Transverter preferences

Bill Carnett

Would like to add 2 mtr and maybe 432 to Flex 6500.  Considering DEMI versus Electcraft.  Any significant preference between the two?  I can get the Electcraft sooner, hi hi. 

Performance specifications look similar.  Any thoughts regarding integration with Flexradio?

Thanks

bc

David

From what I have read both are good. The people at FlexRadio worked with DEMI on their product.

Depending what you are looking to do and want to spend there is a less expensive option. I have the 144 and 220 boards from the link below. They work to get you on the repeaters or digital. I haven't tried SSB but have received. There is frequency drift as they warm up but they are better than third the cost of the DEMI, Elecraft, and others so you can get your feet wet with a transverter on the Flex and move up from there if needed.
http://transverters-store.com/

Simon Lewis

sadly anything will be faster than DEMI ! I run a Kuhne transverter stack off the Flex - TR144, 432 and 1296 with the TR6 IF switch depends what you are looking for .. best performance or just something to run local SSB/FM And also what antennas/preamps .. if any you're planning I have built and bought plenty of different transverters over the years ... Kuhne is top of the pile, but with a cost to match, I own DEMI transverters too that I build but always end up modding to ensure frequency stability etc (I do not run unlocked LO's) depends what your after Cheers Simon ZL4PLM

Martin AA6E

I use an elecraft xv144 with a '6500. No issues with the setup & integration. The xv series are nice packages. My main issue is that the xtal osc is not especially stable or accurate. Of course, you can take care of the offset in SSDR. I would also like an xvtr that covered the full 4 MHz on 2M, but you can't have everything! (I can work repeaters on the top end, but output falls off a lot.)

Roy Laufer

I have a 6700, so I have DEMI's 2M Power amplifier/LNA specifically meant for the 6700 and it is working like a charm. I purchased a 70cm transverter from them, but the units are optimized for the low end where weak signal communications are used. I needed something for FM Repeaters so DEMI offered to see if they could modify it for that frequency range and if not, special order the necessary parts and build me another with those specs from scratch. Yeah, they take a long time from the initial order, but they stand behind all their products and are more than willing to modify a circuit if that's what the customer needs.

Regretfully, I do not have any practical experience with other transverter manufacturers to offer you, but I wanted to put my two cents in, regarding DEMI.

Good luck!
Roy, AC2GS

4thapack .

I was recently in the same dilemma trying to determine which route to take. I have owned several DEMI products in the past including one of their older version 144-28 transverters. I ran it for some time with great success. A divorce and life have made me put the hobby on hold but now I am getting back into things.

The one thing that sold me on the DEMI versus Elecraft was the the internal oscillator oven being included on the DEMI product and being an option on the Elecraft. I bought my transverter in the kit form as I enjoy kit building versus having something delivered working. The other item I liked is it is much easier to integrate an external frequency reference into the DEMI product by purchasing the Apollo which integrates very easily. You can use this same product or others with the Elecraft but it being offered by DEMI and already being somewhat designed into the enclosure/transverter was a nice feature. The DEMI also has a nice cooling fan on the heatsink that is controlled by a thermistor mounted to the internal oscillator to keep the oscillator within a certain temp range for maximum stability.

Both offer top notch tech support but I chose DEMI having bought Steve's products since the mid-late 90's. It is all in what you want to do. If you want external 10 MHz reference to be easier go with the DEMI. If you want something quickly and want to pay for an OXCO then go for Elecraft...

73 and best of luck
Shane KI4M