----- Original Message ----- From: "Stan" [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 4:28 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] P3E Microwave Frequencies

Hello The Net:

plan for P3E.

I am starting to plan for Microwave receive only down converters and transmit only up converters.

How firm is the frequency for the X band downlink at 10,490 MHz ?

Ditto for the L2 uplink of 1,263 MHz and S band uplink at 2,447 MHz ?

Hi Stan, W1LE

For the uplink in L1 and L2 of AO40 I have used homebrewed transmit converters to cover 1268-1270 MHz with an IF 144-146 MHz but for P3-E the L1 must cover 1268-1270 MHz while the L2 must cover 1260-1262 MHz

The L1 is the old uplink from 1268-1270 MHz on AO40 and it will continue to be used for P3-E if we amateurs we don't interfere with the new Galileo satellite-navigation-system that will use part of the 1268-1270 MHz band

The L2 is the uplink from 1260-1262 MHz and it will be used as a Galileo alternative "only ?" if we amateurs will interfere with the Galileo system.

By the way using transmit-converters with a 144-146 MHz IF will produce interference while receiving in 2400-2402 MHz using a downconverter with the same IF between 144-146 MHz

For the above reason and for the 23 cm transmit-converter I have changed the IF to 146-148 MHz using the following XTAL's with the followig multiplication and conversion.

L1 LO XTAL: 93.500 MHz Multiplier 93.500 x 12 =1122 MHz

Conversion 1122 + 146 =1268 MHz 1122 + 148 =1270 MHz

L2 (Galileo alternative)

LO XTAL 92.833333 MHz Multiplier 92.833333 x 12= 1114 MHz

Conversion 1114 + 146 = 1260 MHz 1114 + 148 = 1262 MHz

Using the above transverter setup with a linear amplifier both antenna mounted there are no problems if only the L1 or only the L2 will be used extensively for long periods of time but if unfortunately P3-E will be scheduled to go one day in L1 and another day in L2 then using transverters we loose the frequency agility because at every change we must tune again the multipliers and the linear amplifiers over the roof.

Tanks to the S/X-P3E/P5A-team the X band linear downlink of P3-E will be 10451.000 MHz centered so that it will be possible to reuse the old 10450-10452 MHz dowconverters already built for AO40 but never used for it.

My homebrewed 10450-10452 MHz downconverter uses a 146-148 MHz IF with a 107.333333 MHz XTAL as follows:

First multiplier = 107.333333 x 24 = 2576 MHz Second multiplier = 2576 x 4 = 10304 MHz

Conversion = 10304 + 146 = 10450 MHz = 10304 + 148 = 10452 MHz

I am starting to look at possibilities of a common Local Oscillator (LO) for some of the bands, but I am having no luck. Having a common LO or at least parts of a LO multiplier chain, would economize and maybe lend themselves to being PLLed to the station 10 MHz reference.

I believe it is a difficult task considering all possible "birdies" falling into the different bands.

Has anyone come up with common LO and IF schemes for multiple P3E bands ?

Long time ago I have seen a project over a ARRL Proceedings Microwave Update for OSCAR-13 but I have to look for it.

My IC-910H will cover 1,263 MHz nicely, but it looks like all of the other higher bands will have a unique LO for the band, at least for X band and below.

I believe that in real life from the point of view of the frequency agility your IC-910H is much better than using separate transmit-converters and down-converters covering from 2 meters to 23 cm

From 13 cm and up to the X band the downconverters and transmit-comnverters

are mandatory

Time to get ready....

Stan, W1LE FN41sr Cape Cod

I agree

Have fun and 73" de

i8CVS Domenico