2016 - More to learn, more to improve, more to achieve!

With the experience I gained on 10GHz last year, I’m super excited about what’s possible in 2016. I learned a lot, I have a lot of system improvements to make, and there’s a lot for me to still achieve, for sure!   

 Here’s a few things I have on my “winter to-do” list:
  • Complete my tripod dish mount system - This will enable me to have a have a robust and stable platform for my dish plus a 2M talkback beam. Involves interfacing a 2” vertical pole with my camera pan/tilt head, attached to my Leica Surveyors tripod.
  • Create a separate 2M SSB/FM talkback system – Many remote hilltop sites have surprisingly poor mobile voice/data coverage.  In the UkuG contests, as well widespread ON4KST use, I found that 144.175MHz SSB remains widely used to attract new contacts.  Also talkback is really useful for helping with dish pointing.  Last year I was having to disconnect the FT-290R Mk1, and then use its telescopic whip to go back to 2M.  This year I will bring my TR-9000 with a small beam.
  • Re-house my transverter – /P systems get bashed a bit and everything needs to be reliable especially all power and RF connections.  A great way of coping with malfunctions is to have a “first aid” box of spares etc.  Also everything inside the transverter box is valuable and needs to be protected from rain and mud ingress.  
  • Improve my 3cm RX and TX – I have a DB6NT HEMT MKU LNA 102 A to add into the system, as well as a 5W SSPA.  This will enable me to hear better and be heard by more stations.  Last year my ODX was 147Km and I want to better that to be 250km+.  This will involve a more complex system with the LNA and SSPA correctly sequenced using an SEQ-2. 
  • Build a WBFM system – I’d love to help some other folks get on 3cm in a quick and easy way.  So I plan to build a second 3cm capability.  This will be simple and cheap and involve separate WBFM TX and RX systems.  Specifically I’m keen to help some new stations experiment, learn and have fun on 10GHz using bits and bobs that collectively cost “under £50”.  For RX this will be a simple 45cm Sky Minidish->PLL LNB->BiasT->RTL Dongle->SDRTouch->Android Tablet system.  For TX I am thinking a Solfan/C&K Gun Diode->Horn with a Modulator/PSU circuit.  I’m especially keen to get some of my colleagues in the Drowned Rats Radio Group (DRRG) M0HRF up and running on 10GHz, so as a team we can win more points in the SHF UKAC!!
Reflecting on last year, one of my highlights was discovering how super helpful and encouraging GHz folks were towards me getting my station back together and operational again on 3cm.  Shout-outs due to Neil G4LDR, Brian G4NNS, David M0GHZ, Andy G6TRM and Noel G8GTZ in particular, have been very supportive.

At the end of last year Noel G8GTZ kindly invited me to his QTH in Basingstoke to give my system an “MOT”.  This was a really insightful and helpful exercise.  In the December SHF UKAC I had problems on Coombe Hill with overdrive issues between my FT-290R Mk1 and the DB6NT Mk2.  So that was the first challenge to fix.

Noel is a well known Microwave/ATV guru and a really knowledgeable radio experimenter, with an impressive array of test equipment.  This meant that he was able to help tune and set-up my system correctly.  He measured about 150mW out which is not that far off the 200-250mW rated spec from the DB6NT.  There’s some more tuning that can be done for sure as we didn’t adjust the FT-290R drive, he just backed off the settings that were probably causing the overdrive problem inside the transverter.

It was also a chance to test some new additions I’ll be bolting to my system for 2016.  Last year I acquired a 700mW in 5W out SSPA and with 150mW this gives a very useful 1.5W out, so 10x my current output, which will definitely help me to be heard!  Ultimately I’d like to build a driver amp for this to feed 1W in to get the full 5W out, but that can wait.  The 1.5W will make a massive difference, with a 30dB offset dish that’s over a KW ERP!

Noel also hooked up my newly acquired DB6NT LNA onto to his test gear.  I was really impressed by the difference a high quality pre-amp made, improving the system gain from 18dB to 42dB and reducing the system noise figure from 2.69dB to 1.99dB NF, see attached photos.  ...When /P in the field I’m expecting this to make a significant difference to what I can hear!

A big thank you to Noel for the “MOT”.  When I’ve re-housed my transverter to form my “2016 system” (with the 1.5W SSPA, LNA and SEQ-2 all wired-up), I hope to pop-back down to Noel’s QTH for a re-test, before I next venture out.

I’m really looking forward to lots more QSO’s in 2016, and - weather/family/job permitting - I plan to be active in the following contests:
  • SHF UKAC series (4th Tuesdays, aiming for May, June, July, Aug, Sept & Oct)
  • UKuG 10Ghz Cumulatives (29 May, 26 June, 31 July, 28 Aug & 25 Sept)
  • Region 1 UHF-SHF Weekend Contests (7-8 May & 1-2 Oct)

 Here are my 2016 top 5 objectives:
  1. Build a WBFM system and help to get some DRRG folks on 3cm
  2. Improve my station, work more people, and increase my ODX to 250Km+ 
  3. Work a new country (GW easiest from IO91, but PA or F would be fab!)
  4. Experiment more with scatter modes including RS and AS 
  5. Try some new paths, from some different sites in IO91
So lots more to learn, a lot more work to do to improve my system, and lots more to achieve on 3cm in 2016.  I hope to work you!
G1DFL 10GHz System without LNA (18dB Gain, 2.69dB NF)
G1DFL 10GHz System with LNA (42dB Gain, 1.99dB NF) - a big difference!