Ok, I have this running on the shack bench now!
Here's a quick look at the beast. Shack is a mess, like a bomb went off, so no wide shots.
Above: Front view. At left, RS232 port from Thunderbolt going to laptop. Band select on right, with LED indicators for mode.
Fitting an LCD display, where the DB9 connector is, will ultimately replace the need for an external laptop to interogate the Thunderbolt status.
Above: Looking into rear corner. Thunderbolt, DC input wiring and fuse, along with GPS antenna BNC, and 2 (of 4) 10MHz O/P BNCs.
At right you can see the ANT port for the [future] 3.4GHz system, along with the control cable (a CB 4-pin microphone plug/socket) coming from the 817.
Above: Looking to right. VK3XDK 1900-2100 multipler board in front, with 2.4G transverter board behind that, and a Spectrian 30W PA mounted on the enclosure side.
In addition to the Spectrian base plate, I have mounted the Spectrian onto another 6mm aluminium plate for extra heatsinking capability.
VK3XDK PLL board bolted on top of transverter board, sitting horizontal.
VK4CP Sequencer board at front.
Above: Looking to rear panel. Tohtsu coax relay from FT817 for input switching between 2.4G system and [future] 3.4G system.
Output SMA relay for T/R switching between XDK transverter RX path and the Spectrian amp O/P.
All the coax is RG-316 teflon, which is very easy to work with.
At 2.4Ghz and lower, the short runs of coax mean any loss is insignificant. There is no need for hardline or semi-rigid cable.
(The only hardline used is the 086 stuff that came with the Spectrian PA, which is terminated with SMA connectors)
With the FT-817 set to medium power (2.5W out), I get +2.5dBm out of my sequencer, going into the transverter TX IF i/p
Coming out of the VK3XDK 2.4G transverter board is +21dBm - exactly on spec.
Listening to myself on the IC-R1500 directly on 2403.100MHz FM, it sounds nice and clean.
VK4ADC wrote:Have you measured the input SWR on transmit as yet ?
Input SWR is 2.3:1.
VK4APN wrote:A couple of really well produced pdfs for your recent projects..................much appreciated, thank you.
Thanks
Glad any information is useful, it makes the documentation process worthwhile then.
VK4APN wrote:Where did you obtain the 150 ohm smd 1 watt(?) resistors?
Paul, these resistors were sourced from RS.
http://australia.rs-online.com/web/sear ... &R=2240294
In fact, I purchased quite a bit of stuff from RS.
Their online ordering, and free delivery make it so easy... so I couldn't be bothered with Rockby etc.