Steve

Made good progress on the 2nd homebrew 10GHz TVTR this weekend. Old school modular approach, based on W1GHZ + G3WDG designs with new PMA5-123-3W MMIC PA. TX path above deck, LO, VRegs, sequencer and RX plus LNA below. 144MHz IF, 2.5W out on 10368MHz. #GHz_Bands

My build experience: radio.g4hsk.co.uk/2025/12/12/10g… #GHz_Bands

@g8kmh @uhf_satcom RO material

@G8GKA @uhf_satcom Useful power. FR4 or RO4xxx?

My PMA5-123 10GHz PA is working well. After a couple of minor HW changes and two parameter changes in the DC-bias MCU SW I can now measure 2.5W with 24dB gain. A nice add-on for my homebrew TVTRs. Now to think about a suitable enclosure and putting the second one together. #UKGHz

I applied volts to the PA. No magic smoke escaped! Calibration ran okay. A very quick test (with low bias current) indicated it’s giving 22dB gain. These boards have been a real challenge, 0603 parts and QFN devices are at the limit of my soldering capabilities now. #GHz_Bands

@g1dfl_pete I saw that track but wasn’t sure about the parking up there. As time was short I opted for the lower car park which was still spectacular compared to anything near home.

@G8GKA That looks like the middle car park. Slightly west of that location, and up a chalky flint track is Coombe Gibbet. Slightly higher and where I sometimes go. Have fun! Pete G1DFL/P

I was near Combe Gibbet today & had my 10GHz gear with me, so took the opportunity to visit. Wow! Location… ✔️ Unprepared, no headings etc. GB3CMS & PKT audible via RS. GCT was S9++ on open WG. 1st time I’ve used uW gear at a decent site. So different to /P in Essex #GHz_Bands

Just testing a new RPi SDR Panadapter setup. Good 10GHz RS at the moment. GB3PKT beacon peaking 59s on indoor /P gear with horn antenna. Seeing my personal QRPp beacon and PKT on 10368.945MHz on the waterfall. The 5” display seems okay for /P operation. Fun on the #GHz_Bands

I only have the QO-100 feed mounted on my dish atm. 10GHz EME condx are looking good so I tried decoding the DL0SHF/B. Results not too shabby given manual tracking both AZ/EL & Doppler shift. Setup: 1.2m OS dish, MCTV-670 LNB → Pluto SDR → SDRConsole → VAC → WSJT-X #GHz_Bands

Nice 10GHz Q65-60D EME QSO (Initial #34) this morning with Hans, ON4CDU. My second 1.2m to 1.2m dish QSO. Only 10W at the feed this end. There would have been no repeats needed had I not forgotten to nudge the dish! 🙂 Fun on the #GHz_Bands

ARI EME Contest today. Conditions were challenging, spreading >200Hz for much of my Moon pass and -2dB Dgrd made it pretty tough going with my small 1.2m/10W 10GHz setup. Still fun, one new initial in the bag, Bert – DL4DTU with his 2.4m dish. TU to my QSO partners.🙂 #GHz_Bands

Four 10GHz beacons were visible all together on the waterfall last night via RS. Using indoor setup with 20dB horn antenna pointing East. GB3FNY was ODX at 219km, GB3GCT was -17dB (PI4) at 128km from JO01fs. Fun on the #GHz_Bands

Dull and wet outside with light drizzle. New 10GHz transverter propped up on a chair pointing up at the clouds. GB3PKT beacon in on RS. Best -15 so far. Fun on the #GHz_Bands

@WA4OSH It’s a surveyors tripod. I dispensed with the 11/16 & made a 1/2” thick hard wood disc with 3/8 hole. This sits in the in the tripod head and centralises things. A 3/8-16 stud with large washer & wing nut secures the P&T head. A spacer is also needed between the P&T and tripod.

I looked up the Gitzo PL5 on E-Bay "GITZO PL5 BTE Pan and Tilt Tripod Head Film Digital" Is your tripod a photographic tripod, or a survey-type tripod. I believe I can make an adapter between the 11/16 thread that comes up on a survey tripod to the photographic thread that would go into a heavy-duty pan and tilt head unit. Thanks!!

The new 10GHz PA module is now installed and working. Hope to get out later today to do some /P tests. Fun on the #GHz_Bands.

@WA4OSH I’m using a heavy duty pan & tilt head unit (Gitzo PL5) fitted with a wooden tray that grips the TVTR box. A couple of bungee cords can be used if it’s windy. The PL5 attaches to the tripod with a threaded stud and a wing-nut on the underside. Hopefully this photo shows it better

@G8GKA Steve, how did you mount your transceiver / transverter / PA module to your survey tripod? I'm building a similar setup with a Yaesu FT818 and a Kuhne Transverter. Whose PA module did you use?

@w3ipa Thanks Tim. It’s QRP, the output is only 75mW into the dish. The TVTR setup is homebrew and produces 5mW output. My goal is to get to 1-2W. I guess a better description would have been “Driver Amp”. 🙂

@G8GKA Looks good Steve! How many watts? I’ve been having fun with a small set up like this but with horn with 2watts. Worked quite a few RainScatter QSOs the other day. Enjoy!

Initial tests were free of any magic smoke. 🙂 With a new cobbled together PSU board and the 2nd device changed to a MGF1601 I’m currently getting +18dBm output. Now to fit it into the TVTR enclosure🤞 Full credit to GI0GDP for his UKuG Scatterpoint article Fun on the #GHz_Bands

Patchwork fun with a “Franco” SU-02 10GHz PCB. The pieces now all fit together nicely in the enclosure and the PSU still works. Now to see if I can get the rest of it working again without any devices letting the magic smoke out. 🤞 Fun on the #GHz_Bands

@G1EHF Thanks Dave. Once it's finished I will post details on my blog: radio.g4hsk.co.uk/category/blog/

@G8GKA 👍 looks very neat Steve. Are you planning to publish your work?

Trying hard to complete some projects. 10GHz Beacon / test source and SA downconverter basically working. +7dBm output and 10GHz downconverter outputs to 618MHz which works well with Rigol DSA815TG SA. All locked to a 10MHz OCXO. Fun on the #GHz_Bands