdzz2I.

 

I plan to put them in front of a spare reduced power XV144 instead of modifying one internally to 1296.  Tempted to locate PA/LNA at the antenna outside hidden under my deck. Later will add stuff to auto-switch to other 144 IF transverters like 903. Now I need to acquire a short yagi and get my cables run outside and finish the remote antenna switch.  Keeps me off the streets.

 

Mike Lewis, K7MDL

CN88sf and EL87sm

 

[Charles Miller]

Good that you're not running the streets Mike...gonna make the conference?

73, Chuck N6KW

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[Mike Lewis]

Yep.  Also will be giving a presentation for your entertainment value. 😊

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[Charles Miller]

Cool....

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[Brian Dickman]

I've been running this combo for a few months, with a KX3-2m as IF. Works great, especially once I found the defective cable inside my KX3 that was causing issues. I've worked a couple of contests and SOTA activations using it. The bare transverter is pretty popular with the SOTA crowd.

My only complaint so far is that the PA is a little sluggish on TX->RX transition, but it's perfectly workable. I'm going to try running it on an external sequencer to see if that helps, plus the timing might be tunable; I haven't tried asking Hrystian about that.

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Brian AF7MD

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[Gregory Winters]

I wanted to know if its possible to add a 10 MHz reference to the earlier versions that either did not have it, or for it wasn't an option. Not just the 23cms, but the 33 and 1ecm ones too.

Possible, sure I'm thinking. But maybe something else needs to be added or changed (PLL circuit?) to make use of the new reference.

Greg, K3RW

[James C]

Interesting...

I've only seen one SG without an external 10mhz lock. It was a very early 28mhz-23cm model.. 7-8 years ago...

Everything I've ever had from them otherwise has always come with a external ref input. as standard.

BTW, I'm bringing my tiny portable 10mhz locked SG stack to the conference for anyone who's interested in seeing how it works. 

73 .-James K7KQA

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[Gregory Winters]

There was a 144 MHz IF model without the 10 MHz reference as well. Later and current ones have it standard.

Got an answer today from SG Labs. An older unit can add in the 10 MHz ref as long as it uses a different chipset.

....

rom: in...@sg-lab.com <in...@sg-lab.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 8, 2019, 08:54
To: Gregory Winters
Subject: Re: Add 10 MHz ref to older transverter

Hello Greg,
Sorry for the delay in my response, we were too busy.
Yes it is possible to modify the transverter for external 10 MHz
reference. We already modified few units and they works OK.
How the mod is done: we added 2 SMA connectors - one for internal
reference output, the second - for PLL reference input. For operation
with the internal reference both are connected by a short cable. To use
an external reference, the cable must be disconnected and the signal
must be applied to PLL reference input SMA. As the internal reference
is with 26MHz frequency, the MCU need to be re-programmed . After the
mod jumper 4 is used to switch between internal and external reference ,
RF VOX is always switched ON.
Modified transverter needs a short power restart to switch between
internal and external reference.
If you want to modify your transverter, we can send 2 SMA connectors
with cables attached and programmed microcontroller - this is all
needed.
Or if you prefer, we can modify the transverter.

73
Hristiyan LZ5HP

....

No idea what the cost is, but its at least an option to add-in on older units.

Now I am trying to figure out how to get a sequencer to work with the SG Lab units.

73 de Greg, K3RW