I haven't worked with sequencers before as all my LNAs and SDRs have been used for receive only. But now that I have a Airspy HF+ I want to get going with APRS on 145.825 and use this on HF as well. So receiving with the SDR, transmitting with a transceiver. I also want to experiment with LNAs, so another reason to use a sequencer. I did a lot of googling, learned some, but still not sure what I need to look out for when buying one. I prefer a kit or assembled product as a first try.
Below is a list of what I found on line. From a distance the VHF Design is cheap and has detailed information, so I am leaning towards purchasing that. Later, for a DIY project, I like the OZ1BXM design because it uses an Arduino for control, which brings some flexiblity.
Can you all please give me some input on what to look for in sequencers or comment on the choices below? Any other kits/assemblies I have missed and should be considered? Cheers,
Hans BX2ABT
Minikits from Austalia's EME166: AU$45 (=US$27.75)
https://www.minikits.com.au/Sequencer?search=Sequencer
This is the only one that indicates a frequency range: 28 to 500 MHz, so this will cover the 2m band, but not HF. Also RF input is 4 Watts maximum, which seems low, so how is this usable?
W6PQL's sequencer (US$20 for kit, US$37.50 assembled)
http://www.w6pql.com/relay_sequencer.htm
No info on frequency range or input power. Not much info on the website.
VHF Design (US$20 assembled)
https://vhfdesign.com/other/sequencer-pcb.html
Website has good information, diagrams and PCB layouts. Again no info on frequency range, etc.
Downeast Microwave (US$25~80)
https://www.downeastmicrowave.com/searchresults.asp?Search=sequencer&Sub...
3 and 4 step sequencers both in solid state and with relays based on a design by W5LUA. Which better: solid state or relays? Little indept info.
G3SEK - (DIY)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek/dx-book/sequencer/
Basically only a schematic, so need to build it from the ground up.
OZ1BXM (DIY)
http://oz1bxm.dk/seq/sequencer.html
Another DIY project based on the W6PLQ design. This uses an Arduino as MCU, so should be flexible. No kits and no PCB designs.
SM2CEW (DIY)
http://sm2cew.com/sequencer/sequencer.html
This one looks very simple to make with very few components. It was designed for HF, so will it work on VHF?
I've used the W6PQL (built and tested) unit for 6m and 1.25m very successfully for several years.
73, Roger W7TZ CN83ia
On Fri, Mar 6, 2020 at 4:26 AM Hans BX2ABT via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
I haven't worked with sequencers before as all my LNAs and SDRs have been used for receive only. But now that I have a Airspy HF+ I want to get going with APRS on 145.825 and use this on HF as well. So receiving with the SDR, transmitting with a transceiver. I also want to experiment with LNAs, so another reason to use a sequencer. I did a lot of googling, learned some, but still not sure what I need to look out for when buying one. I prefer a kit or assembled product as a first try.
Below is a list of what I found on line. From a distance the VHF Design is cheap and has detailed information, so I am leaning towards purchasing that. Later, for a DIY project, I like the OZ1BXM design because it uses an Arduino for control, which brings some flexiblity.
Can you all please give me some input on what to look for in sequencers or comment on the choices below? Any other kits/assemblies I have missed and should be considered? Cheers,
Hans BX2ABT
Minikits from Austalia's EME166: AU$45 (=US$27.75)
https://www.minikits.com.au/Sequencer?search=Sequencer
This is the only one that indicates a frequency range: 28 to 500 MHz, so this will cover the 2m band, but not HF. Also RF input is 4 Watts maximum, which seems low, so how is this usable?
W6PQL's sequencer (US$20 for kit, US$37.50 assembled)
http://www.w6pql.com/relay_sequencer.htm
No info on frequency range or input power. Not much info on the website.
VHF Design (US$20 assembled)
https://vhfdesign.com/other/sequencer-pcb.html
Website has good information, diagrams and PCB layouts. Again no info on frequency range, etc.
Downeast Microwave (US$25~80)
https://www.downeastmicrowave.com/searchresults.asp?Search=sequencer&Sub...
3 and 4 step sequencers both in solid state and with relays based on a design by W5LUA. Which better: solid state or relays? Little indept info.
G3SEK - (DIY)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek/dx-book/sequencer/
Basically only a schematic, so need to build it from the ground up.
OZ1BXM (DIY)
http://oz1bxm.dk/seq/sequencer.html
Another DIY project based on the W6PLQ design. This uses an Arduino as MCU, so should be flexible. No kits and no PCB designs.
SM2CEW (DIY)
http://sm2cew.com/sequencer/sequencer.html
This one looks very simple to make with very few components. It was designed for HF, so will it work on VHF?
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Roger,
I am a little confused by your comment on frequency range and power as those are characterists of the relays themselves and not the sequencer. The purpose of the sequencer is to switch equipment and feedlines from receive to transmit and back in a orderly sequence such that RF is the last thing applied on transmit and the first thing removed on receive. As such a sequencer is an electrical device and not a RF device.
On my 1296 system I use the Demi solid state sequencer. Step 1 removes preamp power. Step 2 switches the preamp out of line by activating two coaxial relays (where I spent real money!). Step 3 grounds the PTT on the W6PQL power amplifier and then Step 4 grounds the PTT on the transceiver and applies RF. There are other switching schemes but this is a fairly common one.
Hope that helps.
Johnny
On Fri, Mar 6, 2020, 11:50 Roger - W7TZ via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
I've used the W6PQL (built and tested) unit for 6m and 1.25m very successfully for several years.
73, Roger W7TZ CN83ia
On Fri, Mar 6, 2020 at 4:26 AM Hans BX2ABT via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
I haven't worked with sequencers before as all my LNAs and SDRs have been used for receive only. But now that I have a Airspy HF+ I want to get going with APRS on 145.825 and use this on HF as well. So receiving with the SDR, transmitting with a transceiver. I also want to experiment with LNAs, so another reason to use a sequencer. I did a lot of googling, learned some, but still not sure what I need to look out for when buying one. I prefer a kit or assembled product as a first try.
Below is a list of what I found on line. From a distance the VHF Design is cheap and has detailed information, so I am leaning towards purchasing that. Later, for a DIY project, I like the OZ1BXM design because it uses an Arduino for control, which brings some flexiblity.
Can you all please give me some input on what to look for in sequencers or comment on the choices below? Any other kits/assemblies I have missed and should be considered? Cheers,
Hans BX2ABT
Minikits from Austalia's EME166: AU$45 (=US$27.75)
https://www.minikits.com.au/Sequencer?search=Sequencer
This is the only one that indicates a frequency range: 28 to 500 MHz, so this will cover the 2m band, but not HF. Also RF input is 4 Watts maximum, which seems low, so how is this usable?
W6PQL's sequencer (US$20 for kit, US$37.50 assembled)
http://www.w6pql.com/relay_sequencer.htm
No info on frequency range or input power. Not much info on the website.
VHF Design (US$20 assembled)
https://vhfdesign.com/other/sequencer-pcb.html
Website has good information, diagrams and PCB layouts. Again no info on frequency range, etc.
Downeast Microwave (US$25~80)
https://www.downeastmicrowave.com/searchresults.asp?Search=sequencer&Sub...
3 and 4 step sequencers both in solid state and with relays based on a design by W5LUA. Which better: solid state or relays? Little indept info.
G3SEK - (DIY)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek/dx-book/sequencer/
Basically only a schematic, so need to build it from the ground up.
OZ1BXM (DIY)
http://oz1bxm.dk/seq/sequencer.html
Another DIY project based on the W6PLQ design. This uses an Arduino as MCU, so should be flexible. No kits and no PCB designs.
SM2CEW (DIY)
http://sm2cew.com/sequencer/sequencer.html
This one looks very simple to make with very few components. It was designed for HF, so will it work on VHF?
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
Opinions
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
program!
Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
W6PQL works great. That is how I sequence my station. It protects my FCD while my radio transmits to FS-3.
73 Chris
On Fri, Mar 6, 2020, 12:14 John Kludt via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
Roger,
I am a little confused by your comment on frequency range and power as those are characterists of the relays themselves and not the sequencer. The purpose of the sequencer is to switch equipment and feedlines from receive to transmit and back in a orderly sequence such that RF is the last thing applied on transmit and the first thing removed on receive. As such a sequencer is an electrical device and not a RF device.
On my 1296 system I use the Demi solid state sequencer. Step 1 removes preamp power. Step 2 switches the preamp out of line by activating two coaxial relays (where I spent real money!). Step 3 grounds the PTT on the W6PQL power amplifier and then Step 4 grounds the PTT on the transceiver and applies RF. There are other switching schemes but this is a fairly common one.
Hope that helps.
Johnny
On Fri, Mar 6, 2020, 11:50 Roger - W7TZ via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
I've used the W6PQL (built and tested) unit for 6m and 1.25m very successfully for several years.
73, Roger W7TZ CN83ia
On Fri, Mar 6, 2020 at 4:26 AM Hans BX2ABT via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
I haven't worked with sequencers before as all my LNAs and SDRs have been used for receive only. But now that I have a Airspy HF+ I want to get going with APRS on 145.825 and use this on HF as well. So receiving with the SDR, transmitting with a transceiver. I also want to
experiment
with LNAs, so another reason to use a sequencer. I did a lot of googling, learned some, but still not sure what I need to look out for when buying one. I prefer a kit or assembled product as a first try.
Below is a list of what I found on line. From a distance the VHF Design is cheap and has detailed information, so I am leaning towards purchasing that. Later, for a DIY project, I like the OZ1BXM design because it uses an Arduino for control, which brings some flexiblity.
Can you all please give me some input on what to look for in sequencers or comment on the choices below? Any other kits/assemblies I have
missed
and should be considered? Cheers,
Hans BX2ABT
Minikits from Austalia's EME166: AU$45 (=US$27.75)
https://www.minikits.com.au/Sequencer?search=Sequencer
This is the only one that indicates a frequency range: 28 to 500 MHz,
so
this will cover the 2m band, but not HF. Also RF input is 4 Watts maximum, which seems low, so how is this usable?
W6PQL's sequencer (US$20 for kit, US$37.50 assembled)
http://www.w6pql.com/relay_sequencer.htm
No info on frequency range or input power. Not much info on the
website.
VHF Design (US$20 assembled)
https://vhfdesign.com/other/sequencer-pcb.html
Website has good information, diagrams and PCB layouts. Again no info
on
frequency range, etc.
Downeast Microwave (US$25~80)
https://www.downeastmicrowave.com/searchresults.asp?Search=sequencer&Sub...
3 and 4 step sequencers both in solid state and with relays based on a design by W5LUA. Which better: solid state or relays? Little indept
info.
G3SEK - (DIY)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek/dx-book/sequencer/
Basically only a schematic, so need to build it from the ground up.
OZ1BXM (DIY)
http://oz1bxm.dk/seq/sequencer.html
Another DIY project based on the W6PLQ design. This uses an Arduino as MCU, so should be flexible. No kits and no PCB designs.
SM2CEW (DIY)
http://sm2cew.com/sequencer/sequencer.html
This one looks very simple to make with very few components. It was designed for HF, so will it work on VHF?
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
Opinions
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views
of
AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
program!
Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
Opinions
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
program!
Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (4)
-
Chris Thompson -
Hans BX2ABT -
John Kludt -
Roger - W7TZ