New installation of the 50 MHz Oblong in Januari 2025.
Författare: Lars Thunberg
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432 MHz EME QSO
Some time ago now – but I made two EME QSOs with DL7APV (now SK) in February 2023. I used my 2* 15 el LFA X-yagi and 40 watt output from IC-9700.
See also my Tweet from this event:
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2.2 GHz Helix
Some construction notes of my two 2.2 GHz Helix antennas I now using for my SatNOGS station and manual satellite RX.
The print scaffold set is from Dereksgc and i friend of mine did the printing https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4980180
Construction notes from UHF-Satcom:
https://uhf-satcom.com/satellite-reception/s-band
The wire is from a RFC-400 coax cable center conductor – I just stripped one meter.
First set the wire to the printed support frame:
Then drill a hole in the reflector and mount a connector – I used both N-type and SMA-type.
In order to get good 50 ohm match I needed to solder a piece of copper tape according to the image below:
Then a lot of hot glue and UV protection spray to get it a little bit more water proof:
Finally mounted at the mast:
This is the SWR plot after mounting:
I can recommend Dereksgc Youtube channel for lot of videos about S-band antennas and RX:
Some test with the internal LNA (P.AMP) of the IC-9700 and external LNA. What combinations will give the best SNR? Note that all tests are done without any type of professional equipment – only by looking at the waterfall and listening with my ears.
I have used my VHF and UHF yagis and external LNAs Mini-2 and Mini-70 mounted just below the antennas. I have aprox. 16 meters of high quality LMR-400 cables between the IC-9700 and antennas/LNAs.
VHF – beacon SK1VHF at 144.447 MHz
| Without internal P.AMP and external LNA | Not possible to hear beacon |
| With only internal P.AMP | Possible to hear beacon |
| With both internal P.AMP and external LNA | Better SNR but needed to reduce RFGain to get good SNR |
| With only external LNA | Best SNR! No need to reduce RFGain. |
Note on VHF: The difference between using both internal P.AMP + external LNA and only external LNA is not huge, but is clearly audible.
UHF – beacon SK1UHF at 432.405 MHz
| Without internal P.AMP and external LNA | Not possible to hear beacon |
| With only internal P.AMP | Possible to hear beacon |
| With both internal P.AMP and external LNA | Better SNR but needed to reduce RFGain to get good SNR |
| With only external LNA | Best SNR! No need to reduce RFGain. |
Note on UHF: Almost the same result as VHF, but the external LNA gives better result and SNR compared to VHF.
Summary:
If you do not have an external LNA it is mandatory to use the internal P.AMP on the IC-9700 for very weak signals.
If you have a good external LNA mounted close to the antenna it is best to turn off the internal P.AMP to get best SNR.
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QO-100 SatRover fixed setup
This is my final QO-100 fixed setup with the SatRover:
- SatRover Mk 1 from PE1CKK
- 2.4 GHz Helix (as a part of SatRover)
- LNB a part of the SatRover, feed with normal 75 ohms TV cable coax
- 60 cm dish from Triax (TD64) branded as Canal Digital
- IC-705 as TRX
- 10 dB attenuator and a number of meters of Hyperflex 5 coax cable to make the output on 2.4 GHz at the Helix to aprox 100 mW (legal power limit in Sweden)
SatRover and the IC-705
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50 MHz Oblong
April 2024 I made a 50 MHz Oblong according to this.
Some pictures from building and mounting on roof:
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First QO-100 QSO April 2024
Today 12 April 2024 I made my first QO-100 QSOs via FT8 and FT4 with the SatRover transverter in the garden outside our house. I got a small pile-up!
