1 f5dqk august 2008 getting started on 10 ghz band getting started on 10 ghz

F5DQK August 2008 Getting started on 10 GHz band1

Getting started on 10 GHz


Overview

On 10 GHz, not many hams did build anything at industrial scale.

-Before 1995 the only choice was the 10 GHz SSB-Electronic transverter Kits and also total assemblies, but only a few « on shelf » ready to use ones.- After 1997, DB6NT did really democratise the SHF transverter. Not only on 10 but from 1.3 to 24 GHz and also above.

-In 2008 the 3rd generation with a 106.5 MHz self Quarz oscillating LO is replaced by a tcxo locked to a 10 or 100 MHz precision reference frequency (also GPS referenced)


1- 10 GHz beacons, SCPs and QSOs from JN18gr

4- Indoor, then outdoor operations with a single 49 cm Procom dish

- Positive tension added on Tx mode to the 144 MHz coaxial cable for PTT purposes- S-meter desensibilisation

3- 10 GHz DB6NT transverter- Version 1:

-schematics & practical- LO frequency drift

5- FT-817nd modifications

6- Prime-focus & offset dish gain comparaison

7- IK1GEX 5.7 / 10 GHz double horn- Isolation measures between both bands

8- Antenna settings of well known french « hyper » dXers

Abstract

- Versions 2 and 3 : Rx Nf and principally LO stability improvements

2- 10 GHz SSB-Electronic transverter (<1995)


1- 10 GHz beacons and QSOs with 1W


10 GHz beacons

QTH F (MHz) D (Km) Dir FT-817nd T>30 min Comments

F5XBD/77 JN18js Favières .072 17 73° .0775 F5HRY .072

F5ZTR/60 JN09xj Beauvais .842 88 329° .842

F1XAI/45 JN07wt Orléans .865 115 207° .838 .855 .858 .842 .851 prévue sur .860

F5ZWM/19 JN05we .919 395 188°

F1XAU/21 JN27ih .825 165 133°

F5ZPS/33 IN94qt .282 496 210°

F1URI/73 JN35kt Mt Blanc .928 461 133°

F6KPL/50 IN99io .315à.321 290° Pas dans la table !

LX1DB JN39co .893 282 69°

HB9EME JN36lx .866 277 33° Essais

HB9AK JN47li .985

ON?? JO20ht .875 572 82°

DB0UX JN59bd .882 572 82°

DB0JK JO30lx .874 401 50°

Beacons direction from JN18gr

Synthé règlé à 10368.100 MHz donne 144.110 MHzAppel sur .100 réel ou .125 affichés

Voie de service 144.390 MHzAppel sur 10368.100 MHz


10368.072 MHz

HB9EME/b 10368.866 MHz

French 10 GHz beacon list

QRT définitif dpt 43 ?

Constantly

50% time

Occasionally (RS)

10 GHz beacons


10 GHz rXed beacons from JN18 : geographical positions

Constantly

50% time

Occasionally (RS)


10 GHz SCPs for RS

Example of qso with F6DRO via scp in JN26SCP = scatter pointRS = rain scatter (thick thunderstorm cumulonibus)

F5DQK

F6DRO


June /July 5008 from JN18gr via tropo & principally RS

10 GHz QSO’s


2- 10 GHz SSB-Electronic

- 2 separate Rx and Tx mixers boxes- 2.556 GHz self oscillating LO with 106.5 MHz quarz- Pout > +20 dBm or 100 mW


10 GHz SSB-Electronic TransverterRx converter scheme


Rx converter layout

10 GHz SSB-Electronic Transverter


Tx converter scheme



Tx converter layout



10 GHz SSB-Electronic Transverter2.556 GHz local oscillator


10 GHz SSB-Electronic TransverterBoxed transverter

XTM-1 above XRM-1 under

2.556 GHz LO Output PA DC/DC converter

SMA/WR-90 transition

24V TRx relay


3a- 10 GHz DB6NT transverter vers 1

That was my choice

- 1 Rx and Tx box- same 2.556 GHz self oscillating LO with 106.5 MHz quarz- Pout = +7 dBm or 5 mW


10 GHz DB6NT Transverter

V1 : Pout 10 à 15mW, NF=3dB

15mW(1991)

bufferX4

LO 10.224 GHz

2.556 GHz

144 MHz

10.368 GHz

Transverter version 1Tx

Rx


10 GHz DB6NT TransverterTransverter version 1 layout

NF=3dB

Pout 10 à 15mW

10.368 GHz resonators

5.112 GHz resonator


2.556 GHz LO in

10 GHz DB6NT TransverterTransverter version 1 hardware


10 GHz DB6NT TransverterOutside 2.556 GHz MKU25 LO with 106.5 MHz quarz

X4 inside the transverter


10 GHz DB6NT TransverterAlternative to constant LO drift with temperature: JWM Model 2556-ALN phase locked oscillator

2.556 GHz +17 dBm10 to 12 dB attenuator needed

10 or 100 MHz ref in

Ext lockin output

Price 289.95 $


10 GHz DB6NT Transverter5 to 200 mW first amp

16 dB gain


10 GHz DB6NT TransverterHEMT Nf=1 dB, gain=24 dB preamp


0.1Win/1.3Wout 11 dB amp I=0.5A

DG1VL preamp23 dB, Nf=1.3 dB

+12V TRx relay

5mWin/200mWout 15 dB amp

+12V DC relay

Pin 144 MHz <= 2WPout 10 GHz fiche N 29.8 dBm ou 0.76WPout direct 31.02 dBm ou 1.26W

Rx 12V 180 mA, Tx 1.15 A

-0.7 dB !!

-0.3 dB

DB6NT transverter V1, Pout=15 mW

-0.08 dB

10 GHz transverter inside view


-0.3 dB

LO = 2.556 GHz soit(106.5 x 24), P=10 mW


-0.18 instead of -0.7 dB

Transverter version 1

10 GHz transverter : how getting 0.5 dB more on Tx




Oscillator drift after ½ hour heating compared to F5XBD/b 77 frequency

T °C Oscillator drift (kHz)

+21 +10

+25 0

+30 -20


3b- 10 GHz DB6NT transverter vers 2

- Whole 10.224 GHz LO with 106.5 MHz quarz inside- External 106.5 MHz LO input for far better stability- Pout = +23 dBm or 200 mW


10 GHz DB6NT TransverterTransverter version 2(2003)

NOW: like V1 and-Pout=200 mW, nF=1.2 dB-LO totally on same board

Option 1 is:-106.5 MHz external ocxo fitting a subsidiary SMA connector


10 GHz DB6NT TransverterTransverter version 2 layout


10 GHz DB6NT TransverterTransverter version 2 hardware

106.5 MHz separate ocxo

LO feeding


10 GHz DB6NT TransverterTransverter version : ocxo schematic (Eisch-Kafka)


3c- 10 GHz DB6NT transverter vers 3

-LO=106.5 MHz ocxo at 40°C-External 10 MHz ref input for rock stability (ocxo or GPS)-Tx Nf improvement


10 GHz DB6NT Transverter10 GHz DB6NT TransverterTransverter version 3(2007)

NOW: like V2 and-106.5 MHz with internal PLL-LO with internal oven-Ext 10 MHz ref input for frequency stability like the GPS


4- 10 GHz indoor & outdoor tryings



First RS tryings with open window in the shack room

Alu fixation tube fordefinitive 3 to 5° elevation

DC bias-tee for 1st Tx tries

25M DC wire for ΔV measuresin future mast mounting



Transverter DC pinning



Summer configuration « complement »



Procom Φ48 cm prime-focus dish F/D=0.4F=19.2 cmGain 27 dBd (37 dBd à 24 GHz)

Elévation 3 à 5°

Zoom on 10 GHz ensemble



Transverter 10 GHz sous 12V :- Rx 180 mA- Tx, 1.15A- Pout max avant transition guide –3 + 32.82 = 29.82 dBm ou 960 mW- Pout sortie directe ampli 1.2W 29.8 dBm ou 0.76W

12.77V descendent à 12.2 V dans 25 m câble 2 x 1.5 mm2ΔV = - 0.52V

Pin 144 MHz <= 2WPout 10 GHz fiche N 29.8 dBm ou 0.76WPout direct 31.02 dBm ou 1.26W

Le point de rain-scatter se comporte comme une antenne avec un diagramme de rayonnement qui est celui d'un dipole, dont l'un des max est orienté vers l'observateur (diagramme en 8). Ce diagramme présente des nuls à 90 degrés et évolue en sinus carré ( en densité de puissance), çàd que l'énergie reçue est plus ou moins forte selon où se trouve le correspondant.Dans les cas où ceux-ci sont du côté des 90°+/- 10 deg, ça ne marche pas .

DC & RF measures


5- FT-817nd mods for Tx purposes

-Gives a positive voltage in the 144 MHz coaxial while tXing



FT-817nd mod for DC addition in coax while Txing (upper side)

BNC socket

4.7 kΩ

1 nF serial cap

DB6NT transverters need +V in coax cable for switching in Tx mode !!

Or « reversal PTT » !!



-TX OFF - appuyer simultanément sur A B et C et conserver les 3 BP enfoncés - mettre en marche le 817 envoie une série de bips et passe en mode config - sélecteur à gauche pour faire défiler les menus - choisir menu 5 VHF RXG ( gain Réception en VHF ) valeur initiale=128 - descendre à la valeur 56 S1 de QRM ce qui ne saturera plus le FT-817nd

FT-817nd desensibilisation procedure

With only noise, S-meter then drops doww from S8 to S1 to the 144 MHz Rx

Atténuation pour ramener S8 à S1 dans la ligne 144 MHz : environ 14 dB



FT-817nd automatic CW with MixW2 : configuration

FT-817nd en mode USB


6- 10 GHz dish comparaison


Appareil utilisé F lue (GHz) Après

Synthé HP 8672a 10368.00

Compteur Marconi 2440 10368.0000 5 min à TCXO

Analyseur spectre Tektronix 494 span 50 Hz 10367.999 20 min à TCXO

Analyseur spectre Tektronix 492bp span 200 Hz 10368.0495 1H dérive naturelle

Synthé HP 862a Tektro 492bp Tektro 494

Sortie FI (MHz) RF 10368.00 144.0129 144.012

Mesure LO de 10224 MHz 10224.0326 10223.986

Frequency stability measures after ½ hour



Gain comparaison of prime-focus and offset dishes


Dish Heigth (cm) Width (cm) Depth (cm) Gain

Procom Prime-focus 49 49 na 32 calculés

Worldsat offset 80 73 6.4 36.1

Echostar offset 131 121 11.5 40.5


7- 10 /5.7 GHz IK1GEX double horn


IK1GEX 5.7 & 10 GHz double Horn

10 to 5.7 GHz isolation 5.7 to 10 GHz isolation

10 GHz feeding – measures on 5.7 GHz SMA input

NB: in opposite side of a coax cable, the guide acts like a HIGHPASS filter !!

Target : double 5.7 & 10 GHz feeding on one same 80 cm offset dish

Cure : far better isolation must be done on the 5.7 GHz Rx

Scalar analyser HP 8757a + sweep HP 8350b


IK1GEX 5.7 & 10 GHz double Horn

Compromise of different phase center positions on each band

- Dixit F6DRO, the gain on each band cannot be optimised - - the phasing center on every band is at 2 different locations.- Not yet discussed- Under construction


8- 10 GHz setup of some french dXers


F4BUC or F4DRU/p setup

6W on 10 GHz & offset Φ85


F1BZG/45 setup


Trépied F1PDX + 74 cm offset

Environ 25 à 30°

Fixation à retourner de 180° ?

Environ 55°

Poids 5.2 Kg


HB9AFO/p setup


Antenna setup of F5HRY50 MHz DXSR 3 élts

1296 MHz F9FT 4 x 23 élts

144 MHz 10 élts

432 MHz F9FT 9 élts

2300 MHz Wimo 2 x 40 élts

5.7 GHz Prime focus Φ 7010 GHz offset Φ 75

24 GHz Andrew Φ 33 60W

9W12W

0.5W


Antenna setup of F6APE

10 GHz Prime focus Φ 60

1st TOWER

3 W


Setup of F8BRK

10 GHz Prime focus Φ 858 W

3 W out

DB6NT preamp

Sequencer

DB6NT 2W amp

5.7 GHz Prime focus Φ 150


Setup of F2CT/p

10W à 10 GHz & offset Φ 1.20

1 f5dqk august 2008 getting started on 10 ghz band getting started on 10 ghz

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