At 03:58 AM 4/6/2007, Tyler Harpster wrote:
What's a good source of 2 meter to 10 meter down converters? I just need to receive 2 meters, but my 706 is doing uplink duty on 435. I have an old shortwave receiver that can do the listening to the AO-7 mode B downlink with a receive converter.
Thanks!
Tyler KM3G
I can recommend the DEMI 144/28. I just completed building the 144/28K, which is the low-power xvtr kit. It outputs 10mw in transmit for use with other xvtrs an designed to drive microwave units. But I am using it in Rx-only to drive my SDR-IQ on 28-30 MHz. The receive-only version is identical without the transmit components and sold assembled for $170 (the kit I bought is also $170).
I had a couple boo-boos in the construction: my first LO coil was too many turns and the oscillator would not run. I apparently blew both the preamp and second receive mmic. Replacing them I got -124 dBm (0.14 uv) sensitivity in FM-mode. My FT-817 is only -119 dBm (0.25 uv), so you can see this is pretty hot! DEMI rates the converter at 1 dB NF and 17 dB conversion gain. The LO uses a PTC heater and I have freq. stability as good as I can measure with an IFR-120 service monitor (1-Hz).
If wanting cheaper, you might check out TenTec. They made a line of convertors and xvtrs at around $100 at one time.
73, Ed - KL7UW ====================================== BP40IQ 50-MHz - 10-GHz www.kl7uw.com 144-EME: FT-847, mgf-1801, 4x-xpol-20, 185w DUBUS Magazine USA Rep [email protected] ======================================