What's on your Workbench?

[VK6WAX]

In an effort to avoid the dreaded lurker status, though not too successfully
Started an AD8307-based power meter.

Cheers
Andrew
vk6wax

[VK2LK]

G'day VK6OX,

I'm curious how to connect the coax directly to the Thunderbolt itself without the BNC connectors. Is the thin coax directly soldered to the PCB? Or is there something like a small SMA socket on board that the thin coax connects to instead?

Thanks for the pics!

Cheers,
Matt
VK2LK

Wiring completed for my Thunderbolt GPSDO/10MHz distribution box.
Power-up "flash test" successful.
Now to connect antenna and put the thing into service!

http://www.vklogger.com/forum/download/ ... &mode=view

[VK2TXP]

This masterpiece of engineering is the simplest mechanism I could come up with for a manual elevation mount. Tonight I'll use it to see if I can receive any moonbounce with a recently constructed 4el LFA yagi. I'm not expecting much, but it seems worth a try with wsjt. I'll have a couple of hours of good moon visibility from my apartment balcony, where I could probably stack two of these horizontally.

[VK4CLG]

Nice and simple setup for elevation control but I got to ask where did you get the green element mount from. Been looking for those things for a while so I can build my next 2M yagi.

Cheers
Robert
VK4LHD

[ZL3RC]

http://www.g0ksc.co.uk/buy-insulators21 ... eprivacy=1 is one source of then Robert.

Cheers

Roger
ZL3RC

[VK4APN]

Nice and simple setup for elevation control but I got to ask where did you get the green element mount from. Been looking for those things for a while so I can build my next 2M yagi.

Cheers
Robert
VK4LHD

They are Stauff Clamps part 112,0A PP SHELL - when I bought them they were AUD$1.20 per pair. There are different sizes that handle different size elements, the part number will give you a starting point at least. Stauff may be in other states, but I bought mine from Brisbane.

STAUFF CORPORATION PTY LTD
83 Bluestone Cct
Seventeen Mile Rocks QLD 4073
ABN 44 001 338 487 Ph: (61) 7 32170444 Fax: (61) 7 32170300
Email: sales@stauff.com.au

[VK4TI]

""Nice and simple setup for elevation control but I got to ask where did you get the green element mount from. Been looking for those things for a while so I can build my next 2M yagi.

Cheers
Robert
VK4LHD""

They are one of several colours available due to source , most any hydraulic hose supplier will stock the clamps , pirtek springs to mind amongst others , check the yellows for a source nearby and go have a talk as some will inssist on selling the mounting plates and some will sell just the pipe clamps
B

[VK4CLG]

Thanks for the Info Guys. will have a look and see how I go.

Cheers
Robert
VK4LHD

[VK2TXP]

VK4LHD: It took me a while to find them, but I located a supplier of the Stauff clamps in Brookvale, NSW. It's a hyrdaulic repair place. They have some imperial size stuff in stock but ordered metric ones in for me in a couple of days.

This is their site: http://www.kwikfixhydraulics.com.au/

They hadn't heard of people using the clamps for antennas, and I told them others may be interested. These are the same as used by G0KSC and others. The green ones are correct for RF use. I forget the exact details, but some black versions contain compounds which will affect RF performance.

[VK4CZ]

10GHz tvtr project.... front panel completed today.... progress haulted due to order of connectors not arriving before the long weekend.



Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

[VK2EM]

Matt VK2LK
If you go to page 8 of this topic, you will see an article I wrote about running a Trimble Thunderbolt on 12v DC. I removed the BNC connectors from the Thunderbolt PCB, and attached coax directly to the PCB.
73 Bruce VK2EM

[VK2LK]

My 10MHz project continues, thanks for the replies!

I got the BNC connectors off the PCB and discovered holes for what appears to be SMA connectors underneath, so I'll track down some sockets to suit and mount them rather than run coax directly to the PCB.

[VK3YE]

A portable 7 MHz 2 watt VXO SSB transceiver.

Covers 7.050 - 7.130 MHz with 16 MHz super VXO local oscillator & 8.867 MHz IF & ladder crystal filter.

Built last year but not happy with its performance until changes made last night.

[VK2LK]

One more question out there for the Thunderbolt guys, what type of crimper is required to crimp the pins on the power connector? The only reference I can find online is to the official Molex crimper which Mouser retails for $300USD!!!!!

Cheers,
Matt

[VK2LK]

Ok got there in the end. Altronics had a crimper that was the right price.

I've used a thunderbolt display from VK4GHZ, a chinese power supply, Jaycar housing, and VK3XDK 10MHz distribution amp.

I'm very happy with the end result!

Note - the tape inside is to hold spare wires for power and data when I get time to build the thunderbolt commander.

Cheers,
Matt

[VK2LK]

Ok so Tapatalk barfed on the attachments. Here are the photos.

[VK2TXP]

I've used a thunderbolt display from VK4GHZ

Did you find one for sale somewhere or did you already have it? I'd like to buy one if there are any around.

[VK2LK]

Hi mate, I bought one of them from Adam in the very last run about 2-3 years ago. Life got in the way and I only got around to building it just now.

[VK6DF]

2Ghz filtered water. i discovered that it added ~3dB attenuation. first time iv'e ever seen water inside these units.

[VK3ALB]

Not quite on the workbench but this is a single tripod supporting dishes for 5.7GHz and 10GHz.

It can be a lot of work to set up a complete microwave station if you have all bands. Transporting dishes, tripods etc can also be an issue. Here I've reduced the tripod count by one mounting two dishes on the same tripod. There's enough room behind the dishes to hold the transverters, radio and even a log book if required.

Construction involves making a 1100mm x 450mm table supported on a section of 100mm x 40mm box section. A 52mm slug tapped 5/8" fits into the top of the tripod and is held in place using the original mounting screw. A new hub was made to hold the Mitec feed.

The tripod is a heavy duty industrial type. For transport the feeds come off and the table/dishes come off as a single unit. Whilst it looks unwieldy the whole lot can be assembled in 5 minutes by one person.

Also on the drawing board is a 2.4GHz/3.4GHz 1200mm dish similar to that used by VK3UHF.

5.7GHz / 10GHz tripod

Elevation is important for microwave operation and on several occasions very noisy signals have turned to armchair copy with a little tilt. Each dish has it's own tilt adjustment. Below is a picture of the rear of the 10GHz dish that shows the tilt arrangement. A wing nut of the right side allows easy locking.

Dish mount with tilt

If you work us this weekend we'll be using this setup.