Category Archives: Blog

QO-100 Experiments – LNB Modifications

Posted on July 28, 2020 by

I have been using a Goobay 67269 LNB with a small Horn antenna on 10368MHz for a while to monitor beacons via rain-scatter. This was a fairly basic setup, the Chaparral horn had been cut-off and the LNB mated to … Continue reading →

Posted in 3cms, Blog, GHz_Bands, QO-100, Satellites, SDR

Enhanced USB-to-Serial PTT Interface

Posted on March 1, 2020 by

Many of the modern transceivers today support direct USB connectivity to your shack PC. This USB connection typically enables 2-way audio and CAT control allowing more or less full control of the transceiver, including PTT keying. Where CAT control for … Continue reading →

Posted in 23cms, 3cms, 70cms, Anglian TVTR, Blog, EME, GHz_Bands, QO-100, Satellites

An Arduino Based Four Event Sequencer

Posted on February 24, 2020 by

When putting together a system using RF switching relays, Low Noise Amplifiers (LNA) and RF power it’s important that things are switched at the right time and in the correct sequence. This ensures that the relays do not actually switch … Continue reading →

Posted in Arduino, Blog, GHz_Bands

QO-100 Experiments – 2400MHz Pipe-Cap Filter

Posted on January 4, 2020 by

Over the years I’d seen a number of projects that were using one or more pipe-cap filters. They looked as if they should be fairly simple to make so I thought I should try one to help reduce the unwanted … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog, GHz_Bands, QO-100, Satellites

QO-100 Experiments – 2256MHz Local Oscillator

Posted on January 4, 2020 by

I chose to use an ADF4351 based synthesizer module to generate the 2256MHz local oscillator (LO) needed for my QO-100 QRP  transmit converter. This is controlled by an Arduino Nano. Having already used one of these modules for the 54 … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog, GHz_Bands, QO-100, Satellites

QO-100 Experiments – QRP Transmit Converter

Posted on January 3, 2020 by

Having spent some time listening to the QO-100 satellite using the Goonhilly WebSDR facility and my own temporary receive solutions, I decided it was time to try generating some RF and get a signal up to the satellite. I was … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog, GHz_Bands, QO-100, Satellites

Fun on 10GHz – 2 ‘Rain-Scatter’

Posted on October 7, 2019 by

I’m still what some might call a novice when it comes to the 10GHz band. It’s a band that’s like no other that I’ve operated on, and I’m hooked on it. I’ve recently discovered first-hand the effect of rain-scatter at … Continue reading →

Posted in 3cms, Blog, GHz_Bands, Mobile / portable Operation

Fun on 10GHz – 1

Posted on August 13, 2019 by

Over the last 20 years or so I’ve rarely operated my radio equipment away from home. This has changed since I’ve caught the “microwave bug” and got started on the 10GHz band. My 10GHz setup comprised initially of just a … Continue reading →

Posted in 3cms, Blog, EME, GHz_Bands

Yaesu G-5500 Fault

Posted on August 4, 2019 by

  About two weeks ago my Yaesu G-5500 rotator controller developed a strange fault. The Azimuth (AZ) meter would not display correctly, the Elevation (EL) meter was working fine. The AZ meter showed only ~20 degrees but the EME antennas … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog, EME, Satellites

10GHz – Frequency Accuracy and Stability

Posted on May 27, 2019 by

One of the key things that I have learnt from my EME activities is that frequency accuracy and stability is very important. My current 10GHz equipment comprises of a DB6NT G4 Transverter (TVTR) and an ICOM IC-706 transceiver for the … Continue reading →

Posted in 3cms, Blog, GHz_Bands