I have finished setting it all up and have done a few tests across the back yard without the PA in line and all seems to be ok. My main question is from peoples use in the field, is it needed to have a "Booster" amp such as minikits EME162-1200 (1/2w ish version) on the output of the XDK Transverter before driving the PA.
The second question is about the 23cm beacons in VK5... Are they on as I cant seem to hear them??? (I know this part is off topic in this area)
You didn't specifically say why you think you need the amp. If you can get full output from your PA there is no need for a driver stage between the transverter and the PA.
Thanks for that. I cant hear them down here (southern suburbs). I only have the dipole up at the moment. i will give it another go on the weekend with the new gridpack. Any news on the VF beacon?
I had a chat with Mark VK5AVQ on the weekend about the VK5VF 23cm beacon. From my side, it was to reassure Mark how keen many of us were to see a signal from it. Really REALLY keen.
It remains a work in progress, apparently, mainly due to the difficulties in accessing the site where it will be located. Certain changes have to be made to the beacon antennas, along with reinstalling the beacon itself, and scheduling all this with minimal disruption to the beacon site owners is... Problematic.
VK5DF wrote:I cant hear them down here (southern suburbs).
You may not hear the VK5RLZ 23cm beacon from your home QTH; there's a big hill in the way (Windy Point). If you can take it portable, I suggest the roundabout at the intersection of Black Road and Flagstaff Road/Happy Valley Drive. You should be able to pull off the road just to the northwest of the roundabout (35.050596S, 138.572810E). It's a fairly good line-of-sight path to the beacon from there.
According to the specs, the PA requires +16dbm of drive for full output. In theory, the ERA-5 in the transverter should produce sufficient drive; in practice it might fall slightly short depending on the losses in the design and construction. I suggest try it and see.
73
Iain Crawford - VK5ZD
Munno Para West, SA - PF95ih
Thought that hill might be in the way. my QTH is not far past that point (Aberfoyle Park) so will take it on the road. It will give me a chance to try out the VK5RSC 23cm repeater as well.
VK5ZD wrote:
According to the specs, the PA requires +16dbm of drive for full output. In theory, the ERA-5 in the transverter should produce sufficient drive; in practice it might fall slightly short depending on the losses in the design and construction. I suggest try it and see.
That is what i was wondering.... is there enough gain in the system without it. I will give it a go and see.
I need to get myself a microwave power meter as the Bird power meter i have isnt great under 1w in power.
Yes its a shame that the VK5VF 23 cm beacon hasn't re appeared since it was moved from Channel 7 quite a few years ago. As the original constructor of the 1296.450 MHz VK5VF beacon (1994!) along with the 2403 & 10368 Mhz VK5VF beacons it has been more than frustrating trying to get this project moving again! I was in VK3 at the time they were pulled down, all got put in a box and hasn't been seen since! Here is a photo from when 1.2/2.3 & 10 GHz was installed in 1994 late one night! We actually had the 10 Ghz beacon going a few months before the world record was set to VK6KZ and was invaluable in the days when we didn't have really good stability out in the field!. The beacon was never heard in the west but best DX was to the southeast (350km). The space between the exciters is where 3456 eventually went
Mark currently has all three beacons, antennae, etc, a few of us are happy to help him get at least one or two installed again as we know he is busy. Access is an issue to the Channel 9 site but there are alternative sites that can be considered with much better UHF/SHF coverage towards the South East as propagation beacons. It has long been a proposal that the uWave beacons be located somewhere where there are no trees to the East (30 years after Ash Wednesday there is a huge amount of greenery to the south east!) 10 GHz especially.
I do have the "spare" 1296 Mhz beacon here now updated with GPS locking, that might be an alternative if we can't get the original installed. The spare 5.7 Ghz & 10 Ghz slot antennae have now been donated to EARC for use on the VK5RLZ beacons
