Hi John,

Hamtronics previously offered a UHF receive converter. It was available as a kit and was a mix of through-hole components and surface mount. This was the first surface mount kit that I built. There were two options for the crystals, so that it would convert either 435.0 MHz or 435.5 MHz down to 28.0 MHz depending on which crystal was installed in the circuit board. One note of caution: If you want to use it for AO-27 ( at 436.8 MHz ) then verify that your receiver will tune past 29.7 MHz up to 29.8 MHz, or get the crystal to convert 435.5 MHz down to 28.0 MHz. Some ten meter receivers only tune up to 29.7 MHz. Also, tuning up some of the coils required a special tuning tool from Hamtronics.

We measured my receive converter at the 2010 International EME Conference in Dallas last year. My receive converter had about a 6.3 dB noise figure and 15.1 db gain.

In my experience, it always required a low noise preamp in order to be useful for receiving satellite signals. Whether the preamp requirement was due to the design or whether it was because this kit was the first surface mount kit that I ever built was something that I never determined. :-) The preamp that I used in front of it measured 1.55 dB noise figure with 14.3 db gain. The combination of low noise preamp and downconverter worked very well with an HR2600 on AO-27 and AO-51.

A few more details are available at:

http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/faqs/mobileQRP.php

TLDR: Yes, they used to offer it. If you see one for a couple bucks at a hamfest, grab it and use it with a low noise preamp.

73, Douglas KA2UPW/5

-----Original Message----- From: John Geiger aa5jg@fidmail.com To: AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Fri, Jan 20, 2012 10:41 am Subject: [amsat-bb] Hamtronics receive converters

Does anyone know if Hamstronics has made a UHF receive converter? The currently make one for 2m, but I would like one to use for FO29, if possible.

73s John AA5JG _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb