Yep, for the money they really are an easy way to get on 23cm, and Hristiyan is very helpful and responsive to emails.
We (VK1's) don't have any 23cm repeaters, so the repeater mode doesn't matter. But if we ever get a 23cm repeater going I'll be ordering a new transverter
I've recently upgraded my antenna to a 24el loop yagi, made a good difference to the 9el yagi....
Just a quick update, I've installed the SG Lab transverter into a 2RU rack case, along with the relevant switching/PSU/AMP.
At about 95% finished it's looking good. I've got to run another run of LMR400 up to the antenna switch box/pre amp which may take some time, oh, and work out the front and back labeling
Oh, did not realise he had released the transverter for 2.4GHz, information seems to be a bit on the thin side about these, can you tell us a bit more about it or a URL I can use to find out more?
VK1JA wrote:A nice little (late) Christmas pressie in the mail today.
V2.3 of the SG Lab 1296Mhz and V1.4 of the 2400Mhz transverters. Both these versions have the option to use an external 10Mhz reference - hello GPSDO.
I'm going to attempt to get on the air on 13cm for the field day this weekend
Regards.
Peter Sumner, vk5pj You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.
- Winston Churchill
I have the VK5 23cm transverter 3/4 built, all RF working. 1W out, gave up
and bought a s/h IC-910H with 23cm. (way to go with a spare $2000)
Much more suitable for field day use.
From Emu Plains here, can just make the Chatswood or Dural repeaters on 23cm,
if I put my phased array vertical.
This location (40m ASL) is good for two modes:
Meteor Scatter
Satellites
MS is best on 6m. Sydney to Brisbane or Melbourne. http://www.rmob.org/livedata/main.php
Andrew Ks data shows the Southern Hemisphere action.
And is fun most days.
VK1JA wrote:
I'm almost ready for mine to be setup and then track down another VK1 for testing - I just need to run one extra cable. The 3w output may make it a challenge for me to make contacts as the yagi is only a small 9 element (?) cheapie from eBay (see my QRZ page). But then there's more incentive to get an amp setup up for 1296
How is everyone else going with these transverters - PA0P - VK4VU - VK4WR ?
Hi Jayson and the group
(1st post so sorry if my etiquette or my tense is wrong)
Would love to help you get set up if you cannot find a VK1 activator, but it will be both of us on a learning curve
I've got one of these little ones (the version III) and I am slowly setting myself up on it, to date have combined it with a WA5VJB 10 element Yagi. Need better coax and a bigger antenna (the most common statement from any ham) as the next step
Am in Sydney but travel a bit during my days off in the week (SOTA Activator). Also I tried it on the Summer V/U Field day with S9+ into the Dural Beacon from a hill top in Mittagong, just didn't seem to be any VK2's about unfortunately
Three of us in Illawarra now have 23cm running and managing local contacts.
I can hear Sydney 23cm beacon ok.
I am using the SG Labs transverter and find it great.
vk2bls - Darrell (me)
vk2ara - Ted
vk2xic - Rob
Happy to try out 23cm any time.
I can also run digi modes on 23 (wsjt65 etc).
Thanks for the offer for a contact, very much appreciated! The more activity we can get on 23cm the better. 23cm really is a great band and behaves differently to 2m and 70cm which makes it fun.
Since the post you read I've been hard at work building a 55w amp, a LNA and installed an 18 element loop yagi - so so much better than the small 9 element ebay antenna. But since then I've also moved QTH which meant packing up all the radio gear, and at the new QTH I don't have any 23cm gear up as yet But in time I'll have some gear up and will certainly be after as many contacts as I can, so keep an eye out for me.
Three of us in Illawarra now have 23cm running and managing local contacts.
I can hear Sydney 23cm beacon ok.
I am using the SG Labs transverter and find it great.
vk2bls - Darrell (me)
vk2ara - Ted
vk2xic - Rob
Happy to try out 23cm any time.
I can also run digi modes on 23 (wsjt65 etc).
Just a quick update on the SG Labs 13cm (2.4Ghz) transverter.
As was the case with the SG Labs 23cm transverter, the 13cm version also works very very well for such a small package. 2w out on 13cm is plenty to make good contacts with (and enough to drive an amp with), and being so small and light it's perfect to mount behind a gridpack antenna which will give you around 24dBi of gain
If you've been thinking about trying 13cm then the SG Labs transverter is a relatively cheap and easy way to get on the band.
Bugga, during the field day contest I accidentally ran 100w ssb into the 23cm transverter and now I have no rx or tx on 23cm
I'm after ideas on what may have blown. The front end 50ohm resistors all check out, I'm guessing it's something further into it. Mixer maybe, seems there's no rx or tx?
I've emailed the manufacture to see if they have any idea of what parts will need replacing and if I could get a copy of the schematic - I'm yet to hear back yet.
Hi Jason,
Last year I had a switch mode power supply blow up and it took out my SGLabs 13cm transverter.
I ordered a replacement transverter and also asked Hristiyan at SGLabs if he was ok with me sending the faulty one in to assess if it was repairable.
I posted it back and he advised quite quickly that it had been repaired.
He did the repair and posted it back at no charge.
I did send him a payment to cover postage and some 'refreshments' for his trouble.
The 23cm & 13cm are terrific little units.
I have ordered the new 25 Watt 23cm PA, but not arrived as yet.
Good luck with the repairs.
The good news for me is that it seems to be a common problem, so I don't feel 'too' much like a muppet driving 100w into the transverter! The other good news is it seems to be a pretty simple fix, generally two resistors, sometimes two diodes as well.
If tx is dead as well as rx (honestly, I only tested rx, and I presumed the tx would be dead as well), then there are a few other things to check, but again, generally it's a few simple components.
Hristiyan's reply to my email is below, also thank you to Peter VK7PD for sharing the details as well.
"About transverter damage - this is the most common damage. Typically, only 2 resistors are damaged and transverter has no Rx. In your case looks like also TX attenuator is damaged.
You need to check 4 components , marked on the picture:
R148 (33 ohm , size 0603)
R159 (470 ohm, size 0603)
D25 double diode (BAV99 , package SOT-23) for possible short. TX trimmer is connected in parallel, so normal readings are ~100 ohm in both directions.
D25 ( BAP63-03W or BAR63-03W pin diode ) - After replacing resistors, you need to switch ON transverter and check the voltage between pins of this diode in RX. The voltage must be ~0.8V.
These component are related to Rx.
Typically , only 2 resistors are damaged and need to be replaced. The value is not critical.
If TX is also missing, you need to check:
R146-R154 (470 ohm, size 1206)these are 8 big resistors between IF SMA and TX trimmer.
R142, R143 (200 ohm , size 1206)
Of course, if you prefer, we can repair the transverter.
Please check and send me a mail.
But in time I'll have some gear up and will certainly be after as many contacts as I can, so keep an eye out for me.
