Video: using the $75 VHF transverter with the Flex and SmartSDR

Doug Hall

Not long ago there was discussion here regarding the cheap ($75) 2m transverter board offered by UT5JCW at transverters-store.com. I've been using this board successfully with the Flex-6300 for a number of months now, and recently I put together a video showing the "good, bad, and ugly" sides of this transverter solution. Consider it a mini-review and mini-HOWTO. I'm not a videographer by any means, but if you can overlook the rough edges you might find it useful if you are looking for a functional VHF transverter for your Flex. Whether you go this route or buy one of the more expensive units from Kuhne, DEMI, or Elecraft I hope you'll find something useful here.

https://youtu.be/w8JQ0SIUlI8

73,
Doug K4DSP

Rob Fissel

Nice video, Doug. Thanks for sharing. Makes me want to get 2 meters working on my 6300 as well!

Ken - NM9P

Thanks, Doug.  I have been contemplating one of those, but had concerns with IMD as well.  Looks like I would need to find a good, clean amp to pair with it.  How is the receive performance?  How broadbanded is it?  it looks like there is a difference in noise floor from 144.200 to the FM part of the band.

George KF2T

Nice job, Doug! My experience with their 432 transverter was about the same. Nice units, but I ultimately went to a pair of Elecrafts. 

Duane_AC5AA

Thanks, Doug - very informative and helpful.

VE6KWA

Thanks Doug, I've been hoping someone would do a video on this. Good info  plainly stated so even a newbie can understand.  Well done ! By all means carry on making more videos.

Doug Hall

Yes, Ken, I suggest an amplifier, but even at the 10w level I would probably suggest one as well if you want to work SSB and CW. I can work all the local repeaters at the 1.5w level - no amp needed there.

As far as receive goes, the 3 dB points on my transverter receive passband are 142.8 MHz and 148 MHz. Not perfectly centered on the band, but good enough. In the video I had the pan zoomed in on the SSB slice so the noise floor looks higher on the FM slice. Also I have a noise source that comes and goes up above 145 MHz, so that was showing up in the video

As far as sensitivity goes I confess that I haven't dragged the signal generator (old HP 8640 that is kinda heavy) from the workshop to the hamshack. But casual side-by-side testing shows that the Flex/transverter combo receives about as well as my Kenwood TS-2000 or my Icom 706MK2G.
73,
Doug K4DSP

Ken - NM9P

Thanks, Doug. I have a 706 mk2g in my van and an IC-275A in the shack. I don't use it much, and would like to sell it to get a good transverter. They still bring pretty good money. I once had a MM-144-28 transverter and wish I had it back....

Doug Hall

I've seen the 2M Elecrafts, George, but not the 70cm unit. Nice equipment, and definitely a cut above the UT5JCW product. I think one advantage is being able to configure the Elecraft to operate in a split RX/TX IF setup vs. a common IF, something you can't do with the UT5JCW board. But the 6300 only supports a common IF configuration anyway, so the advantage was lost on me.

How much of the 70cm band can you cover with the Elecraft?
73,
Doug K4DSP