Back on 23 cm

[VK4ALF]

Well after 10 years QRT from AR I decided to lash out and buy a Software Defined Radio . I was blown away with how well it worked using it on WSPR and Pocket pager and Satellite images. I then read on here about 23 on 23 and I thought id give it a go to sit on a hill and have a listen .Much to my surprise there were actually people talking on 1296 .Back 12 odd years ago I had a rig and every John Moyle I would make 1 contact to Doug VK4OE ..that was it ..

Thanks to Daryl VK4ADM and Rex VK4REX for sparking my the enthusiasm I lashed out and bought a transverter and today got on air . I made 3 contacts with VK4ADM,VK4REX and VK4VU.More than I made in 20 years prior

Its great to see 23 alive and well done to all that are promoting it . Looking forward to 23 on 23


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFUOlr_vg_g



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9dij2S4MNE


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09SltE5Zu5U


Len VK4ALF

[VK4KSY]

Just to add Len, I am in QG64KO and have just had my 1296 repaired. Antenna is a grid pack and 20 watts out. I am low 10 mts but a good take off south. Just need to get things up in the air, working on the problem. Health problem at the moment but should be hot to go by Christmas. The path to Brisbane is approx 250 kms so well worth a try. Welcome back to AR.
Regards David Vk4ksy

[VK4VU]

Hi Len,

Great to hear another new station on 23cm SSB.

For the record I'm also using one of the SG-LAB transverters. Currently mine is driving a Mitsubishi RA18H1213 module to about 15w out.

I have a reasonably good shot to the north from my location in the NW suburbs of Brisbane, and am looking forward to more contacts on 23cm up your way.

73

Rod VK4VU

[VK4CZ]

Len

Welcome back. From my QTH the path north has a ridge immediate in my near field (+15m higher than me) and then Mt Mee providing challenges. But that said, I can work Darryl VK4ADM and Robert VK4LHD easily on a scatter path at QTF 140 -150.

And, if 23-on-23 has helped draw you back in, then 23-on-23 has certainly achieved its intended purpose of regenerating interest and activity on 23cm

Hope to work you soon.

[VK2KRR]

...............................................

[VK4ALF]

Fun day today . Spoke to Rex VK4REX this morning and we spoke about the conditions that were created by the storm. Not sure if it wass the trough coming through , the Lightning or the storm in general

I Decided to hit the ranges and tried a few spots with VK4REX and VK4AFL's help i found the best possible position




Trevor was calling and there was morse in the background so i asked on the logger who was sending morse

Stoaked to hear Andru VK4KAY IN WARWICK .He could hear me but not good enough to exchange signal reports

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVSGBbjRqYE

[VK4CZ]

Fantastic results Len.

On Tuesday (29/9/2015) afternoon Andru VK4KAY and I ran tests right through the storm that moved across SE VK4 from the Scenic Rim until it had passed. We saw really impressive lifts in signals as the storm front approached, and during the peak of the storm (a little crazy with lightning all around) great pings from 'lightning' enhancements... with anything up to S5 improvements in the signal.

All makes for fun, and great learning opportunities

[VK5PJ]

Hi Len

Fun day today . Spoke to Rex VK4REX this morning and we spoke about the conditions that were created by the storm. Not sure if it wass the trough coming through , the Lightning or the storm in general

I have noticed that 23cm transverter in your photo turning up in a few others posts yet they seem to have disappeared from ebay, could you help me find a current source for them?

Regards,
Peter, vk5pj

[VK5ZD]

I have noticed that 23cm transverter in your photo turning up in a few others posts yet they seem to have disappeared from ebay, could you help me find a current source for them?

Try here http://www.sg-lab.com/TR1300/tr1300.html

[VK4ALF]

The order details are on the website above .
Great to deal with however don't be in a hurry
It was posted 2 days after i ordered it and took a month to get here .Another ham also ordered one a week later with the same experience
I cannot speak highly enough of its performance

[VK3AV]

V2.3 of the transverter has been released in the past week. Mine is on its way to VK3 now and I am hoping will arrive in time for the Spring Field Day.

According to Hristiyan, the main new feature is the addition of a 10GHz external reference input.

Hristiyan has been very responsive to questions and the feedback on this and related threads has prompted me to purchase. Thanks all.

Regards
Bernard

[VK4UH]

The website given by Iain in the earlier posting does not give any info about the cost for the new version of the 23cms transverter or any ordering details.
I have tried the e-mail address listed on that site to request that info but have seen no reply yet.

Who has already ordered one of these I wonder? Can you give any indication of the cost and shipping?

Kevin VK4UH

[VK4UH]

Also interested to know from Len VK4ALA some info on the 1296 feed in the gridpack shown in his earlier posting above

I use a similar gridpack on 2.4 with its original WiFi (?dipole) feed with good results

Kevin VK4UH

[ZL2BKC]

Also interested to know from Len VK4ALA some info on the 1296 feed in the gridpack shown in his earlier posting above

I use a similar gridpack on 2.4 with its original WiFi (?dipole) feed with good results

Kevin VK4UH

I have the same gridpack antenna and would also be interested in more info on how you did the feed for 23cm and any closeup photos. That may form the basis of a permanent antenna pointed at VK for ZL2WHO/b on 1296.271 MHz.....

And great to see a growing interest in 23cm

73,
Wayne

[VK4REX]

Hi Kevin

It is US $198 plus $12 for freight. Paid that a few weeks ago for the V2.3 unit with ext 10Mhz input.

For those asking about Lens feed it is a 1296 2 element PCB yagi that SG-Labs supplies with the transverter

They also have a 2.4G unit almost ready for sale

Rex

[VK2JDS]

Hi Wayne,
The terrestrial feed here is a dl6wu folded dipole with reflector, no directors, and works well. Virtually no reflected power and simple to make.
I googled 23cm yagi designs and there are several good hits to choose from. Pdfs of the yagi designs are there.
The good bit about this one compared to the cavity backed dipole feed is less blockage from the backing and that it can be fed from behind, so a run of ldf4-50 hooks around and down a support to either side.
It can be fed from the middle if required by reversing the connector. The balun is made simply by using ut141 semirigid. The driven element is copper wire.
121mm overall length, 20mm wide, so use an offcut of dowel as a form for bending the wire ends around.
The comercially made feed i have for a 800mm gridpack is fed from centre support, its a 200 ohm rectangular feed with differing diameters of the driven element and a balun in a sealed plastic box. It works , but i think the homebrew folded one is better.
73 Dave vk2jds (was vk2yme)

[VK3AV]

Having ordered the transverter the next task is the antenna. I see some use grid packs, others yagi's etc.

I have had a look at Radio Specialists in SA and they don't list a grid pack for 23cm just the telco frequencies. A number of the grids are the same size so I assume that it is only the feed that changes?

Also I have read about bi-quad antennas which look really easy/quick to fabricate. Would they be a suitable option for something like a field day?

My initial objective is to put something on the mast (finally stood up last weekend ) for the field day . It is also windy up here hence the interest in grids/mesh etc.

Forgive the dumb questions please, this is all new to me. So much to learn....

Regards
Bernard

[VK2JDS]

Hi Bernard,
Many years ago I made a biquad antenna with a piece of brass sheet as a backing and Steve vk2kfj and myself had a contact on 23cm FM from near his place in sydney at fairlight area out to my mountain here northwest of Bathurst. Under 10 watts at each end and Steve was handholding the small biquad.in a carpark.
Massive range of mountains in between us, and i was running a dipole feed on a small dish. 180kms path.
Biquads are great as a portable handholdable gain antenna.
Yagis are fairly easy too, but take up more space in the car and are narrower in bandwidth, also requiring half millimetre accuracy on each director and aluminium welding onto a tube boom.
If you want Quick and Simple go for the biquad.

The good thing is they make a great feedpoint if you get a lightweight mesh dish of a metre or 2 diameter to use. On a 3 metre dish they work very well, i have worked moonbounce using one. Just fiddle with the spacing of the backplane to the driven element to adjust pattern and vswr.
73 Dave vk2jds

[VK3AV]

Thank you Dave. (We meet briefly at Gippstech if I remember correctly. Photos of a dump of snow at your place.)

The biquad sounds like a plan, then. Perhaps even a stacked double biquad just to raise the challenge a little with a mesh backing. I feel a trip to Bunnings coming on...

Actually I have a 900mm Hills commercial dish still in its box to tinker with at some point. FR90FA model BC3904. Unfortunately it is solid dish so would present a considerable challenge on the mast due to the wind loading. My weather station top wind speed was just over 100kph in June last year and I regularly see 24+kph gusting to 40kph. There are few large trees to provide shelter after the 2009 fires.

Again thanks.

Regards
Bernard

[VK4ALF]

The transverter comes with an antenna and that's what i'm currently using . I am about to test a feed with a few more db gain .


I have tried a bow tie but its a few db down on the printed circuit board yagi