I have been working on putting together microwave equipment for my
station for 7 or 8 years now. Each of my working transverters has cost me
maybe $150 per band. It's not so much the cost as the time
involved. Everything built from scratch, including the circuit boards. I've
kept constant watch on eBay looking for Duroid board material and other
parts to do this. I've put together transverters for 903 through 10368 MHz
and I'm working on 24, 47 and 78 GHz. I have to build two of each
transverter for 47 and 78 GHz just so I can use one to align and tune the
other.
I started off with the basic transverters, then decided I need phase-locked
LO's and spent several years and several generations of circuits getting
that down so it worked to my satisfaction. Constant added improvements so I
could change bands rapidly. I also had to accumulate test gear necessary to
align and tune all this stuff.
I don't just use these in contests. I keep constant watch on the Hepburn
tropo page so I might be able to predict when I can possibly work
someone. Almost every week for at least one day I head for a hilltop about
an hour's drive away to try to work someone on a microwave band. I usually
get up at 5:30 AM so I can get up to the hill on time, get set up and try to
make QSO's, and then drive back and be at work on time.
Sorry, I am NOT going to give up these bands without some sort of a fight
after all the effort it's taken me to get there.
73, Zack W9SZ
On Thu, May 28, 2009 at 4:47 PM, frank bechdoldt <k3uhf@hotmail.com> wrote:
You are friends with Wayne, Invite him hear to hash it out. I doubt if it
would ever happen, I would just rather give the fruits of his efforts over
to the guys who want the spectrum and let the FCC decide the value.
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